5th June 2008

Back and awake from Pembrey after the mamoth 9 hour drive there and 8 hour drive back. It was nice to go to a race with no prior hassles, and I was looking forward to visiting a new circuit, one I'd been told was very good.
It was a case of fine weather, and we had 5 sessions on track, 1 untimed practice, 1 timed practice (qualifying) and 3 races - grid positions set by the drivers best 3 times during the 1 timed practice session.

The usual gang were on track, although the Red Evo had been destroyed in a crash during Friday practice which was a real shame.

Untimed practice started and I crusied around slowly seeking the line and positioning on the circuit, I began to pick up the pace and began to pick off everyone in front when disaster struck. The car coasted to a halt with no power. In a panic I parked up and woried about what had broken. I was recovered by the tractor and during that period I realised the main fuel pump was not running - checking the feeds I found the wire had come off the fuse box. Bugger! That lost me track time - I'd done about 4 laps.

I didn't have any different connectors so I rigged up something to keep the connector from vibrating off the fuse box, fueled up and went out for timed practice.
The car felt good, the work I had done on the front ARB had sorted out the understeer and it was driving brilliantly, and I was getting to know the circuit and could get a move on. It was just my kind of track, techincal, fast and ballsy.
The car ran fine and I was pretty suprised to find myself on pole, by 2 seconds. At last I was showing my true pace.

First race came along and the scoob beat me to the first corner - hardly suprising but I'm working on the starts to stop it being so easy for him. We chased each other failry hard but traffic strung us out a little, then disaser struck again, the car spluttered and I cruised around and into the pits. I didn't have enough fuel on board for the 20 minute race. I had pitted on the last lap! Gutted, I made sure I didn't have this problem at the next race and put 40 litres in. This car gulps fuel!

Second race started and I got a good start but the scoob still just got ahead into the first corner. Determined to not get bottled up behind the scoob I nailed him on the first lap and took the lead, I was comfortable leading when the race was red flagged due to a rolled MR2. We gridded up for a restarted. off we went again, scoob got ahead but was wise to my move, I chased him very hard and we left the rest of the field some distance behind as we battled hard. The scoob defended very well, placing himself on each apex to block my exit speed. I forced him to defend - I just needed him to miss one apex and I'd have been past. But he was too wiley and we finished just 0.3 seconds apart at the flag. Good race. uk.youtube.com/watch

I was determined to get a win, so onto race 3. Starting from pole for the 3rd time, the scoob still got ahead, this time I got a run on him into the old hairpin and was past, I then got my head down and I was off like a bullet. I knocked more time of my qualifying laps, getting down to a 1:05.1. I realised no-one could keep off and once I built a lead the length of the pit straight I eased down to 1.06 laps and had the race in the bag. Then disaster again, once again the car spluttered to a halt and the race was lost. uk.youtube.com/watch
Checking afterward I found the same problem I had in untimed practice had occured - this time becuase the fuse box mounting plate had vibrated loose and pulled the main feeds off. Horrendous. Only myself to blame.

So the car was good, when running, it was bloody fast and the circuit was great. And my flame spitting car is proving to a favourite one to remember for the marshalls and spectators.

It was a great combination of a strong smooth engine from Carl Hayward, of the suspension from Rotaryart and Tri-point, and of the general Support of AtomicRex.
Next race is mallory park again in August. Hope to see some of you there

 

28th May 2008

Dramas in the run up to the second race at Mallory park again made the weekend fraught. With some last minute mapping the car found a bit more boost and power but still not finished. Mallory was very wet, and I only had Toyo R888 semi slicks. In the damp conditions I still qualified 2nd on the row, just behind a Subaru and ahead of an Evo. the race begin still damp and I fought off the challenge from the Evo and began chasing the Subaru. After 2 laps I began to catch the lead car but the rain came down heavier and soon the track was awash with standing water. It was too much for the R888's and the car was aquaplaning heavily. This allowed a road tyre shod RX7 to take advantage and both I and the Subaru dropped down. I finsihed fourth and was glad to have survived the race as there was too much water for the tyres. Spectator footage: www.youtube.com/watch

The second race seemed a waste of time given race 1, but conditions had improved I discovered on the green flag lap. A lot of the standing water had gone. I was 3rd on the grid this time behind the Subaru and Evo, at the start I got past the Evo and slotted in behind the Subaru. But he was slow through Gerrads and allowed the pack to catch us - I past him but the road tyred RX7 had taken advantage of the slowdown to catch me. I led briefly but had to still hunt out non-puddled track. Gerrards was the worst and I dropped into a more sodden part of the track. I had to keep the composure of the car and tease it around the outside. This allowed the other RX7 to again use his better wet tyres and go up the inside of me, and allowed the Evo to catch up. I fought off the Evo challenge and pursued the RX7 but whilst conditions were better than race 1 the track still had to many puddles in the wrong places to allow me to reel him in, finally finishing second. Spectator footage: www.youtube.com/watch

29th April 2008

The car was completed just in time for the first race at Silverstone on April 27th - not without dramas to get it there. Running on a base map and with very little seat time the car scored two second places, and led on race for 8 laps before backmarkers and limited power allowed a more powerful car to surge past. Racing was exciting and close for many laps. The car survived and the development can slowly begin. First stage is to find more power with more boost.

21st March 2008

The car is currently at Hayward Rotary in Newbury as the engine was found to be dead on one rotor. Carl is rushing to put a new motor together and as soon as that is done I'll be back to his workshop to fit it.