Oulton Park-Flymos view from the paddock
(Thats the green grassy bit on the outside of Cascades)
Something of a rushed start to the 2007 season. I flew back from Mallorca (rainy) to the UK (sunny) late in the afternoon of Friday 13th! Nothing awful on the flight (despite the date) apart from the catering. So it was a panic to get the car out of its cage, get it onto the trailer and load all the wrong bits into the tow car. Of course you dont know they are the wrong bits until you need something. Off to bed for an early start. Up at 3 a.m. and away half an hour and a bacon sandwich later for the three and a half hour tow to Oulton Park.
On arrival at the gate I am lectured by the security man. Apparently I shouldnt enter the paddock unless it’s necessary. I promise that I wont wake up the poor souls who have to lie in bed until 9 a.m. Its not their fault that they are not scrutineering until 10 am.
Car off trailer and push downhill to the scrutineering bay where I had to point out to several Porsche drivers that yes the LMA mob were going to be checked before them. After scrutineering I had to check that my engine would start and by chance left it in gear. By the time I realised it the car had made it’s way back uphill to the trailer.
The Megane felt fine in qualifying. I obviously wasnt trying hard enough. Still 22nd on a 33 car grid wasnt too bad. What was bad was the rolling start. Not so much a rolling start as a flat out charge from the top of Deer Leap. Fine for the front few rows but what about everybody else?
A group of about six of us decided to have our own race and entertained each other and the marshals with position changes each lap. Matt decided not to play and went for a picnic at Druids. I finally got up to Stuart and challenged through Cascades and found the rear of the Porsche looming large so decided to go Flymowing! Out on the green bit I managed to avoid the sheep and cows, and the gypsy family that wanted to check mw wheel nuts. Rejoined towards the back of the group again and managed once more to get close enough to the Porsche to read it’s number plate. My tyres were definitely slippy slidy by now but so were Stuarts. One last attempt at Knickerbrook and we exited side by side to find a slowly moving Clio ahead admiring the scenery. Fortunately I squeezed through first and got a good run through Druids. Enough of a gap to ease at Lodge and torment Stuart as we went for the line! 22nd on grid-17th at the finish and 2nd in class. Not a bad way to start the season. We had entertained the marshals well enough to get a good clap on the cooling down lap. A good day and I even managed to stay awake all the way home.
Thanks to everyone and see you at Rockingham.
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(Thats the green grassy bit on the outside of Cascades)
Something of a rushed start to the 2007 season. I flew back from Mallorca (rainy) to the UK (sunny) late in the afternoon of Friday 13th! Nothing awful on the flight (despite the date) apart from the catering. So it was a panic to get the car out of its cage, get it onto the trailer and load all the wrong bits into the tow car. Of course you dont know they are the wrong bits until you need something. Off to bed for an early start. Up at 3 a.m. and away half an hour and a bacon sandwich later for the three and a half hour tow to Oulton Park.
On arrival at the gate I am lectured by the security man. Apparently I shouldnt enter the paddock unless it’s necessary. I promise that I wont wake up the poor souls who have to lie in bed until 9 a.m. Its not their fault that they are not scrutineering until 10 am.
Car off trailer and push downhill to the scrutineering bay where I had to point out to several Porsche drivers that yes the LMA mob were going to be checked before them. After scrutineering I had to check that my engine would start and by chance left it in gear. By the time I realised it the car had made it’s way back uphill to the trailer.
The Megane felt fine in qualifying. I obviously wasnt trying hard enough. Still 22nd on a 33 car grid wasnt too bad. What was bad was the rolling start. Not so much a rolling start as a flat out charge from the top of Deer Leap. Fine for the front few rows but what about everybody else?
A group of about six of us decided to have our own race and entertained each other and the marshals with position changes each lap. Matt decided not to play and went for a picnic at Druids. I finally got up to Stuart and challenged through Cascades and found the rear of the Porsche looming large so decided to go Flymowing! Out on the green bit I managed to avoid the sheep and cows, and the gypsy family that wanted to check mw wheel nuts. Rejoined towards the back of the group again and managed once more to get close enough to the Porsche to read it’s number plate. My tyres were definitely slippy slidy by now but so were Stuarts. One last attempt at Knickerbrook and we exited side by side to find a slowly moving Clio ahead admiring the scenery. Fortunately I squeezed through first and got a good run through Druids. Enough of a gap to ease at Lodge and torment Stuart as we went for the line! 22nd on grid-17th at the finish and 2nd in class. Not a bad way to start the season. We had entertained the marshals well enough to get a good clap on the cooling down lap. A good day and I even managed to stay awake all the way home.
Thanks to everyone and see you at Rockingham.