VVR and the usual suspects will be out this weekend - if anyone fancies a run out please come and say hi in the pits.
http://www.elisetrophy.com/Runners_and_Riders/S3R3
Cheers
Russ
I can’t get there, have a good one!
Will be hobbling around for a bit, may need to use one of your chairs Russ.
Good luck for the races mate.
[quote=Damon]Will be hobbling around for a bit, may need to use one of your chairs Russ.
[/quote]
Give us a shout if you need a lift down to Anglesey Damon.
I have ‘convinced’ the family that it will be fun to get wet and cold for a few hours so we are all coming in the morning.
However may take you up on an other of a lift home as they have to leave after Race 1. DaveP is being a fair weather specator so usual lift may not be available 
Good luck for the weekend lads - I would have really liked to see racing at Anglesey as it’s a great circuit but since we don’t appear to be shooting for LOT this year I’m kinda glad to not be setting off in the rain to drive 300miles 
Especially good luck to Sean and JSRacing - it would be really nice to make three top steps in a row 
race report, results and pics can be found here.
http://www.elisetrophy.com/Race_Report/S3R3/Anglesey_16_May_2009
“Official photos courtesy of Mark Anderson”…you diversifying Mark!
And for those that don’t want a visit to LotusWorldDomination.com 
Introduction
From the glorious spring conditions of Brands Hatch we move to the blustery Anglesey Ty Croes circuit, perched out on the Irish Sea. With its tight twists and turns, this is very much Elise country.
Practice and Qualifying
As the Marshall blew his whistle early on Saturday morning, he may as well have been summoning the Gods, for spots of rain appeared on cue as the cars took to the track. Thankfully it never did get too wet. Jonathan Walker headed the practice times in his 2 Eleven, from Sean Bicknell, the lack of straights perhaps hindering the Audi turbo-powered car from being able to stretch its legs. Pat McBennett found inspiration from the Irish air being brought in across the coast to sit third, ahead of David Fenn, Connaire Finn, Steve Williams and Doug Setters. Next up were three 2-Elevens, Tom Chatterway ahead of erstwhile pacesetter Scott Cruickshank and Stephen Docherty.
Then we had production pace-setter Paul Quinn, however a gearbox problem ended his day as it had just begun, leaving Paul Harding as favourite for qualifying. His challenge looked to be from Simon Phillips and class frontrunner Marcus Jewell. Next up were Andy Dolan, Matt Franks, Stuart Mason and Ken Savage.
With an hour�s break, qualifying started under similar conditions but if anything the wind and drizzle was building up. Making the most of these conditions was Bicknell, posting a time just over a couple of tenths faster than Fenn, in the invitation class Exige. Walker also got into the 1 minute 37 bracket, heading the 2-Elevens, and these three were a couple of seconds quicker than Cruickshank, who was getting the hang of the circuit. McBennett and Finn were next, ahead of Williams and Setters in their modified cars, just behind them the 2-Elevens of Chatterway, Docherty and Martin Johnston.
Production fell to Harding, lapping over a second quicker than Franks, who headed a gaggle of cars in the 1 minute 44 second bracket. These were Mason, Phillips, Russ Treasure, Dolan and Greg Noble.
Race 1 All Classes
After a shower drenched the track, heavy winds and sunny spells dried much of the surface by the time the grid formed up. Bicknell got away well, but Walker made the best getaway and was up with the Exige at the first hairpin. The move didn�t pay off and the 2-Eleven found the grass on the exit and finding the grass rather damp, performed a quick spin before rejoining several cars back. So it was Bicknell that led the field along the long back straight. Also losing out was Fenn, dropping to the rear of the field as the leaders soon sorted themselves out into a quartet of Bicknell, then the impressive Cruickshank, Finn and Williams. McBennett had been part of this group but was having trouble with his car.
Over in Production, Harding put in some strong laps to give himself a large lead over Franks, so much so that he had Johnston�s 2-Eleven very much in his sights for the early laps. Johnston ran much of the race in company with Setters and whilst they would eventually drop Harding, it looked for a while as though the Production car was in for a giant-killing performance.
Starting way back in 21st placed, Jewell was beginning one of his fightbacks and his challenge would eventually prove irresistible to Franks, however at this late stage Harding was too far ahead. The two finished four seconds apart at the flag.
Back to the main battle and Cruickshank was becoming an increasing threat to Bicknell. Whilst Bicknell�s turbo kept him ahead on the straights, the 2-Eleven would be all over it in the tight sections. Perhaps mindful of this and the thought of an outright win three meetings into the season, Cruickshank made an error in the final hairpin, dropping several places and into the clutches of Walker.
Bicknell�s lead was now being challenged by Fenn. Having fought back from his disastrous start, the Exige was clawing back huge amounts of time, three laps from the finish it was 7 seconds, then 4 seconds, then 1.5 on the final lap. As the occasional backmarker appeared, all eyes were on the finish line. In the end Bicknell got the nod by 4 tenths, scoring another win to add to his increasing tally.
Behind Fenn but some 12 seconds back was Finn, who had battled hard with Williams, almost losing the place at one point. Walker took 5th and 2-Eleven honours, heading similar cars of Cruickshank, Docherty and Chatterway, albeit with ten seconds covering the quartet. Setters and Johnston rounded off the modified and 2-Eleven runners.
With the Production race settled, Franks took the final podium place, just in front of Mason, the pair racing hard for the duration. Mike Davies was a further 8 seconds back, from Dolan, Nigel Ayres, Phillips and Noble, who together with Davies were all within 7 seconds and the final cars on the lead lap. With a four-hour gap to race two, there was plenty of time for the drivers to prepare and the weather to change…
Nope, I’m learning to use my camera and take it to all the races and as there didn’t seem to be any official photographers there my pics got used.
I am quite happy with this one of Sean though.
Mark
Pic of Sean’s car is fab
However, you have proved to be quite handy with a camera over the years
My little boys first race meet 
It started raining so we retreated into the ‘hospitality suite’
Sean had most of Race 1 to himself until the last couple few laps…
Nope, I’m learning to use my camera and take it to all the races and as there didn’t seem to be any official photographers there my pics got used.
I am quite happy with this one of Sean though.
[/quote]
Yes nice Pic Mark - really captures the uniqueness of Anglesey.
Excellent write up Damon. I didn’t manage to get down on sat, had baby duties.
Awesome picture Mark, could you e-mail me a high res version please.
John and Wayne took the engine out of my car the day before yesterday (cheers lads) and the gearbox is fine. Basically the eliseparts lower engine mount bracket bust, which meant the engine was rocking backwards and forwards and the sump smashed into the wishbone mount and put a hole in it. SO the oil was engine oil. Thankfully, it was a couple of inches above the bottom of the sump, so there was oil left in it. I have checked the data logger and the oil pressure never dropped off so all should be good with the engine.
My race 1 woes were basically bent steering after a 211 hit the side of me in the 2nd corner. The result was loads of under steer and by about half distance the front tyres were cooked!! SO glad the checkered flag came out when it did, I don’t know if I would have still been at the front if it had gone another lap.
Sean…
The Motorsport S1 was realing you in, so well done for sticking to it.
Didn’t hang around for Race 2, wasn’t fair to the family, it was bloody windy!
[quote=SeanB]Awesome picture Mark, could you e-mail me a high res version please.
John and Wayne took the engine out of my car the day before yesterday (cheers lads) and the gearbox is fine. Basically the eliseparts lower engine mount bracket bust, which meant the engine was rocking backwards and forwards and the sump smashed into the wishbone mount and put a hole in it. SO the oil was engine oil. Thankfully, it was a couple of inches above the bottom of the sump, so there was oil left in it. I have checked the data logger and the oil pressure never dropped off so all should be good with the engine.
My race 1 woes were basically bent steering after a 211 hit the side of me in the 2nd corner. The result was loads of under steer and by about half distance the front tyres were cooked!! SO glad the checkered flag came out when it did, I don’t know if I would have still been at the front if it had gone another lap.
Sean… [/quote]
Good job you stopped when you did then.
Picture on it’s way.
Nope, I’m learning to use my camera and take it to all the races and as there didn’t seem to be any official photographers there my pics got used.
I am quite happy with this one of Sean though.
[/quote]
BRILLIANT PHOTO!
Excellent photo, cannot believe the size of the sea swell, last (and only) time at Anglesey it was as flat as a mill pond.
It was really windy, I was grateful for my scaffolding for a change!!!