Race Calendar & Results

The last AMOC meeting of the year.  I decided to take the old V8 for the championship and Intermarque races and the N24 for the Super GT race.

Qualifying began at 9.00 a.m. sharp for the AMOC Classic Race and I was pleased to get another pole ahead of McWhirter by 1.8 seconds!

In the Intermarque I had to settle for third behind Boysie Thurtle Camaro and Jackie Cochranes Tiger but I went 0.5 quicker than the first qualifying.

In the N24 for only the second time and not since Snetterton in mid JulyI was pleased to be quickest of the 5 N24's and came 5th sandwiched this time between Boysie and Jackie Cochrane! 

Race 1 - AMOC Classic

As at Mallory, McWhirter outdragged me to the first corner but tucked in behind him through cramer curves.  We had already left the rest behind.  I drew alongside him under the back straight bridge and had the lineinto the hairpin and so on the lead at the end of lap one. 

Into redgate he snuck inside to lead again - this was going to be a good race!

Going through Mcleans the rear of the car slid wide, by the time I was on the back straight I thought I had a puncture.  As we approached the hairpin the yellows were waving then red lights - race stopped.  David Such had spun and hit the pit entrance wall - hard. 

I stopped by the pit entrance unable to enter but not wanting to block the grid if I had a puncture.  Ted arrived and said tyre was fine, but water was coming from car.  The fan belt had come off and caused the engine to overheat!  Not another break down surely?!

As the marshalls cleared the debris from David's accident Ted refitted the fan belt and topped up the water.  I was able to take up pole position on the grid again.  Off we went on another green flag but not, engine temperature off the gauge so into the pits.  Very cross.

Ted, Boysie and Roger dived into the engine bay and within a few minutes had bled the system - go and try it they said, so off I went for 3 laps including the fastest, but scant consolation. 

The GT Super Cup was next so into the N24 still steaming!!

At the front two amazingly quick V8 derivatives and a 2008 hot off the production line Caparo T1 powered by an ex F1 engine I believe!  Then Boysie's Camaro, me and Cochranes Tiger.  A rolling start and I got passed by an aggressive Tiger keen to joust with the Camaro.  After a couple of laps I found myself rather alone - not quite quick enough to live with those in front but making space between myself and those behind. 

At halfway I pitted for my compulsory pit stop and when I returned to the track I was in 3rd place - but I had the Caparo bearing down on me (its best lap was a whole 5 seconds quicker!) and duly it did power past me.  I continued to a pleasing 4th place (thanks to some retirements). 

Interestingly I was half a lap ahead of the next N24 and then a lap ahead of the rest of the N24's at the end of 30 minutes. 

Intermarque

From 3rd on the grid with a rolling start I had to fight off Robin North's Mustang over the first lap and then I was able to pull away a bit and follow the duel between the Camaro and the Tiger.  After just 2 laps the Tiger pulled off the track and so I had a reasonably uneventful run in second place until lap 11 of 12 when the engine temp went off the scale again - yes the fan belt had come off - unbelievable.  So rather than blow the engine it was into the pits and another good result lost to mechanical woes. 

The pit was not a happy place. 

Race 1 - AMOC Classic Championship - V8

Q: pole in 1.18.741, 89.48mph

R:DNF but fastes lap in 1.20.257, 87.79mph

Race 2 - AMOC Super GT - N24

Q:5th in 1.17.821, 90.54mph

R:4th in 30.43.196, 22 laps @ 84.10mph

Best lap: 1.18.738

Race 3 - AMOC Intermarque

Q: 3rd in 1.18.243, 90.05mph

R: DNF

Class D fastest lap in 1.19.440, 88.70mph