Cadwell Race Report
27th September 2003
Qualified poorly, 27th overall, with 1.53.06. This put me 6th on the grid for the race 7 heat. Got away well and into 4th place after the start, but braked too early for Mountain, letting Pearson through, couldn't find second gear up the hill, letting Lewis and Hemming through too. Lap 2 and I get a faster exit out of Charlies and pass Hemming on Park Straight. I'm in neutral again up Mountain, so have a lot of work to catch the top 5 to qualify for the final. I'm chasing for a couple of laps, but lose any progress made by getting neutral again, this time out of Mansfield. Lap 5 and going up Park Straight I see Howard dropping away from the leading pack, so push hard, and despite finding neutral in Mountain again, overtake into Charlies on lap 6. I'm in neutral again in Mountain on lap 7, but margin big enough to hold 5th to qualify for final. Best lap 1.52.45
28th September 2003
Gearbox repairs itself overnight, and seems to be working fine on Sunday morning. I'm 23rd on the grid for final, and when line up can't see lights. Idle stops working so have to keep accelerator down to stop car from stalling, so after green flag lap slow down with handbrake, and hold back a few yards so I can see the lights. Start OK and pass slow-starting Cody, but nowhere to go so back off and follow Lewis. In Park Lewis takes Blamire, who goes wide, and I try to follow but door gets shut. Next opportunity comes on lap 3, when I'm faster out of Charlies. Blamire tries to take Lewis into Park, but Matt is defending on inside. I follow Matt and go inside Tom. Blamire gives me a push into Mansfield, and I'm forced to defend into Mountain, but he decides to go outside and we connect, sending Blamire off and letting Cody past. Lap 4 and Lewis passes Smith in Chris curve. Lap 5, Lewis passes Taylor in Charlies, Cody passes Smith into Park and I follow, also passing Smith. Lap 6 and Cody passes Taylor in Coppice, I'm blocked, but go round the outside of Taylor at Park. Into Barn there is a stationary yellow, and then a waved yellow on the way out. I see the wrecked car of Stokes then red flags. Running 17th but classification is after lap 5 so Taylor is classified ahead of me and Cody, putting me 18th. Then I get disqualified for a technical infringement, so it's all academic anyway.