Brilliant Exigers - Part 2

General General Lotus Talk
21

Seconded - a great day, and great seeing Russ up with them (4th position for a while!).
Great seeing everybody again.
(Was that Simon and Elaine on Newbury By-pass on the way back?)

22

So Russ, what’ya make of mike’s beast? Did it survive its first outing with abloom?

Ian

23

Yep what a superb day, Exiges as far as the eye could see - and well done Russ (and Mike for providing the rocket) .

24

We had a great day with Mike’s car, with a bit of a sad ending - considering it was a road car on Thursday, the work that Mike, Matt and Carlo put in to get it ready was stunning.
The car absolutely flew, the only problem being the standard brakes overheating (sorted before the race by some quick cooling ducting work from the Edwardz & Carlo), so I was easily being outbraked into the corners. We still got 8th on the grid, amazing when you think that the car is probably 800-ish kilos with the cage, extinguishers etc.
We lined up behing a Westfield XTR4, 2 Nobles and 5 Motorsport Elises, with around 14 cars behind, including the first appearances of a Ferrari 308 and VX220 T.

The start was pretty good, we got up to fourth before Redgate, then lost it to an even better start from Matt, who went from 10th to 4th into the corner! These Audi jobs are bloody good off the line

Me and Matt went around Redgate and down Craners virtually side by side then I tucked in behind him for the rest of the lap, we really dissapeared off for a while until the rest of the pack sorted itself out. Matt then had a problem into Redgates and I nipped past for fourth for a couple of laps until Matt outbraked me into Redgate, followed by the Jedi ex-Gav Kershaw Elise (on slicks!!!), , which may have tapped Matt into a spin as they went side by side through the corner.

</excuses book open/>

I had a problem with a loss of power which developed into a misfire, and within half a lap I was swamped by the ever quicker Colin Blower (on slicks!!!) and Alistair Mackinnon who were lapping in the 1:17’s (my best was 1:21). The misfire then appeared and I cruised around to get to the pits, but not before the VX220T exploded in flames (deja-vu) and then the race was red flagged because someone was stranded in the Gravel at Redgate.

We only raced for 7 minutes, but they were the most thrilling minutes I have had in a car (shuttup Dad )
On counting back to the previous lap, Colin Blower was reinstated to seventh and us to fifth, so in a way I was pleased, as I think we probably would have been around that place if the race had gone full distance.

The bad news was that Mikes car had two (new) plugs disintegrate, the damage if any is not known.When it was running right, the car is an absolute flyer, potentially a winner in more experienced hands than mine. Imagine it with the weight taken out, suspension set up and big brakes, you would knock 3 seconds a lap!!! We were doing 142 in the race before braking for the esses

Anyway, big Barry McGuigan moment coming:-

Thanks to everyone who turned up to support, Matt, Carlo and Mike for prepping the car, Pesky & the Edwardz for help in the pits and most of all, a BIG Thanks to Mr Lane for letting me use his pride & joy. It was a pleasure to drive and showed some of those other cars the way.

Thanks Mike.

25

Will post more later as have masses of work to do, but was great to see folks.

Took a few pics with my camera phone. a couple of gooduns of Mikes car.

Dodgy Camera Phone Pics

26

Well done Russ/mike & Co.

(sorted before the race by some quick cooling ducting work from the Edwardz & Carlo)

Was that the standard conversion, or did it get more involved? Glad to heard it’s really effective.

Ian

27

They drilled holes in the front of the clam and in the wheel arch liner and connected the holes with ducting, securing each end with cable ties…

Took 19 minutes !!

Photos…

[image][image]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/skodaking/IMGP0440.jpg[/image][/image]

[image][image]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/skodaking/IMGP0441.jpg[/image][/image]

[image][image]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v470/skodaking/IMGP0448.jpg[/image][/image]

The edges of the holes were left rough so I could tidy them up later - I shall cut the whole area out and fit some sort of funnel to connect to the duct…

In the second photo you can see Steve and Martin Edwards, and my thanks also go to Carlo !!

28

Wondeful to see you guys had a good time there.
Wish I had been there too.

Well, someday…

29

WOW

Is 2005 going to be a great Exigers racing year or what …

Mike, I hope you are going to make Mallory now and its just a case of wrong plug grade …

30

fantastic story Russ and top result… congrats from me…

Mike
car looks fab…

Brian
that’s the 1st time i ever saw camera-fone pics and am amazed at how good they actually are… i expected much worse quality than that… i mean pics from a friggin camera… i ask yah brill…

31

Mike, I hope you are going to make Mallory now and its just a case of wrong plug grade …

Pretty sure it is the wrong grade…

Fingers crossed that there is not too much damage…

32

Good to see everyone and to meet some new people, Elaine and I had a great day.

Mike’s car looked the dogs bits, what a good looking conversion and well driven Russ

Thanks to Steve Hibbert’s team for the ‘corporate hosptality’

Tone don’t now how we got in front of you by the Newbury By-Pass I was not driving very fast (no comment IDG) did you get stuck on the M40?

33

…I was not driving very fast (no comment IDG)…

Who me?!

34

Tone don’t now how we got in front of you by the Newbury By-Pass I was not driving very fast (no comment IDG) did you get stuck on the M40?

We stopped for petrol and snacks before we got on M1.(that’s when you probably sneaked in front)
Slow moving traffic on M1, A43, M40 and A34!!!

35

Just to echo Pesky’s comments really, big thanks to Martin, Jill and Steve Edwards for their invitation for Saturday evening, a special family amongst the Exiger’s.
Steve Hibbert and his team for looking after all our stomach’s so well.
Rob for introducing me to more Exigers on the day, I know I’ll get the names and faces mixed up next time, but great to meet you.
Last but not least Mike and Russ for giving us something to shout and cheer for, great effort guys, Mike with the car and Russ with the drive.
John

36

First and foremost, huge congratulations to Russ on taming Mike’s monster and to the whole PDQ team on getting it ready in time.
Secondly, thanks to everyone who came and visited the hostilities tent it was good to meet a few new people and loads more I’ve met before. Pesky, Russ, Steve, Martin et al I think that we’ve gone well beyond the point where you need to be invited anymore, you’re always welcome.
Seeing that the team have got the off track activities so damn well sorted, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed that I didn’t put in an equal showing on the track and give you all something else (apart from Russ and sponge cake) to cheer about. One day…

Steven H.

37

Steve

I’ve got to say that the curry, followed by the hotpot, followed by the rhubarb apple and blackberry pie with hot custard made just for me, was a taste of heaven - who cares about racing when the grub is that good !!!

You will get there on the track - it takes time, that’s all…

38

YFB

who ate all the pies…

39

YFB

who ate all the pies…

I did my best and with the sausage rolls, they were very moorish.