For those who are interested

I was racing at Oulton on Saturday - spent Friday there testing, then qualy + race on Saturday.

In contrast to ge2, the circuits this year are far from home, so I've invested in a new tent and sleeping bag and am camping at the circuits. Mallory a couple of weeks ago was freezing so this time I learnt my lesson and took two sleeping bags! 3 season, yeah right !!!

Friday was interesting - it was raining/drizzling in the morning so we had a wet track, and it only really dried out towards the end of the last session in the afternoon. Parts of the track had grip, but other parts were like ice skating. A lesson in smoothness and quick reactions!

Saturday I qualified OK for a newbie; 26th on the grid of 33. I was most relieved, because there is a maximum grid size at Oulton and our class was larger than the max. This meant that the bottom 6 or so had to tag on the back of another race to do a qualifying race, and the bottom 2 didn't get to do the proper race. I was so chuffed not to do the qualy race

Started the race ok - got a reasonable start which is good for me (my starts have been improving, car is quite difficult to launch this year) and barrelled into the first corner (a right hander). Coming out there was abit of chaos - cars in the grass and stuff. I thought I was doing pretty well to avoid them and was with the middle of the pack when I got a big hit from behind and saw my rear inside wing spiralling into the air. Watching the video you can see the car that hit me take advantage of it and speed past me Carried on the race but my inexperience showed, in that under pressure I started to make mistakes. There's a first gear hairpin which I kept snatchin the gear causing the rear wheels to lockup and nearly spin, and then I outbraked myself into a chicane (knickerbrook) and had to straight line it and lost a place in the last lap GRRRR !

However I had a great day's racing (well ok 20 minutes!)

As Chris said in ge2's thread, starting to make some good friends now in the club - and making improvements in my driving. I still need to learn not to be intimidated so much on track and to drive closer to everybody though! Oh and USE ALL THE TRACK AND DON'T TURN IN TOO EARLY !!

Next up is Pembrey - taking the car for a trackday next weekend with some tuition, then racing on 13th/14th June (I think we probably qualy on Sat, race on Sun).

I'm not sure if Chris is coming to taht (probably not due to other committments) so if anybody wants free tickets in exchange for a bit of PB'ing (Pit B*tching - helpin change wheels, stuff like that) then let me know!
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOcEYM3cOkE [/media]

 

Not sure why the red car hit you.....
Oulton is a great circuit hope you enjoyed it.

 

I love Oulton - was on such a high !

And I dont know why he did either But it took hours to sort it out today as it damaged a bit of the skin + the wing when it ripped it off. Fortunately doesn't look like anything else is bent

 

Didn't realise you were at Oulton over the w/e - would have tried to pop down in between DIY.

Was it BARC weekend?

I guess you were doing the Island circuit? How did you get on around Druids - brilliant corner that - stack it there and kiss goodbye to your car.

 

Yep it was BARC

Yes it was the Island - Druids was ok although I don't think I was quick enough around it! It's exceedingly slippery in the wet !! What was more interesting was the right hander which follows it - in the heat of the moment I got it confused with the first right-hander and took it too quick int he wrong gear OOPS

 

So the NW Saloons were out too? Damn should have gone and had a look.

 

Yes - Lodge is tricky, I haven't worked that one out in terms of anything (gearing, entry speed, position). Lee went x-country there.

I can floor the E30 through Druids but I want to be in the position where I can't if you see what I mean.

I think each track day I have done at Oulton someone has binned it at Druids.

 

Yes - it's in my diary. Saturday.

Didn't have the time on Sat to head down there, but could have gone there on Fri to see testing- balls.

 

Can't help you with gearing etc. I'm afraid - I know in our 7's (or at least with me driving) it's a late hard brake down into 2nd gear with a fairly late turn to clip the kerbing on the inside then look up and aim for the bridge to exit on the kerbing on the outside.....

 

That looks and sounds great, there always seems to be a car on the grass in all the grads videos I've seen, is it in the rules?

Had you upset the red car driver in the paddock or something? Not very sporting of him!

All good stuff as ever