Rounds 6 & 7 - Ty Croes, Anglesey, Saturday 29th & Sunday 30th April

A Science Experiment
Title: Is it possible to beat Dave Barrowclough at Ty Croes?
Hypothesis: It is not possible to beat Dave Barrowclough at Ty Croes.
Equipment:
  • Chimaera 450, Toyo R888Rs, double driven (JB, SH)
  • Chimaera 500, Toyo R888Rs (DB)
  • Cerbera 4.2, Toyo R888Rs (MH)
  • Saturday: National circuit x 2
  • Sunday: International circuit x1
  • Beakers (for coffee)
  • Tripod (for scoreboard)
  • No Bunsen burner was available for this experiment
Method:
1. Arrive early to walk the track. JB and SH arrived on the afternoon of the day before, so took a leisurely stroll around the track taking note of braking references and turning in points. MH got stuck in traffic and DB didn’t arrive till late, so they didn’t get chance to walk the track until Saturday morning, so this was a little rushed.
2. Do your preparation. JB and SH watched their previous years’ laps on video. DB watched Jes’s footage on YouTube. MH ate burgers and bacon butties.
3. Drive as fast as you can. JB achieved a personal best in 1st practice on Saturday. DB span at Rocket allowing SH ahead on handicap.MH had another burger.
4. Don’t run out onto the rumble strip at Fletchers. SH did, several times. DB did. JB didn’t notice.
5. Convert practice into a decent timed run. JB went quicker. SH went quicker.DB didn’t spin and went a lot quicker. Thinking about his next burger, MH went quicker.
6. Do(n’t) discuss tactics.The first left corner of Rocket has a negative camber.To get the line right for the second right corner, go slower into the first part.
7. Put your wing mirrors in. DB claims his are folded in because of the cover on his trailer! JB and SH moved theirs in as an experiment and gained an extra half second! MH has a Cerbera, so couldn’t.
8. Continue to improve. JB got her fastest time on the second timed run, which was enough for the win.MH got his fastest on the third timed run. DB went slower. SH improved with every run to just pip DB at the end.
9. Don’t drink too much the night before.Saturday evening, JB has a solitary glass of wine. SH and MH had several pints of the local ale. DB shared a bottle of proscecco with Ms P.
10. Arrive early to walk the track. MGCC NW run a fairly relaxed event, but still manage to get multiple runs in. Hence, early meant 9am, so everyone got to walk the International circuit on Sunday morning.
11. Drive as fast as you can. DB was on it from the start.Leading after practice, with JB snapping at his heels.
12. Do(n’t) discuss tactics. DB showed everyone Jes’s winning lap from 2015. Do’s: counterintuitively, don’t brake but change up to 4th to slow down for Target and Church. Don’t’s: drive like such a lunatic that requires you to look out the side window to see where you’re going.
13. Put your wing mirrors in. Big gains achieved again for JB and SH.
14. Don’t scare yourself. DB went slightly slower.
15. Read the Drivers’ Book of Excuses. Second timed run, JB was slower because she’d just had lunch.SH was slower because the brakes 16. were cold. DB was just slower.MH went quicker, all down to “little squirts” between corners!
17. Eat healthy food. MH went quicker because of a lovely strawberry and white chocolate flapjack.
18. Give it everything on the last run. JB couldn’t find any more, but had done enough for the win. DB went slower again, and his fastest timed run was annoyingly slower than practice. SH somehow found another half to pip DB again. MH went quicker.
19. Enjoy yourself. All competitors, other halves and friends gathered for a convivial evening of gourmet (frozen) pizza and alcohol.
Results:
  • Everyone got PBs on both days.
  • JB won both days.
  • SH was 2nd both days.
  • DB was 3rd both days.
  • MH had most to eat both days.
Conclusions:
The number of runs available on both days was statistically significant and gave every driver the opportunity to experiment with methodologies.

The weather for each run was the same for each driver, and no-one gained unfair advantage from better conditions.  The available video evidence used to improve performance was shared by all.

Everyone got a PB, suggesting everyone tried their hardest.
On both days, DB was beaten by not one but two other drivers.  The author therefore concludes that the hypothesis that “it is not possible to beat Dave Barrowclough at Ty Croes” is not supported. 

The author also concludes that sprinting is a whole heap of fun and that you should put some numbers on it.

Report Author: Shunter
References: The Drivers’ Book of Excuses, 23rd edition.
Photography: Peta Marshall