Oulton Park Results 7th October
Discussion
www.msttiming.com/result.asp?table=64031rc1tvr&round=oultonislcars.gif
Congratulations on your win Andy
Edited by hui on Saturday 7th October 15:23
Hi folks, most people are on their way to the end of season do however...
...Cliff lost it under the Yokohama bridge in qually
...Reidy into the kitty litter at the bottom of Cascades/Dentons
...I saw Tim pull into the pits just after lapping me around the Paul Warwick bridge
...I put a wheel on the grass coming out of the hairpin (more on this later)
...Dean went past me slowly when I was sat behind the barrier (mechanical I guess)
...Fred's Sag is missing part of it's front end the reminder being somewhere near the hairpin
Even though I didn't finish I'm chuffed with my race, in contrast to Brands where I deserved a DNF. Life has been busy recently with a couple of very late nights turning into mid mornings, and when on Thursday Darren Smith called me up saying he'd sprained his ankle, would I like his test slot on Friday, I obviously said yes (thanks Darren). What I didn’t figure at 1400 on Thursday is that I now needed to do 2 nights work in one evening...hmmm
Testing Friday, Oulton is my local circuit so unlike most of the other tracks this year I've actually been out there before!
First session I sat out, still adjusting and tinkering.
Second session I went out, the back end felt like it was on ice, but it was controllable so I pushed on, towards te end of the session I went into a (very wet and slippery) Druids the back end drifted out and I serenely parked in the gravel trap. No damage done, just a bit of gravel to remove.
Third session the track was drying and with everything going on in my personal and professional life at present I was out there mulling over life rather than thinking where should I brake, where am I turning in and just driving like I was out in my favourite road car, driving my favourite roads, not worrying about it, just doing the business. As a result I was quick, I've no idea of the times I just know I was faster than the folks I should of been faster than, cos I passed them. Towards the end of the session I had a big moment through the left hander at Cascades, I caught the car, a testament to how "well mannered" the car is becoming these days, but i was a big moment. I'm going to have to study my video a bit more cos there’s nothing I can think of that caused such a violent snap mid corner.
Fourth session I did a couple of laps and my temperature gauge went sky high so i backed off and crawled into the pits. Thankfully after doing a compression test on the engine I figured the heads were ok, so I tidied things up and went home for the evening, after helping Mark Freeman sort his car after a moment with a Fun Cup car.
Saturday, race day...I arrived at the circuit, washed the car, my dad and Mick (from Green Star) got the car thru scrut while I went to the drivers briefing. Come qually everything way good, I was relaxed and confident of a good session...I made about 20m out of the pits before the car stopped. Mid session there was a red flag due to an incident at Druids, so I got towed back to the pit lane where the car made a fool of me and fired up first time. I managed to get out on the restart but only made one lap before the same thing happened at Lakeside. Once I'd got towed back to the pits, Dad and Mick set about trying to find the problem, despite it starting on the button in the pits (we had a working engine but not found the problem), while I was to kiss the arse of the CotC, the response was if you can get the car running you can start at the back of the grid with a registered time of 36mins, 19.909secs...an average speed of 4.44mph!
With (literally) moments to spare we (a combined effort of dad, Mick, Joolz [of TCS fame} and Jamie [of CRE fame] and me [panicing]) got the car running, but not before pinching the ECU relay from another Chim parked in the paddock (was it Parrot of Doom's old car?, either way thank you!!!) and replacing the coil and ignition with the units from out V8 Disco. Coming to the grid, I was sat all by myself behind Reidy and Steve Hall.
The red light went out and I got another blinder (if there is one thing I can get right in racing it's the starts...maybe I should start drag racing) past Reidy and Steve...yellow flag...crap stalled Tuscan, jink left, floor it, next thing I remember is Reidy flying past everyone around me darting this way and that...cue a big grin thinking "go boy go". The race settled down to me chasing Kevan with both of us behind Howard (who had a storming qually session). The power of the class B cars showed and we dispatched Howard quickly enough, down to business, Kevan has more power than me, I brake later than Kevan...game on. This was the order of things for the rest of my race, Kevan pulls out 50m on the straights, I claw back the time under braking etc etc. I laugh as Kevan brakes for the right kink in the avenue as I change up into 5th...turn onto lakeside and he pulls away, he brakes for Island, I feather, come the hairpin I'm on his arse, he pulls away into Foulstons and again on the drag to Knickerbrook, the story of the race.
7th time through the hairpin I drift wide, one wheel onto the grass, ok no worries, light hands light hands, guide it back to the black stuff, my offside wheels get onto the tarmac the difference in grip spins me 180deg into the wet boggy grass. I try to drive out my wheels spin, select reverse, same story. Feck, thats game over.
On the a whole I had a stonking race, I made a mistake that in the heatwave of July/early Aug I would of gotten away with, twas not to be, I didn’t finish, but unlike Brands, where I drove like a tit, I deserved to finish. Thanks Kevan - great fun.
Now to the Birkett where the changes will be rung in preparation for 2007. Thanks everyone, I'm now off for a shower and on to the Daresbury for the end of season drinking contest, which I've already started in solitary confinement.
Regards
Iain
...Cliff lost it under the Yokohama bridge in qually
...Reidy into the kitty litter at the bottom of Cascades/Dentons
...I saw Tim pull into the pits just after lapping me around the Paul Warwick bridge
...I put a wheel on the grass coming out of the hairpin (more on this later)
...Dean went past me slowly when I was sat behind the barrier (mechanical I guess)
...Fred's Sag is missing part of it's front end the reminder being somewhere near the hairpin
Even though I didn't finish I'm chuffed with my race, in contrast to Brands where I deserved a DNF. Life has been busy recently with a couple of very late nights turning into mid mornings, and when on Thursday Darren Smith called me up saying he'd sprained his ankle, would I like his test slot on Friday, I obviously said yes (thanks Darren). What I didn’t figure at 1400 on Thursday is that I now needed to do 2 nights work in one evening...hmmm
Testing Friday, Oulton is my local circuit so unlike most of the other tracks this year I've actually been out there before!
First session I sat out, still adjusting and tinkering.
Second session I went out, the back end felt like it was on ice, but it was controllable so I pushed on, towards te end of the session I went into a (very wet and slippery) Druids the back end drifted out and I serenely parked in the gravel trap. No damage done, just a bit of gravel to remove.
Third session the track was drying and with everything going on in my personal and professional life at present I was out there mulling over life rather than thinking where should I brake, where am I turning in and just driving like I was out in my favourite road car, driving my favourite roads, not worrying about it, just doing the business. As a result I was quick, I've no idea of the times I just know I was faster than the folks I should of been faster than, cos I passed them. Towards the end of the session I had a big moment through the left hander at Cascades, I caught the car, a testament to how "well mannered" the car is becoming these days, but i was a big moment. I'm going to have to study my video a bit more cos there’s nothing I can think of that caused such a violent snap mid corner.
Fourth session I did a couple of laps and my temperature gauge went sky high so i backed off and crawled into the pits. Thankfully after doing a compression test on the engine I figured the heads were ok, so I tidied things up and went home for the evening, after helping Mark Freeman sort his car after a moment with a Fun Cup car.
Saturday, race day...I arrived at the circuit, washed the car, my dad and Mick (from Green Star) got the car thru scrut while I went to the drivers briefing. Come qually everything way good, I was relaxed and confident of a good session...I made about 20m out of the pits before the car stopped. Mid session there was a red flag due to an incident at Druids, so I got towed back to the pit lane where the car made a fool of me and fired up first time. I managed to get out on the restart but only made one lap before the same thing happened at Lakeside. Once I'd got towed back to the pits, Dad and Mick set about trying to find the problem, despite it starting on the button in the pits (we had a working engine but not found the problem), while I was to kiss the arse of the CotC, the response was if you can get the car running you can start at the back of the grid with a registered time of 36mins, 19.909secs...an average speed of 4.44mph!
With (literally) moments to spare we (a combined effort of dad, Mick, Joolz [of TCS fame} and Jamie [of CRE fame] and me [panicing]) got the car running, but not before pinching the ECU relay from another Chim parked in the paddock (was it Parrot of Doom's old car?, either way thank you!!!) and replacing the coil and ignition with the units from out V8 Disco. Coming to the grid, I was sat all by myself behind Reidy and Steve Hall.
The red light went out and I got another blinder (if there is one thing I can get right in racing it's the starts...maybe I should start drag racing) past Reidy and Steve...yellow flag...crap stalled Tuscan, jink left, floor it, next thing I remember is Reidy flying past everyone around me darting this way and that...cue a big grin thinking "go boy go". The race settled down to me chasing Kevan with both of us behind Howard (who had a storming qually session). The power of the class B cars showed and we dispatched Howard quickly enough, down to business, Kevan has more power than me, I brake later than Kevan...game on. This was the order of things for the rest of my race, Kevan pulls out 50m on the straights, I claw back the time under braking etc etc. I laugh as Kevan brakes for the right kink in the avenue as I change up into 5th...turn onto lakeside and he pulls away, he brakes for Island, I feather, come the hairpin I'm on his arse, he pulls away into Foulstons and again on the drag to Knickerbrook, the story of the race.
7th time through the hairpin I drift wide, one wheel onto the grass, ok no worries, light hands light hands, guide it back to the black stuff, my offside wheels get onto the tarmac the difference in grip spins me 180deg into the wet boggy grass. I try to drive out my wheels spin, select reverse, same story. Feck, thats game over.
On the a whole I had a stonking race, I made a mistake that in the heatwave of July/early Aug I would of gotten away with, twas not to be, I didn’t finish, but unlike Brands, where I drove like a tit, I deserved to finish. Thanks Kevan - great fun.
Now to the Birkett where the changes will be rung in preparation for 2007. Thanks everyone, I'm now off for a shower and on to the Daresbury for the end of season drinking contest, which I've already started in solitary confinement.
Regards
Iain
Cracking Day, Qualified befind Marc, taking the wrong call on tyres ( again)
once the race started we we straight back to our usual ding dong battle, I managed to pass going into lodge, and started to pull away, then a few laps later, spun on the run to cascades, unsighted by Johns car in the gravel and missing the brake point
I avoided following him in but lost the place. a bit of hard charging saw me back on his tail after a few laps, but only needing 3rd to win the class and the series overall, i was never going to try a do or die move, so came in 2nd on the road to marc 0.2s ...
2nd in class on the day but with enough points to take 1st in class and the overall 2006 Dunlop Tuscan Challenge Title, so slightly chuffed at the moment. A real team effort after all the mechanicals at the start of the year.
Without the Help of my father (pops) and a stonking engine from Jamie at Castle Race Engines it would never have been possible.
Looking towards next year, now we plan to run the same car inthe same class and see what happens.
Im off for a beer or 10 now I think I deserve one
rink:
once the race started we we straight back to our usual ding dong battle, I managed to pass going into lodge, and started to pull away, then a few laps later, spun on the run to cascades, unsighted by Johns car in the gravel and missing the brake point
I avoided following him in but lost the place. a bit of hard charging saw me back on his tail after a few laps, but only needing 3rd to win the class and the series overall, i was never going to try a do or die move, so came in 2nd on the road to marc 0.2s ... 2nd in class on the day but with enough points to take 1st in class and the overall 2006 Dunlop Tuscan Challenge Title, so slightly chuffed at the moment. A real team effort after all the mechanicals at the start of the year.
Without the Help of my father (pops) and a stonking engine from Jamie at Castle Race Engines it would never have been possible.
Looking towards next year, now we plan to run the same car inthe same class and see what happens.
Im off for a beer or 10 now I think I deserve one
rink: Edited by Graham on Saturday 7th October 17:42
Edited by Graham on Saturday 7th October 17:44
Thanks for a grand race chaps - Was on Deer Leap, so got a good view of the start... and some excellent moves coming out of Lodge.
C33 - was pleased to see you on the grid... did let out a groan when i heard you'd pulled off at Island during Qually.
Though we where going to have a customer in the form of one of the Tuscans - taking an inside line past one of the Tamoras - only getting pushed onto the grass... the tyre line afterwards shows he missed the tyrewall by about 2ft.
and bloomin eck was that Saggy fast! i think by lap 3 he was ahead by 3-secs...till his flapping splitter fell off.
see you at a circuit next year - (or hte Marshal's Track day in Nov if any of you are turning up to give pax rides
)
lord summerisle said:
Thought we where going to have a customer in the form of one of the Tuscans - taking an inside line past one of the Tasmins - only getting pushed onto the grass... the tyre line afterwards shows he missed the tyrewall by about 2ft.
That was me - I'd gone up the inside of Steve Hall (I think) at Lodge and as I was getting the power back on down into the dip, he came across the track to the right. I don't know if he hadn't seen me, or had assumed I'd go the other side, and I vaguely remember there being another car to his left which may have caused him to move over. Anyway, whatever the reason I found myself with no room and had to put most of the car on the grass coming up the dip, needing to keep the power on so I could get back onto the track in front of him before the armco round the big trees comes back towards the track. Sounds like I only just made it!
Qually was an accident waiting to happen with slicks on a wet track, so we parked up after the red flags came out. I felt there was little point in pushing and risking the car when we knew it would dry up later.
Its a while since I have started mid-pack, but got a great start, using the area between the grid and the pit wall to go up the inside of several cars and move up to 4th going into Old Hall behind Steve Glynn. Took him on the Avenue, then up the inside of Marc Hockin through Cascades. 9th to 2nd in 3 corners was quite exciting! Tim was about 50 yards in front by then and just disappeared into the distance by anything up to 6 seconds a lap! I haven't been to Oulton for a year and 3 laps in the wet in qually were useless, so needed to get back in the groove - but the biggest problem we had was very old tyres. I suspect they cost us about 2 seconds a lap against Tim, with another chunk of time being the differences in the cars and the remainder me not pushing as hard as I might, particularly in the faster corners.
When I could no longer see Tim up front or any of the chasing cars in the mirrors there was no impetus to push, plus the car was loose on the old tyres. Then I saw Tim up front missing the chicane, wondered what had happened and if he would come back on at full speed. He had lost the front splitter and with it all front end grip. After that I eased right back just to bring it home. Shame for Tim as the Sagaris was working very, very well at Oulton.
But it was great to get a win for the team - they really deserve it having worked hard all year and what a step up from where we were last spring! My thanks to Charlie, APM Andy, Katie, Bob and of course my 'home' team of Yvonne and Aless who have collectively made it all happen. Also to sponsors David and Lisa from IMR, who have been with me from the start in 2003
Congrats to Graham for the overall championship and to Steve and Howard for class wins. Hope you all had a great time last night at the bash
Edited by Griff2be on Monday 9th October 09:29
hui said:
www.msttiming.com/result.asp?table=64031rc1tvr&round=oultonislcars.gif
Congratulations on your win Andy
Edited by hui on Saturday 7th October 15:23
Thanks Hugh, it was great to chalk up a win for the team, even if it was due to Tim having a problem. Sorry you couldn't be there.
Great end to the season Chaps. Hopefully I will be joining you in class C next year. (I hope I am not too much like a mobile chicane)
For me though the drive of the day was down to Marc Hocking:
Blew diff and gearbox in Friday test, Changed Diff and Qualified in 4th gear only, (Thats why we were pushing him down the pit road.) Between Qualifying and Race he then swapped the gearbox and Built the car back up.
You deserved The title Marc. Sorry it wasn't to be.
See you all either at croft or next year.
Neil.
For me though the drive of the day was down to Marc Hocking:
Blew diff and gearbox in Friday test, Changed Diff and Qualified in 4th gear only, (Thats why we were pushing him down the pit road.) Between Qualifying and Race he then swapped the gearbox and Built the car back up.
You deserved The title Marc. Sorry it wasn't to be.
See you all either at croft or next year.
Neil.
Edited by heightswitch on Sunday 8th October 17:54
pete.reeve said:
Well Done Graham (and Pops too)! Sounds like the final race was fun.
Cheers, yep it was a good race. The smart thing to do would just have been to cruise up behind marc and sit there or the race as we only needed 3rd or higher to win. But the racer takes over so I made the pass and then started to build a gap, only to make a slight mistake and spin it, after that you'd have though again just sit there and cruise around to 2nd, but oh no... full chat to catch up and then try a couple of moves to get past, almost giving Pops and Jamie a hart attack each lap
[quote]
Looking forward to joining in next year and doing battle in Class C with Howard if he is still in that class.
Pete
No 19[/quote]
Cool how muchof the season are you thinking of doing? Howards moving to class A but the taz should be back out in C and there are a few more newcommers for C , even John Reid was talking about bringing a C class car out.
THe way its shaping up, all the classes should have healthey numbers next season.
G
heightswitch said:
Great end to the season Chaps. Hopefully I will be joining you in class C next year. (I hope I am not too much like a mobile chicane)
For me though the drive of the day was down to Marc Hocking:
Blew diff and gearbox in Friday test, Changed Diff and Qualified in 4th gear only, (Thats why we were pushing him down the pit road.) Between Qualifying and Race he then swapped the gearbox and Built the car back up.
You deserved The title Marc. Sorry it wasn't to be.
See you all either at croft or next year.
Neil.
For me though the drive of the day was down to Marc Hocking:
Blew diff and gearbox in Friday test, Changed Diff and Qualified in 4th gear only, (Thats why we were pushing him down the pit road.) Between Qualifying and Race he then swapped the gearbox and Built the car back up.
You deserved The title Marc. Sorry it wasn't to be.
See you all either at croft or next year.
Neil.
Edited by heightswitch on Sunday 8th October 17:54
I hope your comment about Marc deserving the title was not meant to imply that Graham deserved it any less?
The two have battled each other closely all year, with each of them at times having the upper hand. Graham had a torrid time at Silverstone and at Combe Marc's superior power enabled him to simply drive past. At other times Graham looked to have the edge.
If you are associated with a driver then you will be more aware of the challenges that particular driver overcomes to race. However, virtually every driver in the series has worked incredibly hard to get their cars out and keep them racing. I don't think there is anyone who hasn't had a major drama to deal with at one time or another.
Congratulations to both Graham and Marc for a keenly fought and clean battle, and to everyone who took part in the series in any way - drivers, mechanics, other halves and all supporters and spectators. Well done to all.
Griff2be said:
I hope your comment about Marc deserving the title was not meant to imply that Graham deserved it any less?
The two have battled each other closely all year, with each of them at times having the upper hand. Graham had a torrid time at Silverstone and at Combe Marc's superior power enabled him to simply drive past. At other times Graham looked to have the edge.
If you are associated with a driver then you will be more aware of the challenges that particular driver overcomes to race. However, virtually every driver in the series has worked incredibly hard to get their cars out and keep them racing. I don't think there is anyone who hasn't had a major drama to deal with at one time or another.
Congratulations to both Graham and Marc for a keenly fought and clean battle, and to everyone who took part in the series in any way - drivers, mechanics, other halves and all supporters and spectators. Well done to all.
The two have battled each other closely all year, with each of them at times having the upper hand. Graham had a torrid time at Silverstone and at Combe Marc's superior power enabled him to simply drive past. At other times Graham looked to have the edge.
If you are associated with a driver then you will be more aware of the challenges that particular driver overcomes to race. However, virtually every driver in the series has worked incredibly hard to get their cars out and keep them racing. I don't think there is anyone who hasn't had a major drama to deal with at one time or another.
Congratulations to both Graham and Marc for a keenly fought and clean battle, and to everyone who took part in the series in any way - drivers, mechanics, other halves and all supporters and spectators. Well done to all.
Well said Andy, I echo your comment and offer a big well done to all of the drivers and their teams this year.
A big thank you to all that have supported me in my endeavours to become part of the challenge. I am still astounded by the Camaraderie of the series. I have received tremendous support both morally and in the paddock which has enabled and motivated me to compete, I managed to buy most of you a drink or few on Saturday night but for the record, particular thanks to:
Graham and Ian Walden - For helping me get started, ongoing advice, trackside expertise and spanner support.
Andy Holden - For wise words of advice and an insight to a professional approach.
Howard Bryan and John Kenyon - For constant supplies of advice, beer and gaffer tape, despite being my closest rival.
Iain Jones and family - For a first rate bedsit and direction to Demon Tweeks.
Richard Wright - For supplies and advice.
When I get the chance I'll post some detail of our action packed and fun filled weekend of running the car on our own for the first time.
First thanks andy for the help with the damage without your help it would have been gaffer tape only. Second cee jay next time please don't park on the apex at druids with only one dry line. Third Iain thanks for for the race thats the first time since tim at snett ive raced anybody at all, it gets very lonely out there sometimes i have not been to oulton since 2002 and have never driven that format before with only 3 laps in qually it took me 5 laps in the race to work how quick the track was still good fun see you all next year.
kg55 said:
First thanks andy for the help with the damage without your help it would have been gaffer tape only. Second cee jay next time please don't park on the apex at druids with only one dry line. Third Iain thanks for for the race thats the first time since tim at snett ive raced anybody at all, it gets very lonely out there sometimes i have not been to oulton since 2002 and have never driven that format before with only 3 laps in qually it took me 5 laps in the race to work how quick the track was still good fun see you all next year.
It was a pleasure Kevan, pleased to be able to help. Sorry the repair was a little on the heavy side!
By the way, for future reference you can get anything you need fibre glass-wise from here:
www.cfsnet.co.uk
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