Donington Mini Festival - Saturday 27th of July - Page 2

Chris Y · 23 Jul 2002, 12:24 (Ref:340604)

The folk behind the New Cooper Challenge don't 'get on' with the BRSCC or the other Mini championships. There's a bit of history, dirty laundry, handbags, etc.

I'm not going to say any more, because I don't know the full story, but I doubt you'd ever see the BMW MINI challenge within 50 miles of the rest of 'em.

Having said that, there will be at least one BMW MINI on the track at Donington. The Team Qvick 3-litre jobby from the BelCar series.. Should be entertaining!

Minardi fan · 23 Jul 2002, 12:37 (Ref:340622)

Can't wait for this one... Qualifying at Snett? Feh... gimme a Mini anyday... WOOHOO!!!

Flagman · 25 Jul 2002, 11:37 (Ref:342334)

Quote:

just how many minis can you get side by side through craner curves?

It all depends how many get thro Redgate....

Flagman and Mrs Flagman should be there both days.

brickkicker - come and say hello - Eldis Force 2 caravan in paddock 3.

Chris Y · 25 Jul 2002, 13:14 (Ref:342421)

I've suggested that marshals get free track rides after the racing finishes, and it looks like people have been listening!

There's a distinct possibility that you guys will get a ride in my car (or another Mighty) at the end of the day, provided it holds together

Anyway - I'll be in the paddock at lunch break if anyone wants to meet up.. Blue/silver Mighty Mini #36..

PaulPerkins · 25 Jul 2002, 13:51 (Ref:342450)

Top banana! Nice one, Chris!!

brickkicker · 25 Jul 2002, 15:08 (Ref:342511)

Falgman and Mrs flagman I'll be in paddock 3 (if they dont kick us out) but I aint got a caravan have to make do with a tent and an air bed (when it stops up)
See you there
BRICKKICKER

KayBee · 25 Jul 2002, 15:48 (Ref:342529)

SteveKicker I know you're off to Donington but I've got a Mallory question.

We now have a picture of Chris Yates' Voggie going round the hairpin at Mallory and the telephone box is clearly visible in the background - my question is, is the box just for show or can you make calls from it?

Also say hello to Mr and Mrs Flagman from us (Dave and me) we're off to Cadwell for the weekend.

brickkicker · 25 Jul 2002, 17:14 (Ref:342598)

Kaybee you have got a good set of eyes to have managed to spot that. No I dont think it works dont even think you can even get in

flagwaver · 25 Jul 2002, 18:27 (Ref:342667)

could be fun over the weekend the minis have to be out by 20:00 on the saturday but the Fords cant come in before 20:00hrs.having said that the ford drivers can go round the track with the mini lads.
definate cause for fun joe public in his mini going round at the same time as ford racing drivers.
And all us marshals going round in cars too.
Can you see it cars going round with yellow or blue flags hanging out of them. pulling into the pits to hand in reports.

KayBee · 25 Jul 2002, 18:35 (Ref:342670)

Wish I was going there as well, now, if marshals are going to have trips round the circuit.

Do you think they might do this at Cadwell (where I will be) as a treat for the marshals who will be there.

Steve I don't know where Dave got the picture from but the telephone box is so big that you can't miss it ther's also a marshal stood by it.

flagwaver · 25 Jul 2002, 23:37 (Ref:342963)

If the Jags have their normal 1 hour race perhaps we could change it so they have to stop at a marshals post & take a marshal round for a few laps then return them to their post.
Pole man goes to post 1 second to post 2 etc.
At least it would liven the race up

Minardi fan · 25 Jul 2002, 23:51 (Ref:342983)

So which of the rabble are going on Saturday??? Am looking forward to it tremendously...

Suzy · 26 Jul 2002, 17:52 (Ref:343532)

If I count as "rabble" I will be there.

Minardi fan · 26 Jul 2002, 18:01 (Ref:343537)

We're all rabble here...

flagwaver · 26 Jul 2002, 19:59 (Ref:343608)

I won't be there as i'm Kid sitting Mrs. flagwaver will be there though.

brickkicker · 28 Jul 2002, 19:24 (Ref:344711)

Chris what happened during the race I didnt see your car? I saw you in qualifying (i was on redgate corner not far from your mass of fans up there. Was very suprised that no red flags and no one stopped at redgate (must have known I was there)
I saw you car on the trailer today in P3 and went over and you wernt there

PaulPerkins · 29 Jul 2002, 07:08 (Ref:345022)

Hi all.

Top, top, top day!! And scorchio, too!

Sorry I missed meeting up with you lot, but as you've probably read in other threads, there wasn't really much scope for lunchbreaks on a a two man post... Especially given that we were on the chicane and we had a track-session nonce in a cossie that was determined to lose it every lap...

Cracking racing in each session, with lots of 'assertive' driving. No incidents though, so it was good that everyone went home in one piece. We did however, manage to gather together a front bumper, rear bumber, two front indicator lenses (with surrounds), at least two headlamps (and one surround) and a rear light cluster. Just a rear subframe and distributor cap, and we'd have had a complete car

Again, the T-Cars were cracking (well done, Mr. Wilson). And we managed to get a couple of waves from Anna

Shame you didn't make the races, Chris. Your qualifying seemed to go well, but then I saw that you went flying down the pit lane at the start of the first race.

Oh, EP. I've got a picture for you. Are you sitting down? Have you taken your sedatives? MagenetON, make sure you've got lots of brandy in the house....

http://www.marshalspost.com/display_...p?image_id=193

Now, that's how many Minis you can get abreast through Gerrards

EvilPumpkin · 29 Jul 2002, 07:56 (Ref:345053)

*shudder*

So did anyone get to ride in a mini after all that?

Chris Y · 29 Jul 2002, 17:15 (Ref:345549)

Disaster!

Qualifying went okay, although I was suffering from a wee bit too much oversteer, which made the Craners pretty hairy. Got 14th on the grid (out of 34), and I was looking to improve on that during the races, as I sorted out the suspension a bit during the lunch break.

Anyway - heading to the assembly area for the first race, and the clutch pedal suddenly went rock solid.. Got out and had a look, but couldn't figure it out (neither could any passers-by). Got back to my bit of the paddock, and tested out the hydraulic circuit, which was fine, so it had to be something inside the clutch housing. At this point, all the rest of the Mightys were going out on track, and I could hear the commentator wondering where I'd got to. A reserve driver took my place in the race.

Eventually got the clutch stripped down (which is tough on a modern Mini - not much access), and found that the cause of the stiff pedal was a bolt securing the flywheel to the crankshaft. It isn't supposed to ever come loose, but it had!

Got it fixed and back together (which much screaming and stressing out - sorry people

) with moments to spare and headed off to the CofC to plead my case. I then became the reserve for the second race, as I hadn't 'qualified' for it (by not starting the first one).

Went out in the second race on the assembly lap, then pitted, and waited, vulture-like for someone to fall off on the green flag lap. After a few laps, it wasn't going to happen, and I pulled back into the paddock. Back to see the CofC and got a refund, less £50 'administration fee'.

After that, I stuck the passenger seat in, and went out in the cavalcade. I did want to do some organised 'hot laps' for all the marshals, etc., but it never got organised

Perhaps next time...

From then on, Voggie was parked up in paddock 3 while we went off to Snetterton to watch the touring cars. Got back to Donny late on Sunday, and just missed the security guards, so we had to sleep over in the Donington Park services until this morning when we went back for the Mini / Cavalier.

Then we found out the trailer had a broken axle.

Arse.

Got back at about 1pm today

Chris Y · 29 Jul 2002, 17:17 (Ref:345551)

Sorry if I was a little too stressed out for anyone on Saturday. I guess I had a sense of humour failure when the clutch went

brickkicker · 29 Jul 2002, 17:41 (Ref:345570)

KAYBEE here's that pic can you really tell it’s a phone box what you recon people??
Sorry to hear about that Chris better luck in the next round.
oh and kaybee how did you know my name ahhh im in hiding
ooppss meant to say EASY

BigFella · 29 Jul 2002, 17:42 (Ref:345572)

Chris,good to meet up with you, came past to find out why you were missing but it was in your "humour failure" phase so we left you alone. missed the cavalcade due to the journey home, when things go wrong they seem like it will never end, next time you should just come up to Croft and save all the hassle!!!!

BigFella · 29 Jul 2002, 17:59 (Ref:345581)

look on the bright side, you did get your picture in the programme!!!

Suzy · 29 Jul 2002, 18:03 (Ref:345585)

Firstly: Chris, you didn't strike me as being stressed at all - I thought you were very calm whilst Voggie was in bits and pieces all around you. I wish I'd been able to help rather than stand there watching and occasionally asking how things were going.

Secondly: I did try to explain to Voggie that it wasn't my fault he got upset. I didn't mean to bop him on the nose! I felt very guilty afterwards...

(To explain: I went to give Voggie a pre-race cuddle, bopped him on his nose with my camera lens - and he was so upset he refused to co-operate with Chris)

.

SJ Spode · 30 Jul 2002, 11:49 (Ref:346218)

Good to see you on Sat (especially as it was before things started to go awry), & hope things go well in the other races this year.

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