Round 1 at Silverstone

Hi Everyone!

The Dunlop Group 1 Classic Touring Car series kicked off last weekend at Silverstone, and I thought you may be interested to know how I got on. Below is a full race report, on-board footage from the race and some pics. Hope you enjoy it!
WARNING - Long post!

Introduction

It seems like an eternity now since I last raced back in July 2005, when an unfortunate coming together with a tyre wall at Lydden Hill ended my season. But now I?m back, in a new car, a new championship and raring to go!

From the weather forecasts all week leading up to the meeting, I knew it was likely to be my first, proper wet race. I took it as an opportunity seeing as the power advantage of the opposition wouldn?t be quite so obvious.

We arrived at the circuit at around 6:45am to clear blue skies! We had the use of the garages with a personal loo and everything, which was cool! Contrast that to pitching on a grass bank, as I have done in the past.

This was my first visit to the national circuit at Silverstone. The track condition was greasy, with standing water in places. Being the first out to qualify at 9am, I knew it was going to be like stepping on eggshells out there!

Qualifying
I made the mistake of not getting to the assembly area last. As such, I had most of the field behind me as we were led out into the circuit. Most of the time was spent looking in my mirrors as the clearly quicker, more experienced drivers roared past me.

Probably the most interesting and amusing qualifying session I?ve ever had! With over half the field being RWD on a very slippery, smooth surface like Silverstone, gracefully getting sideways and struggling for traction out of the long, never ending curves of Luffield and Becketts, it was different to say the least!

I was held up for quite a few laps by a yellow Capri, who on the straights powered away, but come anything resembling a corner, or even a mild curve, it was fishtail heaven baby! I was desperate to get past, not only so I could get my head down and get a half decent lap in, but for fear of collecting him as he span out of control!

Copse corner was a real butt clencher in these conditions! Even entering at a modest speed under a balanced throttle, the back end would swing out without any provocation. It was easy to catch, but it was impossible to really commit to it at any kind of speed. Luffield was another challenging corner and one you could spend an eternity getting right.

My session ended earlier than scheduled, when approaching copse, I didn?t realise until too late that the Mk1 Golf of Peter Nixon in front of me was travelling slowly with a mis-fire. I locked up the front wheels under braking and had to dive up the inside to avoid him. This evasive action caused me to spin on entry, very nearly front-ending the car on the armco! Phew! I came to rest in a very precarious position in the middle of Copse Corner, with Rover SD1?s and Capris over twice my weight, barrelling round the corner either side of me. The waved yellow didn?t offer much comfort! As hard as I tried, I could not get the car started again. The starter motor struggled to even turn the engine, so the marshalls pulled me to safety until the session officially ended. Then, as if by magic, the engine started again! Doh!

Despite all this drama, I was pleasantly surprised that I qualified in 14th place, out of 24. Within my class, I was slap bang in the middle, with Don Hughes and Chris Bray in front, and Peter Nixon and Hugh Poston behind me.

Race
On-board footage link (Right Click, SAVE AS):http://www.keith.grone…one%20Race%2026.03.06.wmv

Come the time of the race, the rain had held off and the track had completely dried. I was looking forward to really attacking the corners this time out. My nerves were building as I sat in the car waiting. At last, here I was once again after what seemed like too long!

I made a great start and got up alongside Andre Severs in his Renault 5 Gordini on the approach to Copse. On the charge down to Maggots, it became apparent the power deficit I had over everyone else. Half of the competitors who qualified behind me, no-doubt disadvantaged by the wet practice, were now bearing down! I managed to get in front of Andre?s Renault going into Becketts and held him there down the long Club Straight. At the same time, two Capris came tearing past. I was able to make up ground under braking, but my over exuberant driving and impatience getting back on the loud pedal coming out of Luffield saw Andre re-pass me. By this time, Peter Nixon in his Mk1 Golf had joined the party, who also took advantage from my poor exit out of Luffield.

The next 2 laps were probably some of the best racing I?ve experienced! What I lacked on the straights I made up for under braking, and I was able to get right inside both Peter and Andre going round Luffield. Andre then took me back approaching Copse, but I managed to keep Peter behind. Around Luffield once more and I got up alongside Andre down Club Straight. Peter was never far away though and seemed to go through the middle of us approaching Brooklands! I had the inside line however and managed to keep Peter at bay, but Andre?s better line saw him dramatically retake his place. I got another poor exit out of Luffield, which then allowed Peter to take me down the main straight.

I started to get a bit rugged in the following laps, which allowed Peter and Andre to pull a gap. It was then my problems got worse. The engine started spluttering and loosing power, intermittently at first, but over the course of the next 3 laps reduced me to a mobile chicane! I was determined to make it to the chequered flag, even if it was last place, but sadly in the interests of safety, I pulled off the circuit and retired a mere 3 laps from the end.

Back in the paddock, we discovered the fuel tank to be completely dry! Yes, I?d run out of fuel! We filled the tank for the race, based on what we had used in practice, which of course was not at full chat due to the conditions. The rest is rather embarrassing! On the positive side, my first race with the classic group one touring cars was truly an awesome experience, while I had fuel!! It certainly fills me with optimism and assurance that I have made the right decision. A valuable lesson in fuel strategies has been learned, and at least the car is in one piece!

Well almost!! While strapping the car to the trailer, the windscreen decided it was time to let go and shattered into a million pieces! It was the most bizarre thing I have ever seen. It still held it?s form, but continued to disintegrate before our very eyes! It was so floppy, that we eventually had to smash it all out and use two large refuse sacks to seal the resulting aperture for the journey home. Thanks to Andy Betson (Dex) for his makeshift solution! An interesting end to an interesting, but overall enjoyable day!

Acknowledgements
Big thanks to Andy Betson for his help and photography throughout the day!
My bro, Peter for his help, despite a burned, swollen foot!
Great to meet Chris Eyre from Club GTI, who gave me some valuable weight saving tips!
Last, but by no means least, my sincere appreciation goes to Andy Waters at AW Tracksport for all his help and support to get me back racing since my Lydden Hill crash!


Photography by Andy Betson - CGTI

Good for you mate!  That look like serious fun.  I do hope you keep us all posted throughout the season I for one will follow with great interest.
It's nice to see race footage without commentators uneducated ramblings.  Perhaps you could post a fixtures list for the season as I for one attend numerous racing events through the summer and it would be nice to tie up with this series.

Do you have any pics of the car and it's prep and spec for racing?

Keep up the good work, have fun and drive safe.

Nice one Keith! I always enjoy reading your updates
I actually worked for a BTCC production class team the 2000/2001 season and we ran out of fuel…. happens all the time mate…. (top tip do not work of the principle 1kg of fuel is roughly a litre… mistake learnt)  ops:    

Go kick some ass in the mk1 and make sure there is enough fuel next ime lol

veru cool mate  8)

watching the vid i cann see what you mean about the capri!

what spec is your motor??

Cheers guys!

Spec of car is currently bog standard 1.6 GTI. It's been blueprinted and rebored within the permissable limits of the Stock Hatch regs last year, but that's it!

I'm somewhat under-powered for this series at the moment, as you could tell from the video, although my raggedness did have some part to play as well !

Since that report, I have more news from round 2 at Snetterton, which took place over the weekend. Unfortunately, I only managed 5 laps of practice when the bottom end went on the engine!

At the time, it was soul destroying. Going all 170 odd miles to Snetterton only to do 5 laps, then go all the way home again. I've learnt that you have to take the rough with the smooth in this game. Something like this is enough to test anyone's resolve and commitment, but the good news is I'm more determined than ever!

I see this as a blessing in disguise, as now I have an excuse for more power! The engine is being rebuilt by AW Tracksport, who are supporting me this year along with another Mk1 they're running. It will have a bigger cam, bigger valves and flowed head, which should level the playing field! I'm confident that with this, and other improvements I plan to make (e.g. more weight savings, brakes and geometry setup), I can really make an impact in my class. That thought is what is spurring me on!

I'll keep you all updated on my progress!

Great vid of the Silvertone race, good to see you're back racing and that weren't the only mk1. Like the mix of 70's and early 80's cars, much better than all those dodgy plastic french things you had to look at last year

Good luck with the new engine.

superb video…I couldn't help leaning in my chair round all those bends and I think I have a hole in my sock from trying to brake for you..
Best of luck with the engine rebuild

Lilo said

superb video…I couldn't help leaning in my chair round all those bends and I think I have a hole in my sock from trying to brake for you..
Best of luck with the engine rebuild

     

Cheers!

Sounds like you had fun.

you really need that extra power. you overtake people easily on the corners and they just get you back on the straights.

Good luck.

Will

well it's about time we had an update  :wink:

what brakes are you running? was a few times in the video I thought there's no way your going to avoid the back of that car   (well, not with standard Mk1 brakes surely)

Awesome! Ditto the comments on the brakes, I was holding on to my desk!

Cheers,

Drew.