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Tom, yes you need to send me stickers, i've left room for them
We arrived at a fairly bright silverstone on saturday afternoon ready to set up for yesterdays races. It soon became apparent that rain wasn't far off so we thought we'd get the trusted easy-up gazebo out first. Only trouble was there was only me and Andy and before we'd got a chance to tie it down and put weights on it a massive gust of wind lifted it over the van with me still hanging on to it. I held on to it as it was upsidedown on top of the van and was heading for Bill Richards rather expensive KAD mini . We managed to get it down to earth again with the help of Bills Mrs, but the whole thing was mangled so all we could do is chuck it to one side, throw on the car cover just as the heavens openned and go to watch some of the Britcar racing from the pits.
Sunday morning the sky is nice and bright although still chilly and luckily for us the rain stayed away all day. Qualifying started nice and early at 9 but the car was good to go and over 50 DMN cars lined up ready to take to the Grand prix circuit. Like most people this was a new circuit to me (previous years have used the national or international circuit layouts) so we all took it easy for a lap or 2 to navigate our way around.
Thanks to a bit of practice on the xbox, on forza, i quickly knew where I was going and started to push a bit. the trouble was finding space, people were usindg all different lines and braking points and it was hard to get a clear 100 yards, let alone a clear lap. I backed right off a few times to get space only for incidents and yellow flags infront to cause everyone to back into me again
With a couple or so laps left I found a gap and got on with it, getting what felt like a half decent lap under my belt. I kept the momentum going and was really flying on the next lap only to catch up with Richard Brent who was only at half speed whilst preparing for a flyer himself. This slowed me in the final complex a bit but it wasn't Richards fault, he was just trying to find space like everyone else. Determined to go quicker I kept up the pace for the final lap only to find oil going into one of the chicanes and ending up cutting across the bumpy grass, sideways. The wet grass and pick up on the tyres was so bad that it felt like i'd broken a shaft. As I was revving the car it felt like there was no drive but it turnedout to be wheel spin all the way up to 4th gear
As things turned out the car was fine once the tyres had cleaned off, and I had qualified Ok, in the thick of the tin-top runners and infront of 2 cosworths and more importantly the 2 class D escort mk1s
Race one was always gonna be hairy, with so many different cars all around and a much narrower track than you might think. I got an okish rolling start but from where i was the cars infront could get flat on the power whilst we were still negotiating the last (slow) bend. Down the straight I was side by side with the other white 3dr but his cossie power was getting him past me. I knew I had a good chance of outbraking him into stowe but as i did so he flew off god knows where as a result of what turned out to be locking up on his own leaking coolant.
I had a great battle with the very quick proton of Garry barlow (no, not that one), an XE nova and an MG ZR190. After clearing them I then started to attack the pretty little red 205 of David cox. I passed him under braking several times only for him to just breeze past me on the next straight, I guess it is an mi16 2.0 as not many of the cars were attacking me on the straight as the engine was pulling like a train and the gearing was perfect with me hitting 7000 in 5th on the hanger straight.
The 205 lacked grip though and I could take advatage of that to get past. The next car was a 106 gti and I was catching it quickly. I got a great run through the middle of the lap and drafted him down the straight. Approaching the next chicane I held the inside as he got very defensive indeed. As I braked I assume he'd fogotten I was there and turned in on me, forcing me to either hit the chicane or wipe his car out. I opted for the chicane and hit the markers and cones. The MG behind me had also had to take to the grass so he must have been as caught out by the move as me.
As I emerged on the other side I had lost all of the places I had made up from the start and it was clear all wasn't well. Once again wet grass on the tyres was slowing me but by the next bend the exhaust system parted company with the manifold. Arrgghhh.
Not long after the exhaust gave up its grip on the car and dropped onto the track, soon to be run over by a couple of unlucky drivers. I carried on to the end, concious of wanting to get signatures on the licence and also not wanting to start last for the 2nd race but evry time I hit high revs the noise was like all your worst toothaches put together
I saw an unlucky Nick in his mk1 pull off the track as his throttle cable had snapped so trundling on till te end earned me 3rd in class and my first little trophy
I stopped on the slowdown lap and let everyone pass before getting the all clear from the marshals to throw the exhaust in the car, hoping that it may be fixable for race 2... now you can see why I had that expression
Back at the pits after being held in scrutineering for 20 mins the team were straight to work trying to put the system back into its origional shape. Unfortunatley Stephen Danns golf had damaged its tyre on my exhaust so I offered him a spare but luckily he found a matching one in time anyway and was able to get it sorted.
After having a walk to calm down and chat to the other drivers about the many incidents in the race i returned to find my car all up and running again. Well done to Gary and the lads for sorting it (and with 3 hours to spare)
Race 2 and i start from the exact position I did in race one but with Paul Goddards BDA escort alongside and the quick Nick Proudlock escort not too far behind. As Bill Richards and Graham Richardsons Nova were up the grid 3rd had to be my aim again.
I had a similar start to race one and had a great battle with Pauls escort and a quick XR2 for a bit before we all nearly had a moment after a proper ex-rouse GPa RS500 that had just passed me after starting from the back took lufield so slow that I nearly piled into the back of him. I darted around the outside in avoidance and the fiesta overtook him on the inside. The RS500 then blasted back past on the straight This allowed Pushrods mk1 through aswell I think but to be fair he was flying anyway and I wouldn't have kept him behind for long.
With paul Goddard in front I had to quickly repass the fiesta using my speed advantage down the straights. As I caught Paul the XR2 was still nibbling at my heels but then he just disappeared, turns out his steering had broken
Me and Paul had a good dice after that with my car being much better under brakes but his car being fast around the slow bends. We had some great door to door racing around the whole circuit with no hint of contact but i had the better of him despite the odd bit of grass tracking as we went through the chicanes together
It had been a hard race but great fun and very clean and it looked like I was on for 4th in class but in the closing stages Graham richardsons powerful 16v nova once again ate a cv joint cutting his race short.
That meant i had another 3rd in class, another little trophy and had enjoyed a great day of door to door racing with several cars.
Massive thanks to the team for fixing everything as I was breaking it and I'm now no longer the owner of a novice cross
Well done to the other turbosporters too, Nick was flying getting 2nd in class and Graham Bahr picked up a trophy. Hopefully we'll have a good turn out of TS supporters to watch us at the last race at Brands at the end of the month, it will be a gooodun for sure
Well done Dave,how does it feel to get your 1st proper race trophy?
Originally posted by david_white
You and the other white Nova
The "other" white Nova of Steven Noble suddenly found a lot of speed at the end of race two and just powered past me down Hanger straight (mind you he has got a 240bhp red top powering it).
Well done Dave,how does it feel to get your 1st proper race trophy?
The "other" white Nova of Steven Noble suddenly found a lot of speed at the end of race two and just powered past me down Hanger straight (mind you he has got a 240bhp red top powering it).
Felt good to get the trophies, I know they ain't much but its a start and more than I expected this year
I passed the Nova in the first race before my 'off' quite easily but like you say he seemed to get a second wind in the 2nd race and go a lot quicker. A few of the tin tops were quick down the straights too.
Sierra cosworth turbo race car QMN saloon car championship RETRO Motorsport
you had fun, got to know the car more, and won a frisbee. not bad for a days work good sir car looked as spectacular as ever, and you had some good dices.
congrats on a good day
Cars, because you can't get enough kicks out of walking fast.
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