Lydden Race Report

31st August 2003

Qualified 18th with 51.87 putting me 4th for heat beside Munday, with Roughton ahead to my left, and Hatch on pole. Green lights and I drove through the middle into Pilgrims in the lead. Terry challenged on lap 8 by getting alongside down Dover slope, but I had the inside for Devil's Elbow, and held my lead. My next challenge was on lap 16, when we met backmarkers, and I suffered as I was unable to exit North Bend at full power, giving Terry the jump down Hairy Hill. We left each other enough space to go side by side around Paddock, but I lost out into Pilgrims, damaging driveshaft in process. Lap 17 and I select 5th out of Devil's elbow, and had to block Hatch heavily into North Bend, but car is awful to drive now for vibration and the following lap he passes cleanly. I cross the line into the final lap some distance behind Terry and Kev, but secure of 3rd place, then due to backmarkers suddenly the three of us are on the same piece of track, and go round North Bend in a line. I watch in amazement as one of the backmarkers then loses the back end and smashes into Kev into Paddock just in front of me, but we all make it across the line. My best 51.58

Many thanks to the team of Gareth Wright and Martin Boon for providing me with a drive shaft, and especially Gary Parkes for fitting, also everybody who lent tools. The car was repaired just in time for the final.

No video, as was too tight for time, so only what I can recall from memory. Good start, and took revenge for heat by getting past Kev and Terry. Ian Laughton went wide in Pilgrims, and tried to recover line I was on inside, and although I took to the grass to avoid, the inevitable happened and he collected Steve Drewery. I finished behind Pete Felix, who was following Matt Lewis. Gordon MacMillan won, but there were so many cases before the stewards, that at this point in time, I don't know where I finished. I like the idea of a trip to Spa though. Cheers.

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