WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN...

blog post

November 6, 2017

Alexandra Whitley

It’s hard to swallow this weekend’s result of 21st at the biggest event of the year, the V8 Supercar Round at Pukekohe. From the highs to lows in motorsport, it’s amazing how quickly things can turn.

From a 2nd overall at Hampton Downs and traveling home to Australia and coming back runner up in the Aussie Driver Search, to a tough weekend here at Pukekohe.

The weekend started well, I was floating around the top 5 in practise and we had some serious speed. Normally passing utes it difficult, but it seemed effortless the way my Waikato SsangYong was handling. I love Pukekohe, I bring my bike here with my fiance Peter and dog Bruno on a regular basis to train, I know every bump and ripple like the back of my hand. I have also had some huge success here including winning by over 3 seconds and pole position.

Qualifying was good, I got myself out early so I had the most time and could choose who I wanted to slip stream. It was incredibly close and top 10 would change every lap we came by. I qualified 7th from 29 and that’s where I Started race 1.

It was pouring rain and incredibly slippery, some parts of the track had been replaced and caught many people out. Right from the green light I took off and started passing the utes ahead. We battled with each other and the trying conditions, forward and back and forward again. With one lap to go I was in third place and was happy to stay there to strategically put me in a great spot for the reverse 10. I lost the rear end of my car heading into to turn 4 No No NO! It spun out in almost slow motion and I hit the wall hard. Immediately I selected first anxiously waiting for the field behind to pass, so I could just finish the race. When I saw a car coming towards me very fast,

He hadn’t seen the yellow flag. Looking and pointing directly at me I braced myself ready for the impact... BOOM! He hit me square on, Pinned against him and the wall.

Finally there was a gap and I took off, only a few turns to go I can make it home. My accelerator pedal snapped under my foot, desperately searching for the tip or anything to push; I loosened my belts to slide forward. I finally found a button as our pedals are fly by wire (electrical) and was able to limp home in 22nd place. My ute was a write off, I was extremely disappointed in myself but especially for my team after all their hard work.

Fortunately thanks to the series organisers and officials at the track I was able to jump into the MTF SsangYong Ute for our second race, as the Waikato SsangYong was very badly bruised. I started from 22nd and determined to move forward and re-deem myself, I was pushing hard and carving up the back markers. Suddenly I found myself and 3 others like ice skating bumper cars with no brakes sliding down the back strait, not again. I spun 180 degrees and found myself again waiting for everyone I had just passed to go through. I simply just ran out of laps and finished in 25th.

Sunday morning was dry and a new day, I reset over night and was excited to come through the field. I set a goal for myself to pass 10 cars in the 14 laps we had. The last race of the weekend started well, moving forward 5 positions in only 2 laps.

However another driver had different ideas when he spun accidentally and T-boned into the side of me; and it was the same guy that hit me in the first race. I could not believe the incidents I had been involved with all weekend, it proves how important it is to qualify well to miss all the chaos.

I am disappointed for the team as we had a really fast ute, however we showed great pace all weekend we were just in the wrong place and the wrong time. I’m now looking forward to redeeming myself at our next round in Taupo. Where I will also be making my debut in the NZV8 Ute series. I will be the first female in New Zealand History to race with the big boys. We will come back fighting strong in a months time.

blog post