Bit late with the update this month. Lots going on including my family holiday and my 'other hobbies' getting in the way (you know what I mean, Austen!)
It was a manic weekend for me as I'd entered the Bikesports races as well so I had 2 quali sessions, and 3 races on Saturday, and the 1 RGB race on the Sunday. My thinking was that, since I hadn't had any chance to test, and it was 2007 (I think) when I last raced here and even that was only a few laps before the old Westfield packed in, I'd use the Bikesports as extra track time.
I'm glad I did, as it happens, although I couldn't have done it without the TGM team looking after me (and reminding me that I was out again almost as soon as I came in between the RGB and Bikesport races).
Despite the practice, I only managed 1.19.2s in qualy putting me 7th and 6th in class on the grids.
Sadly my video didn't work for either of the RGB races so I can't show you my perspective, although Steve M's video captures Race 1 quite well :
After a reasonable start, having got past Colin Chapman and Dave Watson by Redgate (although later found out that Dave's harness had come undone which would certainly slow me down a bit!), I blew it all away in the chicane at the end of lap 1 when I outbraked myself and got all out of shape and then had Steve Robinson sideways across the track in front of me and had to go round him onto the gravel. I managed to avoid being bogged down completely in the gravel but I was well down the field when I got back on. I spent the rest of the race catching up with Steve and finally managed to get past him with a lap to go putting me in 6th in class.
Best time in race 1 was a 1.19.29 which was worse than qualy which was strange, esapecially since I was chasing for much of the race and really felt I was on it. Maybe the track was a bit slower, but Any Grant was doing 18.0s so I'm definitely well over a second off where I should be.
Race 2 was pretty uneventful. A poor start, but ended up 5th as Austen broke something and didn't finish. Times were even slower though at 1.19.85 so no idea what's going on there (although still about a second off Andy Grant).
Oh by the way, I had a great battle in the Bikesport races with one of their class C cars. Same engine as me but wings and slicks. Beat him in both races which rather amusingly put me second in class twice. I'm 3rd in class in their championship (LOL). Here's some video (the only time it worked!).
So all in all, a fun weekend. Bit dissapointed, if I'm honest, that my times weren't a bit closer to the pace given the track time I had. A bit of post race analysis with TG required before we go to Doni again. Ah well. Never going to get the prize for most talented newcomer am I!!
Anglesey next on 4th/5th August.
