race #4 & #5

Well "I finished!!!" no gremlins this time - woohoo!

New metal cable ends made for the gear shift cables to g'box worked well. No more plastic VAG crap to snap on me.

Format of the day was c'ship quali, then open saloon race quali, then c'ship race then open saloon race. morning is quali, races after lunch.

The Combe Saloon quali was entered with a little trebidation by me as we have doen several changes to the car since last race and not been able to test any of it. step backwards or forwards, we were about to find out. Ride height lowered front and especially rear, different geo, and we tried higher tyre presures.

The weather was 'changeable' to say the least, showers dumped their load and the track dried was the theme of the day. Dry quali for saloons.

The car went ok, but the times were not coming down to the last race times, but this looked the same for everyone... wet dry track being slower I guess. Ended up 13th on the grid, lower than hoped.

We all got pulled into parc ferme at the end for some time wasting pointing at tyres & looking at the blue book, which was'nt great as we had the next quali just afterwards for the open saloons. thanks guys! Once released, back to the tent, refuel, check the car over, adjust tyre pressures down as it was very 'loose' in quali #1. All set and out to try again in open saloons quali.

The Open Saloon quali was going to be interesting, with 46, yes 46! cars out to qualify. Think mad track day with no rules... and you will be somewhere handy. The open race had several Combe Saloons entered, some of whome brought out their slicks (no technical regs for this one off race). The array of cars was very varied. Some of the GT's came out to play, Jabba's Shelsley, Superchaged toyota powered Exige, Caterham R400 superlight... and yes they were in their own league.. LOL mucho fasto in the dry on their slicks. The rest of the filed was stock hatch racers in abundance. Big old grid it was shaping up to be.

The session was a bit mad, speed differentials between cars being extremely high. GT's vs stock hatches... The ignoring of waved yellows on the many spins and crashes was'nt too good either. In the end the session ended in a red flag as poor old Paul Ashton's scoob had caught fire on the approach to quarry, and joined the Owens EVO which had hit the tyres (fairly gently front end), and a stranded 205 further round quarry on the outside.

I feel so sad for Paul. not one race finish this year and a catalogue of disaster. One seriously unlucky guy.

At the end of the mayhem p10 on grid, but some no shows later on would make this more like p7 actual.

The racing:

Combe Saloons, made a pretty good start for me but got boxed in by some slower starting cars infront so no real gains made, got a good exit out of quarry to pass a few down the inside into the chicane, but would then **** that up on the next lap going too deep and running wide into the chicane and they passed me again!

Got stuck, and I mean stuck behind the volvo s60 for what felt like most of the race.. by god this guy drove a "wide" volvo. I lost count how many times he chopped me when trying to pass on whichever side. VERY VERY close racing. Dont know how we did'nt exchange paint or panels. He was'nt afraid too that was obvious, but I am still a big girl and not prepared to dink me motor if I can avoid it. (yet) After being drive on onto the grass a couple of times (hairy) I was beginning to have had enough of this ****, but also very aware of an M3 up me chuff all to ready to pass me whilst trying to pass the volvo. Tricky one. The volvo was slowing me down without question but his cars placement and blocking made it so hard to get by. Into quarry he was on the inside line (well inside, completely off line) blocking me, which allowed me to use a nicer wider line exit on the inside of him as he understeered out of the corner and pull along side into the chicane.. Phew! job done, down the inside under brakes, drive away and finish me race. P10 finish. Returned to pits pumped...! What a rush. Such bloody hard work tho, was sweating cobbs. Now that was close & hard racing. Being bottled up being the volvo allowed the rest of the filed to pull away, so lost touch with them... which was dissapointing as I was hoping to trade times with Terrys Focus. oh well, next race

MrsB was fuming @ volvo man from spectating... lol, its racing jan... he does'nt have to let me thru, but he did drive me off circuit a couple of times which was'nt too good. All good learning tho.

Open Saloons: Last race of the day. Several heavy downpours in the afternoon which scared off a few peeps I guess. Not so many actually started the race, which was a very wet one. Very heavy rain just stopped before we got to the assembly area. We had changed my wheels back to my road wheel 16" eagle f1's to try. (no rear spacers cos I forgot to pack em )

2 parade laps cos it was dry quali and wet race. Form up on grid in what was an actual 7th position due to a few no shows up front. Wet launch.. hmmm that will be tricky. enough revs but not too many... wot to do. Lights 1,2,3,4,5 all it up then OFF, we're off moving ok not too bad, then soem wheelspin, change to 2nd some more wheelspin, feather the throttle, change to 3rd, hooking up a bit now.... WTF... a mini comes tanking by up into quarry.. bloody hell! fast little mini with some pukka racing wets on it. and boy they worked well. I pull along terrys focus out of quarry, get a bit more traction as I can hear him full chat spinning up, pass into the chicane, tip toe thru there and old paddock, which felt very slippery to me, fire down into Tower which for me seemed to have loadsa grip under braking, into the 2nd chicane, terry dives down the inside into camp, I dont defend, not sure if I have grip yet, this is only lap #1 of 10. Follow terry up into avon rise & into quarry... struggling for grip. I stick to my fav part of the corner, where I always find wet grip and drive out of the corner well pass terry and off to chase the next thing which is a caterham superlight I think.. Caterham looked to be struggling for grip badly, so was'nt too difficult to catch and power past ont he main straight. Lapping cars with many blue flags being waved... not entirely sure the marshalls knew who was lapping who tho in the end.

During all of this I have a Vento VR6 on full race wets from ATMR's stable pushing thru all the corners and under braking... boy those wets work well. Eagle F1's aint in that league of grip. Badger power down the straights and mental into tower under braking for some reason even beyond VR6 grip behind me. he was keeping me honest at least.

What turns out is I was in 3rd place overall at one point, but got the blue flags waved at me for the fast mini catching me up (the one which blasted by off the start). What I did'nt know was this was the same mini yes, but he had spun off and was back recovering, not trying to lap me as I thought (did'nt think too hard as only the exige lapped me I think near the last lap) but stupid me thought blue flags mini on my case, faster but not much, and certainly not as much faster on the final drying laps as the wet laps. Well stupidly (heinsight eh!) I waved him by, following the waved blue flags up avon rise into quarry with 2 laps to go. This was for race position not a blue flag thing at all. Thanks marshalls... we were racing, he was'nt lapping. End result P4 overall, but could have been p3 podium if I had'nt of followed the blue flags and waved the mini by...

Note to self... keep better eye on lap board, get position on lap board not just lap times (not as relevant I think during race).

Well happy with the result and the cars performance in the wet. I do seem to go well in the wet. Rain Dance for every other race now LOL.

{edit: turns out I have won 3rd in class trophy for the open race )

I would like to thank Nige from Jaycee Precision Engineers for workign his cobs off getting the trailer ready & towing the ibiza up, support as ever. Thanks m8 you are a star! Many thanks to Tony also my neighbour... well sound chap to have on your team to keep us lot organised and keeping track of changes to the car in his little book. MrsB as ever, back from her cruise for making the tea's & coffee's. Thanks to Mark for helping Nige.

Returned home completely knackered but still intact. thankfully.

full write ups here>> http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=76680&page=20

Glad you are doing well and that you are having fun with terry. Found out another friemnd is also racing in that series. Know a guy called Paul in a Scoob? He's a mate of Terry's as well.

Have either of them learnt to drive in the wet yet? I used to be quicker than them in my diesel Octy if it was wet Spoke to Tracey last night (Paul's wife) she reckons he's calmed down a bit now

Well done,sounds like things are getting better for you,hopefully you can make your way onto the podium one day:thumbup:

Found out another friemnd is also racing in that series. Know a guy called Paul in a Scoob? He's a mate of Terry's as well.

this one?

http://badger-5.com/bin/movies/race1.wmv

Glad you are doing well and that you are having fun with terry. Found out another friemnd is also racing in that series. Know a guy called Paul in a Scoob? He's a mate of Terry's as well.

Have either of them learnt to drive in the wet yet? I used to be quicker than them in my diesel Octy if it was wet Spoke to Tracey last night (Paul's wife) she reckons he's calmed down a bit now

Paul Ashton, yea I know him now.. we did our ARDs course together. I know Terry too from trackdays... he's kinda to blame for me having a go racing this year. If he can do it and have fun, why not me too.

Paul has to be the most unlucky bloke on the grid tho. not one finish yet for various reasons... car caught fire on 2nd race quali on monday so his terrible luck continued. :(