2nd place at Cadwell Park

May 2011

Still grinning after a fantastic weekend at Cadwell Park. Qualifying was wet and, due to a liberal coating of oil round the entire length of the circuit, incredibly slippy. The 43 entrants were split into two sessions and we were first up. I clearly played it far too safe and found myself 10th quickest of the 20 drivers in my session. The 2nd locost qualifying session was a bit drier and on average 9 seconds a lap faster than our groups times. Luckily the organisers appreciated this and amalgamated the times.

I therefore found myself 7th / 28 on the grid for the heat. The fastest 13 drivers had gone straight through to the final, the rest of us were racing for the remaining 15 places. I knew a win would only put me 14th on the grid for the final so I had to give it all I’d got.

I made a decent start and began climbing my way up the pack. As is usual in locost we were racing in a swarming mass where places change constantly. Having worked my way up to 3rd I got a great run out of the 3rd corner and along the back straight and managed to out break everyone into Park and take the lead!

This was my first time ever leading a locost race and the sight of all that open tarmac was fantastic. The view in my rear view mirror, 28 squabbling locosts, was a bit more scary so I tried not to look! I knew that it was only lap 3 and my chances of staying in front for 20 minutes were pretty slim. My only option was to push hard and try and break away…yeah right. All that happened was one very fast lap followed by a lap where my tires complained like crazy before I nearly lost it under the trees and everyone caught me up. On the start finish straight I was shuffled back to 4th. 😦

Back on a charge it took me the next 6 laps to work my way back up to second where I rather conveniently happened to be as we crossed the line for the penultimate time. Thinking I had accidentally timed this to perfection I made my move and overtook round the outside of the first corner. I was leading once again and it was the last lap all I had to do was keep it tidy and bring home the win. Sadly, or maybe not, locost racing doesn’t really work like that! All that really happened was I got slip streamed into Park corner and Lee retook the lead and the win. oh well. That’s not to say I was disappointed. Would I have liked the win – of course but I was pretty pleased with second and 15th on the grid for the final gave me a fighting chance of a nice points haul.

The final – started 15th finished 6th: more details coming soon…