SPA Classic 2014

Spa Classic : Sixties Endurance 2hr Race

Car:- Aston Martin DB2 Lightweight Le Mans spec 1951

Drivers:- Glynn Allen & Tim Stamper.

Weather dry and warm.

Free Practice:- 

As we were not allowed into the race circuit on the Friday morning we missed the free practice session at 9.00am. We finally got into the circuit at 9.20am after the organisers brought the passes out to us in Francorchamps. We had been at the track for 7am but were amazed that we as the drivers were not allowed in to the circuit CRAZY.

On the Saturday again we could not get into the circuit with the car which had all our racing kit etc. in fact they wanted us to park our car in P14 near La Source and put the trailer about 2 miles away at the other end of the circuit. Then expect us to carry all the race kit to the paddocks!!!!!!!. Not very impressive.

This put us on the back foot for the whole week end as we need to sort out brake issues and server wheel balance problems.

Qualifying Friday 40mins:-

Grid  = 57

Position =  53

Best Lap = 3.34

Lap time was well down to very server front end vibration which we think was due to an un balanced spare wheel.

The Race Saturday 2 hrs

Results :-

Grid  =  57

Start Position:- 53.

Best Lap Time = 3.24.

Position :- 2nd overall Sixties Endurance on Performance of Index.

                  4th Overall Pre 63 GT.

                  1st in Class.

As there was only the two of use covering support pit support etc we were very please with the result and we both had great fun with a lot of close racing during the 2 hour race. I had a particularly good time over taking many cars over the first few laps moving from 53 on the grid up to 37th position. I also had a very enjoyable battle with a white Alfa GTA just managing to over take it and keep in front over the next few laps until handed over to Tim.

Overall Winner Sixties Endurance Scratch. We were next up for Index of Performance.

Other Paddocks:-

Overall and very enjoyable event with good racing and hospitality, great swing party with a live band and dancing. Just a pity the people on the entrances would not let the drivers in to race.

Donington Historic Festival May 2014

Donington Historic Festival May 2014.

Races :-

RAC Woodcote Trophy. 1 hr

Pre 63 GT : 1 hr

Historic Touring Car Challenge:  Race 1 = 30mins Race 2 = 30 mins.

Cars:-

Aston Martin DB2 Lightweight (1951 Le Mans Team car specification).

Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV Group 1 ETCC.

Drivers:-

Glynn Allen

Julian Bailey-Watts

Race Mechanic:- Darren.

Initial Race Prep & engine build Aston DB2 :- Four Ashes (see link on right)

Race Prep :- Fast Car Clinic

Pit Crew:- Jonathan, Ben, Darren.

Historic Touring Car Challenge 1966 to 1985.

This was the first time Julian and I had raced in this car, in fact it was the first time we had ever sat in the car, which is always a worry in a high profile race with mainly professional drivers.

Qualifying:-

We expected to be well off the pace as the car was not quite ready although Fast Car Clinic did a good job to give us a car that ran well over the weekend. We just need more power and torque, as the handling and brakes are excellent.

Grid = 18

Position = 17

Best Lap = 1.37.341  (6 secs per lap off the pace).

Race Results = 

Race 1 :-

Position :- 14

Best Lap:- 1.34.130 ( 4 secs off the pace).

Class 1B :- 4th


Race 2:-

Position :- 13

Best Lap :- 1.33.841 ( 2 Secs off the pace)

Class 1B :- 5th

The Alfa was great fun to driver and handled very well, we just need more power down the straights was the car was slow to pick up in 4th gear which I think was losing us about 4 secs a lap.

Julian drove very well and consistently, while my lap times were more mixed mainly due to the clutch pedal which on right hand drive Alfas comes out of the floor at a right angle and causes me some problems with the gear change.  Jonathan & Darren helped sort this out in stages but will need some more work around the problem.

The engine ran very well but was using oil so we will have a look at the piston rings and values and guides.

Pre 63 GT Race 

Qualifying:-

Grid :- 29

Position :- 26

Best Lap :- 1.33.731 (Best ever lap time at this circuit in this car).

Class C :- 3rd.

Results:-

Grid :- 29

Position :- 20

Best Lap :- 1.37.716 (JBW)

Class C :- 3rd

Drum Brake Class :- 1st 

For the race we put on new tyres all round as we were having problems getting the wheels tight on the hubs.

I drove first and it took several laps to scrub the tyres in and build up some speed, but just as the tyres were coming in there was a safety car for about 5 laps. Once the safety car period had finished I had a real problem of getting grip and could not match or even get close to the qualifying times.

Julian did a great job getting up to speed and brought the Aston home in 3rd in class and first drum brake car in the race.

We had a great race with the Porsche 365A of Wright/Clark, with some very close racing and much over taking. We just managed to get in front of them to take the Drum Brake win.

RAC Woodcote Trophy Race

Grid:- 30

Position:- 29

Best Lap:- 1.38.917

Class C :- 7th

We took it easy in qualifying as we new we had an issue with the front drums which were cracking very badly and we had very little left on the rear brake shoes.

We decided to change the front drums for some old ones which were not cracked. This in hindsight was a big mistake as the drums were not round and in the first lap of the race the car juddered violently on braking at the front end.

I decided to race without using the brakes and just managed to hang on at the back but once the leaders started to come through and I needed to brake I came in as it was not safe.

It was a pity as the car was running very well and we could have made are way through the field, as we new we had good pace in the car.

Thanks to Darren for doing all the extra work on 2 x cars over the weekend and for FourAshes for transporting the Aston to and from the event and race prep on the Aston.

Next Race :- Spa Sixties Endurance 2 hrs including Pre 63GT. May 2014.