Silverstone 22nd August 2009

I got a trophy! Whoopee!!

Ok calm down. It was only a 3rd in class, and that was only because two of the class A leaders broke down. But hey! you know what they say, if you want to finish first, first you've got to finish! I know that cliche doesn't work for third but you know what I mean.



Quite a good day all in all. Although saying that I feel slightly disapointed that my lap times are stubbornly about the same as last time out here (1:07s). I could call on racing driver excuse number 37, oil on the track at a crucial point at Becketts, but actually the truth is I am just not getting it right yet in the crucial fast corners.



Anyway, some memorable moments.

In practice I had a interesting view from the back of Phil's car as it exploded in a cloud of white smoke. I have never seen an engine give way in quite such dramatic fashion. The car was completely engulfed in dense white smoke for a couple of hundered yards along the pit straight. So much so that Phil must have been blinded for most of it. Well done Phil for not losing it. I moved over to avoid him but still got covered in oil.



The race was quite eventful as well. Having had a frankly hopeless qualifying I was 22nd on the grid (out of 29) which means I was starting slightly on a bend at Woodcote. On the lights I got a blinder of a start (for me, that is) and gained at least 4 places. Then bunched up with the pack into Becketts only to see a whole lot of carnage going on in front. David Wale's car was very badly damaged and several others were losing bits left right and centre. I picked a line through the middle as best I could and remarkably I went through unscathed. Quite unbeleivable now that I think about it. Anyway I was thinking, great I must be at least in the top ten now. Sadly, an inevitably of course, it was not to be. The red flags came out and we reformed the grid as we had started. Back to 22nd (well about 20th of those that survived).

I had a great start again but found myself in a little battle with a couple of class c cars who were annoyingly quick. Actually I had a great dice with Damian. He was trying just a tad too hard though and span off a couple of times. I managed to remain slow but consistent and stayed ahead!

One point that I was annoyed with myself about was that I lost a lot of ground to the pack ahead of me under yellow flags. I thought you were supposed to back off a bit under yellows. It seems that if anyone else did it was undetectable. (sorry - there I go again - racing driver excuse number 38).



Anyway, bottom line is I finished 11th on the track having gained 11 places from my starting position, and 3rd in class. So I was chuffed with that.



My wife and daughter, and my mate Joe turned up to witness my moment of glory so that was good.

No damage or problems with the car so looking forward to Snetterton in September.



Oh by the way, a footnote that makes me feel rather sober. For much of the morning before practice I was watching a plane doing aerobatics in the skies directly above us which was facsinating and awe inspiring. After practice I didn't see it again.

I've just read in the Sunday papers that, at about the time we were out in practice, that plane crashed and the pilot died...

Mallory Park. 2nd August 09

I think this weekend qualifies as one of the best ever. Not so much in terms of absolute results, but in terms of some great, close battles on the track.

Just for the record, I had two races, with a 16th place (5th in class) and a 12th place (4th in class) with my best lap time of the day of 51.64 in the second race.



It was another example of a very close field. I noticed that I have knocked about a second off my time when I first raced here. If I knocked another second off my time I ought to be getting about 4 places up the grid, but I would still only be about the 4th quickest in class A. So I have a lot of work to do to be consistently getting even a regular 3rd in class.



Still, as I say, the absolute result is not what it's about. Both races were exceptionally close and the just the best fun. The second race was especially exciting as I was behind Andy Grant most of the time and I knew I was quicker on the track, but I just could not find a way past (even though Austen did which was rather depressing!). There's some good video of this from Austen's car at this link (health warning - watching in-car video is very boring unless you were there!!).



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVXukh94pIs&feature=player_embedded



Sadly the video misses my major drifting moment into Gerrards. From where I was sitting it felt like I was on full opposite lock for half the corner, but it probably looks like a imperceptable twitch on film. Shame. That was my one failed attempt to dive up the inside in a heroic overtaking manouvre into Gerrards which sadly failed. Hey ho!



So areas for improvement as always - 1.race craft. Must learn to be a little braver and overtake now and then. 2. must learn about suspension set up.



I've now bought a book re point 2. Off to read up on it now.



Silverstone next. Can't wait.



Oh by the way, I was just giving that upstart Mr Hamilton a few tips the other day when he popped in to my Baker Street place...