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.
Monday 20 July 2009
Sunday 5 July 2009
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.
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.
Saturday 4 July 2009
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.
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.
Friday 3 July 2009
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.
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.
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