So back to the driver training day with Tim, earlier in the year i had attempted the same event only to have the day cut very short with a cracked front disc. This time i was hoping for a better day, but after 3 laps the fuel pump packed in again!!!!! I had a proper hi-flow facet pump spare in the bus, so after 30minutes we were up and running again and set out with Tim in the passenger seat for a few laps. The car was handling like crap due to the extra weight causing the car to bottom out on every right hand bend, but Tim used this initial session to just evaluate my lines and gear selection. His first suggestion was to try taking some of the corners in a higher gear so as not to be so brutal with the engine, and also to gve me that bit more time (not banging through the box) to concentrate on my lines and trail braking. We wound all the dampers up by 3 clicks and headed out again. The handling was transformed just by doing this, ok it wasn't a sharp as normal but at least it wasn't trying to kill us every corner. We spent the rest of the morning and first half of the afternoon tuning my lines, trailing the brakes and trying to get me to dance the car through hall bends. I found this mentally and physically exhausting, thinking about so much stuff, and trying different things left me feeling completely drained by the time i went out on my own. After the first solo session my times were the same as last year and first run in the morning, but the difference was i felt like there was plenty in reserve and i wasn't on the ragged edge all the time, and i still hadnt mastered hall bends. I almost didn't do the final session as i was so tiered but after a handful of skittles and a sugar rush i felt upto another bash. This time i reduced my lap times very slightly, but came away happy knowing i could knock more time off by experimenting and carrying more speed through a lot of the circuit.
See the new lightweight front end and lights, saving 6kg!!!!
Returning to Cadwell on Friday without checking the car over since wednesday was a little unnerving but i just didn't have the time, or inclination as i was totally fubared to do it on thurday evening. So an early start on Saturday was required so i could give it the once over before scrutineering, as it turned out everything was fine and i was all fueled up and ready to race way before scrutineering. Scruitineering turned out to be a real joke, a couple Furys were pulled up on roll cages by a scrutineer obviously having a bad day and dreaming of some new rules the night before. This didn't effect me, my experience was of the most lax scrutineering session i have ever been subjected to, infact it was a complete waste of time and the guy didn't even notice my 2 cameras so when i went into the holding area i was pulled up by the marshal for not having video written on my pass ticket. I was then told i was over the noise limit and was almost made to return to the bus to repack the exhaust. As it happens i managed to blag my way through it and promise to get t repacked for Doni, but as it turns out nearly every car was pulled up for noise, so i suspect the noise meter was rather broken!!
Practice went OK, 3rd in class (again) and 16th overall for both races, but still off the pace from Al, who again was miles out in front from the rest of class F. More disappointing was that i hadn't really improved from my best time on tuesday, recording a 1.37.68. I had hoped to be scraping onto the 134's or at least the low 135's so i was a long way off. I still knew there was time in places i could go quicker, or at least try and string a lap of better sectors together, but realised my hopes of 134's were not going to be reached.
Race 1 started well with a staller on the inside allowing me to move up a few places on the outside and get upto 2nd in class. After a few laps john Goodwin came past in the spire, and my mirrors were full of Steve Bell (again), i made a few mistakes, plus watching the video back i definitely needed to drop the car down a gear in a few of places as it was lacking acceleration, something that can be seen looking at the rear view. But i knew this at the time and was trying to concentrate on getting the lines and trail braking right. Steve got past cleanly down park straight, closely followed by Colin in his BDN. The following lap Matt Higginson forced his way through at Park, causing contact as he ran out wide after a rather ambitious manoeuvre. I purposely didn't defend the line, as he was well behind me as i turned into park, but i was then aware he was coming up the inside with no way of leaving any room for me to continue my line or even stay wide without leaving the track, so i pulled out and backed off to avoid a big collision. There then followed a small amount of contact as i tried to stay on the track as he ran out wide leaving me no where to go. I did similar things when i first started, and ended up with a bit of a reputation (and constant battle scares on the car) and received one or two talkings to from various racers and Clerks of the course, but in response I like to think i have changed my driving style. So Matt if you are reading I'm not criticising or having a pop, just observing from the otherside of the fence this time ;-) . So i ended up with 3rd in class again, oh and a broken bit of new front end, sorry dad!!!
Race 2 again started well, getting up to 2nd in class of the line again, then being part of a gaggle of cars for the first half of the race with some exciting side by side moments, but eventually losing my place to Steve (again) and rolling in 3rd in class (again).
Apologies for the video quality, i converted it using the wrong settings.
Trusty side kick Dans photos
You're wrong about me being picked up by the noise tester, he was actually very complimentary about how quiet my car was :-)
ReplyDeleteoops sorry, i thought they said your car was louder than you had ever shown had measured before. Post editted ;-)
ReplyDeleteJust seen this and don't like to get involved in petty stuff but I think your interpretation of what happened is much different to how I saw it materialise. I initially had no intention of making an overtake but seeing as you never closed the door I would help myself (seeing as it looked like you had braked to late to make the apex). I was nowhere near on the limit of braking or traction and I certainly didn't force you wide which you can see from my video. I kept my exit as tight as I could so you had room to get round safely therefore I was a bit miffed when I felt a tag on the rear. I would hold my hands up if I made a stupid move but on this occasion the move was clean and fair (especially compared to others I have seen in the RGB!). The last thing I want is a reputation for bad driving or to fall out with anyone but I have taken slight offence to this
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