May Bank holiday and Mendips for Brians 3rd meeting
of the season. A warm day in the hills despite the cloud as #262 took
to the track for practice, gently running a couple new tyres in for
later on in the season during the first session before really trying
the car out during the second session. Despite looking fairly quick
the car was still a little on the loose side so three changes were made
to the setup before race one…..if you’re going to change
it…….change it!
(Thanks to www.thunderpix.co.uk)
Starting near the back of the grid in the first
race Brian got a little wrong footed in the traffic early on and lost
some ground before making up a couple places. Despite catching the battle
for 4th by the flag #262 couldn’t make any more places and finished
on the back of the pack in 8th. We made a couple adjustments to Brians
visor after the race, even back in the pits afterwards it was so steamed
up you could barely see through it!
(Thanks to www.thunderpix.co.uk)
For race 2 the team were somewhat surprised to
see Brian lined up way down the field once more. The reverse grid system
used at Mendips clearly should have had Brian off, or very near, the
front of the grid. With only Colin White and Steve Hunt starting behind
#262 in race 1, Steve opted to start from the rear as he was suffering
clutch problems while Colin opts to start from the rear at these meetings
which would leave us with pole. Being told ‘you’re too fast
to start on pole’ when the ‘error’ is pointed out
is quite frankly ridiculous. It may well be true that we’re one
of the faster cars at Mendips, but certainly no faster than Wilson,
Colin or a number of others. The truth is all the cars are pretty fast
these days, long gone are the days when people consistently fly from
the rear of the grid to take the win……if even Colin can’t
manage it in race 1 that surely proves it. To add insult to injury we
do our racing on a fraction of the costs of most of the others, build
everything ourselves and the guys you’re fighting with at the
top of the points get given their reverse grid positions no questions
asked. If you wondered why Ross has moved from oval racing to the circuits
situations like this are a prime example.
(Thanks to www.thunderpix.co.uk)
On with the race and a clearly irritated Brian
flew round the outside in the early laps and had just moved into the
lead when he was spun round. Spinning off onto the infield a quick recovery
still left #262 miles back but a stirring drive back through and some
problems elsewhere gave 5th place at the finish.
The final meanwhile turned into a seriously expensive
race for most drivers. After being forced over the infield kerbs #904
lost a lot of oil entering the pit bend. One by one the following cars
flew down the hill at race speed, sliding straight over the oil, into
the fence and more often than not, retirement. The two Corrados of Muddle
and Shelper went in side by side and were both out. Colin slapped his
Tigra into the fence and was also out along with Beaven and Wilson himself…there
may have been others.
(Brian lines up for the restart
- Thanks to www.thunderpix.co.uk)
Most of those that did continue did so with damage
in one form or another, Brian had made fairly hard contact with the
barriers himself but pretty much got away with it as the car slid in
sideways without too much damage. So at the restart it was a much reduced
field that slipped round the remainder of the race with Brian taking
the win, the 3rd from 3 meetings this year.
(Cheese! - Thanks to www.thunderpix.co.uk)
There’ll be a bit of work back at the garage
before the next meeting on June 26th to check that everything is okay
with the car, it’s hard to imagine a few things in there aren’t
bent. Until next time!
