My Pit Park Experience

I have many stories to tell, many thoughts to share and many conclusions to make. But somehow, every time I touch the keyboard to tell you these stories, my ideas simply run off, away from me. Of course, I will try to chase and recapture as many of those ideas as I possibly can. But as always, I fail to piece them together as smoothly as I could when those thoughts were in my head. And the result is a very bad post or something that just does not flow as smooth as the waters of the Niagara Falls. But this does not always happen. It sometimes does play out the way I want it, but most often, to the contrary of what I want it to be. So here it is, my further attempts to narrate to you my day.

As usual, the day started with me going to college. Meeting up with friends, attending lectures, meet up with more friends and then going back home. As you all may already know, BMW is having its Pit Park at Jalan Binjai, Kuala Lumpur. Its an event organized by the BMW Sauber F1 Team. It is to be held in only 5 countries. And Malaysia was one of its stop. No prizes for getting that one right. So, I desperately wanted to go, but I really could not find the time. My finals are coming up in a little over a week, and I really did not want to loose precious time. So I hogged over the idea, I circled it, watched from afar, but did not attack the wagons. This was until, this morning. I was reading the STAR and chanced upon an article an advertistment promoting the event. I read it, as usual, and started to get ideas about going to the Pit Park. But I guess the odds of going there were really against me as I had no one to go with and calling anybody now would simply be too late. So, I abandoned the idea, for now.

As I was walking to room 304 to attend Economics lecture, I saw Chris Lam standing at the corridor while reading a newspaper. When I met him, I almost immediately asked him if he wanted to go to the BMW Pit Park. He said that he would think about it and let me know as soon as possible. The very sound of that news made me jump for joy. Of course, it wasn't decisive news, but news enough to give me a glimmer of hope that I might be going afterall. I tried to call a few others, but like always, they couldn't make it.

So, after college, I got home and got ready to go. I called Chris Lam to double check if he was coming. He said yes, and continued to say that he would meet me t my house at around 1.45. Perfect? Of course. How could it be flawed? That it of course, until you consider that I forgotten to tell my mom that I was going.

So, Chris came, and his mother sent us to the KTM station. Along the way, she gave us some useful tips about pickpockets and some useful contacts just incase we get mugged or something. And also, along the way, my mom called! She asked me where I was. A few moments ago, she called the house and found out that I was not there. When I answered the phone, I tried to sound as calm as possible so that I would not rouse any suspicions from Chris's mom. She, my mom, kept grilling me on who gave me permission to go and stuff like that. I played dumb. Oh boy, I was in deep trouble now. I wanted to back down and just go home, but the lure of F1 cars was once again too tempting to be resisted.

After we alighted the car, we made our way to the train and proceeded to travel to KLCC. When we reached there, we asked a few guards for directions and somehow made our way to the Pit Park without any fuss. Once we got there, we were greeted by the sight of a long queue to enter the Park. But surprisingly, the queue moved rather quicky. So I guess we did not have to roast under the Malaysian sun after all.

But once we got in, we had the time of our lives. We did so many things that we had dreamed of doing all our lives. We attempted to changed the wheels of an F1 car. Changing the wheels of an F1 car sure is fun and difficult at the same time. We managed to do change the wheel in 10 seconds. Pit crews do that in under 4 seconds. I seriously marvel at their ability to do so. Apart from that, we simulated refuelling a Formula 1 car. We learnt that an F1 refuellig rig takes only 10 seconds to ill the car with 120 liters of fuel. A task that would take minutes at our local petrol stations. We even managed to try out a fitness test designed for Formula 1 drivers. That was a whole lot of fun. We touched parts of F1 cars that we never dreamed that we would ever touch.

Apart from all that, we managed to hear the scream of an F1 V8 engine. Upclose and personal. We also met Timo Glock, BMW's test driver. We took a picture with him and an autograph too. That's the first F1 driver that I ever met. We took alot of pictures and video's too. I'll try to post them if I can.

On our way home, we managed to experience the Malaysian efficiency in all its glory. Our KTM train broke down on the track. So much for VMY 2007. As a result of the breakdown, we had to wait for almost half an hour before we could get a replacement train. But after we got it, all was well and worth it. But the most worrying moment was when I got home. My mom started to lecture me. I simply said that It was my fault and I was in the wrong. Almost immediately, much to my surprise, she let me off the hook. Whacky eh? Puzzles me. But anyways, I guess that this is enough writing for today. I really need to go and sleep.