Tuesday 29th June 2010

PH Fleet update: Caterham Academy Racer

Nerves build for Riggers before his 'proper' racing debut

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Watch 45-plus of these on two grids...

As preparation for your circuit racing debut goes, a couple of hours on the track in an unfamiliar road car, on the wrong circuit configuration, is perhaps not the dream situation. The fact that most of my key rivals will have had at least one test day on the track in their race cars makes things rather a lot worse.

It's my circuit racing debut in the PistonHeads Caterham Academy at Rockingham this weekend (the previous three rounds have all been one-at-a-time sprints), and it's fair to say that I'm pretty nervous.

...doing a bit of this

The problem is that there's a bit of a weight of expectation upon my shoulders. Somehow, after a third and two fourth places in the sprints, I've ended up sitting in second place in the championship. This is lovely so far as it goes, except that it gives - I suspect - an overly flattering impression of my abilities, which I think have more to do with consistency rather than outright speed.

Unfortunately, the rest of the PH office seems to be fully expecting me to return to work next Monday bearing silverware...they may be sorely disappointed...

Not the best car to practice in...

Still, you make the best of what you've got I guess, and the recent press launch of the Seat Leon Cupra (read about it soon right here on PH) did at least present an opportunity to have a bash at part of the Rockingham layout I'll be racing on.

So although I'll have had no experience on the banked part of the track, nor of the notoriously tricky first hairpin, and although I won't have taken my own 650kg, rear-wheel drive racing car anywhere near the track, an hour or so in a front-wheel drive, 261bhp hot hatch weighing well over twice as much should be perfect preparation. Shouldn't it?

Mind you, Seat's UK boss Peter Wyhinny also gave me a few hot laps in the passenger seat of his slick-shod Seat Leon Cupra racer - which was genuinely useful as well as a hell of a lot of fun...

If you fancy coming along to see me fail to live up to expectations, or just want to watch some cracking Caterham racing - as well as the Academy races there will be Roadsport racing and top-end R300 action - then pop along to Rockingham this Sunday.

Best of all, Caterham and Rockingham are offering PHers half-price on the £15 tickets. All you have to do is buy online tickets from Rockingham's own website, remembering to enter Special Offer code CATERHAM677584, before clicking on the order buttons above.

[RacingPete]

Good luck Riggers

Remember, don't focus on the car in front of you (if there are any ) and focus on where you want to be... Always look through the corners at not at the cars near you, and remember when racing you cannot stick to the same lines and gears as you can when qualifying or sprinting. If you need to short shift or change to second instead of third do it to get that advantage - racing is a thinking man's game and a battle of wits: work out where he is weak, where he brakes too soon, where you can get a tow!

But it should be great fun, go and win mate...

[slickchange]

Good luck and may the force be with you....

[The Wookie]

As long as you don't do what happened in the start of the race before the one in this picture, you should be fine

Remember what I said in the Caterham forum though Riggers, all the grip is off line in the wet!

Wish I could be there actually, my mate is racing in R300's, but I'm stuck on a stand at Goodwood for the duration!

[Bill]

Consistency is good, I've had some of my best races simply by not falling off as much as the competition

[The Wookie]

Bill said:

Consistency is good, I've had some of my best races simply by not falling off as much as the competition

To be fair, your flipped paint job did promote giving people and barriers plenty of space

Definitely the winner of 'most ill advised area to spend a large sum of money on a Caterham racing car'

[noclue]

Good Luck Riggers, look forward to reading the next update, Im at Goodwood overwise would be there for a laugh

[AA121]

Bloody hell Riggers....you making excuses already???

See you at the weekend!!!

Cheers,

Tim

[pw75]

The Wookie said:

As long as you don't do what happened in the start of the race before the one in this picture, you should be fine

Remember what I said in the Caterham forum though Riggers, all the grip is off line in the wet!

Wish I could be there actually, my mate is racing in R300's, but I'm stuck on a stand at Goodwood for the duration!

Nice, one of my brothers shots I believe.

Can't wait to get there. Should be a lot of fun. Riggers you'll be fine. Just enjoy it. I'll be watching your debut for sure.

Paul

1. 32 r300

[Riggers]

AA121 said:

Bloody hell Riggers....you making excuses already???

See you at the weekend!!!

Cheers,

Tim

Thought I'd get 'em in early ... hopefully i'll see you in my rear-view mirror

[smurfer]

If I wasn't nervous enough before today, this article has done the trick.

Good luck Riggers! And good luck to all fellow academy guys.. we might need it.

Edited by smurfer on Wednesday 30th June 12:34

[Bill]

The Wookie said:

flipped paint job

It's a Ben special

[kriss]

good luck buddy, me and Pidge will be thinking of you mate!

[GSP]

I keep seeing an academy car darting about north nottinghmshire with large pistonheads stickers... Is this you or another pistonhead.

Good luck

[Tankslider]

Good luck mate, no pressure