Oulton Race Report
26th May 2003
Qualified 19th overall with a 1:17.31, but with only 9 going directly to the final, had to do some work in the heat to guarantee a place. 5th on the grid for heat 2. Got away reasonably well, exiting Old Hall behind Lewis, Hemming, Forster and Boulton, although Howlett passed me before lap end, going into Lodge. Lap 2, and I decided to take a dreadful line into Old Hall, meaning I was slow to exit, gifting places to Cody and Drewery. I followed this move by completely outbraking myself into Lodge, conceding another place to Tom Blamire. This I took back through Fosters, but I lost another place to Terry Roughton into Lodge. I profited from the retirements of Lewis (lap 4) and Boulton (lap 6) and Drewery lost it somewhere to finish well down the field. I was preoccupied with mirrors full of Jonathan Howes, who I defended against for most of the second half of the race, and in slowing each other up, we allowed Rodway, Gillmor and Marshall to get on the back of us. When the final lap board came out I was concerned that an over ambitious attack from any of the group could occur, but driving standards were high and I managed to hold my position, crossing the line just 18 hundredths ahead of Jon.
The final, I'm 22nd on the grid, behind Darren and Terry. Reasonable start again, and took a place from Richard Kingsnorth, who couldn't get going, but as I was going outside Richard, Jon somehow went around the outside of me, passing Terry as well. Forster, who had won the heat, had decided to have a moment all on his own, and had left the track, but rejoined in front of me. With Kingsnorth still on the inside, I had no option but to lift, and headed down the hill behind both. Pat Grove charged out of Fosters and went past both me and Forster up Clay Hill. Into Lodge and I'm in a position to attack, with the cars in front defending, and me on the racing line. Chris Cody chooses this moment to lose the back end, and Forster, on the apex, slows much more than I anticipate, leading me to run into the back of him, lose momentum, and lose places to Musker and Drinkwater. This takes me into the second lap near to the back of the field, although I take a place from Hilary Howlett when he gets helped off at Lodge. I then take a poor line into Old Hall, exiting slowly, and Cody and Rodway punish me for my mistake. Two laps later and Hilary passes me at Old Hall, leaving me at the back of the field. Lap 7, and white flags are waved as I approach Fosters. More flags up Clay Hill and both Rodway and Taylor are travelling slowly up the hill. In a classic brain fade moment, surprised at seeing more than 1 slow moving vehicle, I choose to slow down and follow, before realising that they are in trouble and there is still a race on. This blows any chance of catching the rest of the pack, and I have to settle for 24th.