Simply Su-Pah!

Don't really follow any sports, or any teams for that matter but if pressed, there is 1 team I would turn out to cheer for. And that's the RX7 team in Super GT, formally JGTC (Japanese GT series). Fortunately weekend gone I got to do just that.

Bought my tickets a month in advance, probably a lil enthusiastic, seeing as this race is held outside Japan, it doesn't really draw much of a crowd. Mainly cos no one here knows WTF its all about or what is going on. And that was certainly true. As on qualifying day, we drove up to the circuit and no one bothered manning the car park ticketing post.. free parking :D Not to mentioned parked directly opposite the track entrance gate as well as overlooking the live drift event in the front car park! Lack of enthusiasm from the local populous was an added bonus too come pit walk time. Enabling me to nip over he barrier and pose next to the RE Amiyama RX7. Also allowing me to fulfil my sordid fantasy of laying my grubby mitts all over that sleek rotary powered body.

Qualifying was very undecided in the weather dept. Opening with burning sunshine, then torrential rain. Later back to sun, then rain, etc. Snapped up a stack load of pics. Foolishly I decided to leave my Laptop at home. Believing my 6 gigs of card space sufficient. Meaning that by lunch time I had to hop in the car and speed home to grab the laptop & dump those pics before qualifying round 2 started. Sadly that detour to home n back meant we missed out on the 2nd pit walk. Which annoyingly was the pit walk with the race queens posing all over the cars... DOH! Oh, well. Not too bothered as earlier I had managed to get my Option2 mag signed by both the RX7 drivers as well as the god father of rotary tuning, Mr Amiyama himself. Again the lack of interest in the sport out here played to my advantage as all 3 of them were relatively unmolested. Seen footage of them at Fuji race track getting swamped! Best of all nobody even noticed Amiyama-san. Wasn't till I zoomed up to ask for an autograph that people looked over, even then they just thought it weird that I was getting so over the moon by having some old dude sign a magazine. As for the result of qualifying of team RE Amiyama? 11th, sorta to be expected with the 74KG of weight penalty they had to run with.

Race day. My God could it be any different! Place was jammed packed. Again the heavens opened up come morning practice. There was a nice touch to the days events. Something called the "circuit safari" Basically you get on a tour bus and get driven around the track as the GT cars zip about all around you. Some coach load of lucky buggers had the team ARTA Project NSX tailgate their bus. Some prime piccys there I expect. By lunch time I had had enough of fighting thru crowds of guys armed with cameras as they charged about jostling for prime shots of cars n scantily clad babes. So we retired to the car, for some air-con and refreshments till an hour before race start. The race itself was instantly heart stopping as I watched my beloved team spin out at the last turn even before their 1st lap. Landing them 15th, or 3rd last on the grid. Thou that only served to make it a more exciting race. Watching as the RX7 pushed its way up the grid to eventually finish in 3rd. Was initially dreaming of catching that checkered flag shot but I had to give up that hope when my final camera battery died at lap 43 of 54. Luckily thou 1 of the spent batteries managed to have enough dredges left in it to allow me a few podium shots before it gave up the ghost for good.

Really hoping I'll have the chance to be about for next years race. Especially as it will be the 20th anniversary of the Super GT and the organisers promised "something extra special for the fans"

Who's da boss

Life as of late seems to never be short of throwing up surprises. At 6am today, considerably before I even awoke. I got a message stating to attend the morning Foreman's meeting. Courtesy of my foreman, who is currently on holiday. During the meeting I was informed another meeting would be held regarding the jobs to be carried out on the aircraft I was suddenly put in charge of. Urrgh another meeting.

Even before I could walk out of that meeting I got another message from my on holiday foreman. I had to attend yet another meeting regarding next weeks scheduled aircraft input. Y-a-y... another meeting.

The whole day was spent reviewing aircraft task cards, organising spare requirements and planning the restoration of a cannibalised aircraft.

Although it has not been said, to all intents and purposes I seem to be filling in for my foreman. As such, an acting foreman. Which means, attending lots of meetings and added responsibility. Responsibility that back in Europe would mean extra pay, but not here. Not to mention the thing I hate about all this the most... the meetings. I so HATE meetings. Hours slipping and what little achievement made is certainly not matched by the time spent.

Sadly with my foreman and the 2nd in charge both away on holidays till the end of the week. Tll then, guess I'm stuck in my current position. Sigh, just wanna go back to the the quiet unassuming life of a simple engineer...

Tired but pleased

Again behind on the blogging cos life keeps throwing up surprises. Was supposed to be heading off for a new course which I had planned months back. Already had the thumbs up from every department. But 3 days before the start date was told in no uncertain terms that I would not be allowed to attend the course. Serious bummer seeing as I had already paid for it. Plus I only wanted to stick about here so I could do that course. So without the course, sticking about would be a total waste of time. What to do, what to do?

Times like this help can come from the strangest of places. My foreman who I've been at loggerheads with from the get go suddenly went all best friendy and worked out a way to get me on the course. I have to say as of late he has been exceedingly polite and friendly. I can at times only wonder if there will be some sort of price attached to all this assistance he is offering. Not to mention the thoughts in the back of my mind if this is all for real or is it the cover for some dastardly scheme. Either way don't want to seem like I am bitching or anything. Really do hope this is all up front and for real. Makes for alot less tension at work. Fingers crossed it keeps on.

Been on the course for a lil bit now and finished my 1st exam today. Hope all the rest are this simple. Takes the edge off, as the physical stress of doing it is enough. Have to get up at the crack of dawn for work and don't get to step thru the door again till after class concludes in the wee hours. So much so all I usually see of home is the shower room and bed.