Getting out Jetsetted by LA Rob, Points!!! and Slightly Aggrieved (not Mad) Max.
It is still not clear to me why I had to go to Houston for a fortnight but I did and in order to get back in time for Oulton this involved an overnight flight into Hellrow, a mad dash into Camden to change bags and up on the train to Crewe, arriving somewhat smelly, straight into the, by now very many blues, 74 car and out into the Chesire parklands to try and learn the Oulton layout. At the head of the championship folks were pounding out laps some 2-3 secs below the lap record and now with a few miles under my generous belt my times were also coming down with every lap.
Matt?s dreams of a maiden championship were left behind in the barriers at Silverstone but I had recently been informed that my consistently sluggish races to date had put me in the frame for the other end of season gong, Highest Place Novice. Being an engineer and therefore not to be trusted with numbers and complicated stuff like adding up. I took it on trust and this trust was rewarded when my nemesis in the 91 car showed up round the truck with much gentlemanly pre-race expressions of good luck and may the best man win and all that. Being largely concerned about not getting in people?s way up to now this development rather set me back a bit, could it be possible that after all of the tail-out stupidity to date that there might be a prize on offer? My previous sang froid was now boiling with anticipation and I?m now profoundly worried that we had not, as yet, had to fix anything on the car.
Qualifying
It?s a long lap at Oulton in a Locost, 2m 08sec was the lap record, and even at that pace you don?t get many in a 13min session. I still hadn?t put in a decent turn when the red flag came out and with 5mins left on the session upon restart it would need to be two quick ones, well for me anyway, and an out lap to get anywhere. At the same time Max was tearing it up in the front group, head down and couple of brave pills at Island and I got a 17th and a 20th out of my laps. Not too shabby.
Oulton Park Race 1
With the points starting at 16th and 17th on the grid, there was a reasonable chance of points today. Typically the ninth row of the grid was a long way from flat and again my start left a lot to be desired: and even that?s only if you are in the vanishing small (but tasteful) minority that considers me to be desirable, as that?s exactly what was left on the start line, me, bugger.
Survival was foremost on mind in the first lap as Locosts battle commenced with cars spearing each other into the scenery. LA Rob had flown in especially for this race and rather bravely, a couple of All Comers later in the afternoon, and with four races on his dance card today I could feel the pain radiating off the remains of the 47 car, laid up in bits by the barrier on the first lap.
By lap two I was up to 15th and gathering (or rather maintaining) momentum however a spinning Welshman in the 41car forced me onto to grass at Knickerbock and I fell back down to 18th but a few more retirees, spinners and one instance of two locosts mating like dogs in the street, which I was sure would bring out the red flag had me back up to 15th for laps 5&6. Reeling in the yellow peril of the 93 car was relatively straightforward but passing the erratic machine might be more challenging however with a final brave pill I managed to keep the gas pedal firm to the floor round Island and a wee chink in the door became a mile wide and I was easily through in one piece and into 12th on the final lap. Best result ever, beating my pie loving teenage nemesis down into 15th.
Oulton Park Race 2
With five empty slots on the gird from the carnage of the previous race my 20th was actually 15th and already in the points however the customary poor start left me in 23rd after the first lap and despite having a better drive than the first race the places would not come however my principal competitor for the novice class in the 91 car was visible up the road and although I couldn?t seem to make up place in the overall, Max was coming back to me at a rate of a car or two, each lap. By the final couple of laps I was right behind him, drafting him closer than I had ever attempted, or even considered prudent, beforehand. Going up the hill to druids I had a good tow and moving the 74 car into the clear air I expected to pass him comfortably before the corner however once in the clean air my progress was negative and I seemed to be going backwards. With laps rapidly running out I stuck the 74 car up the inside at Druids, forcing Max wide and I managed to hold onto the minor tank slapper that resulted from the quasi desperate lunge. I planted the throttle however there was clearly something amiss in the oily bit in front of me as the previously gutsy little motor fell off a cliff in puff of white engine smoke. I tried to trundle round to collect a finish but the up hill run from druids was beyond the broken bottom end of my engine and I pulled over for my first DNF since Mallory. Maximus however was unable to full advantage of my despair finishing a creditable but pointless 17th Leaving the race for top rookie wide open going into the final round of the championship at Snetterton, watch this space?
