Well I didn't exactly make it easy for myself.
With 2 races over the weekend, all i needed to do was stay ahead of Dave. I even got a 3 day pass from home to go testing on the Friday. That went great. Got my times down into the 1:35s so quite respectable and boosted my confidence.
So, to cut a very long story very short, I messed up big time on Saturday. Dave won and I ended up 3rd, meaning he was 2 points ahead of me. That meant i had to win on Sunday to guarantee the championship.
So most of the rest of that day was pretty tense to say the least. I was definitely not enjoying the pressure!
Of course all the nerves melt away once you're on the track and Sunday's race was a blinder. The video is here.
I got into the lead at the start but Austen was hounding me constantly and did get past me after a couple of laps. Luck was on my side though and on that very lap there was a red flag. That meant at the restart I was placed back in front as they take the places for the restart from the positions you were in as you last crossed the line. So this time I was more determined than ever to stay ahead. It was all a bit of a blur but I somehow managed to stay ahead. I was being held up by Tim H (class R) who was quicker initially but had backed off from his own class battle and was now backing me into Austen who was looming very large in my mirrors.
I think I crossed the line a matter of 10ths of a second ahead of Austen.
I must admit to filling up a bit on the way back to the paddock. Boy was that a good feeling. I needed to win, and I did. Awesome.
So, after a season of 12 races I've ended up with a podium in 11 of them (one DNF) including 3 wins, 6 seconds, 2 thirds, 4 fastest laps (one lap record for 24 hours!). I'm so proud to have achieved this, and of course I have Tim Gray to thank for building such an awesome car, keeping it reliable, and for nurturing my medioce driving ability into a championship winning performance. Cheers mate!
So what, I hear yousay, happened to my champioship rival, Dave. Well sadly, although I didn't realise it during the race, Dave crashed out after an incident with my team mate Richard Wise having been running 4th. I am of course aware of the controversy surrounding this and I realise that it looks and sounds very much like a conspiracy to take Dave out of the race on purpose but I also know for certain that that was absolutely not the case. Richard would never do that and neither I nor Tim would not want him to. I do understand though that Dave was angry about it and I can only say that I am really sad that it happened and truly wish that it hadn't. I must thank Dave for his sportsmanship this year, and all his MNR team mates for their help over the season.
So, what now?
Well we'll see, but with a bit of luck (and a bit of 'man maths' with the finances, I'll be back for more next season!
So I've missed the Rockingham weekend due to the family holiday. I know, I know. Such lack of commitment. Bad planning on my part, but I didn't know I'd be leading the championship when I booked it did I!
So Anglesey was up next for me and I go into this still leading my class championship.
Only my second time to this track, and my record here is not good. It's a great circuit. With its banked corner, lots of undulation and spectacular scenery it's certainly interesting. Last time out here I was taken out on the first corner of the first race, and only managed a couple of laps of the second race before my bonnet came off, so I can't say I've got this one nailed.
I also had no chance to do any testing this time so I was straight into qualifying.
Do you see what I did there? Got my excuses in early.
Anyway, I qualified only 4th in class, which was disappointing. Unlike at Snetterton, I was struggling a bit with the car's handling this time. Nevertheless, that recurring theme of a little good luck helped me out although sadly at the expense of Stevie Bell. I was running third with one lap to go and Steve lost it on the last corner of the last lap, just yards from the finish line, and hit the pit wall. I'm ashamed to admit that my first thought, as I saw him reversed into the pit wall by the finish line, was 'is he over the line or not?', not 'is he ok?' Which of course he was. So I inherited 2nd. Jammy bugger.
I just beat my nearest championship rival, Dave Watson, so keeping me in the championship lead.
For the second race we'd adjusted the rear dampers to make the car oversteer a bit more, which it certainly did. However I couldn't keep with Austen / Dave Watson battle in front of me and finished a respectable but slightly dissapointing 3rd in class. Dave won that one so narrowed my lead a bit.
So I went to Silverstone with an optimistic spring in my step.
I was supposed to do some testing for this one, but only managed to get a 1 hour session which I promptly cocked up by breaking my gear linkage. I borrowed someone else's half hour session later in the day, but that had two red flags so I didn't get any useful track time. Still, at least I didn't have the gear linkage break in the race!
Qualified in 4th again. Not great, but I knew I could go faster. I've got Tim and Richard Wise to thank for their wise counsel on where to gain speed, which worked a treat.
Race 1 was a great battle. Got past Dave Watson early on, and then had a battle with Colin Spicer who was quicker than me on the Hanger straight, but overdid it a bit into Stowe and I got past. I was then chasing down Austen, but had to settle for 2nd.
I was pleased with that as Austen has missed too many races this year to be a championship rival, although he does have an annoying habit of beating me!
I was particularly pleased to have got the fastest lap of the (class) race which gets me an additional point, but it was also the lap record. I could enjoy that for at least 24 hours.
Race 2 - well, probably the least said the better. It lasted 28 seconds! I got a great start, but at the first corner , doing about 90mph or so, I got involved in someone else's accident, which quickly turned into mine. I was hit twice. Race over. Oh and I lost my lap record to Austen. Hey ho!
So here's the thing. My championship now goes to the last 2 races at Cadwell. Dave Watson is, allowing for the best 12, 3 points behind me with 32 points to play for. It could all go wrong yet. There are loads of combinations of things that could happen that I can't even think about it, except to say that, wherever we finish, I've got to beat Dave Watson. Given his recent form that is by no means a done deal. So it's very, very close and extremely exciting. Whatever happens at Cadwell, I'm probably going to get very very drunk afterwards!
I won't try to build the suspense. For most of you it will be old and rather boring news anyway. Silverstone brought my first class win. Woohoo!!!
This, as you might gather, is a big deal for me. Like I've achieved a major lifetime ambition.
In fact, i'd go as far as to say, the proudest moment of my life (oh, just to be clear, in case my wife is reading this, that does not include my marriage, and anything that my daughter has ever done!).
Anyway, enough of the gushing. Here's what happened.
I was up at Silverstone on the Friday for a test session. Good job I did really 'cause the clutch was still not right. Tim and the guys fettled away trying to fix it, but all we could do was get the car running for a few laps, after which i might as well've not had a clutch pedal.
We ran out of time to do anymore for the race day so we just had to hope that it would all hold together for the racing.
It didn't.
Still, even struggling with the clutch, I managed to qualify 2nd in class (just 5 thenths off Paul Rickers' time) and 4th in the second race.
Sadly Paul broke his engine in qualy and was out of it. Dissapointing, as I have been measuring my performace against him and I was getting close to him at Doni.
Still, as it turned out, Steve Bell proved to be my main rival this time.
The video is here if you want to watch it.
It was exciting stuff. Steve got ahead early on (I reckon I got slowed by Paul Rogers' whereas Steve was a bit further back and missed it). I then got involved in a class R battle which put some space between Steve and me, but I then caught Steve and got passed him round the tight hairpin. Then, using his pesky driving skills, he got me back again and despite some serious hussling, he stayed ahead to the line. We were tenths of a second apart across the line.
Great stuff, and equalling my best result ever (discounting the technical class win when Al Boulton got disqualified), but somehow I felt I should've won it as I had the pace, but failed to translate it into a win.
Still, there was always the next race.
This time I was further back on the grid in 4th. I managed a blinding start and was ahead by the first corner. I'd also worked out how to change gear reasonably smoothly without the clutch. The car felt great and I just went. Following in the wake of the class R cars, I never saw Steve this time.
Crossing that line with the chequered flag waving, knowing I had won the class, and with Tim and all the guys cheering from the pit lane, and me punching the air with delight, I've got to admit to filling up a bit! That moment right then. THAT is what this racing stuff is all about. My first ever 'proper' class win. Yeeeehaaahhh!
Moving on to Snetterton.
I wasn't particularly confident about this new 300 circuit so I thought I'd go testing on the Saturday.
Tim had sorted the problem with the hydraulic clutch once and for all; by ditching it completely for a cable.
I missed a one of the test sessions as it was raining so hard it would've been pointless, but fortunately it all cleared up by the afternoon and I got some sessions in. It was a case of going out, coming in and showing Tim my videos and looking at the data to see just how crap my driving was, getting some intructions on how to fix it, and getting out there again.
Unbelievably, my times came tumbling down during the afternoon. My quickest time here last time out was a high 2:10s. I'd done a 2:06.0. Wow! That's quicker than the official lap record (although it doesn't count as a lap record as that is only during a race).
Obviously it's quite possible that everyone else will be going quicker as well compared to last time, but it was encouraging.
Again I was disappointed that Paul Rickers wasn't going to be there. I assume he hasn't fixed his engine yet. Steve Bell was though so I was looking forward to a rematch!
So blow me, I qualify on class pole for both races with two laps in the 2:06s. Nearly 3 seconds quicker than the next quickest class F. Notably Steve Bell was well off the pace, and it turned out that he'd had a wheel bearing failure. Sadly he didn't make the first race.
So race 1. Video's here:
and we we're on the telly!
Check out my first race winner's interview:
http://vimeo.com/97451588
As it turned out it was an easy win. I'd let a couple of class R cars get ahead of me, not wanting to get involved in their battle. This was was a mistake
as I was being slowed by them. Fortunately it didn't matter as Dave Watson was a fair distance behind, but note to self: don't do that again!
So my second win in a row. I didn't cry this time, but it still felt awesome!
Video here:
The second race proved to be more exciting, but less successful.
Steve Bell was back. He got ahead of me off the line and I spent the race chasing him.
Again I had a class R battle to avoid as well, but the second half of the race was just chasing Steve down, having nearly been bumped off by Mr Moore who tried to use me as a brake into the hairpin!
I clearly has a bit more pace than Steve, but just wasn't brave enough to pull a clean overtake on him.
Should've got him into the essess at one point, and round corum.
On the final lap I was right up with him out of the bomb hole, and I thought now's my chance. Unfortunately I took the wrong decision to go to the right of him. Got along side round corum and thought i might get ahead before the left hander, but Steve was having none of that. So I backed off a bit and went for the undercut, but sadly all a bit too late. Tried to boot it a bit early and got all sideways coming out of that last left hander, and then the sprint to the line was a very equal drag race. Steve crossed the line a few hundedths of a second ahead.
Close, but no cigar!
Still, it was one of the most exciting races ever for me. What a buzz!!!
So there we are. Two meetings in a row with a 1st and a 2nd place in each. What's going on?!
Well, I haven't suddenly become a better driver over the winter. The improvement is down to Tim Grey and this awesome car that he's built. Obviously I have to be there, but the improved pace is down to the car giving me the confidence i need to go faster. It really is amazing. It's also a virtuous circle. The car is giving me confidence and Tim is helping me with my driving, which I can now translate into going faster because the car is so good. I think there's more to come!
So I'm really looking forward to testing my new found pace against the established class F leaders like Austen and Paul. That will be the test. Can't wait for the second half of the season...
So, here we go with a whole new season.
After a bit of a mixed season last year, I was (very easily) persuaded by Mr Gray to try some upgrades over the winter.
My 06 R1 engine was tired so the plan was to upgrade to a Suzuki GSXR, go dry sump and get rid of the bonnet bulge, improve the aero with Tim's computer designed body mods, and then Robert, as they say, is your mother's brother and we're going faster.
Here she is..the first revealing!
Does my bum look big in this?...er..yes!
To be honest, if your looking for a detailed technical explanation of the rebuild you're reading the wrong blog. I realise this is not in the RGB spirit, and I'm full of admiration for those who design and build their own cars, but that's not me. I just let Tim get on with it. I didn't even see the car from leaving Cadwell to turning up at Donington on the Friday before the race weekend. Tim was sure, having driven it himself, that the car was massively improved and I was keen to drive it before the race so got myself a session on the Friday test.
Unfortunately for me we immediately had a problem with the new hydraulic clutch. I was struggling to change down below 3rd, and on a circuit with two hairpins, that wasn't good news. Also the noise limit meant that I had to short shift past the pit straight, so I was never going to get a good time. The car did feel great though, clutch issue aside, so the signs were good.
Tim tried some running repairs to the clutch during the session, and it improved a bit, but Tim resorted to going home to get a new master cylinder after the session. So by that evening we were convinced that we had fixed it.
Sisters!
The TGM camp.
Saturday morning's qualiying went well and I got third in class for both races with Paul Rickers and Richard Wise ahead of me, but not by much. I managed a 1:45.45, with Paul 1.4s ahead.Just to put that in perspective, the best time i did last year was 1:47. So 1.5s a lap quicker straight out -the-box as they say! Well it impressed me!
So I'll spare you a blow by blow race report but just give you the highlights. The videos are here.
Race 1 (part1)
Race 1 Part 2
Race 1 - not too bad a start off the line, but at the first corner I had to avoid a spinner and span myself into the infield. I got going again quickly but dead last. The next few laps was just catching up through the field which was great fun, but frustrating. I could see Richard and Colin up ahead and was catching slowly but I didn't think there would be enough race left to catch them.
Then a stroke of luck for me. A red flag and a restart.
So on the restart I'm 4th in class on the grid. I get a really good start (lots of others stalled due to overheating problems), and I'm right up there with Paul Rickers. Do watch the video of Race 1 part 2 as it's pretty close racing. I'm amazed that I kept pace with Paul and i even had a chance to pass him into the Old Hairpin at one point (5.55 on the video), but sadly I bottled it, and that was pretty much it. That pesky Mr Rickers; using his driving talent to stay ahead like that. Grrrr...
There's also a moment when Richard Wise gets past me at the hairpin (5:20), but I get him straight back again into Redgate. Exciting stuff!
So I end up 2nd in class. I was shaking with an adrenaline rush after that. Fantastic stuff.
Race 2 (part 2)
Sunday. Race 2. Not a good start. My clutch issue reappears on the green flag lap and I can't get into neutral for the start. I'm pushed to the right side of the track and have to watch from with the side.
Then my luck is in again as another red flag stops the race (everyone unharmed but Richard Wise's car was out). Amazingly, I was allowed to start from the pit lane, and the restart counts as a completely new race so I was back in with a chance.
Again, the video tells the whole story, but basically, I drove like my hair was on fire to catch the front class F guys. I was struggling with the gear change though into the hairpins which was a little disabling, but i did, in the end, get myself up to 3rd in class.
As Austen said at the presentation; the luckiest 3rd place ever! So that no.13 isn't doing me much harm so far!
So all in all, a pretty good weekend given that it was first time out with the new mods and the persistent clutch problem. I'm so excited to be up there challenging Paul. I know he can go quicker, but I'm confident that I'll get quicker in this car as I get used to just how fast it now is and find my new limits. It bodes well for a great season.
I'll be a Silverstone. Looking forward to seeing some more Class Fs out there then...
