Donington Race Report
14th May 2005
83 entrants in Stock Hatch at Donington, Simon Hunt the fastest in qualifying 1:29.94. I post a 1:32.54 to qualify 26th
Heat 1 won by Martin Boon, from Darren Wilson and Jeff Humphries.
Heat 2 has Pete Morgan on pole, beside Ian Oakes. I'm 4th on the grid beside Noel Moffitt. Race Start and Oakes lead from Morgan. I follow with Moffitt behind. I watch lap after lap of Oakes holding off Morgan's attack. Lap 6 video here. Lap 8 and we lap Tony Le Tissier. By lap 10 the rest of the field is 15 seconds behind, but still no change in position for top 3.
For the final I'm 24th on the grid, beside Jeff Humphries, behind Pete Morgan, Al Boulton and Martin Boon. I start poorly, then get blocked, but stay out of trouble. I pass Morgan down Starkeys, Moffitt attacks into chicane, but we pass through side by side and I hold position. Lap 2 Moffitt passes in Redgate, Robbie Boon goes wide and rejoins ahead. Lap 3 Boon loses it in craner Curves, Mofitt loses it in McLeans and Gareth Wright goes off in Coppice. Lap 4 I pass Alistair Kay in Coppice. Lap 5 I get alongside Roger Neep into Coppice, and we go through the corner together. We both lose some momentum and Kay gets back inside. I back off to avoid taking Neep or Kay off as I'm squeezed between the two cars. Kay then loses it in the chicane and I pass back.
Lap 7. I go wide in Redgate and Gareth Wright passes. Lap 8 Wright passes Paul Tibbs. I get alongside Tibbs, but give plenty of space into the chicane. Moffitt gives me a shove up the back end but I control the car. Lap 9 and I'm chasing Tibbs, we both nearly collect Kay as he grasstracks in the chicane as we lap him. Lap 10 and the final run through the chicane behind Tibbs to the Finish. I'm 19th.
At the sharp end Simon Hunt wins from Maurice Hayden and Terry Roughton.
15th May 2005
Qualify 25th with 1:32.56, putting me 4th on the grid for the first heat. Ian Oakes is on pole beside Pete Morgan, I'm beside Roger Neep.
Race start and Morgan gets a flyer, as does Neep. Oakes soon passes Neep, and I pass Neep through Coppice. Lap 2 I miss my gear in Old Hairpin, causing me to slide off track, and by the time I rejoin most of the field has passed. Lap 3 I make up places as a trio of cars go wide in Redgate. Lap 4, 205 goes wide in Redgate, then I pass Niklas Lanik out of Coppice. Spend lap 5 chasing Andrew Thorpe, but cannot pass until Coppice on lap 8. I finish 8th. Ian Oakes wins from Pete Morgan and Ian Doughty.
Heat 2 is won by Paul Tibbs from Matt Fincham and David Lewis.
I'm on the back row for the final, in 31st. Alistair Vannier beside me in 32nd. Stuart pearson is on pole. Race start and my handbrake sticks, so I start poorly, but make up a few places before I'm run onto the grass at Coppice.
Lap 3 I pass Nick Carter into McLeans. Lap 5 I pass Robbie Boon out of Old Hairpin. I give penty of room at Coppice, so we go down Starkeys Straight side by side. Boon passes in chicane, I pass back, boon gets inside in Redgate and I lift into Craner Curves to avoid contact. I chase Boon until lap 9, when I jump out of gear in Old Hairpin, select 5th, Kay gets past, Alex Dew makes contact but I hold position for 25th. Stuart Pearson wins, Chris Petto and Terry Roughton follow.
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