13 April 2004

SOLID START AT THRUXTON

After testing I was only 16th and somewhat depressed; I'd driven hard to come nowhere. Having changed the car after testing and having studied the data I was pinning my hopes on a better result come qualifying. Fortunately this was the case, and I lined up fifth and seventh for rounds one and two respectively.

The first race was an absolute scorcher and, having survived the first lap carnage, I emerged fourth and we broke way from the pack with a spanking pace. Paul Rivett was passed for the lead and this dropped him to third, as he was gathering himself back together he made a slight error going up to Segrave and I passed him to take third. As Paul is so very very good in a Clio I was totally focused on keeping him at bay and even so we were closing on Ed Pead and my team-mate Jonathon Adam in second.

Having survived until the last lap I was nearly home and dry before Paul pulled a classic move on me going into Goodwood. Smarting somewhat I was totally committed going into Church and with two wheels on the grass at the exit pulled up to him and was going to lunge for the place when I saw the yellows being waved at the chicane! Game over... but with a solid finish and the second fastest lap of the race I was content enough.

Round two started badly as I was boxed in at the start and lost a load of places on the first corner. Having settled in the grove the pace car was called out to allow two cars to be cleared away at the complex and this bunched the field up. I knew this was going to be trouble -- and it was. At the restart there were too many people going for too little track and at the chicane I was fired off into the undergrowth and out of the top ten. After recovering I was really fired up, only to have the same thing happen again! Not my doing, just others out of control using me as a brake, gravel trap, barrier (delete as necessary).