Personal essay of racing team manager and chief mechanic Horst Boes (ENG)
*24 h race at the Nürburgring * [12.05.2010]
Things always begin with big enthusiasm. Owners of vehicles looking for a racing team, drivers looking for a team and then if the lobby
is right, all of them are at my doorstep.
A lot of things are discussed, also finances, the deal is closed and everyone starts to do his job / some people more, some less so. :-)
So now there I stood this year, and for me it meant 3 vehicles starting. 2x Ginetta, 1x Porsche.
A whole lot o’ work. Initially everything seemed to go wrong: 1st accident Ginetta, 2nd accident Ginetta, no spare parts from of England,
a disaster. But from the very beginning the Porsche, together with the team that I had extra put together for it, opened up the way to the front.
At the beginning with a protest because of underweight, there we were promised something and later on the technicians of the acceptance test
claimed to know nothing about that anymore. Never mind, the car was fast and development proceeded with big steps. Thus it was beautiful to
see 2nd place in the next race.
Big joy among the team and beer flows freely, fair enough on such a day. : -) Unfortunately it does not run as well with the Ginetta,
bad atmosphere in the team, the owner has other interests than me, problems over problems.
We arrive at the decision to newly divide the business relation regarding the Ginetta vehicles. Fortunately, ’cause I have almost lost all interest.
Just a small comment here: in racing sport idealism and a lot of optimism and enthusiasm for your work have a high status.
So back to work!
The chain doesn’t break, during the last race before the 24 h the engine of the Porsche breaks down, not that we have any shortage in problems!!!!
Now time is short, only some 14 days left to build a new racing engine, ‘cause that’s a must, even the good motor oil from SRS can’t help that.
So, motivate all people. But one problem tops the other. Co-operation between me and Kornmeyer starts to falter, obviously I have a
different relation to everything and my heart beats fully for motorsports. One agrees on a fair division.
What a luck. The time gained from the project goes to the benefit of the Porsche. The last week before the race is coming up,
all friends and team members lend a helping hand. For me the night becomes day, everything gets completed at the last minute.
One day before everything has to go to technical acceptance test; it’s in the middle of the night the yearned-for Porsche is finally working.
Only a few hours left till the morning, I hit the sack for a short while in order to be fit for the next day.
Thank God all my helpers give their best, truck and trailer are one the way to the circuit, I am entering the lion’s den – ‘cause that’s what
technical race commissioners can be. Of good cheer and after an early morning test run there we go straight to the performance/power measurement.
Oh no, I had feared for that, no benediction from the commissioners, after negotiations with the technicians we now decided to drive
to Cologne in order not to lose any time, latest date for the lead-sealing of the engine by the commissioners is 15 o'clock 30.
I hit the road to Cologne in the racing car, a good hours travel time and I don’t have a good feeling either, because not everything in this car is
certified for the road.
Arriving in Cologne everything runs like a charm. The engine is fit and back we go to hell/the commissioners.
What else should there go wrong today I wonder happily, soon you’ll be there, everything’s perfect … if it wasn’t you won’t believe me for our police.
General traffic control! And I think that was it with driving on.
The police officer find’s more than a handful of irregularities – logical, it is a racing car after all :-)
I show myself friendly explain my situation and already don’t give it a chance anymore when suddenly they let me go.
Now everything goes very quickly and I don’t even have the time to show the police my joy.
Off in the car to the performance measurement. Right into the den where they are all waiting for me. Finally – we got the benediction!!!!!
Everything ok performance perfect, commissioners content – if only it wasn’t for the company SRS!!!!
Joking apart, there it came, great team wear, couldn’t have found a better timing.
Thanks from all team members and of course also from myself.
Who knows, maybe there’s even room for a small victory!!!!! :-) :-)
What an effort for this race.
Regards,
Horst

