Finally! After what felt like an eternity, we’re back to racing in the MG Trophy. This will be my first championship season and I’ve been counting down the days until the opener at Brands Hatch.
Hiding in the leafy hills of Kent, this world-famous circuit is one of the best in the UK thanks to its rollercoaster-esque elevation changes and mix of slow, tight corners and fast, sweeping bends. I’d never raced here before but having done a couple of trackdays, I knew what I was in for!
This was to be rounds 1 & 2 of the championship season following the cancellation of Silverstone National, and with over 20 drivers signed up it looked sure to be an excellent way to start the season.
Joining me this year as technical partners are Powerflex Bushes and Garmin – huge thanks to both for supplying much needed parts for my car. I’ll provide more info on exactly what both companies can offer in a later report. And, if you'd like to add to my list of partners do drop me an email, here.
Crazy qualifying!
Following a mixed day of testing on Friday (good pace in the morning followed by a broken clutch in the afternoon), I headed into qualifying confident of grabbing a strong grid position for both races. However, this was to be one of the shortest quali sessions on records, owing to multiple cars spinning off on what was a slippery track surface.
Having narrowly avoided a pirouetting Tylor Ballard in car number 80, I managed to complete a couple of semi-flying laps before the chequered flag was shown. I knew there was so much more in the car, but faced an anxious wait for the result following an issue with the timing systems.
Race 1 starts with a bang
Pole! Yep, despite not having got close to my 56.6-second best from practice, a 57.3 was enough to get me a 1st place starting position – even coming ahead of the number 1 Class A car of Graham Ross.
Having never started first in class before, I was all too aware I’d have to nail the launch. Campbell was close behind and in striking distance should I get too much wheelspin or allow the car to bog down. Here goes nothing…
Bang! Nope, not my clutch again thankfully, but another driver coming across the front of my car and making contact. I’d made an average start which would have been enough to hold position, but the collision (even if minor) broke my momentum and Campbell slipped through into the class lead.
Having settled in to follow the number 31 car for a couple of laps, I could see I had a clear pace advantage through Surtees in particular, so decided to make my move by carrying the extra momentum into Clearways. Diving down the inside, the move worked a treat as I was back in 1st coming onto the next lap. As we made our way through Paddock Hill Bend up Hailwoods Hill, I covered the inside line for Druids desperate to hold my position. But it wasn’t enough.
In a daring move, Campbell lunged down my inside and with just enough space to get his car turned, completed the move to regain first. But all was not lost. I was still very close behind, so once again on the entry into Clearways I attempted to repeat the same move from the previous lap. Surely it wouldn’t work a second time?
It did. I’d snatched the lead and having seen Campbell’s hand coming into Druids, I covered the inside properly this time around. But then, coming into the hairpin right I felt a tap on my rear end that pitched the car sideways. And not a split second after I’d responded with counter steering to the left, another hit – but this time bigger.
Tylor Ballard and Campbell had had a coming together on the way into Druids, the end result being both cars made contact with mine. I’d managed to keep the car pointing in the right direction and out of the gravel (just), but I’d lost two places in the process and was unsure what condition the car was in. Now I had it all to do.
I wasn’t far behind the front two, however, and coming into Clearways I managed to snatch 2nd place off Ballard in what was the final position change of a breathless few laps. Now to get 1st place off Campbell…
A safety car period for the recovery of Jack Chapman’s number 8 car a few laps later meant the gap I’d built to Ballard behind me was to be wiped out. Yet, after a hectic restart (and a minor off coming through Graham Hill Bend), I’d built up the gap again ready for a final attack on Campbell’s bright orange ZR.
Looking at my lap timer, I knew the race was coming to its conclusion, so I lined up a strong exit from Surtees and once again looked to overtake at the Clearways corner. Having timed everything perfectly (and got a better gearchange than Campbell), I had the advantage on exit to the pit straight. I could see the chequered flag being waved and managed to pip the number 31 to the line by just two-tenths of a second. A race win for round 1, fastest lap and driver of the race. I couldn’t have been happier – even if I’d left it a little late…
Race 2 proves far more relaxing
Pole again! My second fastest time was enough to get me 1st in-class and 4th overall. And this time I had a much cleaner start, holding position as we came through the first few corners. Now I just needed to get my head down and try and pull a gap – no mean feat in what are largely identical cars!
And yet, bar some dramas with lapped cars and narrowly avoiding the spinning Class A ZR of Doug Cole on Paddock Hill Bend, that’s exactly what I did. The car felt mega and showed no signs of any issues from earlier collisions in race 1. Having looked down at my lap timer, I could see that I’d set a 56.57 fairly early in the race and knowing that the record stood at 56.4, I was mighty tempted to go for it.
In the end, however, common sense prevailed and I dropped it down a notch with the sole intention of not breaking anything on the car or throwing it into a gravel trap. I crossed the line with a 9-second advantage over Fergus Campbell and took my second victory of the season. And, in many ways, it was even more satisfying than first. A solid start followed by a consistently fast pace meant I won by a comfortable margin from a highly experienced rival.
After the race, I was also informed that the commentators had awarded me Driver of the Day– a real honour, considering this includes every driver from all series on the day. As always, thanks to Paul Streather Motorsport for setting up (and building) a beast of a car, all sponsors (both personal and for the championship), the series organisers, Tylor and Fergus for some great racing and everyone who supported me – including Dad and Emma who were there on the day.
Championship standings can be found here.
Pics by Dickon Siddall
Comments