Brands Hatch 2012 - Test day and Race day
DAYS OF THUNDER in testing
Well what an interesting weekend Brands turned out to be.... starting with testing on the friday which involved a lot of work by the Caterham support team, including an £2000 set of parts from me when I tried to avoid the back of a Caterham still rolling across the track, the wrong side of a smoke wall.... as it shows in my video, I drive through paddock hill bend (probably the most awe inspiring bend in British motor racing, especially when you are cornering at 70+ only 15 CM from the ground), where unknown to me David Russell has already gone off on the right half way up the hill towards Druids.
I have 4 cars in front of me masking the car traversing the track, three of the cars avoid the Caterham still going backwards across the track the 4th slams his brakes on in front of me, and spins sending a big plume of tyre smoke into the air in front of me, this is the first of know of something wrong.
I avoid the spinning car, and to do so I have to go through the smoke, unfortunately as I come through the smoke at 88mph I see the "Noddy car", as it affectionately known in the paddock still moving backwards across the track. I instinctively swerve to avoid his car and aim to go behind him between him and the barrier. I almost get away with it, but the combination of the cars backward movement and my speed means that my rear wheel hits the Noddy car's rear wheel at 69mph bouncing me off into the armco.
The resulting carnage is a broken rear axle (Dion tube), "A frame", radius arm, 2 wheel arches, 3 wheels, petrol pump, front lower wish bone, and an alternator belt.....
Not bad for an afternoons work... then comes the bill - OUCH!!!
But a big thanks to the Caterham boys who had to work extremely hard to get the cars ready for the race, especially since we were not the only ones wrapping up some parts lists....
Well what an interesting weekend Brands turned out to be.... starting with testing on the friday which involved a lot of work by the Caterham support team, including an £2000 set of parts from me when I tried to avoid the back of a Caterham still rolling across the track, the wrong side of a smoke wall.... as it shows in my video, I drive through paddock hill bend (probably the most awe inspiring bend in British motor racing, especially when you are cornering at 70+ only 15 CM from the ground), where unknown to me David Russell has already gone off on the right half way up the hill towards Druids.
I have 4 cars in front of me masking the car traversing the track, three of the cars avoid the Caterham still going backwards across the track the 4th slams his brakes on in front of me, and spins sending a big plume of tyre smoke into the air in front of me, this is the first of know of something wrong.
I avoid the spinning car, and to do so I have to go through the smoke, unfortunately as I come through the smoke at 88mph I see the "Noddy car", as it affectionately known in the paddock still moving backwards across the track. I instinctively swerve to avoid his car and aim to go behind him between him and the barrier. I almost get away with it, but the combination of the cars backward movement and my speed means that my rear wheel hits the Noddy car's rear wheel at 69mph bouncing me off into the armco.
The resulting carnage is a broken rear axle (Dion tube), "A frame", radius arm, 2 wheel arches, 3 wheels, petrol pump, front lower wish bone, and an alternator belt.....
Not bad for an afternoons work... then comes the bill - OUCH!!!
But a big thanks to the Caterham boys who had to work extremely hard to get the cars ready for the race, especially since we were not the only ones wrapping up some parts lists....
Race day
Well this was the first time I got to drive the repaired car on track, with what turned out to be a good qualification (well better than at Donington). Brands hatch is a small circuit so getting 27 cars onto it all competing for space to put a flying lap in without traffic was difficult, however out of the 15 laps I managed to find one that secured me a 7th place start on the grid.
So starting in 7th was not a bad place to be so began the race. I had a fairly good start, loosing no places to other cars, and entering paddock hill bend without much pressure (I could have done better if I am honest by concentrating on the ones in front instead of worrying about those behind).
I get up the outside of druids in the middle of the front pack, but after Druids we are all bunched up, then coming out of graham hill disaster strikes, I can't get the car into 4th gear (or my over exuberance cant), which leaves me without drive for a second and costs me 3 places....
I tag back onto the pack that have gone past and get back into the race...the rest of the race sees a very close (and clean) battle within the group of 5 cars, battling for 5,6,7,8 and 9th place, Tristan spinning in front of me (no days of thunder moments this time), and Jason (the car who over takes me under yellows (he did not see the yellows at the time and has apologised)), piping Toni (the yellow car) by about 2 inches on the finish line to get 6th place.
With all the action going on in front it is also worth drawing your attention to the rear view mirror where you can see the cars trying to get past me and the unlucky Tor, who's race ends prematurely when his fuel cut off switch cuts in as he goes over the kerb at Druid and this ends his race.
I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed the race....
So starting in 7th was not a bad place to be so began the race. I had a fairly good start, loosing no places to other cars, and entering paddock hill bend without much pressure (I could have done better if I am honest by concentrating on the ones in front instead of worrying about those behind).
I get up the outside of druids in the middle of the front pack, but after Druids we are all bunched up, then coming out of graham hill disaster strikes, I can't get the car into 4th gear (or my over exuberance cant), which leaves me without drive for a second and costs me 3 places....
I tag back onto the pack that have gone past and get back into the race...the rest of the race sees a very close (and clean) battle within the group of 5 cars, battling for 5,6,7,8 and 9th place, Tristan spinning in front of me (no days of thunder moments this time), and Jason (the car who over takes me under yellows (he did not see the yellows at the time and has apologised)), piping Toni (the yellow car) by about 2 inches on the finish line to get 6th place.
With all the action going on in front it is also worth drawing your attention to the rear view mirror where you can see the cars trying to get past me and the unlucky Tor, who's race ends prematurely when his fuel cut off switch cuts in as he goes over the kerb at Druid and this ends his race.
I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed the race....