Saturday at the Rock.
Took the opportunity to go testing on the Friday and it certainly paid off. Went out initially on intermediate tyres and did a few laps to find the corners. Several other LMA competitors were also there all trying to build up the courage to take the banked section flat out. We soon put the slicks on and lap times came down until I managed a sequence of eight laps all in the 1minute 35 second region and the fastes at 1 minute 34.4 seconds.
Happy with this we had some lunch and then planned to just do a few laps to scrub in a new set of tyes. Pressures checked off I went and then on the fifth lap going through the banked turn the car wriggled. Brown trouser time but got through the corner without disaster. Two more turns in and the Megane spun. Thinking that I must have hit a slippery patch I carried on and promptly spun again. At this point I pulled off and awaited recovery.
Having got back to the paddock it was immediately obvious that the rear right wheel bearing had collapsed followed by the disc shearing from the hub. Fortunately it didn't go 10 seconds earlier. As we carry spare bearings with us it wasn't a long job to get the car back out and put in another five laps. Suprise, suprise I was 2 seconds a lap slower but all in one piece.
Race day was as miserable as the day before. Weather forcasting must be the only job where you can get it wrong day after day but not get the sack. 31 cars took to the track for qualifying and I slotted in between Stuart Jefcoate in his Porsche and Matt Speakman in his Clio. Did two or three laps to warm up the tyres and then pushed a bit quicker. As everything felt ok I eased to get a bit of room in front and then had a blast. Everything went well but with only 15 minutes qualifying there is only time for a short concentrated effort. My effort produced a decent time just half a second slower than my best test lap on Friday and I was placed tenth on the grid but only second in class.
The race began as always with a rolling start and this time it was much better than at Oulton Park where huge gaps appeared before the lights. Diving to the left of Simon Taylor would have been good except for the Harrier of Tony Soper bogged down in the gears. The first hairpin appeared and a few places were exchanged and then into the first right hander. What was Peter Challis doing parked in the middle of the track facing the wrong way!!! Something of an embarassment for him but he was soon back near the front of the field.
My race was enlivened by a race long battle with Simon Parker in his Vectra SRI. I was quicker on the banked section but Simon had the upper hand on the infield section. We changed position several times at the second hairpin and I was pleased to still be in front at the finish. Our battle meant that although we had a good gap ahead of the following cars early on by the finish we were under pressure and two seconds covered five of us.
Second in class again but pleased that as a class D car I had finished in front of all the class C cars and five class B cars.
For the next two races we are off to a double-header in Wales at Pembrey. Don't forget to check Championship points standings on the LMA website. See the links page to click straight through.
Took the opportunity to go testing on the Friday and it certainly paid off. Went out initially on intermediate tyres and did a few laps to find the corners. Several other LMA competitors were also there all trying to build up the courage to take the banked section flat out. We soon put the slicks on and lap times came down until I managed a sequence of eight laps all in the 1minute 35 second region and the fastes at 1 minute 34.4 seconds.
Happy with this we had some lunch and then planned to just do a few laps to scrub in a new set of tyes. Pressures checked off I went and then on the fifth lap going through the banked turn the car wriggled. Brown trouser time but got through the corner without disaster. Two more turns in and the Megane spun. Thinking that I must have hit a slippery patch I carried on and promptly spun again. At this point I pulled off and awaited recovery.
Having got back to the paddock it was immediately obvious that the rear right wheel bearing had collapsed followed by the disc shearing from the hub. Fortunately it didn't go 10 seconds earlier. As we carry spare bearings with us it wasn't a long job to get the car back out and put in another five laps. Suprise, suprise I was 2 seconds a lap slower but all in one piece.
Race day was as miserable as the day before. Weather forcasting must be the only job where you can get it wrong day after day but not get the sack. 31 cars took to the track for qualifying and I slotted in between Stuart Jefcoate in his Porsche and Matt Speakman in his Clio. Did two or three laps to warm up the tyres and then pushed a bit quicker. As everything felt ok I eased to get a bit of room in front and then had a blast. Everything went well but with only 15 minutes qualifying there is only time for a short concentrated effort. My effort produced a decent time just half a second slower than my best test lap on Friday and I was placed tenth on the grid but only second in class.
The race began as always with a rolling start and this time it was much better than at Oulton Park where huge gaps appeared before the lights. Diving to the left of Simon Taylor would have been good except for the Harrier of Tony Soper bogged down in the gears. The first hairpin appeared and a few places were exchanged and then into the first right hander. What was Peter Challis doing parked in the middle of the track facing the wrong way!!! Something of an embarassment for him but he was soon back near the front of the field.
My race was enlivened by a race long battle with Simon Parker in his Vectra SRI. I was quicker on the banked section but Simon had the upper hand on the infield section. We changed position several times at the second hairpin and I was pleased to still be in front at the finish. Our battle meant that although we had a good gap ahead of the following cars early on by the finish we were under pressure and two seconds covered five of us.
Second in class again but pleased that as a class D car I had finished in front of all the class C cars and five class B cars.
For the next two races we are off to a double-header in Wales at Pembrey. Don't forget to check Championship points standings on the LMA website. See the links page to click straight through.