Podium
finish at Combe
120 mph, the car in front only inches away, a wall of spray that you can’t see through and quarry
corner somewhere ahead. The car goes light over Avon rise, brake – gently at fist so as not to upset the car. As it settles push hard trying to feel the steering going light as the wheels begin to lock, correct the
slide then turn in, back on the power as quick as possible, opposite lock, miss the exit kerb, hard on the power up to the
Esses.
Qualifying
at Castle Combe in heavy rain is …interesting.
This
was a totally different Castle Combe to the last time we visited a few short
weeks ago, This time it was very wet and windy, OK in a tin top but a bit damp in a Radical. We qualified on the third row
of the grid in 7th place. As always in the wet it’s a tricky balance between caution, a fast time and a bent
car, caution won!
The race was a totally different proposition; the sun came out at lunch time so it was back to dry settings and slicks.
I made a terrible start and dropped a few places on the run up to Quarry corner on the first lap. By lap 2 I was up to 4th and spent the next 4-5 laps dicing with an SR3 and Richard Fearns in
the Juno in 2nd and 3rd. I got past the SR3 on the inside going in to camp then began to close on Richard.
By the run up to Tower I was right on his tail, then he suddenly slowed and I had no where to go but into the back of him,
turns out the gearbox had decided to go from fourth to first gear as he was accelerating. New gearbox for him, 2nd place for me. This lasted about 500 yds then I was overtaken by Shane Marshall - a Mallock on a mission - Great race Shane. Next lap round
I spun at Quarry – oil from the Juno! I should have realised as I had the rest of it on the front of my car J. I managed to get the car back on the black stuff
and bring it home in 3rd.
Next
race is Snetterton on Sunday 13th May. We have the engine out to correct a gear selection problem so it’s
going to be a rush but we’ll be there
