>I'm anxious for people to get home so we can hear some more stories.
Well, this FIA central service concept sure makes life easy for us crew types! And the organizers were nice enough to locate the service park only about 10km from the end of A1, which made it easy for crews that wished to do so, to get out and watch their car take the three successive jumps in the last 300 hundred meters of A1.
The last jump -- which had bleachers set up alongside it, and porta-potties for the crowd -- was pretty good oogling, let me tell ya!
Pat came down the hill and over the first two small jumps at what looked like 100+mph, and was picking up speed until the moment he launched over the last big kicker. We didn't bring the tape measure, but I'd guess he was in the air for 120 feet. Smooth landing and back on the gas while the crowd was still ducking for cover.
Pat was visibly faster off the crest than the following cars, but it appeared the stage captain wasn't happy about how some cars were blowing right through control (<100m past the last jump) while still bouncing around after landing. At some point (after ACP or les Pilons came through?) they moved the red finish placard down to the crest of the jump, and that discouraged most of the rest of the field from hitting the crest flat out. Which the crowd was none too happy about, but: better safe than sorry.
I only watched through Tim and Steve (first 25 cars?) so I can't say for sure, but in my opinion, the award for Best Non-Pat-R. Air Of The Day was awarded to Mr. Brian Goss in his green Neon. He appeared to out-fly all the EVOs and WRXs in the field (Pat excepted). Big crowd-pleasing FWD crunchy endo landing, too... there's a reason the little Quebeckers are starting to line up for his autograph!
-Isaac
p.s. I was disappointed not to see more cars (and more top-tier cars, in particular) out on the Gaspé this weekend. I don't know what more you guys want in an event! Great roads, central service, lots of spectators, beach-front hotels... they even had the car wash running for free!