As my first outing of the year in the MSA British Championship approached, the final preparations to the car was completed and all was ready for the long trip down to Pembrey. A slight detour had been planned on this trip to pick up a set of panels which had been sourced a couple of week earlier. After a good run down, we arrived at the circuit just before 10 pm, I parked in my usual place and settled down for the night
Sunday morning dawned cloudy and damp, not the nicest conditions to prepare for scrutineering but it had to be done.
All went without a hitch so after being scrutineered, and going through the formalities of signing on and the drivers briefing, it was time for practice.
Practice went well, the new layout at Pembrey was in tip top condition, and the huge tyre bales that had caused problems at the BTRDA meeting had gone and been replaced with some new kerbing and neat tyre stacks.
After practice the car was given a quick check over before heading down to the dummy grid for first runs.
Due to a clerical error it seems I had been missed off the grid sheets for the first heats, so I was given a slot on the third row in grid slot number six.
I decided that with nothing to lose I might as well take the joker on lap one. I followed Paige Bellerby and Alan Tapscott into the joker with the rest of the field taking the normal route. As I came around to start the second lap I noticed Vince Bristow going into the joker. I gave the throttle a little bit more than normal in the hope that I may get through before he came out onto the standard lap, unfortunately it was not quite enough and Vince pulled in front of me.
That was how things stayed for the rest of the race, me following the ever sideways BMW all the way to the flag, claiming 5th place in my heat and 8th overall.
When the grid sheets for heat two were published I found I was on the front row middle for my race, with Vince to my right on pole, but the man to watch out for was current Supernational Champion Tony Lynch in the superfast Ford Ka who was on row three.
As the lights went to green I dropped the clutch and got a great start. I reached the first corner first, but as I turned right on the normal lap I saw Tony whizz past my left-hand side into the joker section. Once round onto the loose section we found that the track had been watered and was very slippery.
The one disadvantage of leading is you don’t really know if any of the rest of the field had jokered. I decided to carry on the normal circuit for lap two, but to joker on the third. As I came out of the joker I saw Tony go through to take the lead and Michael Labedz follow him into second place in the new shape Fiesta. I noticed in my mirror that Vince had followed me so I was still in third place.
We crossed the line for the penultimate time and started the final lap, Michael peeled off for his joker and I moved up into second place, holding this position for the rest of the race and ended up 7th fastest in heat two.
After lunch break it was time for third heats and I was on pole position for my race. If I could hook up another good start I had chance of another good result, but this time the car to worry about was Todd Crooks in the R53 BMW Mini.
The lights went green and I got another good start leading into the first corner, holding this position until I jokered on lap 3, where Vince took the standard lap and went into the lead. I was fairly certain he hadn’t done his joker so I set about trying to catch him. Unfortunately, I made a mistake and went a little wide on the last section of loose, losing momentum and allowing Todd through on the inside.
We got to the end of the start/finish straight on the last lap and Todd held a tight line into the first corner causing me to brake earlier than I would have liked, allowing Michael to get alongside. As we rounded the lefthander at turn two almost three abreast Todd had the perfect line to approach the loose section, I was out of position and had to give way to Michael.
I knew that if I was going to make any places back I would have to get a good run off the loose and maybe I would have chance around Honda and onto the finish straight.
As I went to pull fifth gear I felt the stick go spongy and couldn’t get any gear at all. This allowed Vince to get past just before the flag. Momentum carried me over the line in fourth place, but dropping down to 10th on the overall standings.
What had been a really fun race spoiled by a broken gear selector arm.
I took the selector off and thanks to Duncan at TCM motorsport and his welding I managed to get it fixed in time to take my place on the semi-final grid.
I took my place in grid slot 5 for my semi, with Tristan Ovenden, Guy Corner, and Mike Howlin making up the front row and Todd beside me on row two.
The lights went green and we were off, Tristan heading off into the distance in the awesome V6 Renault Clio, and me slotting into third place behind Mikes 2.4 Millington engined mk6 Fiesta.
All went well until I took the joker on lap 3. I braked as normal, but the tyres screeched and the car just pushed on. I came out of the joker wide and saw Todd go through on the normal lap. I tried to catch him up and things felt ok through the left-hand corner, but as I braked for the right hander before the loose once again there was a screech from the tyre and the car just didn’t want to turn. At that I presumed that I may have a puncture. I tried to control it as best I could but the car was becoming a real handful, and Kirk Twyman came past on the back loose section. As I rounded Honda, another right turn, the car left the circuit and headed toward the tyre banking. At this point I decided to call it a day and pulled off back into the paddock.
As the grids were produced for the final I knew I would not have made it, but I found to my surprise that I had qualified as first reserve. So, I changed the wheel and headed down to the dummy grid just in case someone didn’t make it.
Sadly, Tony Lynch had some problems and couldn’t take his place on the final grid, even though he had qualified on the front row, so I pulled onto the empty slot at the back of the grid.
I had no plan for the race I was just going to play it by ear and see what happened.
As it turns out it didn’t really matter. The race started and we all moved away, but as I went for third gear the hastily repaired gear selector gave up the ghost and I was unable to find any gears. I pulled up in a safe place and it was game over.
I felt I could have made up another place or two had I been able to continue, but if you had given me 8th overall at the start of the day I would have grabbed it with both hands.
The excitement wasn’t quite all over as I still had to load up. I managed to find a gear, not sure if it was second or third, but at least it was a gear. So taking a wide loop, I aimed for the trailer but had to abort my first attempt as I was not lined up properly. Luckily Jordine who had been helping me realised I wasn’t going to make it and jumped out of the way. Attempt two was more successful and I even managed to stop the car before it shot off the front of the trailer.
Time to head off home, get a new gear selector, and prepare for rounds 4 & 5 at Mondello Park in Ireland on the 22nd & 23rd of July.
Sunday morning dawned cloudy and damp, not the nicest conditions to prepare for scrutineering but it had to be done.
All went without a hitch so after being scrutineered, and going through the formalities of signing on and the drivers briefing, it was time for practice.
Practice went well, the new layout at Pembrey was in tip top condition, and the huge tyre bales that had caused problems at the BTRDA meeting had gone and been replaced with some new kerbing and neat tyre stacks.
After practice the car was given a quick check over before heading down to the dummy grid for first runs.
Due to a clerical error it seems I had been missed off the grid sheets for the first heats, so I was given a slot on the third row in grid slot number six.
I decided that with nothing to lose I might as well take the joker on lap one. I followed Paige Bellerby and Alan Tapscott into the joker with the rest of the field taking the normal route. As I came around to start the second lap I noticed Vince Bristow going into the joker. I gave the throttle a little bit more than normal in the hope that I may get through before he came out onto the standard lap, unfortunately it was not quite enough and Vince pulled in front of me.
That was how things stayed for the rest of the race, me following the ever sideways BMW all the way to the flag, claiming 5th place in my heat and 8th overall.
When the grid sheets for heat two were published I found I was on the front row middle for my race, with Vince to my right on pole, but the man to watch out for was current Supernational Champion Tony Lynch in the superfast Ford Ka who was on row three.
As the lights went to green I dropped the clutch and got a great start. I reached the first corner first, but as I turned right on the normal lap I saw Tony whizz past my left-hand side into the joker section. Once round onto the loose section we found that the track had been watered and was very slippery.
The one disadvantage of leading is you don’t really know if any of the rest of the field had jokered. I decided to carry on the normal circuit for lap two, but to joker on the third. As I came out of the joker I saw Tony go through to take the lead and Michael Labedz follow him into second place in the new shape Fiesta. I noticed in my mirror that Vince had followed me so I was still in third place.
We crossed the line for the penultimate time and started the final lap, Michael peeled off for his joker and I moved up into second place, holding this position for the rest of the race and ended up 7th fastest in heat two.
After lunch break it was time for third heats and I was on pole position for my race. If I could hook up another good start I had chance of another good result, but this time the car to worry about was Todd Crooks in the R53 BMW Mini.
The lights went green and I got another good start leading into the first corner, holding this position until I jokered on lap 3, where Vince took the standard lap and went into the lead. I was fairly certain he hadn’t done his joker so I set about trying to catch him. Unfortunately, I made a mistake and went a little wide on the last section of loose, losing momentum and allowing Todd through on the inside.
We got to the end of the start/finish straight on the last lap and Todd held a tight line into the first corner causing me to brake earlier than I would have liked, allowing Michael to get alongside. As we rounded the lefthander at turn two almost three abreast Todd had the perfect line to approach the loose section, I was out of position and had to give way to Michael.
I knew that if I was going to make any places back I would have to get a good run off the loose and maybe I would have chance around Honda and onto the finish straight.
As I went to pull fifth gear I felt the stick go spongy and couldn’t get any gear at all. This allowed Vince to get past just before the flag. Momentum carried me over the line in fourth place, but dropping down to 10th on the overall standings.
What had been a really fun race spoiled by a broken gear selector arm.
I took the selector off and thanks to Duncan at TCM motorsport and his welding I managed to get it fixed in time to take my place on the semi-final grid.
I took my place in grid slot 5 for my semi, with Tristan Ovenden, Guy Corner, and Mike Howlin making up the front row and Todd beside me on row two.
The lights went green and we were off, Tristan heading off into the distance in the awesome V6 Renault Clio, and me slotting into third place behind Mikes 2.4 Millington engined mk6 Fiesta.
All went well until I took the joker on lap 3. I braked as normal, but the tyres screeched and the car just pushed on. I came out of the joker wide and saw Todd go through on the normal lap. I tried to catch him up and things felt ok through the left-hand corner, but as I braked for the right hander before the loose once again there was a screech from the tyre and the car just didn’t want to turn. At that I presumed that I may have a puncture. I tried to control it as best I could but the car was becoming a real handful, and Kirk Twyman came past on the back loose section. As I rounded Honda, another right turn, the car left the circuit and headed toward the tyre banking. At this point I decided to call it a day and pulled off back into the paddock.
As the grids were produced for the final I knew I would not have made it, but I found to my surprise that I had qualified as first reserve. So, I changed the wheel and headed down to the dummy grid just in case someone didn’t make it.
Sadly, Tony Lynch had some problems and couldn’t take his place on the final grid, even though he had qualified on the front row, so I pulled onto the empty slot at the back of the grid.
I had no plan for the race I was just going to play it by ear and see what happened.
As it turns out it didn’t really matter. The race started and we all moved away, but as I went for third gear the hastily repaired gear selector gave up the ghost and I was unable to find any gears. I pulled up in a safe place and it was game over.
I felt I could have made up another place or two had I been able to continue, but if you had given me 8th overall at the start of the day I would have grabbed it with both hands.
The excitement wasn’t quite all over as I still had to load up. I managed to find a gear, not sure if it was second or third, but at least it was a gear. So taking a wide loop, I aimed for the trailer but had to abort my first attempt as I was not lined up properly. Luckily Jordine who had been helping me realised I wasn’t going to make it and jumped out of the way. Attempt two was more successful and I even managed to stop the car before it shot off the front of the trailer.
Time to head off home, get a new gear selector, and prepare for rounds 4 & 5 at Mondello Park in Ireland on the 22nd & 23rd of July.