Donington Race Report
21st March 2004
Differing track conditions during qualifying resulted in all the grid positions being drawn from a hat. I was allocated 13th on the grid for heat 1. Beside me Matt Urlwin. Robbie Boon and Craig Emmerson in front.
Race start and I get away well, and I pass Emmerson, then select 5th and lose momentum, but position on the right hand side to defend for Redgate, behind Boon, who drifts wide, and Darren Wilson, who follows Gary Parkes.
David Lewis slides across to the infield, I back off, and he passes back across in front of me to be collected by Boon and others. I follow Mark Rodway.
Lap 2 and Terry Roughton goes off in Craner Curves, but we avoid him, and at the hairpin James Marshall slides, allowing me past Rodway, and I spend the next lap chasing John Townshend.
Slippy Craner Curves catch me out on lap 4 and the slide lets Rodway, Urlwin through. I don't learn from the experience and the following lap nearly do it again, but hold. Marshall catches, and passes into chicane, passing Urlwin through Redgate. I chase and catch Urlwin by the chicane on lap 7, where I pass.
Lap 8 and I go very wide out of Old Hairpin, Roughton gains ground and passes down Starkeys Straight. We then gain quickly on Damien Cottrell, who is passed by Roughton through Schwantz Curve, then I pass out of McLeans. Crossing the line for the 10th and final lap the rain begins, but positions are held and I finish 9th to make the cut for the final. Roger Neep wins with John Munday and Gary Parkes following.
No camera running for the final, but wet conditions resulted in the race being stopped after 5 laps, as Gordon MacMillan, the winner of heat 2, rolls out of Craner Curves. Provisional results show I've moved up to 16th, but I get excluded for a bracket taking me below minimum ride height. Craig Shephard wins, from Andy Burgess and Martin Boon. Back at the garage it is discovered bracket has broken, causing the whole exhaust to drop half an inch.