MRK
02 May 2002, 14:36
Well Brands Hatch really didn’t turn out too well. Which is a shame as I had previously tested there and managed to beat the previous owner of the Saxo lap time around the Indy circuit. I had found a good setup and was very optimistic to say the least :)
What happened will teach me to be all cocky about racing, and getting a good qualifying position ever again.
Firstly qualifying although I was really enjoying blapping around the tiny hilly circuit, braking from 5th and 120mph-ish, then changing into 4th while holding a nice a controlled slide, under braking before powering around Paddock Hill Bend, and down into the bottom hill, car hitting its bumpstops due to the force of the up hill accent. Then scaring yourself silly as you brake just about under the bridge before Druids, it’s a close one. Druids is strange as its deceptively slow, and very slippery, understeer all the way through, before straightening up and flying down the small hill into Graham Hill bend, hit the rev limiter in 3rd before a strange approach as you have to brake, turn, then power all around a curve, and then avoid the exit kerbing as you slide your way out. Its mighty bumpy, believe me I found that one out, my jaw stills aches from my teeth bashing together LOL.
Then the as you approach the bloody fast Surtess, you think to yourself, can I take it flat this time, naaaaaaahhhhhhhh, no way man, so you lift then slap the accelerator back down and heave the wheel left while the car 4wheel drifts you through. Then whack the brakes on after bumping over McClaren, and into 3rd for the long and arm aching right hander that is a blind Clarke Curve, and back onto the pit straight.
The only hassle I had was from our friend in the oil spurting purple metro who deliberately swung across in front on me going into Druids, just like Oulton all over again, and we were qualifying not racing. I almost slammed into his oily rear images/smilies/mad.gif Should of done, but your reaction is to brake, unfortunately!! I flew passed him exiting Graham Hill bend with my fingers a waving at him images/smilies/mad.gif. Bloody idiot!!
At the end of the qualifying session I was a little disappointed as my testing lap times would have had me on the front row of the grid but for some reason I couldn’t manage that extra 0.7 of second and thus ended up 14th :eek: Yeah I know, the first 15 places were separated by only 1.0069seconds, close huh??
The RACE, what there was of it images/smilies/mad.gif
The lights went green and we were off, I got a good start, remembered first gear and everything (I hear you cheer :D) and I was blasting up the hill towards Paddock I was easing my way over the right plenty of room around me as I entered the top of the bend and began to take the turn. I was in 3rd, flat out, checked my mirrors and went for the apex, a nice gentle turn. I had a silver XR2 in front-right, and clear on the left. Then suddenly images/smilies/mad.gif WHACK images/smilies/mad.gif it was a hard and severe thump to my right, or ram-raid as I class it now. I was heading completely sideways, a perfect 90degrees to the track. I looked right and there was our friend Mr. Bush in his metro pushing me along on my rear quarter. What the hell was he doing??
I had already counter locked the wheel and floored the throttle, when I started to turn straight. I slightly over corrected and the car went left, then right as I regained control, then WHACK again a white XR2 sliced my front right wing and sent me spinning left (and this is the best bit) with quite a speed straight into the side of purple oily boy CRASHHHHH bits flying everywhere. That whack sent me flying right again, I tried to catch the skid, then suddenly I was spinning the other direction, left again, what on earth was going on, arms flapping around the wheel to try and regain some form of control. :eek: :eek:
I finished up in the bottom of Paddock Hill Bend facing almost up the hill with the tail end of the field narrowly missing me. What on earth had happened :confused: And you know what the first thing I said was “efffing 4r$ehole” and I was referring to purple oily bush boy, or POBB as I know name him.
The car was still running, cool huh, I managed to dip the clutch in all that mallarky, so I drove somehow across the track and behind an Armco so the race could continue. That was my instinct to get out of the way, so the race could carry on. What I should of done is wait and Days of Thunder styli rammed that metro.
That was my race over and out, on the first corner, and a mess of the car. Only one panel remains undented, front left suspension is twisted, damper bent, remote reservoir hose snapped off due to the second impact, front crumple zones pushed in, right front suspension bent, front right wheel buckled. Wings bonnet, both doors, and rear right quarter all dented, and weird deep scuff mark on the rear left quarter of the rear bumper. No idea where that came from, maybe that was the fourth impact, who knows??
After the race and the grim faces of 10mates who had turned up to watch me and my other race chap Andy, my only consolation was that even though POBB had deliberately rammed me I then as a subsequence of the crash and due to the Pinball machine happens of the rest of the accident took out his entire right side of the car. Justice huh.!!. Well not quite. I’m currently protesting against his driving and the hearing will be soon, but I do not hold out much hope as the Clerks of the Course that afternoon were to say it politely not helpful, and treated me like I had no right to be breathing. It was more disturbing than the crash itself. To know you have no support from the authorities.
Anyways we shall see what happens.
Pictures will be up after the Ring, and hopefully video of the ram-raid.
M
What happened will teach me to be all cocky about racing, and getting a good qualifying position ever again.
Firstly qualifying although I was really enjoying blapping around the tiny hilly circuit, braking from 5th and 120mph-ish, then changing into 4th while holding a nice a controlled slide, under braking before powering around Paddock Hill Bend, and down into the bottom hill, car hitting its bumpstops due to the force of the up hill accent. Then scaring yourself silly as you brake just about under the bridge before Druids, it’s a close one. Druids is strange as its deceptively slow, and very slippery, understeer all the way through, before straightening up and flying down the small hill into Graham Hill bend, hit the rev limiter in 3rd before a strange approach as you have to brake, turn, then power all around a curve, and then avoid the exit kerbing as you slide your way out. Its mighty bumpy, believe me I found that one out, my jaw stills aches from my teeth bashing together LOL.
Then the as you approach the bloody fast Surtess, you think to yourself, can I take it flat this time, naaaaaaahhhhhhhh, no way man, so you lift then slap the accelerator back down and heave the wheel left while the car 4wheel drifts you through. Then whack the brakes on after bumping over McClaren, and into 3rd for the long and arm aching right hander that is a blind Clarke Curve, and back onto the pit straight.
The only hassle I had was from our friend in the oil spurting purple metro who deliberately swung across in front on me going into Druids, just like Oulton all over again, and we were qualifying not racing. I almost slammed into his oily rear images/smilies/mad.gif Should of done, but your reaction is to brake, unfortunately!! I flew passed him exiting Graham Hill bend with my fingers a waving at him images/smilies/mad.gif. Bloody idiot!!
At the end of the qualifying session I was a little disappointed as my testing lap times would have had me on the front row of the grid but for some reason I couldn’t manage that extra 0.7 of second and thus ended up 14th :eek: Yeah I know, the first 15 places were separated by only 1.0069seconds, close huh??
The RACE, what there was of it images/smilies/mad.gif
The lights went green and we were off, I got a good start, remembered first gear and everything (I hear you cheer :D) and I was blasting up the hill towards Paddock I was easing my way over the right plenty of room around me as I entered the top of the bend and began to take the turn. I was in 3rd, flat out, checked my mirrors and went for the apex, a nice gentle turn. I had a silver XR2 in front-right, and clear on the left. Then suddenly images/smilies/mad.gif WHACK images/smilies/mad.gif it was a hard and severe thump to my right, or ram-raid as I class it now. I was heading completely sideways, a perfect 90degrees to the track. I looked right and there was our friend Mr. Bush in his metro pushing me along on my rear quarter. What the hell was he doing??
I had already counter locked the wheel and floored the throttle, when I started to turn straight. I slightly over corrected and the car went left, then right as I regained control, then WHACK again a white XR2 sliced my front right wing and sent me spinning left (and this is the best bit) with quite a speed straight into the side of purple oily boy CRASHHHHH bits flying everywhere. That whack sent me flying right again, I tried to catch the skid, then suddenly I was spinning the other direction, left again, what on earth was going on, arms flapping around the wheel to try and regain some form of control. :eek: :eek:
I finished up in the bottom of Paddock Hill Bend facing almost up the hill with the tail end of the field narrowly missing me. What on earth had happened :confused: And you know what the first thing I said was “efffing 4r$ehole” and I was referring to purple oily bush boy, or POBB as I know name him.
The car was still running, cool huh, I managed to dip the clutch in all that mallarky, so I drove somehow across the track and behind an Armco so the race could continue. That was my instinct to get out of the way, so the race could carry on. What I should of done is wait and Days of Thunder styli rammed that metro.
That was my race over and out, on the first corner, and a mess of the car. Only one panel remains undented, front left suspension is twisted, damper bent, remote reservoir hose snapped off due to the second impact, front crumple zones pushed in, right front suspension bent, front right wheel buckled. Wings bonnet, both doors, and rear right quarter all dented, and weird deep scuff mark on the rear left quarter of the rear bumper. No idea where that came from, maybe that was the fourth impact, who knows??
After the race and the grim faces of 10mates who had turned up to watch me and my other race chap Andy, my only consolation was that even though POBB had deliberately rammed me I then as a subsequence of the crash and due to the Pinball machine happens of the rest of the accident took out his entire right side of the car. Justice huh.!!. Well not quite. I’m currently protesting against his driving and the hearing will be soon, but I do not hold out much hope as the Clerks of the Course that afternoon were to say it politely not helpful, and treated me like I had no right to be breathing. It was more disturbing than the crash itself. To know you have no support from the authorities.
Anyways we shall see what happens.
Pictures will be up after the Ring, and hopefully video of the ram-raid.
M