Learning Snetterton in the dark - how hard can it be?
So, my first week as editor of PistonHeads draws to a close and ... I'm off racing. It seems I've been invited back to drive one of the Jota production MX-5s at the Ma5da 12HR Winter Challenge off the back of driving the same car
earlier in the year at Rockingham.
Clearly everyone else was busy or something, Mazda tweeting "three pro drivers and three novices including @Pistonheads". Hm, novice? Well, actually yes. And it gets worse. I've never even been to Snetterton before, let alone driven round it in either its original or new 300 form that we'll be racing on. And looking at the schedule qualifying doesn't start until 4pm today which, by my reckoning, means it'll be dark or nearabouts. Oh dear.
It's going to be a big field of cars too, with Mk1s like my PH Fleet Eunos (though this will be safely tucked away in the paddock come race start at 9am tomorrow morning) up against Mk3s like the one I'll be racing. It'd be nice if we could sneak the 275hp GT racer onto the grid in place of the #75 production car I'll actually be driving but that might be pushing it. Oh, and adding to the pressure I'll be sharing the car with two properly fast racers - Mazda/Jota team driver Mark Ticehurst and 19-year-old Jade Paveley. Yes, I am about to be thoroughly put in my place by a teenage girl. Go easy on me Jade!
Left here ... or is it right? Oh damn.
Look out for Tweets and updates as the weekend progresses. Now I'd better go off and watch some laps of Snetterton to figure out which way it goes... Any tips gratefully received!
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