Tell me about your first race…
Discussion
I'm now about 10 years into my track day "career". I've always driven reasonably hard (read: aggressively) and thought I was fast, but as is often the case; I had a westfield - these things are fast even if you're driving at 50% of their ability.
2 -3 years ago I decided I really wanted to hone my craft and be a better track driver, so I did the sensible thing and bought a cheap MX5. There is a reasonably active Westfield sprinting scene, but thats not really for me. I digress. I'd like to think my driving has now gone from "passable" to "bless him, he's really trying".
So thats the background, the stars have finally aligned, the wifes objections have all been met, I'm going racing this year. I've got a couple of rounds booked for the BRSCC MX5 Clubman Championship and its fair to say as d day gets closer, I'm bricking it.
I am fully expecting to be in the rear 1/3 of the grid - I wont lie though, I'll be gutted if I'm last. My aim for the first race is to overtake more times than I'm overtaken - is this even realistic?
First one is at Silverstone GP on 21st May, which handily, I'd never driven. I've got the test day booked on the Friday to hopefully give me an idea of which way the track goes
but other than that I'm going in completely blind.
Please share your experiences as a novice? How did your first race go down?
2 -3 years ago I decided I really wanted to hone my craft and be a better track driver, so I did the sensible thing and bought a cheap MX5. There is a reasonably active Westfield sprinting scene, but thats not really for me. I digress. I'd like to think my driving has now gone from "passable" to "bless him, he's really trying".
So thats the background, the stars have finally aligned, the wifes objections have all been met, I'm going racing this year. I've got a couple of rounds booked for the BRSCC MX5 Clubman Championship and its fair to say as d day gets closer, I'm bricking it.
I am fully expecting to be in the rear 1/3 of the grid - I wont lie though, I'll be gutted if I'm last. My aim for the first race is to overtake more times than I'm overtaken - is this even realistic?
First one is at Silverstone GP on 21st May, which handily, I'd never driven. I've got the test day booked on the Friday to hopefully give me an idea of which way the track goes
but other than that I'm going in completely blind. Please share your experiences as a novice? How did your first race go down?
I have to smile at these results from your first races! I'm going to be happy with Top 30 from a field of 38!
Got any tips for me? My worry is because I have no racecraft (yet) I'll keep backing out and getting passed at every opportunity.
Re the car: Im renting from a team in the championship so I should be able to just jump in and send it.
Got any tips for me? My worry is because I have no racecraft (yet) I'll keep backing out and getting passed at every opportunity.
Re the car: Im renting from a team in the championship so I should be able to just jump in and send it.
Now the adrenaline has dissipated I should probably tell you about my first race.... BRSCC MX5 Clubman Championship supporting the C1 24hr weekend.
I've not been on track at Silverstone before, and the GP circuit is pretty long so I decided to do the test day the day before racing.
It'll just be a like a track day right? Sure its raining, but I'm half decent in the wet so it'll be fine, right?
Testing was in sessions - I pootled out ready to get up to speed. What followed was an absolute assault on the senses. Getting passed on the inside and the outside at the same time, while i'm trying not to fall off and learn which was the track goes. Mildly terrifying.
After a couple of laps, I had a word with myself and decided to send it. The rest of the session was much better and I was a lot more comfortable, although I suspect this may have been that the fast guys had gone past so I was settling in with the drivers who were around my pace.
As the day progressed, it dried out and I got happier and happier. Much more comfortable being in very close proximity and it was all good.
Ready for race day.
Didn't sleep, obviously. Got to the circuit around 730, scrutineering resulted in a couple of small jobs for the team. Very impressed with the scrutineers. I thought they'd be terrifiying ogres but he was so helpful - they really want to get you out there and keep you safe.
Drivers briefing - dont remember much, surprised at how short it was and they basically said "guys, you have to stop crashing into each other".
Next up, 15 mins of qualifying. Which to me, seemed pretty much like an actual race but with a rolling start. It was awesome, I didn't find myself with much space and probably should have backed off to get some, by the time I'd thought this it was half way through the session and I didn't want to sacrifice any laps (bearing in mind, its probably only 4 flying laps for quali).
All going well, big smile on my face, I've almost done my first qualifying session! Then smiles turned to tears - the car lost power down the Wellington Straight and I could hear the distinctive noise of big end bearing failure. Gutted. In to the pits to lament.
I qualified 19/33 though, which I was really pleased with. Catastrophic engine failure aside.
Race 1 was in less than 2 hours. This was not looking good. The team didn't have a spare engine, even if they could get it swapped in time. Luckily, they 'obtained' a bottom end from somewhere and the plan was to put the old head on the new bottom end and get that in. It was clear race 1 wasn't going to happen for me, so got out of the way, let them get on with it and did what i do best - a cup of tea and a sausage butty.
Race 2 was scheduled for 1640. Time was ticking... I'd have to start race 2 from the back of the grid, pretty disappointing but race 2 was looking less and less likely anyway
The team told me to get suited up and get in the car. Its still on axle stands at this point and the "new" engine hasn't run. I'm strapped in, the other drivers are already in assembly. One of the lovely race people (?) is on the radio giving control updates, while I'm stressed AF.
Engine starts, straight off the stands and round to assembly. Yes! I'm going racing!! Of course I got lost on the way to assembly, but figured it out after a wrong turn. They are making some checks on the car while we're waiting for green flag - a coolant leak is spotted...tools are dispatched, but its too late. The rest of the guys head for green flag lap and I'm stuck in assembly. I'm gutted, my racing dreams are over for today.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Or are they? Jubilee clip tightened and the car is good to go, they'll let me start from the pit lane. I high tail it over to the pits from assembly, the nice flag man explains he'll turn the light green for me when the pack are through turn 1. Excitement building now, lights go green and off I go! Getting onto the track as the pack head through Maggots and Becketts, I think I'm about 3s behind the guy who is next to last. Engine seems strong though.
I needn't have worried, I was on the back of them pretty much immediately and managed to get past 4 in the first lap. I was into my stride, this is so much better than track days. Trying to leave racing room, but passing on the inside and the outside. Managed to get on the power early, get a couple of overtakes on the long long straights and on the brakes.
The short 15 min race was over in a flash. It was actually cut short to 13.5 mins because of delays earlier in the day. I managed to bring it home 23/33 which tbh I'm over the moon about considering the circumstances (racing driver excuse #72). I am still buzzing and absolutely hooked.
Next outing Oulton Park on 23rd July, which I'm expecting to be different to silverstone but I cannot wait!!!
ETA - I'd post a video, but the gopro failed
I've not been on track at Silverstone before, and the GP circuit is pretty long so I decided to do the test day the day before racing.
It'll just be a like a track day right? Sure its raining, but I'm half decent in the wet so it'll be fine, right?
Testing was in sessions - I pootled out ready to get up to speed. What followed was an absolute assault on the senses. Getting passed on the inside and the outside at the same time, while i'm trying not to fall off and learn which was the track goes. Mildly terrifying.
After a couple of laps, I had a word with myself and decided to send it. The rest of the session was much better and I was a lot more comfortable, although I suspect this may have been that the fast guys had gone past so I was settling in with the drivers who were around my pace.
As the day progressed, it dried out and I got happier and happier. Much more comfortable being in very close proximity and it was all good.
Ready for race day.
Didn't sleep, obviously. Got to the circuit around 730, scrutineering resulted in a couple of small jobs for the team. Very impressed with the scrutineers. I thought they'd be terrifiying ogres but he was so helpful - they really want to get you out there and keep you safe.
Drivers briefing - dont remember much, surprised at how short it was and they basically said "guys, you have to stop crashing into each other".
Next up, 15 mins of qualifying. Which to me, seemed pretty much like an actual race but with a rolling start. It was awesome, I didn't find myself with much space and probably should have backed off to get some, by the time I'd thought this it was half way through the session and I didn't want to sacrifice any laps (bearing in mind, its probably only 4 flying laps for quali).
All going well, big smile on my face, I've almost done my first qualifying session! Then smiles turned to tears - the car lost power down the Wellington Straight and I could hear the distinctive noise of big end bearing failure. Gutted. In to the pits to lament.
I qualified 19/33 though, which I was really pleased with. Catastrophic engine failure aside.
Race 1 was in less than 2 hours. This was not looking good. The team didn't have a spare engine, even if they could get it swapped in time. Luckily, they 'obtained' a bottom end from somewhere and the plan was to put the old head on the new bottom end and get that in. It was clear race 1 wasn't going to happen for me, so got out of the way, let them get on with it and did what i do best - a cup of tea and a sausage butty.
Race 2 was scheduled for 1640. Time was ticking... I'd have to start race 2 from the back of the grid, pretty disappointing but race 2 was looking less and less likely anyway
The team told me to get suited up and get in the car. Its still on axle stands at this point and the "new" engine hasn't run. I'm strapped in, the other drivers are already in assembly. One of the lovely race people (?) is on the radio giving control updates, while I'm stressed AF.
Engine starts, straight off the stands and round to assembly. Yes! I'm going racing!! Of course I got lost on the way to assembly, but figured it out after a wrong turn. They are making some checks on the car while we're waiting for green flag - a coolant leak is spotted...tools are dispatched, but its too late. The rest of the guys head for green flag lap and I'm stuck in assembly. I'm gutted, my racing dreams are over for today.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Or are they? Jubilee clip tightened and the car is good to go, they'll let me start from the pit lane. I high tail it over to the pits from assembly, the nice flag man explains he'll turn the light green for me when the pack are through turn 1. Excitement building now, lights go green and off I go! Getting onto the track as the pack head through Maggots and Becketts, I think I'm about 3s behind the guy who is next to last. Engine seems strong though.
I needn't have worried, I was on the back of them pretty much immediately and managed to get past 4 in the first lap. I was into my stride, this is so much better than track days. Trying to leave racing room, but passing on the inside and the outside. Managed to get on the power early, get a couple of overtakes on the long long straights and on the brakes.
The short 15 min race was over in a flash. It was actually cut short to 13.5 mins because of delays earlier in the day. I managed to bring it home 23/33 which tbh I'm over the moon about considering the circumstances (racing driver excuse #72). I am still buzzing and absolutely hooked.
Next outing Oulton Park on 23rd July, which I'm expecting to be different to silverstone but I cannot wait!!!
ETA - I'd post a video, but the gopro failed
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
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
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