The 2018 SKCC ANNUAL MEET Sept 8th (This ones the nuts! Honest!)

[Crunchie Gears]

Thanks to Mike for organising the lab get together this year, really appreciated, although I did not get into the VIP suite

From PT Motorsport Fun Cup team very privileged that the club picked the Fun Cup Race as the location Thanks from all of us for your support.

Race report to come but a big thanks again to you all and especially to Mike.

[russtik]

Had a great day out. Thanks to Mike for organising and Paul for the racing action. We had a surprisingly good run to and from the event as well. Some pics:

[Fury1630]

Thanks to Mike & Paul.
Jane & I really enjoyed the day, Jane was running in to check race positions on the screen every few minutes , the staff in the suite were very good & the buffet was excellent. We were supposed to leave at 16:00 as Jane's mum & dad were coming to stay-over, but Jane insisted on staying an extra 1/2 hour & had to be persuaded even then

Thanks again to everyone, it was as advertised "the nuts"

[Crunchie Gears]

To the racing from my perspective:

I woke up at 5.30 as I had fallen asleep on the sofa then managed to drag myself up stairs and slept like the dead. So having had more sleep than normal 5.30 was good.

This is not an excuse! Ian had been distracted on Friday so we had not had time to use the Vbox to coach me to improve times. That said I am getting better so was happy on my times in practice.

However, I was very grateful to Jay and Dick for talking me through a lap and showing me the line through Surtees, McLaren and Clark Curve. It was completely different to the line I had been taking. Later turn in to Surtees, much more No! Huge curb (which looks very scary until you try it). I did McLaren slightly differently because the fun cup is much slower than Jay’s Honda and a lot easier to drive. So I could turn into Clark Curve with just a touch of trail braking, into third and roll it in on throttle. Good advice and coaching really helped.

Having drawn P4 on the starting grid we started qualifying. I know many could not understand the need to qualify as it did not effect the grid. I think it is due to MSA rules. Ian asked me to bed in the new brakes and scrub the new tyres. I did 4 laps at 70%, short changing and putting no strain on the car. Came in to hand the car to Ian how went out in the warm car and posted a 56 second lap. He came in after 5 laps and we put the car in the garage to save the tyres. So I had not had a chance to try Jay’s advice on lines. No issue it would have to be done in the race.

[Crunchie Gears]

Ian started the race, as always, in great form. He did get shut out on the first time round Paddock but recovered to second. Good work.

I jumped in the car and first lap got over excited and came off on Paddock. Tom (team manager) thought I was just getting the hang of it as my lap time was down 20 seconds down. Slipped that one through. Did not say anything on the radio Blow me I did it again second lap got into the rythem then and lost a few places and then caught them and got past. I was really chuffed I managed to get down the inside of one on the exit to Paddock and raced them up the hill. Found it hard to get past one guy who was close to me in lap times but I was quicker in parts of the lap but could not find a way past. I need to work on race craft.

The other big revolution was that taking the Jay line really worked and disturb the car for less than one could believe. It made it so much easier.

Clearly there was nothing wrong with the car but I was struggling to get the power down on exit to McLaren, Clark Curve and Druids. The car was over steering if you put to much power on. At Clark Curve it would slid or lift a rear wheel and spin off the power.

Dick very kindly gave me a quick debrief and said that there were a number of groups of drivers. The guys in 57 seconds and then the next group and I was at the front of the second group. I hope he was being realistic

On my second session the steering wheel was moving off center, one way and then the other, from 5 to, to 5 past, every time I hit the curb. It had been doing it on Friday but the guys thought they had cured it. I also ran wide a couple of time on Paddock but stayed on. I had quite a lot of Safety Car laps so got out of the car in fair shape not looking like a lobster

We have been trying to get a top 10 finish all season. It was looking possible towards the end of the race. A pretty uneventful third session with the exception of three things.

I got in the car and had trouble steering as the steering. The movement in the steering was now play between 5 to and 5 past. I radioed in the car was undriveable until I realised I needed to take up the slack before I got to the bend. It was also wondering down the straight.

I worked out the line through Paddock after 4.5 hours of driving I could turn in and get on full power before the apex. How easy did that feel! It made a great difference.

The second thing was my crash on the last lap. What a twit! I have only had one off all year and manage 3 at Brands and one into the Armco. I thought about it afterwards and clearly all my mistake as I took the wrong line. That said I thought why did I do that? Probably I was a bit fatigued; I had done about 5 hours in the car and I find the car very physical to drive as a migget. The second is that there was some play in the steering so probably slowed my reaction to the two slides making the first one worse and the second harder to catch.

The good news is I dipped the clutch and so could continue and finish in the pit lane; I did not know it was the last lap I only lost a place so equaled our best finish in 12. Disappointed, just a little with my offs.

Anyway, I was not hurt, the car can be repaired and the team have forgiven me, I hope

I enjoyed the trip to Brands and get to catchup with everyone as Racing and travelling has made me slack on SKCC meets this year; something I need to do something about that. Thanks all.

[b33fy]

A lovely young girl asked me if I could take some pictures of her boyfriend racing, I would have preferred some of her alfresco, while her bf was on track but hey, can't have it always. I even climbed that bloody tree again for her.. sorry.. him..

Number 99 by Buckmore Boy, on Flickr

Number 99 by Buckmore Boy, on Flickr

Number 99 by Buckmore Boy, on Flickr

number 99 by Buckmore Boy, on Flickr

[b33fy]

A few of Number 61 perambulating around the track, the last one a favourite from the day..

Leader of the pack by Buckmore Boy, on Flickr

PT Motorsport by Buckmore Boy, on Flickr

PT Motorsport by Buckmore Boy, on Flickr

PT Motorsport by Buckmore Boy, on Flickr

[b33fy]

A couple of random pit lane shots..

Kenton on day release by Buckmore Boy, on Flickr

Waiting for the nod by Buckmore Boy, on Flickr

Pit lane action by Buckmore Boy, on Flickr

[Crunchie Gears]

[DJ.]

Sorry to hear you crashed Paul, but the steering must have contributed! I really wouldn't want to be driving at those speeds without full control of the car

Some good photos Mike, did you recover the original ones from the memory card?