So then gents, how did we all do over the weekend…
David
5hit!!!
I was off the pace in qualifying due to oil / coolant on the track and not getting a clear lap. I did 1.17’s and 1.18’s at the test day on Monday and qualified on a 1.20 I think. Anyway I was 11th on the grid.
1st race started well, got past Skeggsy on the back straight when he missed a gear. Got past Christian when he out braked himself, got past Kell into the Last Chicane, then as Dave Harvey hadn’t started, Malcom Sanders pulled off after a lap (don’t know what happened to him) plus a white elise pulled off after a lap, I found myself in 5th (2nd in class). Then…
…Thats right, you guessed it, the gearbox broke!!
Well the paddle shift solenoid gave up the ghost, so couldn’t change gear. The whole paddleshift system has worked faultlessly for over a year now, so I was a bit miffed at that.
The gearbox itself had missed gears several times in qualy and the race and it had only just been freshly rebuilt, so I have pretty much called it a day with that box now. Several calls have been made to different gearbox companies and a new box will be on its way soonm, and its gonna be a PROPPER one this time!!
Sean…
Same here really, we did not finish a session! Same problem every time which has now hopefully been resolved. Gav did well but I will let him tell you the story.
Did you work out what was causing the c/v probs Russ ??
Another fantastic weekends racing in Class A…
The initial plan was to just turn up and race on Sunday with it being so far away. However, I had only ever done one t/d at Snetts before and that was 2 yrs ago so I thought it best to get some track time in before the race and booked myself the morning test session on the Friday (need to try and keep this winning streak going you know ). Im glad I did aswell as it took a good half hour to get back into the circuit and build up confidence through the likes of Corem and Bumhole and re-establish just how late you can leave the braking into the first corner and at the end of the back straight.
I could only get a morning slot as the afternoon had been fully booked up but it turn out alright actually as the Cadena Sport team turned up after dinner with the GT3 in tow and had it out on the track testing…WOW!! what a stunning looking machine in the flesh and it seemed to be going very well from what we were timing (approx 1.12 - 1.13 off a moby). By the amount of lotus bodies around the car in the pits it looked like the whole factory had taken the afternoon off to come down and lend them a hand (or is that to stnd out in the beutiful sun shine we had all weekend ). Russ Gibbons from Lotus Motorsport was there and was driving the white 2-11 we saw at Brands. After a quick twist of his arm he agreed to take me for a spin up the road in it…
Very nice indeed… Talk about putting the wind through your hair, awesome!! No hair dryer required hence no boot!
It has to be said that I am very tempted in buying one and running it in Class C just to show them boys how it can be done with something straight out of the box Worried?? You should be… :grin
Saturday was pretty much spent talking mancrap outside Emerald while Russ desperately tried to get his car started…We all pulled together though and a small army helped stick the series decals and sponsor stickers on the car for him while he sorted his problems.
Sunday…Race day… All to do today then Gav. Youve either got repeat your performance or your only going backwards kid…No self imposed pressure at all then… Easy Yeah right!!
Qualifying was going well until the white s/c honda car of Nick Kaye put coolant down all the way round the back of the circuit making it quite interesting for everyone but it cleared up within a couple of laps and we got back to the business of setting a fast lap time. I qualified 3rd in class and 17th on the grid so mid feild in the pack. The lap times for class A were really tight again as they were at Brands with only 1 tenth of a second splitting the top 3 drivers. All good stuff.
The scratch race came around very quickly after qualifying with little time to relax. Unlike the first race at Brands I had marked my opponents cars well this time as to who was where and where i needed to get to. Another good start off the lights only saw me getting closer and closer to the back of BJ’s car who seemed to have bogged down somewhat, a quick glance to the left and theres a car sized gap nobody seemed to be occupying so it became my route around the pole sitter of class A,. 1 down one to go…Paul harding fell soon afterwards as I got up the inside of him going into the first corner. I was then handed a bit of luck on a plate with Skeggy’s spinning at the esses after the back stright causing some mayhem on the first lap but also creating a nice gap between me and the ensueing pack of class A cars. From there on in I was having a good scrap with Mark Gooday in his 340r and managing to keep him at bay until Randy came through to lap us pushing me off line at Sears and the engine dropped off cam in 3rd… Needless to say Mark just pissed past me down the back straight and made a good gap for himself. I really started to struggle from then on in though with the car. First the tyres started to squirm around everywhere and then the last few laps the brakes started giving me some jip and felt quite ruff and grumbly to the point I didnt want to stamp on them too hard incase they didnt want to work again. Luckily the earlier laps I had with Mark were well on the pace and I was consistently banging in 1.23’s which gave me a comfortable gap over the rest of the tussling class A cars who came home 15 seconds behind. So 1st in class again and 12th overall… Obviously I am really pleased with the result and could not have asked for better.
The handicap race got off to a much better start this time (phew). Funny cos Randy actually helped me in this race off the start. I had him behind me on the grid and just jumped into the gap he punched up the inside on his way to the first corner. The rest of the race was keeping Micheal Edwards at bay who was hovering around in my mirrors for pretty much most of it. Micheal has been 2nd in both the scratch races in class A so far so it was nice to get a bit of time racing him on the same peice of track.
Ok thats enough my fingers are hurting.
Bad luck russ and sean.
oh and Maddog if you aint ion the grid for oulten then you have offically earned the title of big girls blouse.
Roll on Oulten.
Gav
Did you work out what was causing the c/v probs Russ ??
Yup, a sticking brake caliper.
Fantastic write up Gav - & congrats again on your win
Sorry to hear about your problems Sean and Russ
I’m sure next time will be a proper race for you two
And well done on you Gav!