416 replies to this topic

[JohnTurbo]

Well done Mr!

 

Rain is tricky tricky!

[AliM]

such a drama queen

[Duncan_F]

Nah, it's not that bad, it was quite fun, well, after the sheer terror had passed.

 

Visibility was the problem, I needed a periscope.

[Duncan_F]

such a drama queen

 

I could have died, twice.

[rob999]

Top work So the National practice laps helped a lot?

[AliM]

yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah.

 

Well done Dunc, top job

[Tony H]

Very well done.

[Duncan_F]

Top work So the National practice laps helped a lot?

 

Thank you.

 

They actually did help a lot. It was nice to not have to drive the track for the first time in qualifying and being able to push it without wondering which way the track goes.

[Nelly Vx]

Well done Duncan, great weekend by the sounds of it :-)

[CHILL Gone DUTCH]

Congratulations Duncan great result

[Duncan_F]

Thought I'd do a proper write up of the weekend.

 

First thing was that I'd be going solo this round at Pembrey. Ali went and had a wisdom tooth out which sounded more like a surgical procedure than a tooth removal which left her with swelling and also feeling terrible. I know she was gutted to pull out and I also know it wasn't a decision she would have taken lightly, as much as I wanted to convince her otherwise I knew she was right.

 

So, qualifying. Having done the National there 2 weeks ago was a huge help, I went on track already knowing which way the track went and knowing how hard I could push through most corners. After about 15 or so laps the tyres screamed enough and I was just getting loads of understeer and out braking myself into the heavy stops so I pulled in after 19 laps, I'd qualified 19th with a 1:12.879 out of a 24 car grid, I was just pleased I wasn't last.

 

I seem to remember reading in one of the National threads when lap times were discussed that a well driven NA should be doing around 1:14's so I console myself that my 1:12 wasn't that bad. Then I wonder if my head has just made that up to make me feel better.

 

Checked the tyre pressures when I got back, running hot 32 front, 31 rear, too high, so once they cooled we let a couple of psi out of each tyre for the race with the intention of aiming for 30 psi hot.

 

Race time, my grid position was on the pit wall side, lights went green, got a cracking start, the car in front missed a gear and rather than drive round him I backed off and had all but one of the cars behind pass me, I called myself a fcuking numpty for the next 2 laps.

 

Not long into the race there was a 205 gti catching a Fiesta XR2, I was catching them both. The 205 tried a move into Brooklands hairpin and ran wide, I saw my opportunity, got a much better drive through the corner and out dragged him down the back straight. Then took Honda Curve brilliantly and was closing in on the Fiesta and away from the 205. Braking on the outside into the hairpin the 205 drives into the back of me sending me into a half spin and him off the track.

 

I carry on, the car feels OK. A lap later I hear knocking/flapping noises so I come in for my mandatory pit stop, quick look at the rear and there's a smashed light cluster, bent rain light and a scuffed bumper, I jump back into the car and carry on.

 

A few laps later an MG is closing in on me. At the hairpin I see him lining up a dive down the inside. I know he's in a class above me so just stay to the left. He makes his dive and I watch as he locks up, comes flying past, and carries on off the track onto the grass. If I hadn't been aware of what was going on around me I could have turned in and he would have smashed straight into my drivers door, a sobering thought.

 

Anyway, had a great battle towards the end of the race with the Honda Civic of Allen and Allen and we cross the line half a second apart, him in 14th, me 15th. They come over at the end to thank me for some great, but fair racing, and how they really enjoyed the battle.

 

The driver of the 205 doesn't come over and apologise for hitting me.

 

I wake up on Sunday and the weather can only be described as biblical, glorious sunshine on Saturday, torrential rain on Sunday, I wonder if the race will even go ahead.

 

It does.

 

We get called to a driver briefing and are told that 'most' of the track is clear, but because of standing water on the start finish straight just before the braking zone they want to start the race behind the safety car so as some minimise a pile up in the first corner.

 

We put the wet tyres on, adjust the pressures knowing that they won't heat up that much and then I sit there worrying about what's about to happen.

 

I know people say it's not that bad racing in the wet because the limits are lower but I'd never done it before, and on the road you don't push it like you do on track, and a track day would have been called off with this amount of rain/water so I was genuinely shitting myself and had no idea how fast I could go. I was also concerned about going too slow and getting rammed from behind by someone travelling much faster.

 

But what can you do but sit and wait. We get called out and straight onto the track for 2 laps behind the safety car.

 

The safety car pulls in, green flag as I cross the line, then mentalness happens.

 

The first thing that hits me is "why can't I see a fcuking thing" !!!!. Heading down the back straight, and then the start finish straight for the first time and the spray is immense, I really couldn't see a thing. Headlights ?, I needed a fcuking periscope !!!!

 

For the first few laps it feels like I'm just dawdling about slowly following whatever car is in front of me. Then as I pick up the pace the safety car comes out so the marshals can clear a car that has spun onto the grass. All that does is bunch the field up and I'm acutely aware that there's only 4 cars in front of me, this means there's loads behind me, and that they'll be wanting to get past.

 

I try to go quickly when the safety car pulls in, some cars come past, but mainly what happens is aquaplaning. The standing water on the start finish straight was just before where you would brake in the dry, so exactly where you want to brake in the wet, scary decisions have to be made each lap on where and when to brake.

 

I overtake a couple of people who seem to be travelling even slower than me and then before I know it the race finishes.

 

I crawl back into the paddock thanking my lucky stars that I just managed to finish and I didn't destroy the car, or hit anyone.

 

I chat to a couple of the other drivers in the paddock about how mental that all was and they tell me that 2 of the class A drivers pulled in and retired because they thought it was too dangerous, I nod in agreement thinking I could see why.

 

Then I get told that I finished 9th, my initial reaction is not to believe it and they must be wrong, and that I'll just wait for the 'actual' results from race control.

 

We start to pack the car up and they announce the results are in so I wander over to pick up the finishing order sheet, sure enough, 9th and 2nd in class, I can't believe it, then the race organiser hands me a trophy, I'm in utter disbelief.

 

When I get back home Ali points out that I had also set the fastest lap time in our class, I couldn't believe it, I'd not even bothered looking at that section of the results sheet because never in a million years did I expect to see my name there.

 

On closer inspection of the times I find out that only 4 cars set a quicker lap time than I did, 3 from class A, 1 from class B.

 

So not only did I survive my first ever wet race but I did quite well, it all seems a little surreal to be honest.

 

The only disappointing thing is that Ali wasn't there to share in the terror/elation of the weekend.

 

Next up is Donnington in 3 weeks.

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

Top man, well done

[fiveoclock]

Well done, excellent effort.

[Acidpopstar]

Awesome write up dude. Well done!

[Darcini]

Excellent stuff Duncan, see how much faster you are when you haven't a girl holding you back?

[Darcini]

Oh sh*t, can't edit that last post, fecking IPads

[AliM]

wow

[CHILL Gone DUTCH]

Great result Duncan

[turbobob]

I hope to make it to Donnington on the 24th

[Duncan_F]

 

Edited by Duncan_F, 07 August 2013 - 12:17 PM.