SPA 6 Hours Sept 2010

Woodcote RAC Trophy Race 24th-26th Sept 2010

Weather:- Qualifying Wet and cool.   Race Very Wet and cool.

Qualifying:-

25th out of 44 cars in the qualifying session of 40 mins.

Best time in wet conditions on last lap of 3mins 55sec.

Track not too bad on the Friday, only wet with not too much oil.

The Holding area just before the start:-

The Race:-

DB2 lemans blue grill in centre No.43

Race:-    17th Overall,   5th in class C3.     Best Lap 4mins 05sec on lap 14.

I started the race which was a rolling start due to the large size of the grid. Entry to the track is via T4 with a slow part lap up to the gird.

Getting darker I put the lights on the next lap

Grid positions were sorted but for some reason one car in our class which qualified 10 places behind us and 5 rows back ended up 3 rows in front which in the poor conditions made a very big difference.

The race started under a safety car and was run under the safety car for 2 laps before the green flags were shown.

The track was very slippey and wet partly due to the previous race which had a number of big oil spills around the whole track and mostly on the racing line.

I managed to get sideways up eau rouge but managed to get it back before any major disaster. I also found it very tricky at the far end of the track before the decent into the double left.

I was in 22nd position when a spinner infront of me caused me to take an off track detour which allowed several cars to over take on the straight. I managed to catch up but could not get past in the poor conditions so I decided to pit and hand over to Adrian who is quicker then me.

I thought if we can have a quick pit change we can leap frog the cars which had passed me on the straight the previous lap and so it proved.

Adrian managed to gain more places towards the end of the race as the rain started to reduce.

We finally managed 17th overall and 5th in class although this should have been 16th overall and 4th in class except for the error in the grid start line up.

Very Heavy rain during the race Adrian in car?

We were happy to finish the race in one piece both us and the car. The car ran very well during the weekend with no issues which was very pleasing considering the rain.

Overall very enjoyable if some what challenging and I hope I will be back next year with a bit better weather.

Some other cars in the holding area just before the race:-

Stirling Moss Trophy Gold Cup Oulton Park

The Stirling Moss Trophy (MRL)  30th Aug 2010.

The weather was warm and dry with light scattered cloud.

The was a record attendance for this meeting with full grids, great race cars and drivers and very full
car parks with the track lined with spectators.

Car:- Aston Martin DB2 Lightweight Lemans 175 UXM

Qualifying:-  9.30am

Best Lap 2mins 22sec.

Grid Position:- 19th

Grid Size:-26

Class:- C2

DB2 Lightweight Lemans 175 UXM in very full paddock

Race Results:-

Best Lap 2mins 20sec.

Position 19th overall.

Class:- C2  3rd.

Prize presentations

Class C1   3rd  Sir Stirling Moss & Ian Nuttal with Duncan.

Class C2   3rd  Glynn Allen

Comments:-

I had a very enjoyable race with Ian Nuttal in the OSCA of Stirling Moss up to lap 14 when I managed to do a 180' coming out of druids but fortunately I was able to recover quickly and did not loose to much time.

Towards the end of the race I started to catch the DB3 belonging to Martin Melling and managed to get with with 1 sec of him at the chequered flag, the only problem as I was a lap down.

It was a pleasure to meet Sir Stirling Moss and it was very kind of him to sign my copy of the results sheet when I know he was much in demand throughout the day.

DB2 Le mans Light weight

Finally thanks to Motor Racing Legends for their organization and hospitality.

AMOC Oulton Park Historic Championship

Weather Dry and warm with light showers towards the end of the race.

DB2/4 MKII being pushed back down pit lane into parc firme.

Qualifying:-

Best Lap 2mins 22sec on 3rd lap.

The car was going very well and I had intended to go for the fastest lap on the 4th.
I was hoping for about a 2 min 18sec but the flywheel broke just coming into deers leap.

I was able to cost into the pits but the car was finished for season.

The engine will know have a rebuild and upgrade during the winter period at DAVRON.

I was hoping for a good result at Oulton and to push Ann Reed as much as possible to the end of the season, as it happens Ann had a gear box problem which allowed Jon Gross a well deserved win in his DB MKIII.

This was a big blow for my Historic Championship hopes both for overall or handicap 1st position.

My plan is to use my other DB2 for Donnington and hope for a good finish and try for the handicap win within the Championship.