Our five competitors were meant to consist of Jes, Gerald, TN Watson, Shunter and Jo, so that would be 25 points for Jes, and the rest of us enjoying the sunshine and scrabbling round for the minor placings.
But Jes cried off with “clunking” noises discovered at the Classic Marques Goodwood event the day before, so the potential for good points and trophies was back on the cards for the remainder of us.
However, HoBa made a meteoric rise up the reserve list (coming from 17th place to 2nd the day before the event) and was advised to turn up anyway. With Jes’s retirement, he made it onto the entry list. So that would mean 25 points for HoBa, and the rest of us enjoying the sunshine and scrabbling round for the minor placings.
But Jes cried off with “clunking” noises discovered at the Classic Marques Goodwood event the day before, so the potential for good points and trophies was back on the cards for the remainder of us.
However, HoBa made a meteoric rise up the reserve list (coming from 17th place to 2nd the day before the event) and was advised to turn up anyway. With Jes’s retirement, he made it onto the entry list. So that would mean 25 points for HoBa, and the rest of us enjoying the sunshine and scrabbling round for the minor placings.
Everyone used practice for practice. Gerald was thankful he had been made to walk the, very lengthy, course in the morning as it meant he knew where the chicanes were. TN Watson was cursing he’d not walked the course, as the big 2nd gear chicane he’d remembered from two years ago is now a less severe 3rd gear in and out. At least he’d improve on the next runs.
Shunter and Jo were within the obligatory 1 second of each other with Shunter just ahead. While HoBa was out in front, but already reciting the Racing Drivers’ Book Of Excuses – apparently his car was only running on 7½ cylinders.
Everyone improved for second practice. TN Watson didn’t need the sat nav to find his way round this time, Shunter and Jo found 3 seconds, and were still within 1 second of each other (Shunter just ahead), and HoBa was up front, but now complaining that his experimental 888s were not as good as the Kumhos.
We all spent a very pleasant lunchtime soaking up the sun, discussing the merits of spam done on the barbeque (try it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised). The conditions were perfect for the afternoon’s timed runs, and spirits were high.
TN Watson was staying locally with friends, and I think he was already looking forward to one or three pints of the local brew in the beer garden of their local pub. All sense of “getting a banker in” seemed to slip from his mind as he proceeded to spin at the awkward last chicane, taking out several cones, only to press on trying to make up time through the wiggles, which wiggled too much, meaning he found out that the gravel does what it’s meant to – preventing the car from hitting the barrier when he left the track. Thankfully for Pete, no damage. Thankfully for the rest of us, they made him drive back on the grass so the collected gravel didn’t drop onto the circuit.
Shunter and Jo found another 2 seconds and were now within 0.1 seconds (Jo just ahead), and HoBa was up front, now claiming the 888s were pretty good as they break away more progressively than the Kumhos.
The last timed run came round quickly, with everyone still focussed. Gerald improved again, eventually knocking off a massive 11 seconds from his first practice, and gaining his second highest points of the year, which for his first time at this tricky circuit is a fabulous result.
TN Watson got his “banker”, but would have been cursing his double-off while enjoying the beer that evening.
Shunter and Jo found another 2 seconds, and were within ¼ second (Shunter just ahead), and HoBa was up front to claim the…no, wait, he’s third! The Hunter-Briars rivalry had momentarily passed him by, so Jes’s retirement meant a “miserly” 24.85 points with the trophies going to Shunter and Jo.
Hethel really is the best of venues when the weather’s like this. Enjoying the sunshine, and scrabbling around for the (not so) minor placings.
Go on, put some numbers on it.
Shunter
Shunter and Jo were within the obligatory 1 second of each other with Shunter just ahead. While HoBa was out in front, but already reciting the Racing Drivers’ Book Of Excuses – apparently his car was only running on 7½ cylinders.
Everyone improved for second practice. TN Watson didn’t need the sat nav to find his way round this time, Shunter and Jo found 3 seconds, and were still within 1 second of each other (Shunter just ahead), and HoBa was up front, but now complaining that his experimental 888s were not as good as the Kumhos.
We all spent a very pleasant lunchtime soaking up the sun, discussing the merits of spam done on the barbeque (try it, you’ll be pleasantly surprised). The conditions were perfect for the afternoon’s timed runs, and spirits were high.
TN Watson was staying locally with friends, and I think he was already looking forward to one or three pints of the local brew in the beer garden of their local pub. All sense of “getting a banker in” seemed to slip from his mind as he proceeded to spin at the awkward last chicane, taking out several cones, only to press on trying to make up time through the wiggles, which wiggled too much, meaning he found out that the gravel does what it’s meant to – preventing the car from hitting the barrier when he left the track. Thankfully for Pete, no damage. Thankfully for the rest of us, they made him drive back on the grass so the collected gravel didn’t drop onto the circuit.
Shunter and Jo found another 2 seconds and were now within 0.1 seconds (Jo just ahead), and HoBa was up front, now claiming the 888s were pretty good as they break away more progressively than the Kumhos.
The last timed run came round quickly, with everyone still focussed. Gerald improved again, eventually knocking off a massive 11 seconds from his first practice, and gaining his second highest points of the year, which for his first time at this tricky circuit is a fabulous result.
TN Watson got his “banker”, but would have been cursing his double-off while enjoying the beer that evening.
Shunter and Jo found another 2 seconds, and were within ¼ second (Shunter just ahead), and HoBa was up front to claim the…no, wait, he’s third! The Hunter-Briars rivalry had momentarily passed him by, so Jes’s retirement meant a “miserly” 24.85 points with the trophies going to Shunter and Jo.
Hethel really is the best of venues when the weather’s like this. Enjoying the sunshine, and scrabbling around for the (not so) minor placings.
Go on, put some numbers on it.
Shunter
RSS Feed