Minimal

I’ve never been a particularly aggressive person (read: I’m soft as shite), but on Saturday, I wished I had the physique to lamp someone. I went karting, you see, and someone had the nerve to beat me. ;)

Actually, I’m not quite that big-headed. I enjoy karting regardless of where I end up in the results... except when you lose by someone else cheating. Through 3 qualifying heats and a semi-final, I’d had no agro from any of the 29 people taking part, but that changed 3 laps from the end of the final. Having effectively spent the race in the lead (behind a circuit employee who pulled out before the end), I was T-boned on turning into a left-hand hairpin. Gesticulating wildly, I set about chasing down the hooligan, but really hoped he would be black-flagged. Instead, he was shown a warning flag and allowed to continue. Bah!

At the start of what turned out to be the final lap, I got alongside him thanks to his erratic corner-exiting technique. We had a long drag to the next serious corner — a right-hand hairpin — but his kart then showed it had more power by accelerating back past me. I, however, had the inside line and braked just late enough to make the corner mine. Coming out of it, I took a slightly more defensive line, heading back towards the other hairpin, but he didn’t get the message. Instead, he just dived up my inside again and this time I figured I’d be better off getting out of his way. Despite trying to avoid a heavy impact, he still wellied into me. Sadly, both he and another kart got through in the mayhem.

Although I didn’t realise it, we were now just a few corners from the end of the race. The two in front of me were, frankly, all over the place, but these last few corners were very twisty and presented no overtaking opportunities. Instead, I waited for the last corner so that I could get a good exit again and get alongside on the long drag to the hairpin. As it was, the two in front tripped up over each and baulked me, allowing yet another kart to pull level around the outside. It was only then that I saw the chequered flag, but it was too late. Just 10 yards to the line and from being first only a few corners back, I was 4th and out of the prize positions.

Pulling into the pits, I wasn’t so much gutted as absolutely fucking fuming. In fact, I still am now, two days later. The worst thing is, if I didn’t just assume other karters had some level of decency, I could still have won that race. Sadly, motorsport’s full of pricks with oversized egos and no manners. I just wanted to prove I could win cleanly on any given circuit, but... I failed. Bastards. Next time, I’ll have them. No more Mr Nice Guy. >:(

A few random tidbits to keep this place alive:

• The last post but one wasn’t intended to say “If you spend your evenings on a computer, you’re stupid”. That would be a really good way to alienate the two or three readers I’ve got, so that would be foolish. Yes. Yes, it would.
• I’m off to Berlin soon -- not Prague, as I may have suggested to some people. Berlin should still be pretty cool though. Prague will have to wait, but if anyone wants to offer their company when I do go, get in touch.
• Karting still hurts (the usual lump on my back testifies to that), but it hurts a lot less when you get a lovely trophy at the end of it. Last night, I managed to win the latest company event. This Friday, I’ll be going for the double as I head back to the circuit with a bunch of Mini owners.
• New wheels! I’ve finally got new, smaller wheels on the car and it’s feeling pretty darned good. Not to mention a lot more comfortable. Next on the agenda is a horsepower boost. God, I’m such a Max Power wannabe. ;)
• Snowboarding! Never done it before, but I’ve just committed to a fortnight in Chamonix next February. Better get myself off to the local dry slopes for a few lessons, methinks.

Ok, that’s probably enough of a blurt for now. One day, I might even sort this site out, but my evenings have been too full of other stuff lately. TTFN.

Update: I won that other karting sesh, so it’s 2 trophies in a week. Yay!