Another mad panic weekend for no result. There you go, why read on?....
Still here? Well I can only assume that you want the full gory details regarding the weekend then!! OK. Her goes..
The weekend was always going to be a bit tight for me as I had a project being installed abroad at the same time. I'd checked the schedules of the racing and booked my flights. The Sunday races were originally scheduled for the slower race in the morning and the fast one in the afternoon. No problem I thought, I'll just take it easy so I don't have to go into the fast race and be away in time to catch my flight to Zurich. So Friday saw us trundling down to Lydden well prepared for the weekend. The M25 did the usual and we managed to catch loads of traffic which delayed things a bit. Still, after meeting up with Darryl Beckwith and wife for a convoy, we made reasonable progress. We decided to drop the cars at the circuit before going to the hotel as they'd be safer in the paddock than some roadside hotel carpark (in theory). This also gave me the opportunity to walk the circuit which took all of about 10 minutes! Lydden is like a mini-Cadwell, actually make that VERY mini-Cadwell. With a citcuit length of just under a mile with some pretty hairy bends and no run-off it was going to be, ahem, interesting racing! So, once the cars were made secure and tucked in for the night we made our way back to the hotel for about 9pm. The usual mix of beer and bollox was drunk/talked along with a takeaway which we managed to get delivered to the hotel (very good too) and I tried to get a decent night's kip ready for race day (unsuccessfully).
We awoke to clear skies and sunshine which was a good start. The car was unloaded and everything seemed fine and dandy. I was confident in the car as it had just been rolling roaded and the new diff should give me a bit more go. We got in the queue early for scrutineering which allowed me to grab a coffee for brHowever, signing-on revealed the first disaster. The 750MC had changed the race order for the Sunday meaning that the slower race would be in the afternoon. This meant that I HAD to qualify for the fast race otherwise I would have to leave the circuit before the second one took place :( I was damn annoyed at Robin and the 750MC who only announced it on the day. Robin gave the reason that another racer (Malcolm Mitton) had asked for it to be moved a few days before (he had a wedding to go to). Great, except they don't ask the other competitors whether they object!!! So I wasn't exactly pleased. Still, it just made me more determined to qualify for the quick race. Calming down a bit I joined the others for a breakfast coffee and explained the situation. On a sub-note, Karl awarded Gail's 'horse-box' a pie rating of at least, oooh, 4 pies (out of 5) which was one of the highest yet ;).
Scrutineering was a breeze as usual, so it was back to the paddock to get suited up ready for qualifying. I managed to get down to the assembly area early (with the first Locost session in fact) and parked up as to not get in anyone's way. Lydden being so tight and short, meant that a good time would depend on getting out in front and I was determined to do well. Only one other car from the second session had beat me down there, Helen Saunders, but being an absolute angel, she let me go in front saying that she'd rather follow me than have me behind (ooh errr! ;). Thanks for that Hels! So things were looking good. I watched the first session practice to try and get an idea of lines and grip. Paddock looked particularly dodgy with a fast bend and a magnetic tyre wall (this was to catch plenty of people out later on). The first session finished with only one incident (if memory serves) and so it was our turn. I shot out onto the circuit trying to get a good lead to give me a bit of space. The car was pulling well down Canterbury straight as I approached Pilgrims, got a good line into Chessons Drift the first corner then... dubba-dubba-dubba-rmmmm-dubba-dubba-bang (crap impression of a diabolical misfire), the car was AWFUL coughing and spluttering as soon as I got into a bend. It cleared down Dover Slope and running through Devil's Elbow it was fine - phew, just a fuel blockage I thought or maybe a bit of water in the carb. Then up to the hairpin at North Bend and cough-cough-bang it went again AARRRGGGHH!!!! Down Hairy Hill it sorted itself again but the problem came back as soon as I was into the next corner. Right handers were a total disaster (which was even worse when 4 of the 5 corners are right handed) with what felt like fuel starvation, in fact almost certainly fuel starvation as I was jinking the car to the left (great fun round Paddock - NOT) to slosh fuel in. I continued round for 5 or six laps getting increasingly annoyed as the problem got progressively worse. By this time the cars behind were catching me and I knew that my times would be total crap. I couldn't believe that after rolling roading the car it was this bad. Despondant I pulled into the pits before I could cause any trouble with the other cars gesturing madly to my crew who ambled over to have a look (to whom I apologise here for being like a bear with a sore head!). This was all in vain however as that lap the session was ended. I knew I'd put in a crap time which would make qualifying for the fast race even harder. I watched my chances start to disappear down the toilet :(
At this point I'd like to say a few words about the circuit. It's pretty bloody hairy with very little runoff. Almost every session was red flagged in qualifying and for the race with 85% of incidents happening in the tyre wall on the exit from Paddock, 14% at Devils Elbow and the remainder round Chessons Drift. We all got the usual talking to from the Clerk of the Course - a very intimidating lady is Viv. But what do you do? It's racing for goodness sake not a track procession?!? Now I know that if you know it's a blackspot you should drive accordingly but for that many incidents to happen in EXACTLY the same place does make you wonder. So if you're off to Lydden, DON'T get it wrong round Paddock!
Anyway, it came as no surprise to see my name just off the bottom of the qualifying sheet. I can't explain how exasperating it's been this year to KNOW you're quick but never being able to prove it with niggling problems that destroy your times :( I hope the last meeting at Snetterton will be alot better. Still, we had a problem to sort out so it was out with the spanners. I was certain it was fuel related and not a problem with the mixture or the sparks so I upped the fuel pressure. Although Pete Baldwin had set the car up well you can't simulate inertia. So confident that the jetting was fine (even if it did look a bit weak on the plugs) we persevered. The ever helpful Mike Saunders suggested it could be water in the carb so we stripped it and blew out all the jets with an airline. There was almost no way of testing the car however so I took it up to the top of the hill and went up and down the road a few times as well as driving it sideways in the field. This didn't reproduce the problem but did piss off the track manager so I got a ticking off from some track blokes. It's not as if I was doing any harm! Still, rules are rules. So, with no idea whether the car would behave in the race we got prepped and waited for the off.
Of which there were many! Off's that is. Almost every race got red flagged with cars diving into the tyre walls. This didn't seem to put anyone off however and people kept making the same mistakes - doh! Our race was before lunch, so I made my way to the back :( of the assembly area ready to get gridded up. One of the Formula V's (I think) had laid down a load of oil between Pilgrims and Devils so we waited ages whilst concrete dust was put down. Finally we got led out and gridded up. Once in place, it was time to concentrate on the start. The start grid on Cantebury Straight is slightly downhill meaning that if you hold it on the clutch with no brakes you'll make a false start. So, with the car held on the handbrake, it took the clutch up to the biting point and waited for the green. And they're off. I made a reasonable start and hung back at the first corner where I expected a few to run wide on the oil. Everyone got round safely but the biggest problem then was the dust! I literally couldn't see 10 yards in front of me and it was more luck than judgement that got me down to Devil's Elbow in one piece. Round that safely and up to the hairpin I waited for the inevitable coughing and spluttering. But it wasn't half bad! In fact, it was LOADS better. I got good drive down Hairy Hill and concentrated on my line into Paddock. Get it wrong here as I've said before, means a trip into the tyres! I got an excellent line out and made up a place. Driving round Chessons Drift saw me going round the outside to avoid the oil (but put me on the marbles), a steady right foot and a steadier nerve got me round in one piece although visibility was still pretty dire. The run upto the hairpin is a good overtaking opportunity but I couldn't (or rather wouldn't) force my way through. Hairy Hill and Paddock were taken well sneaking another place on Cantebury Striaght as I made a better exit from Paddock. Through Pilgrims and into with a spinner doing his best to take me off but missing by inches (and a BIG spin it was too!). Chessons and I took the outside line again as drivers backed off on the tight line, I snatch another couple of places into Devils. Blimey, I might make a race out of this after all. The next lap was without place change but I was steadily catching the leaders. Then the dreaded red flag appeared :( We all coasted round to see that someone (Tom O'Halloran I think) had done the inevitable and twatted the wall out of Paddock. It took time to extract the car and rebuild the wall but fortunately the driver was unhurt. THe track marshall explained that we'd be re-gridded - IN OUR ORIGINAL POSITIONS!!!! WHAT!!! I'd made up 4 flippin places and was sitting in 5th. But my cries fell on deaf ears. This was made even more daft when Helen Saunders was gridded up BEHIND me whereas Mark Benton was in front?!?!?? What a bloody mess. Still, another start was imminent. I made a good'un and got a good run through Chesson's and squeezed past Mark Benton. I backed off a bit too much into Devils and he tried to get up the inside up to the hairpin. I held my line and he had to concede. Round the hairpin I came and made a fast run down Hairy Hill and was on the case when, doh! the red's were back out. Someone else had tried to hibernate in the wall and the race was ended. Still, I was lying in 5th which wasn't bad and I just hoped that my times were good enough to get me into the early race on Sunday.
So imagine my surprise when I got the race results to see myself in 9th place - with NO signature!! I was livid. They'd reasoned that because the race was red flagged the final positions were taken on the final complete lap before the red flag came out :( To top this, because we'd only completed 5 laps we hadn't done full race distance so wouldn't get a signature either. So I'd been completely stuffed. Not only had I come away with nothing, I had no chance to qualify for the fast race and would have to miss the second to catch my flight. I explained my dilemma to Robin Knight who was fairly unsympathetic but they'd already made their decision on race order so there wasn't alot I could do. My only chance was to petition the drivers of the fast race to let me out with them. I suggested this and he told me to see the Clerk of the Course as it was her decision. A situation I wasn't looking forward to as Viv was in a foul mood with all the race stoppages. So I had a word with a few of the drivers to get their opinions in principle to me joining their race. Needless to say the few that I asked were fine with it, so it was off to the Clerk of the Course. Gulp.
The timing of this couldn't have been worse. With incidents literally happening in front of my eyes as I waited to see the C of C in the timing room, her temper was at boiling point. Once she'd finished bollocking the stock hatch boys it was my turn. I explained the situation to her briefly to which she replied 'go and see Robin', errr, he sent me here! Oh, well come in then. I tried to plead my case but her opinion was 'it's not my problem'. Well excuse me it IS your bloody problem!!! It wasn't MY damn fault that the 750MC had changed race order at the last minute was it! But she wasn't budging. It was a case of 'tough luck' buster. I was mightily pissed off. What a waste of time and money. But to them, I was just a pain in the arse racer who broke tyre walls. Bunch of arse.
So dejectedly I made my way back to the paddock once more and explained the situation to the crew and fellow racers and told them about the lack of signature's for us all. So now we were ALL outraged! MSA rules state that if a race is stopped due to race flagging, the organisers must try and re-stage the race at the end of the day. The meeting was running ahead of time due to all the shortened races so I clubbed together as many of the other drivers in the first race to get their support in another (back to the lion's den) plea to the C of C. We cobbled together half a dozen others and explained what we were trying to do. Then back to the C of C to try and get them to restage the race. Needless to say, the Clerk's mood hadn't improved, but (being nominated spokesman - thanks chaps ;), I tried to reason our situation. Her arguement was that the poor driving standards were to blame and that we were at fault. Our argument was that WE were being penalised because of the unfortunate actions of the minority. She eventually began to simmer down 'cos we're all such lovely people ;) and got on the phone. After some tooing and froing, she agreed that time permitting, we would be given an 8 lap race at the end of the day. Anyone completing at least 5 laps would get a signature. Well, in the overall scheme of things this was a RESULT! We all dashed back to the paddock to get ready (again) in case we got our race and tried to get the remainder of the field back, some of whom had already left the circuit.
Quick note on the other Locost race. First time out Will Mitcham, Mike Saunders, Darren Banks and Darryl Beckwith led the field but Darren got it wrong coming out of... you guessed it, Paddock, put him in the wall and out of the race. The race was red flagged and restarted. Will Mitcham did very well to hold off Mike Saunders who was running very well, whilst Darryl had to succumb to a charge (literally) by Malcolm Mitton, who did nothing for his reputation of a bumper car driver as he managed to shunt Darryl on a straight! And they moan at the novices for poor driving standards!! Darryl took discretion as the better part of valour and let Malcolm through to capitalise on his points taking him clear of Darren Banks in the championship who had retired. Although, I hear that after some frantic work in the paddock he made it back out on Sunday - well done all!
So it was with baited breath (urgh, why do people use that expression?), that we watched the races go and the time slip by. We were almost there when a BIG incident in Stock Hatch (the race was the last of the official programme) resulted in a long delay which we thought had scotched our chances. Fortunately the driver was OK after collapsing once over the track armco. Guess where it happened.... that's right, Chesson's Drift - don't be a smartarse ;) With minutes to go the track was cleared and we were given the all clear! Woohoo!! Into our original positions and wait for the start. Holding the handbrake I tried to anticipate the green light. I did! I made a cracker of a start and got past Helen Saunders (I think, I'm crap at remembering who I pass/get passed by), round Chesson's and I got round the outside of Mark Benton too, down Dover Slope and I was ready to take two more, drop the gear from 4th and bang - NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! No gear, try 2nd, no gear, try 1st no gear :( I coasted on to the trackside out of harm's way and dejectedly sat out the race on the sidelines (again). All the effort, all the cajoling, all the support had come to nothing. No signature and no race on Sunday. I don't think I could have felt much worse. The others having a cracking race however. At the time of writing this I still haven't got a full set of results as I had to leave the circuit to catch my flight. My personal victory was in getting the race staged at all however and I'd like to publically thank Helen Saunders, Mark Benton, Alex Hughes and Alex Jones. Without us all working together we couldn't have done it - so BIG SHOUT TO YOU ALL!!
The final big shout goes once again to my long suffering crew. Cheers chaps. Especially my brother who would cut my knackers off before he let me give up!! ;) Cheers bro. It turns out that the clutch literally exploded! The stress caused by the misfire in the first race along with a bit of heat generation when I was on the start grid probably did it. It was just a cheapy which I got in a hurry from a local motor factor. It's now been sorted and we're preparing for our final outing this year at Snett. I managed 7th in qualifying overall last time out there before being involved in a first corner accident. I just want ONE result I can be proud of before the off season. Fingers crossed eh!