2010 Round #2 Elise Trophy: Silverstone Race report - April

Race 1

Race 1 (Part #1): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xEZ5YYLtyaA
Race 1 (Pt #2): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4iZHGxV44s

Qualy: 20th. Despite this being my second race weekend, there was a frission of disappointment about not being higher up as I’d made novice error #1 of the weekend which was not giving myself a big enough gap in qualy. Whenever I got a good run, there were cars everywhere to impede #56’s purple nose...that's why i'm still a novice i guess
On the grid: Lined up behind Pat McBennett (79) and Russell Hill (33). Launched the thing much better than the complete lack-of-revs-mess I made last year. Took the outside round Copse and avoided the melee at Becketts to find myself wedged behind Steve Williams and Paul Harding as we slipstreamed down Hangar straight. By the way - Interesting that the slipstream gives you about 5-8mph all the way down the straight (VBox showed a max of 129mph with the benefit of being welded to the car in front vs a normal of 121ish w/o slipstream). The top 10/12 group of Harding/Williams/Roberts/Chatterway/Hill + others group were all busy holding each other up and everyone was definitely feeling/looking a bit racy – darting for every half opportunity and ultimately going slower as a result. Not wanting to get stuck at the back of the group and be a sitting duck to the fast closing cars of Sean Nash and Ben Pitch, I got a great run through Maggott’s/Becketts on Harding and went for an adolescent, inexperienced half-duck/look up the inside into Becketts. You fool! This cost me dear down Hangar straight and inevitably #31 (Sean Nash) drove straight past me.
Got a good run through Stowe and managed to take Martin Roberts up the inside into Club. My luck continued when Sean made a mistake into Abbey and I got through before Bridge to retake the place. Ahead of me, Chatterway and Harding were fighting at the apex of Bridge and both slow as a result. Full of confidence and on-a-roll from 2 passes in successive corners I made a lunge up the inside into Priory. As ever the gap that *looked* plenty wide enough seconds earlier quickly narrowed. I recall a squealing of tyres as I locked her up into the apex and fortunately Tom saw me coming and gave me *just* enough space. But…….he wasn’t as forgiving on the exit (quite rightly so actually) and I have a little kiss on my driver side door as a memento. This little battle provided an opportunity for Sean to catch up again and he got a great run through Copse and put a committed move in as we hurtled into Maggott’s side-by-side. Up ahead, the Williams/Harding/Lamaster/Hill/Chatterway battle continued. As Sean and I gained on the group both Pat and the charging Ben Pitch gained and braking into Club Ben swooped down the inside and managed to avoid a tiff between Tom and another car. Despite being overtaken I was mentally rubbing my hands together at the prospect of a ding-dong race still so young.
As we tanked up to Abbey Ben was on the inside line. Despite being overtaken I held every hope that I could still retake the position and was determined to get a good run out of Abbey so stayed wide and just as we committed to the braking zone it was like I entered a mini David Copperfield show. Smoke appeared from nowhere….and in no time was everywhere. Committed in the braking zone I had nowhere to go. I was enveloped by the stuff. For some reason the fact that Ben was on the inside into Abbey combined with seeing Chatterway and Nash side by side I thought there was contact on the apex so I faced a choice: turn-in and risk t-boning a stationary car or, just keep braking in a straight line. Well it wasn’t really a choice of course as I’d never take choice #”a” – I’m not Kimi on a qualy lap at Spa!
Whilst the video showed I was in the “fog” for 5 seconds I can tell you it felt like a ‘fing eternity….we are all doing 100mph+ into that braking zone.

Anyway, it felt like half the field went by (they almost did in fact) and I was re acquainted with the rear of a few cars I spent fighting for places with back in October. One of them kindly decided to pirouette out of the way at Brooklands and then after a few laps battling we were all glad to avoid James sitting stranded in the middle of the track at Becketts. As you can see from the video, we really flashed by. James – you must have been cacking yourself - relieved no one else hit you. I was disappointed with the 17th place but this was shortlived as soon as I got out the car and started reflecting on what was a cracking cracking race…..

Race 2
Part #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXx74wAUXss
Part #2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXVMe0HP-xU

Lined up on row 7 behind Chatterway and Hill. I could see Steve Williams and Adam Bewsey’s rear in front of me. Lights………surprised myself with a cracking start and had to get out of it when I got wedged between Tom and Russell who were heading either side of the poor-starting Bewsey. I chose to follow closely and it looks to me from the video that 3 into 1 doesn’t go and Tom got turned around 180. I felt for Tom as it was minutes earlier he was congregating with others next to my car under the bridge in the assembly area and someone mentioned to him he hadn’t hit/been hit yet this year – what a way to put the hoolie on someone! :x
To avoid the little tiff, I decided on the Northern loop and took to the outside of copse only to rejoin alongside Adam and Russell. 3 cars don’t often get round Maggott’s without a serious accident, so I decided discretion was the better part of valour in the hope I could get a run on both of them down Hangar straight. That plan went out the window after a great exit from Beckett’s only to watch them both scamper away down towards Stowe. My missing 11 ponies really showed at that point (page 2 of the excuse book, right?).
Up ahead I can see Williams, Lamaster, Hill, Bewsey all battling. And behind are Pitch and McBennett. A lap later as we brake for Club I see Bewsey and Lamaster heading for a very small gap. At this point Ben stuck it down the inside of me from all the way back in Warwickshire – it was a great move but ultimately left Ben with nowhere to go to avoid the spinning Bewsey and Lamaster. Ben – I was gutted for you mate after seeing your car back at the gazebo.
A cracking battle ensued with Sean Nash for the next 5 laps. We both managed to out-brake each other on a fair few occasions – and it did get close…really close once or twice but it was a lorra lorra fun so much so the marshalls at Abbey gave us a special point-and-clap after the race ended no doubt for successively missing the apex so many times in a row

Congrats to Marcus for his 2 wins and to Luigi, Simon and Russell for your podiums. Great stuff Luigi for someone so new to the series.

So, as I trundled home in the blue fun bus towing #56’s purple ar5e I reflected on an absolutely fantastic race day; cracking atmosphere in the paddock and cracking racing. Thanks to Paul, Nigel, Emma, Joanna and all the ET crew for putting on another awesome weekend. I can tell you the first bottle of Carlsberg felt oh so sweet after unloading all of the race weekend clobber. Beer cures race-day fatigue ;)