Pembrey Race Report
10th July 2004
Wet qualifying session, 9th fastest put me 18th on the grid for the final, the remainder of the grid coming from the mornings heats. I was caught napping at the start, looked up to see the lights were off, and Ian Laughton coming through. Contact with Paul Sheehan out of the hairpin, but tuck in to follow Andy Burgess, Sheehan. Positions are maintained into lap 2 and throught Hatchets Hairpin, but lack of track time shows as I drift wide in Dibeni, allowing Stewart Nind and Robert Foreman to pass. My erratic driving puts me over a few kerbs, causing the video camera to point at the back of my seat after lap 3, but Scot Kirlew, John Hemming and Paul Tibbs are less careless and get by. I finish 21st after passing Trevor Gillmor, to whom I had previously lost the place. Craig Shepherd wind from Malcolm Russell and Paul Taylor.
11th July 2004
All drivers had to reach the final via heats, I was 10th on the grid for heat 2, behind Martin Boon, Forman, and beside Matt Fincham. At the start I follow Terry Rougton, Burgess, but again the camera can't handle the amount of kerb I'm taking. Later in the race Hemming gets by, then I run a lonely race for 10th. Shepherd wins from Stuart Pearson, Roughton.
The afternoon final I'm 19th on grid, behind Hemming, Foreman, Boon. At the start (click here for clip 1, click here for clip 2) I follow Gareth Wright, Laughton passes. At the end of lap 2 I go wide in Honda, the incident allowing Sheehan, Nind and Kirlew through. I get alongside Nind on lap 3 down Park Straight but can't make it stick, then Richard Kingsnorth rejoining the track splits us, Nind passing Kingsnorth in the process. Kingsnorth takes position back on lap 5, Nind getting very sideways in Honda. I've now got Pat Grove and Alastair Boulton all over me, Paul Tibbs waiting for us to fall off, so am driving defensively. I watch Nind pass Wright on lap 9, then I pass as Wright pulls aside down Park. Pass limping Roughton, then in late stages miss gear out of Hatchets, Grove gets alongside, and we go around Dibeni side by side. I hold the position, the last lap board comes out, I have to lift in Esses, and Grove gets past. Final positions yet to be confirmed.