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.