I'm feeling invigorated from my improvement at Brands and now excited to see if I can translate this to a new track. It's worth the 4 hour drag up to the middle of nowhere!
There was so much going on this weekend I can't give a full report on every session but I must note down some highlights while they're fresh in my memory.
Firstly the experience of a wholly new track that I haven't had since Donington, 2 years ago. The track is incredible. Lots of tight sections, hills, including a crest that gets you airbourne, a section through trees and an almost flat out left hander which tests your faith in physics! It felt like karting again, and almost as physically demanding.
So first time out in the allcomers qualifying I was doing 1:46.7. Just behind Adrian who was running on 3 cylinders! (mind you, even that hopeless time was quicker than a road-spec Lotus Exige could manage in the allcomers so just shows how quick RGB cars are compared to road cars 4 times the price!).
Anyway, by the RGB race I managed a 1:39.7 which is a pretty good improvement in a day, I thought. Still 3 seconds off the leading front engine pace but you've got to start somewhere!
My races were defined by starting at the back (I was still learning in qualifying), and then managing to do loads of overtaking. I pulled a couple of unbelievable (to me that is) outbraking passes as well as benefiting from lots of spins and general mayhem. It was a real boost to my confidence to be able to gain places. In the first RGB race I went from 19th to 12th on the track!
Oh yes, and in the second allcomers I was actually battling for the lead for a while. Sadly my front wing had been damaged on the start line by an errant Locost car which later started to rub on my tyre causing a huge cloud of smoke so I had to come in. But I could've won that. I think Neil Palmer, who was ahead of me, was just as surprised to find he had won and thought he was going for a telling off when they signalled for him to come in at the end, but they shoved a microphone in his face and interviewed him as the winner! It gives me goosepimples to think that was close to being me!
I must say this weekend has been what I hope racing will always be. Exciting, sociable and challenging. I'm still on that steep learning curve, but I really feel part of it now and capable of getting up there on top table if I persevere. I had been starting to think whether I would change the car and go mid engined, but I don't think I'm ready for that yet. I've got too much still to learn with the Westy to ring every last drop out of it. I'm still in awe of my fellow competitors for their technical abilities, but I reckon I ain't doing badly for bloke who's just having a go!
Here's some video footage:
From Adrian - behind me on the grid in the allcomers - I stall on the grid much to AM's frustration.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezsPnXQXC94&feature=player_embedded
And from Colin's car in the 2nd RGB race. It picks me up from about 2.10m in up to about 3:30m.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0DW2hLIZnU&feature=player_embedded
and some pics :
Stuck behind a (damaged) Doug.
Going over the Mountain.
Trying to keep Austen behind me going over the Mountain.
