TeGra Racing - Final Round Race Report.
Our last meeting was a 2-day event at the wonderful Anglesey Ty-Croes circuit in North Wales on October 14/15th. I made my way to North Wales with Brother Steve as long distance driver and pit crew, whilst Terry and wife Debs followed on with the Lola in tow.
A very wet and windy circuit greeted us on Friday night and continued windy but just light showers and a damp track on Saturday morning.
A cautious start ensued or so we thought but our wet tyres were the correct choice and Terry was fastest in practice and I was only 3 seconds adrift and 5th. Terry continued to maintain his position on a drying track and was Fastest top 12 qualifier I was overdriving and making too many mistakes and almost the slowest Top 12 qualifier.
Going into the run off Terry was 2 tenths off the leader and I was a respectable 7th and managed to move up a place to 6th with 4 runners behind me on the same second but my 50.19 was enough to get 6th. Terry went even quicker but lost the round by just 7 hundredths of a second.
Saturday night was very enjoyable and with Terry's entourage of two sons, one girlfriend (theirs not his) Debs and two of the boy’s "friends" plus brother Steve and myself, we had a few drinks and some food and then I had a few drinks with some other Single seater guys then some more drinks with Westfield boys, Terry and Co. had gone and left me to it so I was a bit fragile on Sunday morning and never got going till lunch time.
Terry was on it from the start of 2nd practice run his first timed run just 2 hundredths of a second from the Gould of John Graham I was taking chunks of time out and finished 6th going into the top 12. Terry cranked it up a gear and set his and the days fastest time on his first run his closest rival John Graham one and a half seconds slower. My own time although my fastest still left me in 5th place and even though I went quicker on the second run I remained in 5th place just 2 tenths from 4th and just 2 seconds from 3rd.
A last round of the MSA SBD British Sprint Championship WIN for Terry and a 2nd on Saturday. Plus, a 6th and 5th place over the two days for me was probably our best weekend this year. (Apart from the first round where everyone had a problem and I came second by default)
Terry finished 4th in the Championship and I was 8th and this will be our driver numbers for next year.
We have had a few trials and tribulations with the car along the way not to mention my own personal turmoil’s and I would like to take this opportunity to thank Terry and Debs for all their moral support and for Terry being a great teammate.
Hopefully Debs will let Terry come out to play next year.
We only have a coolant leak and a small oil leak to deal with plus some floor repairs so a relatively low cost winter preparation for next year
The Lola F3000 car fitted with the 1990 F1 3500 V8 Judd Engine was flying and a pleasure to drive.
Stay on the black stuff