Diary of a sprint Season Part 2- 2013

Fantastic report Lewis :broon: :broon: and no need for me to look at the track layout as your reporting is so evocative I felt as if I was behind the wheel as I read it. :yesnod: :yesnod:

Congratulations on yet another very hard earned victory. :beer: .... I can't wait for the next installment.

Pipped!! :bat:

I wont hold the suspense, I was beaten last sunday and only got second place

By 0.18 of a second :omg: , to put that into perspective try double tapping the stopwatch on your phone that fast,it probably translates to a bumpers length

Whilst i got back intot he 68s witha 68.89 matt managed to graba new PB witha 68.71, and all credit to him

Both of us stuffed the second run trying to go faster so he got the win

By way of compensation we both beat the two BMW M3s from the class above, which is a testament to the potential of the TF on a tight technical circuit like curby

Still ahead of him on championship points and running joint third in the championship overall after three rounds ( best six count so we are halfway) but its going to be close!! :drive:

Round 4 today Owen Graham Hill trophy Sprint

Single lapper this time, first this season, less to go wrong but also less chance to get it right either (if that makes sense).

Fantastic sunny weather and a bone dry track, a chance of some good times then,

but still smarting after losing to Matt last time my confidence slipped a bit :slapme: , have I hit a plateau to be overtaken, doomed to play second fiddle for the rest of the rounds??

Started off in practice with a low 39 to Matt's high 39 a good start but he admitted his was a scrappy run ( that old chestnut)

Second practice saw me into the 38s with a 38.99 (new PB), but I'm learning not to get complacent as the little beggar usually pulls something out the bag

Sure enough, a 38.71 and new PB for him saw me overtaken, good job its only practice!

Ok need to try something new but what?

Smooth running saw us offered a third practice run ( unusually) in the morning, a useful opportunity to try something new without risking a qualifying time ( so long as I dont stuff the car!)

Unfortunately Matt was thinking the same

Having misheard the call for our group and getting back to my car late, Matt was in front of me in the lineup instead of behind, couldnt see his time bit it turns out he came off trying to cut his time although I didnt discover that till afterwards

The first two laps had felt pretty tidy and an extra mile per hour across the line suggested the last turn was about right, so the only opportunity to find time was to be braver through the start straight and first lefthander. As Ive written before the lefthanders ok so long as you keep your foot in and dont do anything silly, the difficult bit is turning right again and not making a mess of the molehill (as I did at the last event and Matt I learned later had also just done!)

With an extra squeeze of the throttle along the straight into the lefthander, I kept my foot in and with the gentlest of steering inputs as taught by "the Don" we got through safely, I then avoided the last event's mistake of trying to carry too much speed into the molehill and instead braked heavily for a neat "slow in fast out" , a little wiggle on the way out and neat turn through the Fradley hairpin and bang through second and third on the back straight

38.28!! a new PB and massive drop in time for me

To put it into perspective thats quicker than the winner of the over 2 litres class ( next class up) Simon Hutchinson's winning time of 38.66 in an e46 m3 with 414 BHP from 2009

The class record held by my car is 37.02 set by Steve ( my cars previous owner) with over 30 years competition experience who campaigned the car with factory support

He was very congratulatory after the run ( he likes to keep an eye on his old car and me) and pointed out that to his recollection none of his double drivers have matched that time ( hes going to check)

Whilst I was ecstatic at the new pb this was still only practice it doesnt actually count for the day or championship points, although ordinarily it wouldnt have done , how ironic is that

Odds Are Id make a mistake trying to emulate it or beat it and it would be my turn to come off

Time for lunch, after my curry and chips I grabbed 40 winks and upon waking up spent a while with my eyes closed replaying the run in my head.

We lined up for the timed run and again I went for it through the first corner

38.27!!

Matt pull a 38.44 again a new PB for him but not enough this time!!

Iwas conscious the gap was only 0.17 seconds having been beaten by that much last time, and just how little lead it is, it wasnt in the bag yet!!

For the final run it was do or die and I was going to try to duck under 38, but whilst the entry into molehill was ok I wagged on the way out and lost time for a still respectable but not quite quick enough 38.44

I slowed on the return road as Matt approached the finish line so I could see the timer and held my breath......

"only "38.66

First place and still in the lead!! :woo2:

but damn its going to be close :sick: