Tell me about your first race…

[super7]

HustleRussell said:

Unusual to have one of ‘those’ weekends as your first.

I had a head gasket blow at Cadwell on my Caterham in a Saturday race. I had a race the next day too. A competitor had a spare engine in his garden in Peterborough which I went and picked up. Slept in the boot of the car with the engine and set to work swapping the engines in the morning. Got it done just in time- it was a dash to the assembly area.

DNF’d the race. In my hurry to replace the engine I’d forgotten to put any fuel in

It's a bugger when you have problems, do all the work, get in the race and realise you didn't fill up.... Been there and done it!!!

[Nickjd]

Not my first race, but my first race in what was probably the slowest car on the grid brings different problems. I have never had to look out of the side window before to see the lights. Being constantly lunged by a slightly faster, slowest car on the grid adds to the pain and complication! ??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zglxXMAQT4

[mat205125]

Nickjd said:

Not my first race, but my first race in what was probably the slowest car on the grid brings different problems. I have never had to look out of the side window before to see the lights. Being constantly lunged by a slightly faster, slowest car on the grid adds to the pain and complication! ??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zglxXMAQT4

Love all the hand waving

So did you get a punt up the rear every time you passed the slow grey car? Can't believe how slow they were in the corners

[Dan BSCS]

Nickjd said:

Not my first race, but my first race in what was probably the slowest car on the grid brings different problems. I have never had to look out of the side window before to see the lights. Being constantly lunged by a slightly faster, slowest car on the grid adds to the pain and complication! ??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6zglxXMAQT4

That looks mind-numbingly boring on the GP circuit Nick.

Edited by Dan BSCS on Friday 24th June 13:33

[Mr MXT]

Race 2 at a wet Oulton Park went pretty well. I think im getting the hang of it now.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wgtOghZSyA

Race 3, Made a mistake and dropped 11 places on the first corner. Good fun fighting back though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPkJhsBaRFM

[justleanitupabit]

Caterham Academy - Brands Hatch, qualified 11th of approx 30 - managed to get into 9th but then a spin at paddock cost me 2 spots and finished 11th

Highlights were getting irritated by not being able to pass the guy in front - decided to give him a BTCC tap up the arse going down Graham Hill - turns out they are quite hard to judge and it was quite a whack. Defending against someone trying round the outside of paddock - letting it drift wide and pushing them on the grass made me feel like a legit racing driver

Most of all, a small legacy from my departed father was the last of the funds I needed to get on the grid. To do so at my local circuit, one where I'd spent countless hours watching from paddock hill with him for my first ever race was wonderful, I was in floods on the cool down lap. I didn't manage the 'dive down the inside at paddock' move that he loved to see that year but I've managed in quite a few times since - including a double which I'm quite proud of - I'd like to think he saw them - despite neither of us being in the slightest bit religious.

[NoBrakesWC]

My dad did his first race on Sunday. He was bricking it with wet quali etc. But he said after you get into the car it's more chill no one talking and can focus. Well ended with a blow engine but he wants to go again next month.

[mat205125]

Very brief summary of my first ever race (for me and for the car) at Castle Combe on Saturday.

Thoroughly enjoyed myself, and everyone was really supportive at the circuit and the club.

I was never going to be thrown into the heat of a battle due to the performance of me and my car, compared to the pace of the GTs on the track, but did my best to use the mirrors and keep out of everyone's way; The marshalls with the blue flags did a fantastic job, and I really appreciated their signals.

I've added a few pics below, including a chart I've thrown together for my lap times in each session. I only finished the last of the task list of things to do on Friday evening, so Quali was the first time I'd driven it at Combe, however I've been round there plenty of times which helped me out. It was also my first time ever on slicks, and loved how hard you can push (and need to push!) to get them warm and working.

Attrition in the heat meant that there were a lot of DNFs, which I avoided by only a couple of laps as my car started leaking oil into the rear wheel toward the end of the second race, but which did mean that I ended up with a pot to take home at the end of the day, which was the icing on the cake for the weekend for me ..... ignore the sticker on the trophy; I was second in class.

Double header means two signatures on the way towards getting rid of the novice cross!!

[Mr MXT]

That’s an awesome result, well done!

[HustleRussell]

justleanitupabit said:

Caterham Academy - Brands Hatch, qualified 11th of approx 30 - managed to get into 9th but then a spin at paddock cost me 2 spots and finished 11th

Highlights were getting irritated by not being able to pass the guy in front - decided to give him a BTCC tap up the arse going down Graham Hill - turns out they are quite hard to judge and it was quite a whack. Defending against someone trying round the outside of paddock - letting it drift wide and pushing them on the grass made me feel like a legit racing driver

Most of all, a small legacy from my departed father was the last of the funds I needed to get on the grid. To do so at my local circuit, one where I'd spent countless hours watching from paddock hill with him for my first ever race was wonderful, I was in floods on the cool down lap. I didn't manage the 'dive down the inside at paddock' move that he loved to see that year but I've managed in quite a few times since - including a double which I'm quite proud of - I'd like to think he saw them - despite neither of us being in the slightest bit religious.

Glad I wasn't ever subject to any 'BTCC level' offensive, or 'F1 style' defensive moves when I was racing in the Caterham Graduates club. Rear baskets, rear panels and bodywork in general are expensive to fix.

[Chunkychucky]

mat205125 said:

Very brief summary of my first ever race (for me and for the car) at Castle Combe on Saturday.

Thoroughly enjoyed myself, and everyone was really supportive at the circuit and the club.

Great write-up and lovely looking car Congrats on the silverware too!

[CanoeSniffer]

HustleRussell said:

Glad I wasn't ever subject to any 'BTCC level' offensive, or 'F1 style' defensive moves when I was racing in the Caterham Graduates club. Rear baskets, rear panels and bodywork in general are expensive to fix.

Race cars in general are expensive to fix.. I’m glad I don’t race with anyone who employs BTCC tactics if they’re struggling to get past!

[freedman]

Brands Hatch race school event December 1980

Talbot Sunbeam Ti

Got up in the morning to find it was absolutely tipping down, and Id never driven there in the wet, wasn't too confident on the journey in

Qualified 3rd (based on the times you'd set in the school training sessions, no qualifying as such)

Decent start but a massive moment at Paddock on lap 2 or 3 dropped me to 4th

Took a couple of laps but I managed to re catch and get back to 3rd, but 2nd placed car was too far ahead to catch in the remaining laps

Got out of the car to find I'd set fastest lap, so a good day overall

David Hunt won the race (His first ever win)

In another School race the same day Perry McCarthy had a sizeable accident

[justleanitupabit]

CanoeSniffer said:

HustleRussell said:

Glad I wasn't ever subject to any 'BTCC level' offensive, or 'F1 style' defensive moves when I was racing in the Caterham Graduates club. Rear baskets, rear panels and bodywork in general are expensive to fix.

Race cars in general are expensive to fix.. I’m glad I don’t race with anyone who employs BTCC tactics if they’re struggling to get past!

I apologised for cracking his numberplate light , I also spoke to the driver that tried round the outside at Druids "No worries mate, I'd have done the same..."

No need for pearl clutching.