Rounds 23 & 24 - Blyton Park, 8th & 9th September
Predicting results at our sprints is usually slightly more accurate than predicting the weather. The forecast was for rain on the Saturday (Eastern wiggly circuit) and dry on the Sunday (faster Outer circuit).
Results, therefore, would be Iain to win on
|
Saturday (because he’s a rain god) and Iain to win on the Sunday (because he’s really
good in the dry too). Minor placings: Dave B on Saturday (because he’s a rain demi-god) and me on the Sunday (because I always do well here).
|
Unknowns: “Hank” Hankins, who’d never competed in the rain before, and who’d never been to Blyton before. “Harry” Harris who’d never been north of Watford Gap before. Stevie Dennis who broke 27 diffs last year and didn’t manage to complete a timed run.
|
The weather forecast was remarkably accurate on Saturday. It rained. Lots. Iain remarkably span in first practice! I was remarkably in first, despite being rubbish in the wet. Unremarkably, nearly everyone had at least one spin. Remarkably, everyone went quicker during the day. Predictably, Iain won. Unremarkably, Geoff was second. Remarkably, I finished third, despite being rubbish in the wet.
Hank, Harry and Dave decided, despite a deluge of biblical proportions, that they would go for their third timed runs. |
Everyone else decided that they wouldn’t improve in these conditions. These three decided “well it’s seat time, isn’t it”. Unremarkably, Hank went slower, Harry went slower, and we’ll never know what Dave did because the timing gear packed up while he was heading for the finish line, and the timekeepers, unremarkably didn’t offer to go outside to fix it so he could have another run! Predictably, Geoff and I got soaked watching this spectacle. But it was fun.
|
We all dried out in the pub later. We couldn’t predict who would be spooning who with Harry and Howard sharing a room that night. I, predictably, had more than the requisite two pints.
|
The weather forecast was remarkably accurate on Sunday. It was fine, and the track dried out quite quickly. The top five were within spitting distance of each other during practice. Iain was, unremarkably in first. Jo had a welcome return to form in second, with me, Dave and Geoff just a little further behind. No problem, I predicted, I always put a blinder in on this circuit in the afternoon.
First timed runs were before lunch. Iain, |
predictably, put in a blinder – enough to secure the win from the outset. Hank, remarkably, forgot where he was, and braked too late for the ninety-right finish – sailing by in a cloud of tyre smoke. The upside, though, was his in-car-camera shot out from under the passenger seat – he’d been looking for that since his outing at
Lydden two months ago! Jo went a lot quicker. I went a bit quicker. Unpredictably, Dave went loads quicker, gaining a personal best. Anita must have had a word with him. No problem, I figured. I only
|
need one flying lap.
Second timed runs saw a mixed bag. Jo went faster still to get a PB. Hank got a banker. Harry got his quickest time of the day. Stevie D knocked a huge chunk off his PB. I span! Slowing for Wriggler from my fastest speed trap time of the weekend (103mph), I unremarkably didn’t make the corner! Maybe, predictably, the extra pint the night before didn’t improve my ability. |
As it was bone dry in the afternoon, predictably, everyone went out for their third timed runs. Only Hank managed to improve on his fastest time. As predicted, Iain was first. Remarkably, Jo was second with Dave was third.
The weather forecast was remarkably accurate. The predicted results of the two |
days less so. And we still haven’t found out who spooned who in Harry and Howard’s love nest!
Go on, put some numbers on it. Shunter (Photography: Tom Cork, Tony Hodgson, Shunter) |