This was the meeting I was going to win. This is MY track. I know it so well.
Apparently not.
We arrived on Thursday evening to set up the garages. The Works team was running five cars: ours, Derek J's, Phil's Works SR3, Michael and Ben Jacko in the Pro6 and SR8 respectively.
Friday
A trackday run by the very lovely RMA Trackdays. They're a good bunch and really just let us get on with things. Usually this is great, but on this occasion many drivers seemed little removed from reckless. It was like the last race of the season out there. And if I reckon it was like a battlefield, you know it was like D-Day. Anyway, could I get on the pace? No way. I chucked a couple of reasonable laps in early on, but then couldn't get anywhere close. Late 46s is all I could muster. Robbie of course banged in 45 after 45 and I languished a good second behind. Remember last year in the SR3? I was 0.3s off his times. Hmmmm. Still at least we had a good data setup and I'd be able to learn exactly where I was losing out, right? Wrong. The logging system was malfunctioning which meant that I could get no clear guidance whatsoever. So that'll be me "in the dark" then.
Race 1: Turning into Druids
Photo: Josh Barrett
Saturday
Qualifying
Fingers had to be pulled out. Clearly the car would do it, so the problem had to lie with me. Once again qualifying only considers the "amateur" drivers' times, so once Rob had done his obligatory three laps, off I went. The track was damp in places so I just gradually brought the tyre temperatures up whilst finding a clear space. I was smirking to myself knowing full well I was dawdling around the 48 second mark and the team would be looking at the live timing thinking (and excuse the acronym here) "wtf is he doing? Get your finger out." Robbie admitted as much to me afterwards. Six or seven laps into the session, I found what I was looking for in every single way; new hot tyres, clean dry track, space in front and behind. It was time to go for it.
And how? Out of nowhere a 45.0x-second lap. If it wasn't pole, it was second behind an invitation-class SR8LM. The boys called me in to swap onto a couple of new spare slicks to scrub them, in case we needed them over the weekend. By the time I got back out, there were only a few minutes left. But in my absence I'd been demoted to third in class. By this time the rain was coming down. If I was going to reclaim my grid position, I'd need to put in a great lap with the weather deteriorating and time fast running out. I found a bit of space and went for it: very fast into Paddock, latest possible brake into Druids, round Druids on the very limit, battering down to the late brake into the left-hander of Graham Hill and... erm, no grip. I missed the apex, went over the rumble strip and the lap was gone. Maybe there was still time for one more go? Keeping my foot in, I brought it around Clearways for the penultimate time only for Sally to come over the radio "chequered flag's out mate". I was out of time. Still I'd proved I could do it and although I was almost half a second slower than Ben Jacko (class pole) I felt I could probably find that come the race.
We didn't need to do much work on the car after qualifying. It was clearly there or thereabouts. A quick spit and polish (yeah right) and we were ready for...
Race 1
A pretty good start saw me hold position. No gain but no loss either, except that by the end of Graham Hill, I saw a gap opening between myself and the leaders. Weird, I thought, I need to claw that back pronto. I was supposed to be trying to pass, not lose sight of them. Three laps on, and I was about four seconds down. I was beside myself. Pushing as hard as I dare, there was nothing I could do about it. The only upside was that Terence Woodward was similarly struggling. In fact I was dropping him. But small comfort. I was supposed to be winning. It was very dispiriting. Handing over to Rob at half distance, it transpired that towards the end of my stint my lap times were similar to those of the leaders, but as I was at least half a lap back, it hardly mattered.
To further deepen my misery, Rob instantly took a second a lap out of my lap times. In other words the problem lay with me and not the car.
Attacking a couple of back markers early on in his stint, Rob got the car out of shape and almost spun. Recovering, he had to give way to Ben Jacko who was leading. Before he had a chance to take unlap himself, the Safety Car was brought out for an unrelated caution. Rob was stuck behind Ben, a lap down and any chance he had of catching the leaders was gone. We finished the race third in class, but a lap down. Oh the horror. The shame. It could have been worse but not much.
Sunday
Morning session
Despite Rob posting good times in the first race, we both felt the car could have been better and so we made some adjustments to the setup. It was a bit "suck it and see" but we had a fifteen minute session before the race to see whether the changes were right. I left that job up to Rob and he seemed fairly pleased with the changes, so we were happy that we'd be in good shape for the race.
A moment's hesitation to consider Manhol Allos. Remember that guy from Spa who was four laps down and yet decided he should race Tom and I? Yeah that's him. Well he decided this fifteen minute session was ultra important and was battering around the track. Unfortunately for him, the car got out of shape half-way through Paddock Hill. I should think he hit the gravel at around 100mph and the armco not long after. He was OK but the car will need a trip to Radical's jig. Ouch.
Race 2
Grid positions were determined by the finishing positions in Race 1. Third on the grid behind Derek Johnston gave me the second row inside. If Degsy got a good start, I'd be able to pinch second off Jacko. He didn't. He got a stinker. He was passed by Jacko and I was passed on the outside by Terence. End of lap one, I was in fourth and again watching the leaders as they were pulling away. I did the usual late brake into Paddock only to find no grip at the front. That's NO grip (at about 120mph). I managed to hang onto the car but only just. Confidence now shattered, I soon found myself being caught by an SR3. Now I was utterly demoralised and my confidence was gone. At this point, I was probably driving as poorly as I've ever driven. Although I managed to hang onto the fourth place, it was a dreadful performance. I'd go as far as to say humiliating. The pit window couldn't come quickly enough.
When the pit opened for the driver change, we were pretty-much out of the reckoning. The team were very supportive, bless them, but I had a face like a slapped something or other.
Rob's first proper time around Paddock was, I'm told, almost as calamitous as mine. He was sideways. Clearly the car wasn't good. But the difference between the two of us is that he found a way around the problem and again proved that the time was there to be had, it's just that I hadn't.
As with the first race, we had another period under the Safety Car when Stuart Moseley in the Derek Johnston car pulled off the track with flames coming out of everywhere. This time, we hadn't been caught by the leaders and Rob was able to join the back of the train behind the Safety Car.
Come the green flag restart, some might say Rob was rather eager to dispose of the slower cars between us and the second-placed Ross Kaiser (in the Woodward car). Others might say his anticipation was almost faultless. Whatever you call it, at the restart, he passed a Pro6 and an SR3 before Paddock Hill bend. A mighty performance given he wasn't allowed to pass another car before the start/finish line! The stage was set for the most fascinating part of the whole weekend...
Ross Kaiser passed the leader Ben Jacko fairly quickly. Rob had his work cut out to even catch Ben, such was the gap. But catch him he did. In fairness to him, Ben was tiring fast, but equally Rob is a tremendous driver. With about four to go Rob caught him and a lap later he was past. And that's where it finished. From a lowly fourth, he'd rescued second place. Astounding. Well, nearly astounding. In fact, his anticipation of the green flag at the restart was so perfect that he didn't place quite enough emphasis on the rule mentioned above; you can't pass another car until you've crossed the start/finish line. In front of the Clerk of the Course Rob tried the novel defence of "I didn't pass another car before the line, I passed TWO", but oddly this didn't work; we were given a time penalty and our second place suddenly became third.
Our ultimate finishing position must not detract from the two certainties of the weekend:
1. I was rubbish.
2, Rob was spectacular.
I cannot overemphasise the truth in both those statements. On reflection (and the eagle-eyed amongst you will have noticed that it's taken a while to get this report online. No coincidence given my poor showing) I'm still not certain what went wrong. Why was I so poor? I'm not a stunning driver, but nor am I rubbish. I'm a long way removed from rubbish. I guess for now I'm just going to have to stop analysing and start looking forward. Donington Park is far from one of my favourite tracks and in a month's time I shall be racing there. That's where I need to focus my attention now. Maybe as the season unfolds, I'll be able to be more dispassionate and give a clearer, more honest assessment of what went wrong. I certainly can't right now.
A few serious thanks are in order:
Sally and Matt my wonderful support team, ably and patiently assisted by the lovely Sven. Early in the weekend, Sally dislocated his arm and yet he returned from hospital willing to do anything he could. This was no small effort on his part and didn't go unnoticed. Matt was his usual CDO (ask him!) self and just got on with things whilst Sally was incapacitated. Wonderful job mister. Sven tolerated my whimsical questioning with suitable aplomb and was much more than just another pair of hands. Thanks boys.
Robbie. Wow. That's all.
Michael and Josh. Thanks ever so much for coming and supporting me. Loved the pictures as well.
Nick. I saw you briefly but Rob's indiscretions on the track compelled our visit to the officials.
Ray and Slaggy. 9st 10lb. You know what I mean.
Next meeting is Donington Park which for reasons best known to Amanda, is on the Friday and Saturday 3rd and 4th July. You coming? I have to do better.
Photos and video to follow. Watch this space.
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