I’m back from what was a weekend of missed opportunities in Hamilton. However I prefer to look at the glass as being half full rather than half empty so I am going to focus on the positives.

After the first session of qualifying I had posted the third fastest time which augured well for the weekend. Then things got difficult.

I put down a ‘banker’ time (a lap time driven not quite at the limit to ensure you qualify) early in the second session, which was ninth at the time. Then as guys went out on their green tyres I got bumped down to 14th on the grid and began my flying lap just as Jamie Whincup and Todd Kelly had their moment that put Whincup into the wall. That ended the session and my chances of being in the top ten.

It was certainly bad timing as I had the pace to be in the top ten all weekend and be battling with my teammate Cam McConville on the track. However it wasn’t to be and as a quick aside to the accident I don’t think Todd was totally to blame. The curb he went up on was very slippery once you got on it and you would lose control of the car. It also happened to me.

I actually made a suggestion they make changes to it for next year’s race.

I was up to 11th in the first race until I made a mistake thanks to pushing too hard and bent the steering arm and finished in 21st.

I was happy with race two. I had an altercation with Mark Skaife at the chicane and was left with a flat spot on my front left tyre. Despite that I was able to pass more than a few cars on the track, although some were due to the misfortune of others.

Race three was also good for me as I finished in ninth place, just behind the battle between Cam, Craig Lowndes and Paul Dumbrell. Those races are the types I need to produce consistently. I know if I put three good races together over a weekend then I can pick up some major points.

Overall I thought the Hamilton event was very well done and when the ticket boxes were closed on Sunday morning due to it being sold out I realised just how successful it was.

I spent Monday with the team as we took the scenic route back to the airport. We went to Raglan Beach. Apparently it’s one of the best surf beaches in New Zealand. It also has beautiful scenery, if you are ever there I recommend you check it out.

It was also Mish’s last trip to a race before ‘Nacho’ is born so I was happy we could perform well and have her there to see it.

For anyone who is going to Barbagallo for the BigPond 400 in WA I recommend heading down merchandise alley to the BigPond tent where you can enter a competition to be on the grid with us on the Sunday and watch the race from the Team BOC garage.

Thanks to Lenny for his information on the Formula 1 and his kindwords and as a response I’m happy to give my insight into V8 Supercar.

Jonesy

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