Silverstone 24th & 25th August 2013

Well, I needed a good one this time, after a rather demotivating season so far, and boy, did I get it!

We were on the Silverstone International Circuit this time which we have never done before. Well, we've done about 7/8ths of it before but not necessarily in this order..
I managed to watch Andy Seaton's video from Friday testing to see which way to go on the bit I hadn't done before, and that was it before qualifying.

Predictably I was a couple of seconds off the pace (well, Austen's pace anyway) in qualy but was nevertheless 4th in class so I didn't think that was too shabby given that all the cars in front of me had been testing.

Thanks to Dan for the pic

Having qualified I then watched my video of qualy with Tim Gray. If you've ever had to see teacher after class for extra lessons for those who are a bit hard of thinking, that was me. Comments like, what the hell are you doing over there at that corner. You could get a taxi to the apex from there, you muppet! (actually he didn't say that at all, but I know he was thinking it!). Anyway, I was the willing recipient of some very valuable advice on my lines and race craft which was genuinely helpful.

So race 1 was fun to say the least. I won't bore you with a blow by blow account, but the video is worth a watch. Highlights include the first lap when Colin and Austen come together in front of me and spin either side of me like the parting of the waves, leaving me free to go straight through the middle and into a class lead. You can then watch me cock it all up and end up back in 4th as Dave Watson, Stephen Malyon and Austen all reel me back in. I have a great battle with Steve Malyon, swapping places with him a couple of times. I somehow manage to throw away a dead cert 2nd place with a couple of laps to go and end up 3rd, Dave having blown his engine and Austen having caught us all up with a spectacular drive to win the class.

Race 2 on Sunday was equally exciting with another epic battle with Stephen Malyon. No video from me but Bob's video captured the whole thing very well (and a superb drive from Bob, btw).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Zp-w7nHp1LE

I managed to battle with Steve for several laps before eventually getting past him through the fast Stowe corner at the end of the straight. Bob also got past him, giving me some breathing space. I seem to have a habit of slowing down once I'm in front for some reason and Bob probably did me a favour by getting between us, and then looming large in my mirrors, keeping me alert.
This time Austen was beaten by a superbly smooth drive by Paul Rickers who took 1st, leaving me with my second 3rd place of the weekend.

So a great weekend. We had lots going on in between our action too. Andy Seaton had his first race in his monster twin turbo RX7, in the wet (respect!) and Matt Higginson in the same race in a Rage buggy (we think the first time ever for one of those on a tarmac circuit), and of course the master himself, Mr Gray, in Bikesports which is always a site to behold!

So, very chuffed to get a couple of trophies, and even more honoured to get the Driver of the Day award for Sunday's race which must have been entertaining (and will be on Motors TV soon).

 

I was also more than a bit chuffed to see my lap times come down from the mid 1:17s to the mid 1:15s in the space of 2 races. Thanks of course to Mr Gray's tuition and to some very close racing. I can't tell you how great that feels after being embarrasingly slow at Donington.

So really looking forward to Donington for a second time this year in September. See you all there.

My 2013 Season so far...

Well I've been innundated with comments from literally 4 people on the lack of a blog from me so far this year so I thought it was unfair of me to keep my legions of readers waiting any more.
In my defence I do have a good reason for my bloglessness. Embarrassment. Despite my show of promise last season with a class win, I seem to have spent this season going backwards.


It was Brands first. My problems started just three laps into first practice when I collected a barrier having ran out of talent through Surtees (trying to keep up with Austen). The TGM guys did a stirling job getting me back on the track for the races with the help of some new rose joints, a big hammer and lots of fibre glass (but mainly the hammer).

Looking worse for wear, only 3 laps into the season!

One front left tyre with added scenery!

 Unfortunately the steering rack had been bent, and whilst it was driveable, it felt like driving a lorry with flat tyres (not that i've ever done that!). So the race was disappointing to say the least.
The second race on the Sunday was even worse. It was very wet, and if the steering was bad in the dry, in the wet it was hopeless. I span at least twice. I had no feel at all. It was a bit like playing the driving games on the xbox with no feedback, but more dangerous!

Fixed! - no one will notice!

It was especially disappointing to be out of the running for that weekend because it was the only time that class F has had it's own race, without class R. So well done to Austen who had two wins and now has lots of adoring fans and fame and fortune. ;-)




















Anyway, moving on. Snetterton was next. We were using the new 300 circuit so about a third of the circuit is entirely new. Same for everyone of course. In fact even those that had been testing on the Friday were none the wiser as it was so wet that very few people had done anything like a fast lap. In fact poor old Colin Chapman had crashed out which ruined his weekend.
The car was properly fixed now, save for some missing stripes.

Looking slightly better - nice day in Norfolk.

Sadly my performance wasn't much improved. A fairly lacklustre performance had me running 6th in class. A spin in the first race, followed by a failed clutch meant a DNF for that one, and then race 2 wasn't bad until another spin in the new section but be at the back.
So again, I was nothing like up to speed.

I missed Pembrey so Donington was next for me. I was running quite well here last time where I got my first class F trophy so I was hopeful of getting back on form. We were running the full circuit which differs slightly to last time out, but again, it's the same for everyone.

As a slight diversion, the weekend started for me with a great evening out at a Blondie concert, thanks to the Chapmans. My first teenage crush! (Blondie, not the Chapmans). Fortunately we were far enough away from the stage for me not to be able to see too closely that she is well into her 60s.  

 

 

Got my stripes back

So the theme of the weekend for me was; pretty good start, got worse in the middle and ended badly. Not disaster badly. I did finish in one piece which is always good. No, just dissapointingly well down the field after some terrible driving.
I've looked at my videos to try to see what I was doing wrong and I think i've worked it out. I'm driving too slowly.

I worked out for myself some time ago that, when I get to the point when I think I'm driving as fast as I can, I'm definitely not. I've got to drive faster than that! So I've promised myself that I'm going to Silverstone with a new, drive faster head on and see if we can fix this.

Watch this space.