What A Weekend For Obsession!

If looks, preperation and determination were the key to a successful drag racing operation, the Gibbs family's beautiful '69 Camaro would've been in the 7.60's fresh off the trailer! Unfortunately, racing being the animal it is things do not always work that way, and the Obsession machine has seen more than it's fair share of teething troubles. However, with a healthy dose of grit and perseverance the slammed Z/28 is finally showing the potential that all those involved knew it had inside her.........

"What a weekend!!"

"After finding out that runs on Friday weren't going to count towards qualifying, we made the descision to leave the car parked up in the pits, and wait for the qualifying session to start on Saturday afternoon. This gave us the opportunity to look and stare at the car with frustration even more, whilst we tried to figure out how to release some of the power which was locked away inside. Everyone knows that we must have tried just about everything apart from sticking a clutch in her. Anyway some new tyres, a tweak here and there, and the car was ready for the first run. But then the heavens opened and bestowed upon us weather charicteristic of a monsoon! With the meeting called to a halt for the day, someone came up with the bright idea of Mini Moto racing, which was a great thought except the ground was wet, and the bikes were on slicks, and we all know this is a bad combination, as Graham, Rob and Gareth all found out! erm...actually several times! But still we all had a good laugh in the process, and continued to all through the night, with Rob's rendition of Grease Lightning!"

"Sunday morning, and it looked like we might actually have to run the car, after a couple of qualifying sessions we ended up number 4 qualifier with a 7.93/168mph. This put us on the same side of the tree as the number one and two teams in the championship - Great! - something to look forward to, at least we would be home early was the thought. In the first round we drew Ian with the Camaro, Ian had a run a new persenal best of 8.0 and we weren't that far in front of him, so it could have been anyone's race. Fortunately for us although Ian's better start line reaction, we managed to cross the line first with a 7.94/168 mph. Then it hit me, for the first time this year we were in a semi final, then reality set in, it was against Team Ellis! With a couple of changes on the tuning side (come on we knew we had to do something - all or nothing springs to mind) and alot of luck from above, Rob pulled an un-charicteristic red, and we drove through to a new P.B of 7.84/170mph and our first ever final."

"The descision was made to try and step it up again, the teams of Smallworth and Ellis had been running 7.7's all day so not only would I need to pull a light we would have to try and back up the 7.84, if not try and improve on it. After leaving the line first at about 60ft I was suddenly on my own, expecting the yellow '55 to come past at any time on a top end charge, I literally pushed the throttle pedal through the fire wall, but it didn't happen, Rob didn't come past and I had won our first ever Super Mod final, and we backed up the 7.84 with a 7.86/171mph. To say the team were ecstatic is an understatement, I am so pleased for them, after the year we have had with everything, im hoping that we are finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I think my Guardian Angel granted me 3 wishes last weekend and they all came true - Cheers Dad!"

"So, not only did we take our 1st event win, we also ran our 1st 7.80 (7.84) backed up by a 7.86 in the final, and our first 170 mph (171). Thanks to everyone who has helped out - The super crew - Mum, Darren, Nitrous Bottle wiz - Marie, louise, and Kev Moore, who unfortunately couldn't make the weekend, Bob and Cathy Glassup, Jeff & Belinda Bull, Chris Mead, Kev Perkins, Graham 'Mini Moto' Ellis & Rob 'The Grease' Millward, John & Sharon Hogarth @ SID, all of the other guys in Super Mod, Nick and Rob @ I.C.E, Andy & Kate @ Robinson Race Cars, Chris Issac, All the Santa Pod crew, especially Darren Prentice and David LLoyd Jones for all their support, and everyone else that's helped, the list goes on and on -Thanks, we really do appreciate everything."

"Also congratulations to Ian Marshall on his first 8.0 and Andy and Rob Chilton for their first successfull Super Mod outing - Welcome to the class guys!"

"So off to Germany now, and be warned Hockenheim - THE DOORSLAMMERS ARE BACK!"

Craig.