DONINGTON PARK RACE WEEKEND

Sunday Race Weekend

Where to start, once again another eventful weekend. Qualifying yesterday didn't go to plan which meant I had to start from 6th in race one and 8th in race two.

In the first race there were three cars side by side trying to go through the left of the craner kerbs but as you can guess it didn't work out and two of the cars ended up spinning off on the first lap which brought the safety car out on the next lap round so the cars could be moved to a safe place. Once the safety car went back into the pits I was running in 5th place with the line from first to fourth in front and sixth right behind me. I had to defend from the person in sixth place which made the gap from me to forth widen. On the last lap I was still in 5th place and 6th right behind me and going into mcleans as I went to turn in fr the corner the car behind me hit the rear right of my car and launch himself over the top of my car and landed on my bonnet driving over my hand in the process, we then both went off the track onto the grass and once he had got off my car I managed to get back onto the track with a damaged rear right wheel and made it round tot he finish line in 9th position which was good considering what had just happened so I managed to still score some points.

The second race was just as eventful but before we had even got out on the track there was a tough decision t make considering which tyres to put on the car the dry's or the wets because it had rained so hard that there where rivers running along the track, but then it stopped raining and started to dry right before we were getting ready to line up for the race. Everyone but one decided to go for the wet tyres instead of the dry's for the start of the race but then when we went out on track for the warm up lap I could see that the track was more or less dry and we had made the wrong decision. I started the race in 8th position and the person on the dry tyres was starting in front of me on the grid. By the first corner he had already dropped back because he couldn't get the heat into the tyres. on the next lap round into the first corner I dived down the inside but as I was coming out of the corner there was someone right in the front of me and we both started to slide wide to the outside of the track and as he went past the kerb and onto the mud he flicked it all over my car and visor but then just as he had done that I ran wide on the mud as well and the back of the car slid I ended up taking to the grass to save the car from spinning and when I rejoined I had dropped down to 11th position, so I had a lot of work to do to fight my way back to the front. I started to push really hard to make up the mistake as the start of the race and I put a load of quick laps together which made me join on to the back of the people in front. I managed to overtake two people going into the last chicane just before the main straight which puts me 9th overall. The next bunch of cars I caught I did the same thing and overtook them around the outside under braking entering the last chicane meaning I was now in 7th position. I then carried on pushing hard to catch the next person in front of me which I did and got him into the same corner the last chicane which put me 6th place. There were about five laps to go when I was in 6th place, to try and catch and overtake the person in 5th position. I caught him up the next lap and got a good run onto the straight heading to the last chicane and I went for the inside but he blocked me off so I switched to the outside then when it came to brake I made sure I braked later and cut in front of him and took 5th position. There was a big gap to fourth position so my next concern was keeping everyone behind me and maintaining 5th position.

Overall the weekend could have gone a lot better because I had the pace to compete at the front but a bit of bad luck stopped be again. I can still take away that I made two good recoveries to gain as many points as possible for the championship.

The next round is at Silverstone (15th - 16th August) and then even though I have never been to the track before I will be hoping for a good finish in both races and get a good points haul.

I would like to say a big thank you to the team (Academy Motorsport). I would once again like to thank my family and friends for coming to the track and giving me a lot of support, it's much appreciated. I also would like to thank my sponsors, Kammac Plc, S. Huyton & Sons Ltd and Wesley & Co. Chartered accountants, without their financial support I would not be where I am today.

SNETTERTON RACE WEEKEND

Sunday Race Day

With qualifying being just average yesterday it meant I had a good shot at finishing on the podium in both races today.

I have to say a big thank you to the team (Academy Motorsport) because they have been working really hard to get my car fixed for this weekend. In the first race I started in 6th position and got a good start of the line maintaining my position but right behind the front runners. on the first lap I had gained one place so I was now in 5th position and right behind 4th place. on the first lap I was quicker than the person in 4th at the end of the lap so the next lap round I gave myself a bit of space and then around the second to last corner I got a run on the person in 4th and I dived down the inside into the last corner which is a chicane, but as I dived down the inside the group in front slowed right down in the middle of the corner and as I came flying down the inside and over the kerb I got launched into the air and then hit the person in front of me. I had damaged my bonnet and it was rubbing on my front tyre so I pulled into the pits, once I got to the team they said I had a water leak from the radiator as well. I was so annoyed because I was in the perfect position to challenge for a podium place and the car felt really good, but these things happen in racing and it just meant I would have to work extra hard in the second race to get onto the podium.

In the second race I started in 8th position and from the start there was a long train of cars from 1st position to where I was. I managed to get past one on the first lap and then was right behind the rest of the field. The next couple of laps I fought with the person in front changing positions until one lap when I got a good run down the back strait and I took over the person in front of me and the next person as well so I was now in 5th position. Once I was past them I pulled a gap and started to chase down the leading pack. A few more laps into the race I started to catch 4th position and once I got onto the back of him I overtook him straight away and carried on my charge to the leading pack. Between me and the leading pack there was a gap and I just couldn't catch them, so I was hoping there would be a coming together so I could catch them a bit to then try and get an extra place. By the end of the race I was still in 4th position with a gap in front and behind me. Although I finished in 4th I get 3rd position points for the championship because the person who finished in 2nd place was a guest driver, which means he doesn't score any points he just gets the trophy and prize for finishing in 2nd place.

Overall I had a bad half and a good half to the weekend. The bad half was not finishing the first race and the good half was finishing in 4th but really 3rd. From the weekend I can take away that I had my best finish of the year so far in the second race and I am just as quick as the winner.

The next round is at Donington Park (17th-19th July) and even though I have never been to the track before I will be hoping for a good finish in both races and get a good points haul.

I would like to say a big thank you to the team (Academy Motorsport) for getting my car fixed for the weekend. I would once again like to thank my family and friends for coming to the track and giving me a lot of support, it's much appreciated. I also would like to thank my sponsors, Kammac Plc, S. Huyton & Sons Ltd and Wesley & Co. Charted accountants, without their financial support I would not be where I am today. One last big thank you is to my Dad, he gives up a lot of his spare time to help me with my racing and I am so grateful. Without him I wouldn't be racing today.

SNETTERTON RACE WEEKEND

Saturday Qualifying

Today I had qualifying for tomorrow's two races at Snetterton. I was hoping to qualify in the top four on the grid but I had some trouble with the tyre temperature. We had dropped the tyre pressures because of how hot it was but when I went on track I struggled to get the heat into the tyres until the last lap of the session which I put a lap together and it put me 6th fastest in the session, meaning I would start the first race in 6th position. With me only managing one fast lap on the last lap of the session my second fastest lap which gives you your starting position in race two tomorrow wasn't as fast, resulting in me starting the second race in 8th position. The time I ended up doing on the last lap of the session was only half a second off from second place, which was a little annoying because if I had the heat in the tyres earlier it would have meant I could have pushed harder and got a faster lap.

Even though I am starting 6th and 8th in both races I am still confident that I can get to the front pack and get a podium position.

the first race tomorrow starts at 10:30 and the second starts at 16:35.

I will let you know how the races go tomorrow.

SNETTERTON RACE WEEKEND

Friday Test Day

This weekend (3rd-th July) is the sixth and seventh round of the Texaco Havoline Ginetta G20 Championship at Snetterton.

Today I had three sessions to get the car set up and bring my lap time down. This weekend I have my own car back instead of borrowing another. The car is all fixed and I am confident with my own car back I can really push on to try and get a podium position.

At the start of the day we were having some problems with the electric on the car and it was putting too much fuel into the engine which made the engine less responsive. We managed to get this fixed with some difficulty and I went out for the first session of the day. In the session I was one of the top five fastest which was great considering this was the first time back out in my car after the crash at Rockingham.

The second session was a bit different because it rained just before we were meant to go out but the weather was so hot that it had started to dry up so we decided to go out on the dry tyres. I was one of the quickest on the dry tyres and just slower than the people who went out on wet tyres.

In the last session of the day we where scrubbing some new tyres in for qualifying the next day, so I only did three laps then came into the pits.

Tomorrow qualifying starts at 18:13 and then race one on the Sunday starts at 10:30 and race two starts at 16:35.

KNOCKHILL RACE WEEKEND

Sunday Race Day

Well with Qualifying on Saturday not going well with the gearbox breaking on the opening lap it meant I had to start both races today from the back of the grid. This meant I was going to have to push hard to force my way up the field to try and score as many points as possible for the championship.

I have to say a big thank you to the team (Academy Motorsport) because they managed to get the car fixed after qualifying for the first race and the car felt good in the warm up lap. I got a good start in the first race and gained a few places by the first corner.

There wasn’t a pile up at the first corner which I had hoped for so that I could gain a few extra places so I had to climb up the field the hard way. I was now up to 10th place and right behind a bunch of people over the laps I picked them off climbing up to 7th place.

At the later stages of the race I was catching 6th and 5th but then all of a sudden 5th place hit the tyres going into the chicane and went into the gravel which meant I was now running in 6th place catching 5th, but then with only three laps left one of the leading pack got a drive through penalty which handed me 5th place.

That wasn’t all though, on the last lap of the race I was quickly catching a back marker and I was coming up to lap him, the marshals where waving blue flags at him but he didn’t move out of the way to let me through instead he stayed on the racing line so I had to go down the inside of him on the last corner of the last lap but then half way round the corner he turned into me and hit the back end of my car luckily it didn’t make me spin and I finished the race in 5th place.

The back marker had damaged the back of my car pretty bad and the body work started rubbing on the rear left tyre and it started to smoke and the tyre started to burn. Once I got the car back to the pits the body work that was rubbing on the tyre had worn the tyre right down which meant that I had to use my spare tyre for the second race because that tyre was wrecked.
Overall it was a good race from the back of the grid getting up to 5th it was just hard luck about the last corner and my tyre at the end of the race.

In the second race I started from the back of the grid again and once again I got a good start off the line and I had made myself up to 9th after the first lap. I then made myself past another which put me in 8th place.

Once I was in 8th there was a bit of a gap to 7th, 6th and 5th so I started to push hard to try and catch them up which I started to do but then for a few laps in the middle of the race the front tyres went off so I stopped my attack to see if they would come back on which they did, so I started my attack again to catch them up.

With ten laps to go one of the cars in front of me ran wide and I caught him up really quick and dived down the inside and took 7th place from him. Two laps later one of the cars in front started to slow down on the strait which gifted me 6th place. In front of me now where 5th and 4th and I was catching them towards the end of the race.

With two laps to go I was right behind them both but in the distance I could see the same back marker from the first race. We were all catching the back marker and I just knew he would be involved with something like in the first race which he was, as we came up to the last corner he started to defend even though he was out of position and a lap down this meant the two in front of me got stuck behind him and coming out of the last corner for the last lap I managed to get along side 5th place down the strait with the back marker on the other side of me, but once again instead of letting us past he was weaving going down the strait which meant me and the person I was battling for 5th almost hit each other because the back marker kept weaving towards me.

We both managed to get past him before the first corner and I took 5th position, after the back marker getting in the way it had meant 4th place had pulled away a bit so I just had to keep 6th place behind for the rest of the lap and I would finish 5th. Once again on the last lap the back marker was in the way and almost caused a crash in both races but fortunately I finished both races in 5th.

Overall both races where good because I had managed to start from the back of the grid and fight my way through to 5th in both races and score some decent points for the championship. The only bad thing about the weekend was once again I had the pace to fight for a podium position but down to some bad luck in qualifying with the gearbox breaking I didn’t qualify high enough to be close enough to the leaders.

The next round is at Snetterton (4th-5th July) and I will defiantly be looking to qualify well and challenge for a podium place with some better luck.

I would like to say thanks to the team (Academy Motorsport) for getting the car fixed for the races today and I would also like to thank all the people who made the long journey up to Scotland and all the support.

ROCKINGHAM RACE WEEKEND

Sunday race day

After qualifying on Saturday not going the way I wanted it to, today I really wanted to push hard in the races to get some solid finishes, progress from my starting position and challenge for a podium position.

The team ( Academy Motorsport) were still changing the set up on the car to make it better as I was using a different car this weekend. Not having the time to test it properly it meant overnight changes to the set up to help improve lap times.
The changes meant I had a car with a different set up to what I had been driving the day before, so it was all different again for the first race where I was starting from 9th.

I got a good start off the line gaining a few places, but the most important thing was that I stayed out of trouble on the first lap because there where some bumps and bangs.

As the race progressed I had made my way up to 4th with 5th right behind me, unfortunately he managed to get passed but I stayed right behind him and together we chased down 3rd place.

We caught 3rd and was close behind him but there just wasn't enough laps left in the race to make an attack and I had to settle for 5th position right behind both 4th and 3rd.

The changes we had made over night to the car for the first race had made the car better and I was able to push hard, so I decided to leave the car alone for the second race.

This meant that I was more familiar with how the car was going to handle which would mean that I knew the limits of the car more for the second race of the day. For this race I was starting from 8th on the grid and again I got a great start gaining a few places before the first corner.

Throughout the race I managed to climb up to 6th position with 5th right in front of me. We where having a little battle but still working together to catch 4th and 3rd place every lap.

As we caught up to them in the race I had managed to gain 5th position with 6th place right behind me, but the lap I took 5th place on the same lap one of the leaders had spun out and when he came to re-join the track it was right in front of me which meant I had to brake hard meaning 4th and 3rd place gained a gap again.

I was now running in 4th place but when the person who was leading, but spun out dived down the inside of me he pushed me wide, meaning the car a was having a little battle with also got passed me. This meant I was back down to 6th position and left me frustrated because I had no choice but to avoid the car diving down the inside, otherwise he would have bumped me off the track.

A lap later a crash resulted in a red flag meaning the race had been stopped early, meaning I unfortunately had to settle for 6th place.

Even though I hadn't got a podium place I still took away that in both races I was able to catch up to 3rd position and battle for the position; so even though I didn't achieve what I wanted to, I can still take away more confidence to the next race

So at the next round at Knockhill (13th-14th June) I can battle for a podium and with some more luck be able to get onto the podium.

I'm really enjoying racing in the Ginetta G20 championship.

I would like to thank the team for getting the car ready to race at this weekend and I would also like to thank Mark Wania for letting me use the car, plus a huge thank you to all the people that came to the circuit and also the people back at home who have been supporting me.

ROCKINGHAM RACE WEEKEND

Saturday qualifying

Today I had qualifying for tomorrow's two races at Rockingham, but it didn't go as I had hoped.

I ended up qualifying ninth in the first race, which is at 12.20pm, and eighth in the second race, which is later on in the day at 4.10pm.

I was really hoping to push hard and have a good qualifying session this weekend especially after the first and second round at Oulton Park, but I have been trying to get to grips with a different car and different set-up due to my car being damaged from the test session at the track last weekend.

It proved difficult but I'm glad to be able to show my abilities with two top ten finishes. Anything can happen in the races and I just have to push hard and keep out of trouble.

Hopefully tomorrow the races will be a different story and I can get onto the podium in one of the races. The team have put a lot of effort into getting the car ready for this weekend and I want to give them a good result to show for all there hard work.

I will keep you posted how the races go on tomorrow.

BUILD UP TO THE SECOND RACE WEEKEND

Build up to the Rockingham race weekend

This weekend (30th-31st May) is the third and fourth rounds of the Texaco Havoline Ginetta G20 Championship at Rockingham.

I'm really excited to get back onto the track racing again, I took a lot of confidence from the first two rounds at Oulton Park; getting the fastest lap of the day in the second race, proved I have the pace to compete for a podium place in my first year of car racing.

I'm at the track from Thursday night till Sunday night and the weekend should be very entertaining. The weather is going to be great, so the spectators should have a fantastic day watching the racers under the sun.

There is a bound to be a terrific atmosphere!

The team has put a lot of work into getting the car ready for the weekend and I'm determined not to them down when it comes to the races. I'm going to push as hard as I can to get a podium place.

The team gives me a lot of support and guidance when it comes to the testing and competing of a race weekend and I have confidence in the work they do on the car to make it faster and keep me safe.

My family and some friends will also be supporting me at the race weekend; when my family come to watch and support I feel more relaxed and calm throughout the weekend.

Hopefully the weekend will be a successful one with me getting a podium place in one of the two races, or even both. I will keep you updated on how qualifying and the races went.

ROCKINGHAM TESTING

Rockingham test session

Even though the Rockingham track I tested on was a different layout to the one I will be racing on for the 3rd and 4th round of the Texaco Havoline Ginetta G20 Championship on the 30th-31st May, it was a great day for testing with the sun shining and the circuit bone dry.

Rockingham race circuit is very different to most tracks in the UK because the perimeter of the circuit is a big oval with an infield section inside the oval.

The circuit is also anti-clockwise whereas most of the circuits in this country are all clockwise.

I tested on a track using half of the oval, then part of the infield section. It was a completely different type and layout of circuit I had ever drove on before, but I was excited to see what it was like to drive on an oval.

I went out onto track early morning to firstly check the car was all good from the first race weekend of the season at Oulton Park and secondly to learn and get to grips with the track.

Later on in the day once I had learnt the track I started to push hard to find the level of grip the car had around the track, I was getting quicker and quicker throughout the whole day.

Driving on the oval was an experience because there is a wall literally next to you and as you enter the oval you can feel the wind moving the car around pushing it closer to the wall then pulling it away again. Even thought it was scary in parts when there was a big gust of wind, it was good fun to get to have the experience.

I'm now really looking forward to another test session and then the two races on the 30th and 31st May.

FIRST RACE WEEKEND

Oulton Park

Well what an introduction to car racing after a decade in karts. Mechanical failure, a bonnet blowing off and a fastest lap meant an interesting baptism to the UK Ginetta G20 Championship at Oulton Park over Easter weekend.

After practising to get used to the car during the winter months the racing began with some good times and I qualified a respectable fifth on the grid for the first race and seventh for the second race.

I was excited and nervous as family and friends gathered at my team awning, Academy Motorsport, to wish me luck for the first race.

My Mum and Dad who've been very supportive throughout my career were walking around waiting for the time when I would be off to the assembly area to line up for the first race.

The voice on the tannoy at midday made my heart rate fly as I entered the cockpit and started the engine.

Engaging first gear my heart felt like it would burst out of my chest; I knew this was the moment I'd been waiting over three years for.

The next ten minutes seemed to take forever as we lined up in fifth place out of 18 cars in the assembly area. A few words of encouragement from my manager, Matt Nichol-Jones, and I was off to join the race circuit and the first of two parade laps.

I swerved the car from side to side, warming the tyres and accelerated then brake to give the brakes maximum temperature. The laps seemed to take forever but finally I was lined up for the first race and it was down to me; no-one else could help.

My heart pounded as I waited for the red lights and then it was go! A good start was hindered by missing 2nd gear and be Old Hall corner I was down to 8th place. Not the best of starts but I knew I had the speed to make up for lost ground.

The first couple of laps saw lots of bumping ahead of me and by creating extra speed into some corners I was able to jump up to 4th. My racing head was firmly in place and two more laps later and I was second and fighting for the lead.

A few more laps and my speed would surely get me leading the race. Then disaster as I made my way across a kerb at the far end of the circuit. I had the power but not much control and I knew something was seriously wrong.

After losing a couple of places and with steering control almost non-existent my brief moment of excitement in the anticipation of leading the race had gone, along with a steering rack. I tried to keep in the race but with only one front wheel connected and steering me in the right direction I was soon to retire in a gravel trap.

Not exactly the best start to the season and really disappointing considering my speed and position in the race. Still with everyone cheering my return to the awning I was glad to have extinguished the burning butterflies in my stomach and couldn't wait for the second race; just a five-hour wait!

The car was fixed and after discussions with my Dad and Matt, some food and a rest I was ready for the second race. The wait this time was much longer and I was in determined mood when we finally arrived on the grid for the lights.

A better start still left me two places down as I tried to avoid trouble at the first corner. It worked and with good speed and a few calculated moves I was up to sixth and closing on the top five.

I took my time before catching fifth showing patience is not a bad thing in racing. We both closed in on fourth place and with two laps left fifth went for a dive down the inside and I followed.

Unfortunately he backed out suddenly and I was unable to anticipate this. I nudged the back of his car and we both spun.

Luckily we'd pulled enough of a gap from seventh and we both continued in place.The crowd wowed as my bonnet flew off on the next lap, settling on the track to be picked up by my Dad after the race had finished.

So sixth place it was and a very entertaining and learning experience in the first foray into car racing.

The welcome from the awning and about 60 friends and family was brilliant and I'm really looking forward to using my knowledge in the next round at Rockingham on 31st May.