HRDC and American Speed Fest Brands Hatch 6 June

[zefarelly]

We came home this evening, team orders! So much on this coming week it makes sense. Although I was looking forward to seeing the V8 race.

I had a good race, great dice with a mini and nursed it home with fuel surge. Home happy.

[Tim Falce]

I'll second that graham, his injuries look far worse than the photo does justice to but here's hoping he's ok in the morning

[Simon Hadfield]

Had a terrific spot of good fortune yesterday, my plan of dragging out the odd Formula Ford for a spot of fun Motorsport had the - not literally - wheels come off when a horrendous misfire bit us in practice. On looking at the problem in the paddock I had Gordon and Joe come to my aid - Joe provided his spare dizzy and Gordon most ably slotted it all together as Joe whipped off for his race. All installed it started first time, Gordon got the timing spot on and I got to have a super, misfire free race. Coming past the pits on the first lap there was Gordon standing on the pitwall listening to see if it was cured!
In all a fantastic effort, very much appreciated and it was great to be around such great guys - thanks again!

[John Turner]

Ah, the good old 10-Tenths spirit. Great stuff and terrific job by Joe and Gordon. Both 'can do' blokes. Gordon even got my camera sorted some years ago after I managed to bounce it at Cadwell (where I'm going today as it happens)! Good to see you occasionally coming back to enjoy your roots, Simon.

[Tim Falce]

I've had a bit of a nightmare day in more ways than one but a quick summary I had a really bad misfire in qualifying for Bernie's V8s which started to clear but the car was still rough. I managed to get 33rd on a grid of about 37 but in the race got up to 18th before I chucked it in the gravel at Paddock which brought out a red flag as there was only one lap to go. I also seem to have been excluded from the results.
Things didn't get much better with one small calamity after another dogging my day.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Simon Hadfield

Coming past the pits on the first lap there was Gordon standing on the pitwall listening to see if it was cured!
In all a fantastic effort, very much appreciated and it was great to be around such great guys - thanks again!

No problem Simon, I'm sure you and your mechanic would have got it sorted, but I thought I'd give you a quick hand to speed things up as I could do that little job in the dark with one hand behind my back !

[Nick JM]

Joe I wandered over to say hi in the assembly area but you were heavily engrossed and then we were called in. I did loiter around your car a couple of times (so if you receive any reports about a suspicious looking bloke hanging around your camp it was me!) but could not find you . Thought I saw Gordon but he was striding off purposely somewhere and not having met him before I was only going by his mug shots on here!

Had a great time despite not having raced at Brands before. Had a dreadful start as it was on the pit wall side of the grid and got hemmed in from the top of Paddock all the way to Druids and by the time I got out into the mainstream I had lost about four of five places.

Had a lonely time for several laps and then caught up and found some rhythm. After a couple of great dices I overtook Theo of Dragons Den fame (no I don't watch it either but I was told that's was who he was) and ended up 12 from an original field of 31. Theo was wearing the novice cross so he must only just be starting out. His Anglia was very quick and in the two driver race whoever was driving it to start off really knew what he was doing. Had I been against him from the outset I would not even have got close.

Joe lapped me in the Tina just before Clearways and since I reckon I only got that corner right maybe twice I followed Joes line which really helped so thanks mate.

Wonderful time in great company.

I had to leave early as we were going to a ball and had about 10 round first for pre pea dials so sadly left after watching my mate in the Allcomers first race. To say he was outclassed among the Radicals and Caterhams would be an understatement but he brought the B back in one piece after a 15 year abstinence of racing a Midget and one of the Marshalls consoled us with the thought that although the B was outmoded by other machinery in the Allcomers Race it was by far the prettiest car on the grid!

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Nick JM

Theo was wearing the novice cross so he must only just be starting out. His Anglia was very quick and in the two driver race whoever was driving it to start off really knew what he was doing. Had I been against him from the outset I would not even have got close.

The guy that put the Anglia on the front row was Chris Saunders who I raced with many years ago, funnily enough he called me over and said that he hadn't seen me for about 20 years, he had said to Theo that the engine that they had wasn't the best and that he knew someone from years back who could give them some pointers regards Anglias and "F" me you turned up !

[zefarelly]

Chris Saunders Was winding down his racing pretty much as I started, I remember them turning up at Spa with an ex McLaren 40ft truck and these Lotus Cortina being wheeled out the back . . . sort of blew me away back in 2003 . . . seems pretty normal in some circles now.

I wouldn't have followed me Nick! I made the mistake of following the mini after he hurled himself past me as I lifted into clearways whilst lapping something, for a few laps I followed his line looking for a spot to pass and nearly came a cropper, a very different beast. I don't think I did 2 laps the same, pretty rusty behind the wheel myself.

It was a great few races for the HRDC and really good to see such a turn out and mutual respect at prize giving.

Happy to help Simon, glad you got a decent race, and more to the point, had fun.

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Chris Saunders Was winding down his racing pretty much as I started, I remember them turning up at Spa with an ex McLaren 40ft truck and these Lotus Cortina being wheeled out the back . . . sort of blew me away back in 2003 . . . seems pretty normal in some circles now.

He said to me that he hadn't raced for a few years, so to put it on the front row he obviously hasn't forgot how to do it !
Hmm I wonder if they want a "hot rod" Anglebox for Woodgood !

[zefarelly]

I think they have quite a few already! THeo's car is FiA, although I gather the engines now not, still a good time for the car though.

[Nick JM]

Gordon it sounds as though fate has played a hand... Are we going to see you prepping or racing again?

Joe whatever line you took into Clearways was way better than anything I had done before. I kept either getting on the brakes too early or going way too fast and ring caught out by the camber

[GORDON STREETER]

Originally Posted by Nick JM

Gordon it sounds as though fate has played a hand... Are we going to see you prepping or racing again?

Can't afford to go racing on the OAPs massive amount of money that the government give us, plus the fact I'm fast approaching a big birthday with an 0 and it ain't 60 ! :

[Moosehead]

Will do a bit of a report soon but for now here's a couple of pics of Zef. I do have pics of most cars in the HRDC races so quote your race numbers and I'll put them up.

[Nick JM]

Owt on 65?

[Moosehead]

Originally Posted by Nick JM

Owt on 65?

Nick, which HRDC race was you in?

[Moosehead]

Firstly I wasn't originally going to do Speedfest 3 as I've been having a new garage built and the car has been away at a mates whilst everything else that was in the old garage was in crates on my trailer.

Al pretty much convinced me to enter so it was a bit of a mission to get sorted and the car didn't really get the prep I would normally do as I had to spend a few days getting the camper through its MOT.

After a silly o clock departure we arrived before lunch Friday so had plenty of time to set up and amble around.

Had a lovely relaxing day Saturday actually watching some racing and trying to figure out how to use my new fangled camera (I now have lots of blurry pictures!!)

With the SRGT's joining Bernie's V8's qually was very busy so after a couple of aborted quick laps I gave up and settled for what turned out to be a very lowly grid position for race 1.

Race 1 - Rolling start - John Wilson's MGB turned left before Paddock Hill Bend and rattled the barriers bringing out the Safety Car for a few laps. I was convinced the #22 Mustang had passed me under yellows and I think he may have realised too as I think he was trying to wave me back past but there was no way I was going to do so whilst we bumbled around behind the SC. Ahead of us Simon Lane's Camaro appeared to have a loose front wheel as at slow speed it was wobbling all over the place, we were all pointing and waving at him - he must have thought he was very popular

When the race finally re-started I made sure I got by the #22 as we passed the start line and then went on to pass another couple of Mustangs, Greg Thornton and Bill Shepherd. Somewhat surprisingly I also got by the orange Cobra rep (Andrew Chalmers?) which put me on the tail of an old sparring mate, Jan Schippers in his 'Hard Racing' Camaro. A few laps chasing Jan and I was getting closer but then the Cobra came back past me along the main straight and then virtually stopped on entry to Paddock Hill - now a light Cobra rep with big brakes stops a damn sight quicker than a heavy Mustang on stock brakes! I didn't touch him but I think I'd have bent the brake pedal if I'd pushed any harder Nipped by him again at Druids but he powered by again along the pit straight. My brakes were no crying enough and the pedal was going to the floor, frantic pumping was just about bringing them up before each corner and I was just about to throw the towel in when Tim planted his D-Type in the kitty litter bringing out the red flag.

On inspection after the race I found one rear brake had completely wound off and the other covered in oil so effectively I'd been running on just the front brakes, no wonder they gave up.

Race 2 was scheduled to be 30 minutes with a pit stop but we all thought that would be out the window as the proceeding Euro NASCAR race kept having lengthy SC periods. Still it did give me a chance to have a nice chat with Simon H in the assembly area (I think we put the historic race world to rights - we have similar opinions )

When we finally got going I got held up on lap one, losing a few positions and ended up behind Gail Hill in her GT350 clone. I knew I was a little faster than her but she was driving really well (she's not long had the car and she's had a few issues which has cut short her track time but she's going to be a 'problem' in the future) I finally got alongside on the exit of druids but I was in her blind spot and she says she didn't see me (yeah right ) so I had to take to the grass when she pulled over to the right. A long, bumpy, grassy moment for me before commencing the chase. It took a few laps before I caught her again before I threw it away completely spinning on the exit of Druids. Kept it off the barriers, re-started the engine and went off with tail between my legs! Came in for the mandatory 1 minute pit stop and then the rest of the race was a little uneventful other than avoiding the oil dropped from an Escort that apparently had a very spectacular but hopefully not too damaging fire. During the last few laps I managed to overtake a couple of cars for positions but the final finishing position was nothing to write home about.

Once again Speedfest was a cracking event and hugely popular, the crowds enormous, actually queuing to get into 'our' outer paddock. So much to see and do but they really need to make it a proper two day affair as the Euro NASCAR boys tend to have a lot of SC periods which really bugger up the very tight schedule.

Most of the spectators don't attend race meetings so they cannot understand why some race cars can run unsilenced whilst others are quieter than their road car. I lost count how many times I had to explain this - when told that most UK club racing is silenced you can see them lose interest, in fact many told me straight out that would put them off attending. As it happens the Euro NASCAR cars have a new, noisier, exhaust this year due to complaints they were too quiet. Its not just me that thinks race cars should sound like race cars

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqh8nH26vCk

[Tim Falce]

Moose, I assume from your start you are Wayne L. Loved the sideways getaway.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1a2k...=youtube_gdata
Yes 22 did overtake you and I think Gail Hill did as well but tbh I missed the initial yellows, only picking up on the incident when I noticed the green being waved. I then missed the SC board going up the hill due to having wall to wall Mustangs in from of me.
Shame I binned it as I may have had your position off you if you'd have slowed or dropped out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T8hVgVxMCoY

[Heightswitch]

Absolutely spot on and great racing seemed to be had by all..
I get the feeling I will be going backwards in my car when I do get out there!!

N.

[Moosehead]

[QUOTE=Tim Falce;3546887]Moose, I assume from your start you are Wayne L. Loved the sideways getaway.
Shame I binned it as I may have had your position off you if you'd have slowed or dropped out.

Yup, thats me. Entertaining the speccies . I may have lasted another lap or two but that would have been it so yeah I guess you would. Perfect timing

[Tim Falce]

Originally Posted by Moosehead

I finally got alongside on the exit of druids but I was in her blind spot and she says she didn't see me (yeah right ) so I had to take to the grass when she pulled over to the right. A long, bumpy, grassy moment for me before commencing the chase.

That's an interesting point I was going to ask about. All those of you in left hookers, how much can you see down your right side? I was a bit reluctant to stick my car down the right side of a couple of the Mustangs when I had an opportunity at Druids and once going into Paddock, discretion (or lack of balls) made me back off. With my Bel Air I can see the best part of **** all down the right side, yes it's a road car and it has crap mirrors but some of the Mustang mirrors were the same.

Originally Posted by Moosehead

Yup, thats me. Entertaining the speccies . I may have lasted another lap or two but that would have been it so yeah I guess you would. Perfect timing

You only lost one lap so I wouldn't have had a chance of catching you in two laps

[Moosehead]

I can see quite a bit as my interior mirror is angled to 'see' down the side as well as rearwards. My right hand door mirror then pick ups where the interior mirror finishes.

Others may be different!!!!!!!

[Nick JM]

Originally Posted by Moosehead

Nick, which HRDC race was you in?

Allstars just before lunch

[Moosehead]

Originally Posted by Nick JM

Allstars just before lunch

OK, will have a look, no promises though as that was the first race I started taking pics with new camera so I have lots of errr fuzzy photos.

[Nick JM]

No prob mate... Fuzzy pics will hide the line I'm taking!!