May 13th - 14th 2006

Oulton Park

Oulton Park is one of my favourite circuits and for the last few years has always blessed us with good weather and good racing. This year was the exception, mixed weather but exceptional racing.

Testing was very promising as I set the fastest time for the majority of the session, winding up second overall. Qualifying was set in tricky conditions with a drying track and cold temperatures, the circuit was getting faster lap by lap and it was Rivett on pole with then Tom Onslow Cole and myself for both races.

Race one was held in wet conditions and the track was pretty greasy, the outcome was helped by the pole sitter peeling off into the pits at the end of the formation lap with a mis fire leaving Tom and I to battle it out. After running side by side through the first corner Tom eased ahead and we ran pretty much line astern for the opening laps pulling away pretty convincingly from the rest of the field. In such conditions its difficult to know where the grip limits are in the braking zones and cornering so I was feeling my way somewhat knowing that I could push much, much harder and give Tom a hard time as the race unfolded. Sadly this was not to be as an accident brought out the safety car and on the restart we only enjoyed a further half a lap of racing before the race was red flagged due to another incident. Don't get me wrong second was good but I think we all felt a little frustrated.

Sundays race was the last event on the racing calendar so everyone was very keen to get it underway. My start was appalling with a slipping clutch not helping matters and I was in fourth after the first corner, Tom made a mistake in Cascades which handed me third and then Colbert lost it at the exit of the chicane gifting me second. all this gave the leader Rivett a gap which I was trying to close but it remained static as I struggled with too much oversteer on cold rear tyres. Tom was soon behind me and his commitment through Druids allowed him to get a run on me in the last corner, Lodge and I was content to let him go and follow him in an attempt to catch the leader. Unfortunately this didn't really work out as I was faster than Tom through the opening half of the lap and immediately overtook him again at the hairpin, we then raced on swapping positions and having some exceptionally enjoyable, close racing. On the last lap I was right behind Tom and put in a last gasp manoeuvre at Lodge, applying the brakes very late with a 50/50 chance of either making it or locking up and overshooting the corner - it was the latter unfortunately and I had to settle for third. However great entertainment, great fun and was voted driver of the day so I was happy. We hope the form continues as we head for the fastest track of them all - Thruxton circuit in Hampshire in three weeks time.