Rounds 22 & 23 - Blyton Park, 2nd & 3rd September

Lincolnshire Sausage
I’m looking out of the window of our delightful B&B, and our car has disappeared.  No wait.  The whole car park has disappeared!  A blanket of thick fog has descended upon Lincolnshire.  It takes us a whole six minutes to cover the 1½ mile journey to Blyton Park.  Not only does the fog slow our progress, but the pot-holed access road requires avoiding action.  Thankfully, Richard Usher has spent the tarmac budget on the circuit rather than the access road.

There’s another four TVR competitors awaiting us when we arrive.  Stevie D’s dazzling white 1600M lights the way to our designated paddock area.  Blower’s mk7.5 front splitter in shiny aluminium also catches the eye in the gloom.

As we’re tackling one of the configurations we’ve not done before – the Eastern Circuit – we decide we need to see where it goes.  Despite the fog, there’s just enough visibility to see that the first corner is now actually a hairpin.  This goes through a tricky chicane, then leads onto a sweeping and tightening curve, leading back into the Wiggler on the more familiar Outer Circuit. I make a prediction to Davey: “Blower will rip his new splitter off on that the big sausage shape kerb there!”

The fog takes ages to lift, but we’re blessed with glorious sunshine when it does (the Blower effect?), and a revised start time of 10:30.  First practice runs are uneventful and cautious, as we all feel our way around the new layout.  The second run sees everyone knock lumps out of their times, with the exception of Blower who has knocked lumps out of his front splitter. Where? About fifty yards before the predicted sausage kerb, not slowing down enough where the curve tightens.

Practice over, and even with the delayed start, first timed runs are before lunch.   Stevie D pulls up to the start line ahead of me.  The light goes green, and what, that’s not his usual spritely launch.  He has come to a halt just beyond the line.  The marshals push him out of the way, while I try to clear my mind and go for it.

I return to the pits, and after swapping drivers with Jo, head over to see what the problem is with Stevie.  “No drive” is the reply.  He puts it in gear and engages the clutch – the engine is revving, but the car’s going nowhere. A quick look underneath shows the driveshaft is spinning, so it’s the diff then.  “I’ve got a spare one at home”, he remarks.  “You’ll have to do a Stallard then” is the reply.

Jo returns back to the pits sheepishly, having spun and recorded no time.  Dave similarly shrugs his shoulders, and wanders off to the timekeeper’s hut to offer to pay for the timing gear he’s just demolished.  We help push Stevie’s car onto the trailer so he can get home and start repairs. Jo plugs the times into the spreadsheet, and we have joint leaders! Me and Rob on the same handicap time. The only other “place” is Rich, a few seconds off the pace, but he’s looking forward to his lunch of Lincolnshire sausage casserole.

Second timed run, and Jo gets a “banker” to go into third place.  Blower and I are slower.  Rob gains a second to leap into a clear lead. And Davey spins again – thankfully there’ll be a third run to register a time, but the pressure’s on.

Jo finds a second and is threatening the number one slot.  Rob is marginally slower, but it’s too close to calculate in my head.  Blower is a smidgen off his first time, I’m a lot slower, and Davey finally records a time.  Only enough for 22 points, but at least it counts.  Numbers algorithmed and Jo is a tenth behind Rob.  That’s his third win this year – the boy’s doing good.

We have a jovial evening in the pub.   Rob has a Lincolnshire sausage in his mixed grill, and graciously accepts all the cider I’m buying him to try and prevent him beating us by too much tomorrow.  Blower and I meet up for breakfast – Lincolnshire sausages all round as we discuss TVRs with the landlord (he has a Cerb and a T350).

We amble over to the circuit, this morning bathed in sunshine from the start.  Low and behold, there’s a dazzling white 1600M lighting the way to the paddock.  Stevie has successfully achieved a “Stallard” completing his diff swap at 9.30 last night, while Rob was probably on his sixth pint.  You’re a hero Stevie – well done.

Practice for the more traditional “Outer Circuit” starts promptly.  We could even be finished by lunchtime.  Everyone puts in a banker.  I get a rerun which helps me post a time five seconds ahead of everyone else. In practice two, everyone else makes huge gains, while I only find just under a second, enough to retain the lead, but only just.

Timed runs come round quickly, and everyone improves further.  Oh, apart from Blower who throws himself at the scenery again.  I find 1½ seconds to stay in the lead, but Jo is snapping at my heels.  Second timed runs, with incremental improvements for most, but a significant 1½ better for Rob, who is targeting a double. 

Jo and Rob are clearly colluding for a repeat of yesterday.  In the final run, Jo spins to give Rob a rerun on warm tyres.  I follow Rob to the line, and try to keep an eye on his time.  But the start line marshals are urging me forward, out of view of the timing screen.  Rob crosses the line and his facial expressions give nothing away.  I don’t know whether he’s done it or not, so I have to try.  A bit ragged here.  A touch off line there.  0.4 slower than my previous run. 

Nervously, I trundle back to the paddock to find out what’s happened.  Rob has found 0.3.  Relief, jubilation, thankful for the extra pints I got him last night – his time is good enough for a close third place.  Jo’s second again. I finally get my first win of the year.  And we’re finished in time for lunch – go on, put some Lincolnshire sausages on it.

Shunter

(Photography: Peta Marshall, Stephen Morrison: www.on-track.co.uk)