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12 Jan 2017, 22:42 (Ref:3702198) | #1 | |
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Mr McKay's (NZ) Diary
Bloody lorry drivers
I'm hanging up my keys (temporarily) and joining the Formula Junior guys in New Zealand for a few weeks in the sun. I'll try and post some pics when I can but between race weekends we'll be heading for the hills and doing a bit of upside down trekking so internet access might be a bit patchy. Big adventure for me and Mrs M, unlike the rest of you globetrotting racers! |
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Semper ubi sub ubi |
13 Jan 2017, 06:23 (Ref:3702255) | #2 | |||
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We're not even the slightest bit envious..... |
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Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. (Einstein) |
20 Jan 2017, 07:28 (Ref:3703714) | #3 | |
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Excuse shorthand style......Day 2 at Hampton Downs (I'd rather forget about day 1 as we acquired a split in the sump somewhere between the container and paddock. Not popular as my gallon of Millers spread itself around the paddock in a biblical rainstorm) After chasing around to beg & borrow, the epoxy fix failed overnight and so had to take sump off and go in search of Andy (everyone knows Andy) who runs the Delta franchise in NZ Missed practice and made qually with a minute to spare. Easypeasy, not. Just followed the slowest cars round and enjoyed the drive. Car going well and bone dry underneath. Fabulous circuit, very technical and some lovely corners (or will be,once I sort them out). The facilities match anything Europe has to offer but spotless as well and everyone incredibly friendly and helpful. Scrutineering was a bit err, easygoing, will explain another time. Tomorrow's challenge is repatriating all the tools that were lent. One guy was quite prepared to trailer the car 50 miles to his home to try and fix the sump.
Hundreds of V8s thundering round so noise levels intense all day, our little Juniors are looked on as rather cute! Race day tomorrow, 2 races Sat & 2 on Sunday. 5 meetings = 20 races + 5 practice + 5 qually. Will have to go looking for Dunlop shop!!! Sorry, can't work out how to add pics on phone, never a 5 year old around when you need one. |
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21 Jan 2017, 08:41 (Ref:3704013) | #4 | |
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Hampton Downs, Race 2. Good start. Made 5 places. Turn 2 there were 2 spinners, cars in all directions, I hit one, carried on, spun on own oil and retired. Not even half a lap! Nosecone badly scrunched, oil cooler split. Before we even got off the tow truck there were guys asking if they could help. Panelbeater showed up with loads of tools and did an amazing job considering the damage7 while someone's wife drove me 20 miles to get a new cooler. Long story short, heavily modified car started race 2 with a minute to spare (becoming a habit is this) & finished 24th/26. Ready for the morning, forecast is biblical rain! Other than that a lovely sunny day today ;-) Now 9pm and raining/blowing hard. Kiwi racers all talking about snow at Brands Hatch???
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21 Jan 2017, 09:00 (Ref:3704016) | #5 | ||
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Blooming heck Mc Kay let you loose on your own and look what happens . Keep going and we'll done .
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21 Jan 2017, 09:33 (Ref:3704021) | #6 | ||
The Honourable Mallett
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Yup keep going bloke.
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21 Jan 2017, 10:24 (Ref:3704031) | #7 | |
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Colin, sounds like you might need to consider having some spare bodywork and other items flown out to you next week - assuming you survive the rain.
On a strategy note .... have you considered a slow start, caution on the first lap as everyone has their incidents, gain 5 places plus any you may have lost at the start, and then have a decent charge to the flag? Plan B would be as above for the first lap then await the appearance of the leaders in your mirrors at which point your sump or cooler fixes might just happen to have a short failure and cause the faster cars some problems. Handled expertly and with the task completed without anyone lapping you, you go on to win the race. Just a thought. Might upset the helpful locals of course .... Good luck for the morrow and remember that an sudden sever vibration might be a mechanical problem but equally could just be an earthquake. If the track starts to change shape it's probably the latter. Ignore it and carry on of course. |
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21 Jan 2017, 11:40 (Ref:3704038) | #8 | ||
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I wonder what sort of impression the Aussies have of English racing drivers following Colin's adventures Down Under?
Maybe with his surname they may take him to be a compatriot of Andy Murray |
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21 Jan 2017, 11:55 (Ref:3704041) | #9 | ||
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I think Colin's in New Zealand isn't he? So Kiwis not Aussies - different altogether Bauble.
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Gary Clarke |
21 Jan 2017, 11:58 (Ref:3704042) | #10 | ||||
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Quote:
OK? |
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Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. (Einstein) |
21 Jan 2017, 13:04 (Ref:3704054) | #11 | |||
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I imagine the Gordini book is Roy Smith's well-regarded tome, published by Veloce, as I don't think there is much else on the subject in English. Having had my copy for nearly a year, I finally pealed the cellophane wrapper off just now & had a quick flick of the pages. It certainly seems to be comprehensive, with plenty of pictures, statistics etc. |
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21 Jan 2017, 14:49 (Ref:3704073) | #12 | |||
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I hate pedants. |
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When asking; "Is he joking?" Best assume yes! |
22 Jan 2017, 00:21 (Ref:3704149) | #13 | |
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HEAVY rain overnight + lots of local wind damage. Wet/drying track which the car likes but I don't. Good clean race spolit by long SC period to flag otherwise should have made 1 more place at least. Started 24th finished 10th. Getting there Not doing last race, giving car a rest, 20 more to go. Good decision as it happens, as I write this monsoon just hit with cars in assembly. Off to Taupo now for next weekend.
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22 Jan 2017, 00:25 (Ref:3704151) | #14 | ||
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Great stuff, Colin. I'm wondering whether we should have a thread called 'Driver's Diary'
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"It's pure joy. This was the perfect training for the WEC after a summer of not racing, even though the car is faster than LMP2." Nicolas Minassian after lapping at 123mph in the Group C Jaguar XJR-14, setting a new outright lap record for the historic GP circuit at Silverstone Classic in 2013! |
22 Jan 2017, 07:31 (Ref:3704184) | #15 | |||
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Well done Colin! Did you take storm clothing? Sounds like a couple of season's racing in a few weeks...... |
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29 Jan 2017, 09:12 (Ref:3706796) | #16 | ||
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Latest news from NZ . They were racing at Taupo this weekend . Colin had four good races finishing all of them . Richard I see from face book had engine problems with his Autosport , not heard from Duncan so no news is good I hope .
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29 Jan 2017, 09:24 (Ref:3706800) | #17 | ||
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Indeed. Glad things are going well. It would be a shame if after traveling that far there were major problems. Also the other competitors sound like a good bunch.
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3 Feb 2017, 10:39 (Ref:3708988) | #18 | |
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Week 3 in NZ, now on South Island. 5.1 wobbles in Kaikoura yesterday and a white knuckle middle of the night drive to get there... 2 hours to do 80km and only saw 2 other cars. Lots of earthquake damage still apparent. I Saw a bad truck crash as well which was a bit of a downer, driver won't have walked away from that one. Installed at Ruapuna under the Christchurch airport approach, hopefully they stop flying through the night otherwise no chance of kip. Worse than Donny! Dismal qualifying, no clutch (slave cylinder leaking) and starter not engaging so Mrs M getting good workout. Some people would pay a gym lots of money for that! My stock of 4 seal kits only produced 1 seal (previously robbed) and that leaks too so off in search of new cylinder tomorrow (MG Midget?) or might try to hone existing one as original seal looked ok. Starter is more of a problem, probably the flywheel at fault. Like Taupo, track is very twisty and has the weirdest left hander at the end of the start straight, sort of wanders off indecisively but flat in top then quickly tightens into a 2nd gear jobby. Rest of it pretty straightforward. Need to shave 4secs for a respectable (FEFJ) time, should be do-able.
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3 Feb 2017, 15:56 (Ref:3709063) | #19 | ||
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OK, time to give Colin his own thread away from all our inane ramblings.
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"It's pure joy. This was the perfect training for the WEC after a summer of not racing, even though the car is faster than LMP2." Nicolas Minassian after lapping at 123mph in the Group C Jaguar XJR-14, setting a new outright lap record for the historic GP circuit at Silverstone Classic in 2013! |
3 Feb 2017, 18:10 (Ref:3709105) | #20 | |||
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Hope you get the clutch hydraulics sorted, Colin. Starter maybe easier to live without- but don't stall during the race! All this spannering you're doing will look good on your CV on return...... |
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Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. (Einstein) |
4 Feb 2017, 10:21 (Ref:3709324) | #21 | |
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2 races today, some with clutch, some without. Started from pit lane in race two 2 as clutch sorted (?) at very last minute, a feature of my racing here. Helps with the red mist but frustrating as had clawed my way up to a heady 18th on the grid. Pit lane marshalls forgot I was there so started half a lap behind but still made 14th out of 22ish. Awards dinner this eve, interesting as still a day's racing to do tomorrow! They don't bother with 1, 2 and 3's, no-one's terribly interested in who won just who tried hardest. Lesson to be learnt there I think! Debate. Still no pics, sorry, have to wait till I return to Northern Hemisphere, uphill internet seems to defeat cheapie NZ phone, or at least my grasp of global technology.
Last edited by Colin McKay; 4 Feb 2017 at 10:30. |
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6 Feb 2017, 07:45 (Ref:3710393) | #22 | |
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Sunday's races, 30 degrees or so, both exciting for me but probably not for the pitcrew (Mrs M) who had to watch me out dragged to the flag 3 times in a row by a little BMC (manufacturer, not engine in this case although might apply to both. I will l check). Rear engine & discs I think so not sure what he's doing out with us but hey ho. Had to take to grass avoiding spinning Stanguellini (again) which allowed him to catch up. Clutch cured using original slave, having scoured Christchurch & found a new one on a bank holiday. FJ community at work again! At least got a spare now. Starter still 50/50, but only another 14 or so push starts for the crew. I'm not sure she'll ever be able to thank me enough!!
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6 Feb 2017, 12:51 (Ref:3710473) | #23 | ||
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Brief clip of the FJ's in this video from Hampton Downs from the NZ Festival of Motor Racing weekend. Looks to be some better grids than when I was there for the equivalent event a few years ago, nice little circuit, very welcoming and good spectator access.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWauK9f9OaE |
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6 Feb 2017, 13:16 (Ref:3710486) | #24 | |
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Nice vid - many thanks for posting
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8 Feb 2017, 10:00 (Ref:3710921) | #25 | |
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Woah . . . just seen this, I took all the gunge, glue and crap off the sump and welded it up!!! I'll double skin the sump for the new engine
Glad that part of its going ok Colin, sounds like an eventful trip so far! |
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