1 December 2010

Rob Pilkington started the season in great form with a win at the Grand Opening event of the Perth Motorplex season and it seemed as though the second round of the championship was again going exactly to the team's script.

Pilkington qualified in number one position with a 5.77 time in the Force Equipment/Alutech Monte Carlo, underneath the national record.

“We had the car running with great consistency and were very confident for the elimination rounds,” Pilkington said.

“On return to the pits we changed the clutch and replaced it with a new one, serviced the engine and prepared for the first round of eliminations.

“As we were top qualifier we had a solo run, so the team was confident we would go straight to the finals.”

It was then that things began to move away from the plan.

“Unfortunately unbeknown to me while I was in the car, the staging light computer failed sometime during the burnout process and when I was attempting to stage the car in the beams I was unable to get the correct RPM on the startline,” Pilkington said.

“That caused the car to roll forward while the Christmas tree was counting down and started the timing system before we actually left the startline.

“After the run was completed we only showed a 6.11sec. pass but our on board computer showed it was a 5.68-5.70 lap (if the car had not broken the beams) which was such a disappointment to the team as the 6.11 was not quick enough to make the finals.”

It wasn’t all bad news for the team as they only lost one position in the series, falling to second spot as Shane Weston won over Jeff Clarke in the final.

“We are looking forward to the next round of racing on the 3/4 December for the Goldenstate Titles,” Pilkington said.

“It’s time to get that number one spot back in the championship.”

The team spent time following the event at the inaugural Festival of Speed at Barbagallo Raceway where 20,000 fans were entertained by fire ups of the motor and some burnouts on the main straight.

Pilkington Racing would like to thank our sponsors for their support:

• Force Equipment service and hire

• Alutech

• Prestige Tile Gallery

• FLN Commercial Repairers

• RAE Motorsport

• National Tyres

• PerthMetro Builders