TVR Speed Championship 2021
Round Thirteen
Lydden Hill 18th September 2021
Round Thirteen
Lydden Hill 18th September 2021
Lydden Hill is a long way from Somerset; 178 miles to be precise. However, it is dual carriageway and motorway almost from my front door to the circuit entrance, which should make it an easy journey, especially in good weather. With the top down, “The Griffalo” will cruise quite happily at the legal limit(ish), whilst still returning a reliable 25+ miles per gallon, another great benefit of having the Canems ECU fitted by Lloyd’s Specialist Developments. That is of course, until the climate-activists block the M25, forcing me to divert and spend another 40 minutes polluting the atmosphere with mainly irony, whilst I endeavour to reach my destination. That extra time allows my mind to wander, and wonder how small the carbon footprint of my 23 year old Griffalo is now, compared to that of producing a new lithium-powered, silicone infested Polestar or the like?
I’ve always wanted to visit Lydden. As a teenager, I loved the winter Saturday afternoon’s when BBC1 finally deigned to show some motorsport on Grandstand, and my favourite was always the Rallycross from this mythical land of Lydden Hill. With Barry Gill and others commentating on the likes of Jan De Rooy with his Daf 55 coupe taking on Tom Airey in his Mini Cooper, the racing and venue always looked so intense and exciting. And at other times, it was a pure race circuit where even the likes of James Hunt would compete, and it was indeed here that he would win his first ever race.
Roll on nearly 50 years, and here I am, finally entering the paddock situated in this natural, gladiatorial amphitheatre. Lydden sits in a bowl, and the whole circuit can be seen from any of the spectator areas. At just under a mile long, it is the shortest race circuit in the country, but I had been warned from the outset, that it is intense and unforgiving, with little run-off, tyre walls and huge kerbs to keep one’s attention alive.
I am greeted by the ever-smiling Mark Harris, and the jovial Steve Cox and his wife Sue. Harry is in his MX5, and Coxy in his Golf R, but talk soon progresses on to how they both miss their TVR’s, and how they both have plans to get back into competing in them as soon as possible. I sympathise with their plight; There is nothing like a TVR on track, especially when that track is yours alone, with no traffic or excuses to worry about, just you and the clock. It is the purest form of motorsport, where every lap must be driven like your best-ever qualifier, with no quarter given.
I am the only TVR here. The only V8 powered car here. We are becoming a bit of a rarity these days. So even I should be able to win the 25 points for my TVR Speed Championship campaign. I start to think that this might be a hollow victory, but then realise that I am in Class A5; 2wd cars over 2300cc, List 1A or 1B tyres, and there is still the honour of The Griffalo to fight for. Some tough opposition too; Alfa 4C, Porsche 911 GT3 and Boxster S, Renault Alpine GTA, Renault Megane R26, Nissan GTST, and a host of hot MX5’s including Harry’s. Most of them are stripped out and on 1B tyres, and having inspected the circuit on my walk, I’m not convinced how my 1A Michelin Pilot Sport 4’s will stand up to the abrasive surface.
Not enough time to worry, pump the pressures up 3 psi a side, and see how it goes. I normally find that I’m quite quickly on the pace at a new circuit, with a semi-photographic memory of any video I may have studied (normally Firth’s, just to scare myself) helping me through each twist and turn. But a video doesn’t really show gradient and camber, or surface changes, and it is these that grab my attention during my practice run. Not bad though, 3rd place and a second ahead of the Boxster S.
After a quick self-debrief, and a chat with Harry, it’s out for the first timed run. Somehow, I go slower than my first unsighted practice; How can that be? I slip to 4th behind the Porsche. Got to be lack of energy affecting my concentration, so it’s off to the butty van which I discover to be another delight of Lydden. Great all-day breakfast baguette and coffee, all at a reasonable price.
Walking back up the hill to The Griffalo, I try and work out where I can make up time. The start from the paddock exit and run to the first corner are all good, it’s hard on the brakes into Pilgrims, down to third and turn in late, grab the second apex and let the car run wide through the aptly-named Chesson’s Drift, accelerating right on the limit of the left rear tyre to get into 4th, then hard on the brakes and down to 3rd for Devil’s Elbow. This is a real drifty corner with understeer on the way in, then using the power to balance it into a 4-wheel drift to maximise the exit speed up the hill to North bend. Try and be smooth here, not too deep into the corner and get a smooth exit to gain as much speed down Hairy Hill. It’s a real toss-up between grabbing 4th for torque or keep it in 3rd and accept the 5-litre straining at the top end of it’s rev- range before hard on the brakes again for the turn-in to Paddock Bend. It needs to be later than you think here, avoid the inside kerb (more like a small wall, really) and expect the car to go light and into oversteer on the exit, then hard on the power, grabbing 4th as we approach Pilgrims for the second time. The finish line is halfway up the hill to North Bend, then it’s quietly back to the paddock for a calm down – for both car and driver!
I’ve always wanted to visit Lydden. As a teenager, I loved the winter Saturday afternoon’s when BBC1 finally deigned to show some motorsport on Grandstand, and my favourite was always the Rallycross from this mythical land of Lydden Hill. With Barry Gill and others commentating on the likes of Jan De Rooy with his Daf 55 coupe taking on Tom Airey in his Mini Cooper, the racing and venue always looked so intense and exciting. And at other times, it was a pure race circuit where even the likes of James Hunt would compete, and it was indeed here that he would win his first ever race.
Roll on nearly 50 years, and here I am, finally entering the paddock situated in this natural, gladiatorial amphitheatre. Lydden sits in a bowl, and the whole circuit can be seen from any of the spectator areas. At just under a mile long, it is the shortest race circuit in the country, but I had been warned from the outset, that it is intense and unforgiving, with little run-off, tyre walls and huge kerbs to keep one’s attention alive.
I am greeted by the ever-smiling Mark Harris, and the jovial Steve Cox and his wife Sue. Harry is in his MX5, and Coxy in his Golf R, but talk soon progresses on to how they both miss their TVR’s, and how they both have plans to get back into competing in them as soon as possible. I sympathise with their plight; There is nothing like a TVR on track, especially when that track is yours alone, with no traffic or excuses to worry about, just you and the clock. It is the purest form of motorsport, where every lap must be driven like your best-ever qualifier, with no quarter given.
I am the only TVR here. The only V8 powered car here. We are becoming a bit of a rarity these days. So even I should be able to win the 25 points for my TVR Speed Championship campaign. I start to think that this might be a hollow victory, but then realise that I am in Class A5; 2wd cars over 2300cc, List 1A or 1B tyres, and there is still the honour of The Griffalo to fight for. Some tough opposition too; Alfa 4C, Porsche 911 GT3 and Boxster S, Renault Alpine GTA, Renault Megane R26, Nissan GTST, and a host of hot MX5’s including Harry’s. Most of them are stripped out and on 1B tyres, and having inspected the circuit on my walk, I’m not convinced how my 1A Michelin Pilot Sport 4’s will stand up to the abrasive surface.
Not enough time to worry, pump the pressures up 3 psi a side, and see how it goes. I normally find that I’m quite quickly on the pace at a new circuit, with a semi-photographic memory of any video I may have studied (normally Firth’s, just to scare myself) helping me through each twist and turn. But a video doesn’t really show gradient and camber, or surface changes, and it is these that grab my attention during my practice run. Not bad though, 3rd place and a second ahead of the Boxster S.
After a quick self-debrief, and a chat with Harry, it’s out for the first timed run. Somehow, I go slower than my first unsighted practice; How can that be? I slip to 4th behind the Porsche. Got to be lack of energy affecting my concentration, so it’s off to the butty van which I discover to be another delight of Lydden. Great all-day breakfast baguette and coffee, all at a reasonable price.
Walking back up the hill to The Griffalo, I try and work out where I can make up time. The start from the paddock exit and run to the first corner are all good, it’s hard on the brakes into Pilgrims, down to third and turn in late, grab the second apex and let the car run wide through the aptly-named Chesson’s Drift, accelerating right on the limit of the left rear tyre to get into 4th, then hard on the brakes and down to 3rd for Devil’s Elbow. This is a real drifty corner with understeer on the way in, then using the power to balance it into a 4-wheel drift to maximise the exit speed up the hill to North bend. Try and be smooth here, not too deep into the corner and get a smooth exit to gain as much speed down Hairy Hill. It’s a real toss-up between grabbing 4th for torque or keep it in 3rd and accept the 5-litre straining at the top end of it’s rev- range before hard on the brakes again for the turn-in to Paddock Bend. It needs to be later than you think here, avoid the inside kerb (more like a small wall, really) and expect the car to go light and into oversteer on the exit, then hard on the power, grabbing 4th as we approach Pilgrims for the second time. The finish line is halfway up the hill to North Bend, then it’s quietly back to the paddock for a calm down – for both car and driver!
I try and put that all into practice for my 2nd timed run. It works and I slip ahead of the Porsche by 0.7sec. I’m down to 86.20sec, surely I can get into the 85’s, in fact I probably need to, to stay in front of him. The 3rd timed run nets me 86.07s; this is just painful, but at least the Porsche has gone slower. Its probably going to be decided on the last run.
My 4th run is going well, then a red flag! I’m duty bound to back off and return to the paddock where I’m directed straight through to the start line for a re-run. Disaster! My tyres are already very hot, especially that left rear. But I have to go for it, and hope it hangs on. It does, until halfway round Chesson’s Drift where it induces a lurid slide, but it clings on just enough to record 84.45sec for my final run. 3rd in class and ironically, it was the Porsche that spun and brought out the red flag, so 3rd was already mine!
What a great day’s motorsport I’d had at this iconic track, and a trophy to show for it. An easy drive home made the day perfect. The next day I wondered how I would have faired had the best competition been here, and it transpired that I had put in a handicap time just 0.42s behind Jes Firth’s ultimate lap. The great thing about the TVRCC Speed Championship, is that even without any other TVR’s being present, one can always work out how competitive your day’s work has been.
But it is so much better with real competition! Please come and join us; Stop polishing and start sprinting; As the great Ari Vatanen recently said, “A spotless car is like a lifeless life!”
If you like your TVR on the road, you’ll LOVE it on the track; Go on, put some numbers on it!
Mark Everett
My 4th run is going well, then a red flag! I’m duty bound to back off and return to the paddock where I’m directed straight through to the start line for a re-run. Disaster! My tyres are already very hot, especially that left rear. But I have to go for it, and hope it hangs on. It does, until halfway round Chesson’s Drift where it induces a lurid slide, but it clings on just enough to record 84.45sec for my final run. 3rd in class and ironically, it was the Porsche that spun and brought out the red flag, so 3rd was already mine!
What a great day’s motorsport I’d had at this iconic track, and a trophy to show for it. An easy drive home made the day perfect. The next day I wondered how I would have faired had the best competition been here, and it transpired that I had put in a handicap time just 0.42s behind Jes Firth’s ultimate lap. The great thing about the TVRCC Speed Championship, is that even without any other TVR’s being present, one can always work out how competitive your day’s work has been.
But it is so much better with real competition! Please come and join us; Stop polishing and start sprinting; As the great Ari Vatanen recently said, “A spotless car is like a lifeless life!”
If you like your TVR on the road, you’ll LOVE it on the track; Go on, put some numbers on it!
Mark Everett