VVR at Donny - Sunday 30th.

General Meets + Track Day Reports
21

What happened to Chris, I see he qualified 2nd but failed to start the race?

Engine failiure again in qualifiying !!! Think i might put a K back in




Well pleased that Russ got a first though, he deserves it after all his bad luck
[/quote]

Fucksticks, [censored] luck Chris

22

Congrats Russ !!

Does this mean you’ve finally got a longterm solution to the issue or is that speaking a bit too soon ?!

23

Well done Russ and team

Bernard

24

Coingrats on a great result

It was worth gettin up for the GP too

25

Congrats Russ !!

Does this mean you’ve finally got a longterm solution to the issue or is that speaking a bit too soon ?!

Cheers Dave - I think we have sorted the issue of outer CV’s but are probably still a bit marginal on cooling so we are addressing it.

26

Well done guys. It’s been a long time coming. Wish I’d known about the race, I’d definately have come along to watch.

27

Congrats Russ !!

Does this mean you’ve finally got a longterm solution to the issue or is that speaking a bit too soon ?!

Cheers Dave - I think we have sorted the issue of outer CV’s but are probably still a bit marginal on cooling so we are addressing it.

Awesome ! - looking good for Spa then ?!

28

Hopefully - we are a lot more optimistic than at the beginning of the month.

29

Ok folks, here’s the evidence! Happy smiling faces all around after Russ and Graeme’s fine performance yesterday.

[image]http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1365/1467835028_549a623ffa_b.jpg[/image]
Practice resulted in pole by some 2 secs. The front splitter had to be ‘rebuilt’ after it had spent most of practice dragging on the track and upsetting the handling a bit but nothing that cable ties, some small ‘made-on-site’ ali brackets and several yards of jungle tape couldn’t sort out.

The race itself was pretty straightforward once Graeme stamped his authority on the pole and led into Redgate to develop a steady 5 or 6 second lead over the second place car. Steady progress through the traffic maintained the lead through and after the driver change and Russ wasn’t really challenged even though he was easing off a bit because on an un-explained vibration under braking.

The car is undoubtedly fast and with what appears to be new found reliability will be hard to beat…

Well done guys!

30

Spot the grandads!!!

PS I’m not one


[image]http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1365/1467835028_549a623ffa_b.jpg[/image]

31

Yep, well done boys.
Quick time as well on AO48’s - 1.16
If i’m not Mistaken that would have comfortably won you the LOT race

32

You are not mistaken.

33

Unless the scrutineers checked the boost level?

34

Unless the scrutineers checked the boost level?

Counteracted by the fact he was running on diesel

Plus, extreme ballast arising from utilisation of the entire EEC mountain of tank tape

Both the above, I believe, you were responsible for

Twas good to see yer dad with a day long great big smile

35

AMOC Donington �07

Following an encouraging showing at Oulton two weeks ago, when the car did around one hour 20 minutes of running, we were looking forward to a good result at Donington in the two driver endurance race. The car had a couple of minor upgrades (mainly to the inner CV and driveshaft) and this was to be the final test before going to try the Spa GP circuit in Belgium next week. A nice day greeted us and scrutineering and a noise test was passed before we kicked back to wait for the last qualy session of the day at around 12 noon.

After the usual banter with the usual suspects Graeme Whitehead rolled out to give it a go, with me waiting on the pit wall for the driver change. The stopwatch said a 1m 16 seconds lap was achieved before the front splitter parted company with the spoiler � to be honest it was buggered before we started after 4 years of over enthusiastic kerbage - and we called him in as pieces of Exige were flying off down the straight.

Once more I had to do the mandatory 3 laps at half speed to qualify and save the car, also noting the slight vibration Graeme had mentioned. Fortunately we had plenty of time before the race to fix anything and around 5 kilos of weight was added to the car in tank tape and rivets � this time it was going to hold together.

We knew that 1.16 was a quick lap for a Lotus and it was confirmed when the sheets came out � POLE! Our first ever and 2 seconds quicker than the LoT race at the beginning of the month � I guess that is what an extra 130 bhp and a decent driver does.

After around five hours of waiting and bacon butties with VVR banter on the side Graeme disappeared off to the holding area and we all hit the pit wall for the start. Everyone was absolutely on edge � would the car hold together? We knew that if it did, we had a good chance of winning. The lights went out and Graeme held the inside line down to Redgate albeit with a very quick Aston DB5 on his left. The end of the first lap came and collective breaths were held until the orange blob appeared out of the Esses with around a second lead and a big cheer went up. The quickest rival was now a new Aston V8 Vantage in Aston Racing Green with a decent driver but we still pulled around a second a lap out of him. After 15 minutes of pure purgatory � why do we do this? � Graeme was signalled in with a 7 second lead and I stood there waiting and hoping that I could carry on his good work.

As usual the VVR pit crew did a superb job and we exited the pits still in the lead with around the same margin. On the first application of the brakes, however, it hit me that we had a problem � the whole car was vibrating to within an inch of its life under heavy braking and with my foot bouncing off the pedal and eyeballs rattling life was not easy. Resolving to try and ease off to save the car, which was performing brilliantly otherwise, we gradually fell back into the clutches of the Aston behind. I realised that something was up when the people on the pit wall were waving like madmen to give me a hurry up and I saw a pair of headlamps getting larger in the mirrors. The Aston had made good progress and with around five minutes to go the gap came down enough that I could see him as we got to the braking zone at the end of the back straight. A little bit more effort saw the gap stabilised at 3 seconds as he switched his headlamps off to blend in with the other cars a bit more and I fretted my way around the last three laps or so. Finally after a lifetime � or so it seemed � the chequered flag came out and VVR�s Exige finished only its third race of the year with a perfect score � pole, fastest lap and a win. Pulling into the pits to pick up the garland, champers and trophy the teams supporters and helpers were understandably ecstatic after what has been a bloody difficult year and a few tears were blinked away as the hard times were quickly forgotten. A quick spray of very expensive bubbly and we pushed the car away to pack up for the day.

36

Great, great write up matey, I’m almost welling up here!.. all of you guys deserve a bit of good news after all the pain this year.

Best of luck at Spa !

37

Good read. What did the vibrations turn out to be?

38

Not sure yet but probably either a warped disc or suspension joint.

39

What did the vibrations turn out to be?

He appeared to be waving this as he went passed the pits

[image]http://www.annsummers.com/collections/AS_Digital_love_main.jpg[/image]

40

Good read. What did the vibrations turn out to be?

Nah, it was this (sorry kids) :-
[image]http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a41/russt11/Cat57_Rabbit-Twister.jpg[/image]