An encouraging start to the season, I reckon.
I must admit I was not looking forward to another wet weekend. From my brief experience at Silverstone last year, I am not good in the wet. Still, I need the experience and I reckon Brands won't have the flooding problems that Snetterton had, given that it's so hilly.
So sure enough the practice session on Saturday morning is soaking wet. It wasn't quite as bad as Silverstone though and I manage to stay on the black stuff. Still scary though, and when I come back to the paddock I am shaking like a big girl's blouse.
I have been unable to replace the rear anti-roll bar since Silverstone, and, to be honest, I couldn't really tell the difference to the handling, although I am told that a soft rear end is better in the wet. Anyway, I posted a best lap of 1:04.26 which got me 20th out of 32 on the grid in race 1 and 19th in race 2.
So I am losing at least 10 seconds a lap in the wet - the leading cars are losing about 7 seconds, so I still have a lot to learn!
Saturday afternoon sees slightly clearer skies, but still a bit of a drizzle in the air. Sitting on the grid before the start I remember this time last year which was my first ever race. I'm not quite so nervous as I was, but it still gets the heart beating like nothing else I have ever done. I really want to hold this together. I was pretty useless at starts last year and I have had no practice so my race could be won or lost in the first few seconds!
I'm 20th on the grid, but 4th in class A, and right alongside the 3rd class A car (1st and 2nd are right up the front so no chance of seeing them!). I really want to get into 3rd and try to hold my position. The lights go red, then off (which means go, by the way), and I dump the clutch in a mad frenzy. The start line is on a slight slope down to my right and because the wheels are spinning so much I drift forward at about a 30 degree angle for a few yards. Definitely not the quickest way! As if to punish my crap driving at least 4 cars come past me like I was standing still. Not good. So now I'm playing catch up just to get back to where I was on the grid.
I always lose count of the number of laps I've done, but early in the race I see Steve Robinson (the no2 class A car) on the side. That's good - I have a chance of a top 3 class position now if I can keep going. I wish I hadn't thought that - I'm in the thick of a bunch of cars going into Graham Hill and touch a wheel on the wet grass and spin right across the track to the grass on the other side. Fortunately the barrier is well set back there and I manage to stop, keep the car running and get back on. Not without losing a whole bunch of positions though. Now I really am playing catch up.
I must say though, this is fun. I manage to get past a few of the much slower cars and really sense that I am catching the pack that I was in when I span. Just another lap or two and I'll get them back - but the race is all too short this time and the chequered flag spoils my fun.
Unbelievably, there were 3 class A retirements so I did get that 3rd in class (which is obviously much better than saying I was 19th on the track!). I know it means nothing, but I was quite pleased that my lap times showed I was the 3rd fastest class A car, and had I not spun I had the pace to get 2nd in class. Mind you, most of the cars that are faster than me have less power - so I'll just shut up now!
Actually, no I won't, because Sunday was even more exciting.
Definitely a dry race this time. Not a great start but marginally better than last time. This is really close racing. I've no idea how I manage not to hit someone. Again I was hoping to get ahead of the 3rd place class A car but have failed miserably and now he is a couple of cars ahead. I can't get past a class B car ahead and the pack in front of him is pulling away. I am definitely quicker than the guy in front, but I just can;t quite make that crucial move to get past. It is my closest race yet. I've also got another car in my mirrors the whole time and trying to stop him getting past is distracting me from getting in position to make a move on the guy in front. Frustrating, but at the same time, a fantastic dice.
I notice Buzz has had a big shunt. A sobering moment. He was OK though. The race is stopped and we line up for a re-start. That's good - more practice for me. It worked well for me this time and I gained a few places at the start.
So I end up 17th on the track this time - but only 4th in class as there were fewer casualties this time. It showed on my lap times that I was being held up in the race. I reckon I need some serious race-craft lessons - overtaking being a reasonably fundamental skill in motorracing!
I must admit I was not looking forward to another wet weekend. From my brief experience at Silverstone last year, I am not good in the wet. Still, I need the experience and I reckon Brands won't have the flooding problems that Snetterton had, given that it's so hilly.
So sure enough the practice session on Saturday morning is soaking wet. It wasn't quite as bad as Silverstone though and I manage to stay on the black stuff. Still scary though, and when I come back to the paddock I am shaking like a big girl's blouse.
I have been unable to replace the rear anti-roll bar since Silverstone, and, to be honest, I couldn't really tell the difference to the handling, although I am told that a soft rear end is better in the wet. Anyway, I posted a best lap of 1:04.26 which got me 20th out of 32 on the grid in race 1 and 19th in race 2.
So I am losing at least 10 seconds a lap in the wet - the leading cars are losing about 7 seconds, so I still have a lot to learn!
Saturday afternoon sees slightly clearer skies, but still a bit of a drizzle in the air. Sitting on the grid before the start I remember this time last year which was my first ever race. I'm not quite so nervous as I was, but it still gets the heart beating like nothing else I have ever done. I really want to hold this together. I was pretty useless at starts last year and I have had no practice so my race could be won or lost in the first few seconds!
I'm 20th on the grid, but 4th in class A, and right alongside the 3rd class A car (1st and 2nd are right up the front so no chance of seeing them!). I really want to get into 3rd and try to hold my position. The lights go red, then off (which means go, by the way), and I dump the clutch in a mad frenzy. The start line is on a slight slope down to my right and because the wheels are spinning so much I drift forward at about a 30 degree angle for a few yards. Definitely not the quickest way! As if to punish my crap driving at least 4 cars come past me like I was standing still. Not good. So now I'm playing catch up just to get back to where I was on the grid.
I always lose count of the number of laps I've done, but early in the race I see Steve Robinson (the no2 class A car) on the side. That's good - I have a chance of a top 3 class position now if I can keep going. I wish I hadn't thought that - I'm in the thick of a bunch of cars going into Graham Hill and touch a wheel on the wet grass and spin right across the track to the grass on the other side. Fortunately the barrier is well set back there and I manage to stop, keep the car running and get back on. Not without losing a whole bunch of positions though. Now I really am playing catch up.
I must say though, this is fun. I manage to get past a few of the much slower cars and really sense that I am catching the pack that I was in when I span. Just another lap or two and I'll get them back - but the race is all too short this time and the chequered flag spoils my fun.
Unbelievably, there were 3 class A retirements so I did get that 3rd in class (which is obviously much better than saying I was 19th on the track!). I know it means nothing, but I was quite pleased that my lap times showed I was the 3rd fastest class A car, and had I not spun I had the pace to get 2nd in class. Mind you, most of the cars that are faster than me have less power - so I'll just shut up now!
Actually, no I won't, because Sunday was even more exciting.
Definitely a dry race this time. Not a great start but marginally better than last time. This is really close racing. I've no idea how I manage not to hit someone. Again I was hoping to get ahead of the 3rd place class A car but have failed miserably and now he is a couple of cars ahead. I can't get past a class B car ahead and the pack in front of him is pulling away. I am definitely quicker than the guy in front, but I just can;t quite make that crucial move to get past. It is my closest race yet. I've also got another car in my mirrors the whole time and trying to stop him getting past is distracting me from getting in position to make a move on the guy in front. Frustrating, but at the same time, a fantastic dice.
I notice Buzz has had a big shunt. A sobering moment. He was OK though. The race is stopped and we line up for a re-start. That's good - more practice for me. It worked well for me this time and I gained a few places at the start.
So I end up 17th on the track this time - but only 4th in class as there were fewer casualties this time. It showed on my lap times that I was being held up in the race. I reckon I need some serious race-craft lessons - overtaking being a reasonably fundamental skill in motorracing!
Well that's about all for now - oh except to say that after 2 races I am 8th in the championship - I'm enjoying the moment - it won't last!
