Well it?s been 4 weeks since Oulton Park and it?s almost time to hit the road for the very long journey to Knockhill. But those 4 weeks have absolutely flown by and I have in fact had only 2 days off since Oulton Park Easter weekend; and for one of those I was testing at Silverstone!
The Silverstone test on the 21st April gave us a chance to have a run on the new Arena Grand Prix circuit over a week before its official opening by the Duke of Kent and the BRDC. We had three half hour exclusive sessions which were very good because it meant there were only other Formula Ford championship cars and drivers out on the circuit with the exception of the very experienced Nick Tandy who was having a run in one of his own JTR team cars and making the most of an opportunity to learn the new layout prior to his drive in July in the Porsche Super Cup at the British Grand Prix.
It was great to get back into the car again; any seat time wherever it is, is always very welcome and although we could have done with at least one more session to try out everything that we wanted to, I was still very happy with the progress that we made. It?s difficult to juggle testing with having to earn a living to help pay for my racing so I will make the most of all and any opportunities to gain data.
Talking of earning a living I had a very lucky escape whilst setting up the awning for the kart team at Whilton Mill the weekend before last. My brother Jon and I had literally just finished putting the awning up when without warning and totally unexpectedly on what was a beautiful and bright sunny day a huge tornado like gust of wind blew up lifting the whole awning off of the ground and swept me up with it! I was carried some twenty foot up into the air over the top of the team van and came crashing down on another team van before landing firmly on terra firma feet first! Yes I said in an earlier report you couldn?t make up some of the things that have been happening to me lately and I also now completely understand what is meant by the phrase ? the truth is stranger than fiction!?
I spent the next few hours in Northampton General Hospital being checked over and luckily apart from badly bruised feet and ankles was completely unscathed. I?d certainly had a lucky escape and whilst it is said that bad things happen in three?s and I?ve certainly had three setbacks with the pre-season hand problem, the car getting badly damaged in a freak accident at Oulton Park and now this, perhaps it?s also true that my guardian angel is looking out for me! Let?s hope so!!
I was initially worried that an ankle injury would prevent me from competing at Knockhill but everything seems to be recovering very well and I have driven my road car and indeed the team van again since without problems. In fact as soon as I was discharged from hospital I returned immediately to the circuit to help my brother clear up an incredible amount of mess and damage that had been caused by the mini cyclone that had lasted less than two minutes!
So now we have our sights very firmly set on Knockhill and whilst we made a great start to the year at Oulton Park I?m not for a second taking anything for granted; and I expect things to be extremely tough but the team and I will continue to work very hard to do the very best job that we possibly can.
Finally the amount of media attention that we have received recently via the websites and motorsport press such as Motorsport News and Autosport and of course the fantastic TV coverage of the opening rounds at Oulton Park is a real boon to us. We rely very much on raising the majority of our budget to race through our partners and for them to see that we are in the spotlight and being recognised by the media certainly helps our cause.
So we are off for the next of our next two races which are in other countries as immediately following rounds 4 to 6 at Knockhill we have rounds 7 & 8 at the fantastic Zandvoort Masters event in Holland in early June but I hope to be on here blogging again before then!
