2008
10-17  Brands Hatch
08-30  Donington
08-09  Silverstone
07-12  Oulton Park
06-22  Cadwell Park
05-26  Castle Combe
04-26  Croft

2007
10-19  Brands Hatch
09-22  Oulton Park
07-22  Rockingham
06-23  Castle Combe
06-23  Donington
04-14  Silverstone
04-01  Snetterton

2006
10-21  Brands Hatch
10-08  Silverstone
09-17  Mallory Park
08-28  Castle Combe

Dismal weather conditions prevailed at Silverstone in the middle of August. So much for this year’s summer !

At least we were fortunate to have been allocated garages for this weekend’s event, the first time this season. Nevertheless 31 cars ventured out in the pouring rain for the 20 min qualifying session on Saturday morning.

After warming up tyres as best as possible in the first couple of laps in the very cold conditions, I then happened to come up behind Graham Johnson (car no. 8) and was aware of the fact that he had finished 3^rd in the previous race at Oulton Park. So I was quite happy to “stick with him”. Unfortunately it transpired he had qualified in 20^th place and my eventual time of 1.23.273 would put me on the 12^th row in 23^rd place. I could actually find no grip at all and was amazed when the Championship leader, Phil Broad (car no. 84) came past me at Luffield as though the track was perfectly dry !

RACE 1

I was aware that several drivers had qualified in the wet with no anti roll bars fitted front or rear. I had never driven the car set up in that way before but felt it was worth a try as starting in 23^rd, had little to lose. The conditions for the race weren’t quite as bad as in qualifying but were still typically British summer 2008, awful.

I made a reasonable start and passed two or three cars in the first 2 or 300 yds, but as soon as I turned into the fast right hander that is Copse corner, the car seemed to “fall away” from underneath me and I struggled to keep it on the track. Those I had just overtaken plus a handful of others came streaming past. At the next corner, Maggotts, again as I turned in the car felt horribly “loose” underneath me. I was just not used to nor happy with this set up at all. As I came round into the Luffield complex I saw a couple of cars in a synchronised spin which had a knock on effect and there were several cars in a somewhat unusual state. I managed to stay out of trouble and passed a few of them to gain some places back, passing the line first time round in 20^th.

I stayed in that place for some 7 laps until gaining another when JJ O’Malley (car no. 68) ran out of track turning in at the start of the Luffield complex.

I eventually crossed the line in 18^th place, absolutely wet through but very happy to finish the race with car and driver in one piece. I had also decided a very soft set up, with no anti roll bars at all, was just not suited to my driving style.

RACE 2

Fortunately the weather improved dramatically for the second race on Sunday and although it was cloudy and windy, at least the track was dry.

At the first corner, the fast Copse right hander, the car on cold tyres understeered straight off the track and I had to fight hard just to keep things pointing in the right direction. In doing so, I dropped back to 24^th place and crossed the line first time round some 5 secs behind the front running car, that of Phil Broad (car no. 84). Chris Legg (car no.10) came by me on lap 3 and the order just in front of me stayed the same for the three laps. Having said that, the whole grid was still fairly well grouped together and passing the finish line after lap 6 in 24^th, I was still only 7 secs behind the leader, now James Sharrock (car no. 33). So certainly nothing to feel down about but was very conscious that Silverstone is a circuit where tows off other cars are very important and I didn’t want to drop too behind the pack in front who I could see were each taking advantage of each others tow ahead of me.

I gained one place on lap 8 when Richard Boughton (car no. 21) span going round the Luffield complex. But it took me until lap 13 for me to catch up with the back of the pack by continually braking as late as I dare and then I passed Steve Mansell (car no. 5) on the run out of Luffield.  I was pleased I could still see the front runners though and passing the start finish line, was still only some 7 secs behind the lead car. I then took Mark Bowles (car no. 66) and Roelant de Waard (car no. 62) on the next lap but Richard Boughton, with the benefit of a rebuilt engine under him, had got back into the midst of things and having drawn alongside me, then pulled sharply away coming out of Copse to take a place away from me. But I was now battling in a group of 5 cars, split by just 7/10ths of a second. There then followed some of the best racing of my short-lived racing career with the lead of this second group in the race, changing constantly and wheel to wheel 100 mph + chases to corners. Driving standards were exemplary, no-one made stupid lunges to gaps that didn’t exist and it was apparent we had a mutual respect for each others’ space whilst remaining highly competitive.

By lap 20, I was pleased to have muscled my way through to the front of this pack of what was now 9 cars, split by just a couple of seconds. The lead group of cars, some 12 secs down the road now, was even more thrilling with the first 10 cars split by less than 2 secs.

Again the lead of our group kept changing as one car would grab a tow off another until the next corner when one would then outbrake another etc and the whole process would be repeated. Although I realised our group were gradually dropping away from the back of the lead group, I could see another car in front of me that we seemed to be reeling in. By lap 25 with the 5 min board having been shown, I realised the car in front was Paul Storton (car no. 76) and the pack of cars I was in were getting closer to him. As I crossed the line on the penultimate lap, 25, I was only 3.7 secs behind him but had 6 cars behind me, all within a second or so, so was driving with one eye very firmly fixed to the rear view mirror. I chased my socks off during the next lap whilst at the same time trying to defend the hunting pack behind. Coming round into the very last corner of the race, Luffield, I was right on the exhaust of Paul and thought that if I stuck behind him, I could then get a slingshot past him to take his place and finish 12^th, a result I would have been happy with given the 18^th place start and the under steering nature of my car.