27 April 2004

BRANDS HATCH ROBBERY

With clear skies and soaring temperatures, the weekend was lovely for watching some good motor racing. On track the rising temperatures were playing havoc with the Clio's handling and cries of 'understeer, understeer' were regularly heard reverberating around the paddock. We were in pretty good shape during testing and I managed to qualify seventh and fifth for rounds three and four respectively on Saturday morning - despite spinning at Clark curve on my best lap and subsequently flat-spotting my two new front tyres...

With the first race being on Saturday afternoon we were soon lining up on track. I was once again boxed in off the start and was eighth on the first lap. However, the car was working well and I soon passed Curley, cleanly (more of this later) and then set about Vince Martin, who was driving a very wide Clio, and we enjoyed some close racing before I managed to slice past on the brakes going into Paddock.

I was then faced with Steven Hunter, who was struggling with grip but made it very hard for me to pass. I eventually managed it by taking the high line into Paddock and cutting down to gain the advantage into Druids. Setting off in pursuit on the leading four was a vain effort but I closed the gap toward the end and the car was consistently good right up to the finish. I was satisfied with a solid run and good racecraft on a track that is hard to pass on.

Some 24 hours later we commenced round five, and I enjoyed a good start from row three, kept out of trouble through Paddock and was lucky to avoid my spinning team-mate at Druids, which left me in a handy third position.

Pead and Rivett were setting a scorching pace at the front and my tyres were not up to their pace, despite that I was controlling third position comfortably although the gaps were all nullified with the arrival of the safety car, which allowed the marshals to scrape various Clios from the track and surrounding scenery. At the restart I got away in my third position and was later passed by Curley into Clearways. Undeterred, I immediately retook the place at Paddock and maintained the gap for the next two laps.

Disaster struck when Curley took me out of the race at Paddock Hill Bend, an impossible move whereby he managed to tag my rear wheel and turn me around into the gravel, severely wrenching my shoulder in the process. The officials then decided to red flag the event and I was pronounced third on count-back - justice was done!

Not so, however, as by the time I was dug out of the gravel the officials decided I was not classified as I was not running at the time the red flag was shown. Therefore Curley was gifted third place, with the points, prize money and champagne, all after putting me out of the race. An appalling turn of events which I am currently appealing with the MSA as I am understandably incredibly annoyed with both Ian Curley and the attitude of the race officials.

The racing through the field on Sunday was of a very poor standard and there is video evidence of dangerous driving and even of someone being put in the wall after the red flag was shown. There was no action taken at the circuit by the officials and we can only hope they come to their senses and do the job they are paid to do before someone is either seriously hurt or killed.