Race Calendar & Results

Day 1 - Masters Cloth Cap/Top Hat

 

A very wet morning and a sick MK2 still at the menders! 

 

Qualifying: still pretty wet and slippery and 35 cars on the track, so quite busy.   Driving on L section period tyres so not huge amounts of grip, but I managed to do OK, beaten only by a chap with modern radials tyres!  Not sure what that was about.

 

The Race

A good start and into the lead, only for a red flag, so back to our original positions and try again.  Into the lead again, but of quarry passed by Ian Cox in his very quick Marcos, back past him soon then he passed me but by lap 3 or 4 I had him.  Positioned astern, sometimes too close as we made our way past back markers.  The frenetic pace continued and soon it was time for the compulsory pit stop (1 minute).  Back out, still leading but the ominous sight of James Boots mighty Griffith moving up to second, lights ablaze. 

 

Just a bit of pressure then as he slowly closed in making me take camp corner even faster it seemed just to keep him clear - in and out of the slower cars.  The first 3 finishers lapped everyone else, some of them at least 5 times!   The clock had just a few more minutes to run and he was trying very hard but I managed to keep it all together and get to the flat first.  A very hard, exciting and fair race, my second Masters victory and lap times improving.  At last I feel comfortable in the E Type.

 

Qualifying: 2nd in 1.44.079 (63.99mph)

Race Result: 1st in 41.07.225 (75.58mph)

Best Lap: 1.23.090

The Fastest Lap (James Boot): 1.22.953

 

Day 2 - HSCC Guards Trophy

In this race up against sports racers such as Chevrons, however in my class a collection of E Types and in another class James Boot's Griffith.  In this race we are allowed M Section tyres, so more grip which makes a big difference to some!

 

Qualifying: Faster on M's so that was OK, and 6th overall, and fastest in my class.

 

The Race

A good start and a good tussle for the first 3 or 4 laps with Steve Tandy in another E Type before I managed to pull away.  A steady run to the pit stop with some good lap times.  A tricky moment when the gearbox didn't want to go into 2nd.  After the stop the problems with getting 2nd gear got worse.  Going into Tower i couldn't get my gear , eventually got 2nd but by then it was getting hairy - a big spin but I managed to avoid the nasty looking bank, got it restarted as Steve Tandy went by.  3 laps later I had re-passed him from the class lead when again at Quarry I found the gearbox was stuck in 3rd and the lever felt as though it was disconnected!!  So into the pits with just a few laps left of the race. 

 

Qualifying: 5th overall, 1st in class in 1.21.729 (81.48mph)

 

Race Result: Retired after 25 laps (ex 30) but placed 18th

Best lap: 1.20.775 (new class lap record, previously 1.23.831 also set by me in 2007) 82.45mph