Rockingham - thanks
Discussion
Irrespective of discussions around points which clearly don't affect us, we enjoyed our trip to Rockingham.
We needed to test the car to shakedown the new engine and the cheaper alternative would have been to book a test at Silverstone. But the timing of the Rockingham round was about right so to help a bit with the average grid numbers for championship status for 2011, we agreed to do the race weekend instead. Some competitive driving was also a draw along with the social side of things, with it being a 2 day meeting, enabling us to see a few old friends and meet some new (to me anyway) faces. So we were looking forward to it - and at the end of the day a race has a lot more focus than a test day.
I genuinely wasn't sure what to expect in terms of performance and reliability. The car is potentially quick but had limited running in its current format at the Oulton track day only and that threw up a few little snagging issues. Other than that I haven't been on track since last October so I didn't have any great expectations for the races other than just to get some seat time. I ruined that on Sunday spinning the car in qualifying and beaching it on an enormous kerb, trying too hard too early. I felt pretty foolish as you all filed past under the red flag!
We found a problem with the brakes overnight which we couldn't be sure was fixed so I took it easy for a couple of laps in race one - then set off with a bit more purpose. I was really pleased we had no issues with the car and third place was a welcome bonus. Plus its always good at Rockingham that no-one hit a wall!
In race two I could get stuck in from the start, but thought realistically the result would be similar given the head start as both Dean and Mike had better fastest laps than me in Race 1. You obviously don't get a full picture of the race from in the car so I don't know how Dean and Mike's races unfolded, but I was going a lot quicker than the morning (nearly 2.5 seconds quicker) so able to close the gap then pass - in Mike's case after a good tussle for a couple of laps..
The car was great and nothing broke, melted, leaked, burned or otherwise misbehaved. The engine pulled beautifully despite still being on running-in oil and on a conservative map - my thanks to Mike at Boost Performance for building it. So although we hadn't set out thinking we could win, it was the icing on the cake.
We've had a pretty torrid time over the last couple of years - two AJP engine failures in 2007 which lead to the switch to the LS6 in the first place. It took most of 2008 to engineer the changes so we didn't race at all and for one reason or another we suffered 3 engine failures in 2009, the last one destroying the engine. There was no budget for a new one and pressures of work delayed buying the LS3 and fitting it. So to get a win at the first proper outing and deliver some respectable lap times was fantastic and takes some of the downer off the last couple of years - and great to have friends and family there too.
So all in all, a good weekend. Nice to catch up with old friends and meet some new people. Everyone seems to have fun, which is the important thing (unless you're in with a shout of taking the title in which case it's the winning not the taking part that counts
).
And no-one broke any fibreglass (well, except my drivers door which split in half on that bloody kerb!)
So thanks for having us, and best of luck in the remaining 2 races
We needed to test the car to shakedown the new engine and the cheaper alternative would have been to book a test at Silverstone. But the timing of the Rockingham round was about right so to help a bit with the average grid numbers for championship status for 2011, we agreed to do the race weekend instead. Some competitive driving was also a draw along with the social side of things, with it being a 2 day meeting, enabling us to see a few old friends and meet some new (to me anyway) faces. So we were looking forward to it - and at the end of the day a race has a lot more focus than a test day.
I genuinely wasn't sure what to expect in terms of performance and reliability. The car is potentially quick but had limited running in its current format at the Oulton track day only and that threw up a few little snagging issues. Other than that I haven't been on track since last October so I didn't have any great expectations for the races other than just to get some seat time. I ruined that on Sunday spinning the car in qualifying and beaching it on an enormous kerb, trying too hard too early. I felt pretty foolish as you all filed past under the red flag!
We found a problem with the brakes overnight which we couldn't be sure was fixed so I took it easy for a couple of laps in race one - then set off with a bit more purpose. I was really pleased we had no issues with the car and third place was a welcome bonus. Plus its always good at Rockingham that no-one hit a wall!
In race two I could get stuck in from the start, but thought realistically the result would be similar given the head start as both Dean and Mike had better fastest laps than me in Race 1. You obviously don't get a full picture of the race from in the car so I don't know how Dean and Mike's races unfolded, but I was going a lot quicker than the morning (nearly 2.5 seconds quicker) so able to close the gap then pass - in Mike's case after a good tussle for a couple of laps..
The car was great and nothing broke, melted, leaked, burned or otherwise misbehaved. The engine pulled beautifully despite still being on running-in oil and on a conservative map - my thanks to Mike at Boost Performance for building it. So although we hadn't set out thinking we could win, it was the icing on the cake.
We've had a pretty torrid time over the last couple of years - two AJP engine failures in 2007 which lead to the switch to the LS6 in the first place. It took most of 2008 to engineer the changes so we didn't race at all and for one reason or another we suffered 3 engine failures in 2009, the last one destroying the engine. There was no budget for a new one and pressures of work delayed buying the LS3 and fitting it. So to get a win at the first proper outing and deliver some respectable lap times was fantastic and takes some of the downer off the last couple of years - and great to have friends and family there too.
So all in all, a good weekend. Nice to catch up with old friends and meet some new people. Everyone seems to have fun, which is the important thing (unless you're in with a shout of taking the title in which case it's the winning not the taking part that counts
). And no-one broke any fibreglass (well, except my drivers door which split in half on that bloody kerb!)
So thanks for having us, and best of luck in the remaining 2 races
Edited by teamHOLDENracing on Thursday 2nd September 15:44
I was going to start my own thankyou topic but saw this!! It was really good to be back!
We have had a very difficult year and it was brilliant to be back in such a friendly paddock!
As Im sure you could tell Andy, I was very dissapointed with the second! Would be brilliant to have a decent car under me to give you a race! Come to oulton!!!!
Thanks to Dean for leading me astray on Sunday night aswell!
Great to see you all again, see you at oulton.
Thanks
mike
We have had a very difficult year and it was brilliant to be back in such a friendly paddock!
As Im sure you could tell Andy, I was very dissapointed with the second! Would be brilliant to have a decent car under me to give you a race! Come to oulton!!!!
Thanks to Dean for leading me astray on Sunday night aswell!
Great to see you all again, see you at oulton.
Thanks
mike
It was Great to see your sag out on track, should give me another kick to get mine ready, and a preparation standard to aim for !!!
I was gutted not to be there in the Tuscan, but I still cant keep away.
Using the Awning for the first time was interesting, putting it up in what felt like a huricane !!!
I must also say well done To Kevan. He's had a torrid time with the Tuscan, I've seen from close up the evil handling. It must have been very daunting going to a place like rockingham, with some untried mods to tame a car that has thrown you at the scenary at every race its done..
He had a great pair of races with Tim and Keith bringing the car back in one piece each time.
It wasnt a totaly crash free weekend though as He did manage to Hit My truck with His truck on Saturday morning !!!!!
Great to see everyone, and lets keep TVR racing on the map where every they are competing...
although I am defecting to MG for one race 
I was gutted not to be there in the Tuscan, but I still cant keep away.
Using the Awning for the first time was interesting, putting it up in what felt like a huricane !!!
I must also say well done To Kevan. He's had a torrid time with the Tuscan, I've seen from close up the evil handling. It must have been very daunting going to a place like rockingham, with some untried mods to tame a car that has thrown you at the scenary at every race its done..
He had a great pair of races with Tim and Keith bringing the car back in one piece each time.
It wasnt a totaly crash free weekend though as He did manage to Hit My truck with His truck on Saturday morning !!!!!
Great to see everyone, and lets keep TVR racing on the map where every they are competing...
although I am defecting to MG for one race ctsdave said:
Hi Andy,
Car looked good on the track! I kept out of your way as much as possible - and many thanks for a borrow of your locktite on Sunday!
Dave (Tasmin #95)
No problem Dave - I hope whatever needed locking remained tight!Car looked good on the track! I kept out of your way as much as possible - and many thanks for a borrow of your locktite on Sunday!
Dave (Tasmin #95)
Mike - we'll have to see about Oulton. The budget is non-existant after funding the new engine. I agree it would have been interesting (and fun) to see how we both got on if we'd started in the same place and both cars were in fighting form. Your Cerb changes direction incredibly well - you were taking some defensive lines so chucking the car into corners off line, and it just turned in. Impressive from where I was sat! That extra 6" of wheelbase must make a difference
Hi Andy - it was for a bolt keeping the gearbox linkage in place, and it lasted for a little bit of the first race... We did manage to keep it all in place with the use of big jubilee clips etc though and managed to finish the day, just made 3rd quite difficult to engage, but all part of the challenge...
Hope to see you out more often - it's good to have more TVR models on the grid!
Hope to see you out more often - it's good to have more TVR models on the grid!
teamHOLDENracing said:
And no-one broke any fibreglass (well, except my drivers door which split in half on that bloody kerb!)
Well I broke my splitter in half, trying to hard to get catch back up to Richard on turn 1, near the end of the race.Was good to see you out, and everything is working now, good luck for next year, if you not back out this year.
Hi Andy, Nice to meet you at the weekend. It was good to see your car out, it looked and sounded fantastic.
Hope to see you out in more rounds soon.
Leigh,
Good to see you are getting more confident in the car and all the hard work of building it is starting to pay off. I will sort out the pictures of your car and drop them round.
Cheers
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Hope to see you out in more rounds soon.
Leigh,
Good to see you are getting more confident in the car and all the hard work of building it is starting to pay off. I will sort out the pictures of your car and drop them round.
Cheers
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teamHOLDENracing said:
Your Cerb changes direction incredibly well - you were taking some defensive lines so chucking the car into corners off line, and it just turned in. Impressive from where I was sat! That extra 6" of wheelbase must make a difference
I can vouch for that, even in the first season it was going well.. I distinctly remember turn 3 at Angelsey ( before the gearbox broke..) I was right on the limit, 4 wheel drifting, using the exit kerb and the grass, and mike just cruised up the inside of me... Thats normally a tuscan trick !!!That car (Mike's Cerb) does alot of stuff it shouldn't be able to. All that 08 season, it was understeering like a tw@t...still put in stellar times.
A huge amount due to the nut behind the wheel, who STILL doesn't seem to know how its done?????
They'd dropped the Cerb rev limiter to 5K over the weekend as they weren't sure about the head gaskets! Might not have caught him if he'd had full revs?
Andy's car (as always) looked epic, and not to forget, it can do it all day not just for 20mins!!
A huge amount due to the nut behind the wheel, who STILL doesn't seem to know how its done?????
They'd dropped the Cerb rev limiter to 5K over the weekend as they weren't sure about the head gaskets! Might not have caught him if he'd had full revs?
Andy's car (as always) looked epic, and not to forget, it can do it all day not just for 20mins!!
Schnorr washers are great things:
http://www.schnorr.com/safetywashers.html
http://www.schnorr.com/safetywashers.html
Graham said:
It wasnt a totaly crash free weekend though as He did manage to Hit My truck with His truck on Saturday morning !!!!!
And there was me saying to Iain that was the first meeting I've been to with Kev where he hasn't crashed!!!!Forums | General Motorsport | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff