ANDY PRIAULX has spoken about his Days of Thunder moment at the weekend as he wrapped up a disappointing 2009 season in Macau.
The East Asian track is a favourite of the Sarnian, having won three World Touring Car Championships there.
But the tight and twisty street circuit also takes no prisoners and the final meeting of the 2009 series was full of incident with a number of the drivers taking trips to hospital.
Priaulx was forced out of race one when he was shunted into the barrier before the first corner.
But it was during the second race when his heart was in his mouth after rival Tom Boardman spectacularly flipped in front of him and Priaulx had to drive under the airborne Seat.
BMW driver Priaulx wrote on his website that it was just like a scene from the big-budget Tom Cruise Nascar film.
‘He hit the barrier on the right, went straight across the track into the barrier on the left, which then launched him,’ said Priaulx.
‘I literally had to drive under his flying car. It was like a scene from Days of Thunder.
‘I even crouched in my seat, although I am not sure what good that would have done if he had landed on top of me. Anyway, I was lucky as he came down to earth once I was by and on my way.’
The race was stopped a few laps later thanks to another serious crash.
Seat’s Gabriele Tarquini’s fifth place ensured that he won the world title ahead of last year’s champion, Yvan Muller. Priaulx ended up fourth overall.
His cause was not helped when he failed to score any points in the first race in Macau following his crash on the opening lap.
There was nothing Priaulx could do when Seat’s Jordi Gene collided into him on his left-hand side and he careered into the barrier.
Starting down the grid in the second race, Priaulx again failed to score any points when he came 13th.
‘This is not the nicest way to end the year, but I started from the front row [in race one] and that is something we should be proud of,’ he said.
‘I also look back very positively on my season as a whole. I feel my performance has been good as I was always quick and on many occasions was fighting for pole and wins.
‘The speed was there, but it is just a matter of how it all turned out. It is a shame we lost out at the beginning of the year in terms of the championship battle between BMW and Seat.
‘We got better as the season went on but, sadly, their strong start cost us the championship.’
Priaulx spent all yesterday flying back from Macau and a representative of his declined to comment when asked on his plans for 2010.
However, word has it that BMW is looking to downscale its WTCC operation. Rumours suggest that they are not letting Priaulx go, but he may be driving in the FIA GT Championship for them as well.
Article posted on 24th November, 2009 - 2.30pm
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