Harold Palin Memorial Stages
This was the last round of the ANCC single venue championship and as such we
needed a good result to remain in with a chance. I was tempted to go for crash
and burn tactics to gamble but settled for 10/10ths driving to secure our position.
After Stage 2 we were 25th and quite happy with the situation. Whilst on the
start line a Mk1 escort smoked by with a trail like a formula 1 car in the rain
behind it. Thinking to myself that it could possibly be out of the rally and
we should move up a place (not very sporting but come on it goes through our
minds) I forgot to think about the oil laying on the track. After 2 180 degree
spins into chicanes and the very real threat of getting a 30 second penalty
for touching bales or cones I still didn't twig that there was oil on the track
and came off thinking the rear brakes were grabbing. Derek and Katy cheered
me on as I stopped with inches to spare backwards into their chicane. First
gear was selected before we were stopped and not much time was lost. Back in
service had a lot of people scratching their heads as Chris Leeming had spun
mysteriously and bent his steering having wiped out a chicane and parked in
the grass. Thinking he could take a maximum and get back out he fixed the rack
only to be pulled and excluded by the organisers. They wouldn't even let him
continue out of the results. It suddenly dawned on us all that it must have
been the oil from the now retired Escort and on the next stage we could see
a black film on most of the racing line around the course. The spins had dropped
us to 28th which worried me until I saw that there was 17 seconds between us
and 20th position and 6 between 25th. It was going to be close.
Lorraine Leeming was flying and into the top 20. The rest of the day was good
with us clawing back second by second to get us to 20th again, the car was going
well and the oil disappearing but I was really having to work at it. The penultimate
stage saw Lorraine blow up big time and deposit her engine all over the track
just on the braking area for a chicane. Warned about this we went out on the
last stage.
We were consistent with our times but still only good enough for 18th O/A and
5th in class. Still a good day and considering that it was so fast out there
we held our own again mixing it with some quick cars.
So, the end of one part of the ANCC championship and it looks as if I will
finish 3rd in class and Emma will get 2nd in class for the single venue championship.
Not bad for our first year in a home built bitsa car.