Summarize

Giordano Lupini came away from Killarney’s sixth round Burly Pro GTi Challenge races on Woman’s Day Thursday frustrated as much as he was gratified, following a tough day at the track. The Franschhoek matriculant qualified second and third for the two races, but he had to overcome a few technical challenges to fight his Accelerate Special Gasoline/La Vie de Luc/CIR Construction Golf 1 GTi to fourth overall with a couple of hard-fought fifth places on the day.

“We had the pace today that’s for sure, but we also had our fair share of hassles,” Giordano summed it up. “I was happy with second on the grid in the first race to back up my  recent wet and dry poles and I led race 1 for a bit, but I was struggling in a straight line for some reason, so had to really push to stay with the bunch and came home a very close fifth. “Turns out the rear brakes were binding slightly, so I was quite happy with what we pulled off in the end — especially to qualify third for the second race like that.

“So I was really looking forward to race 2, but then clearly my old friend Lady Luck had other plans yet again — I could not find first or second gear on the grid and had to start in third, so the guys were gone. “I thought I was thrown a reprieve by a red flag, but the same problem happened again at the restart and I was stone last by some distance by turn 1. “We do not use first and second gear after that so it was no longer an issue and I drove my heart out and got back to third, passing two cars on the last lap.

“Lady Luck still wasn’t finished with us though and for whatever reason they cancelled the last lap because of a chequered flag mistake, so it was fifth again, but that’s how it rolls. “Well done to Marco on the win and thanks to the guys for some great racing, but it was another difficult weekend — I had to work pretty hard for slim pickings. "We’ll sort the car and test a little and hope for a bit more luck next time out.”