Unloading the trailers has become a real spectator sport in the SELOC BMW challenge. This time we managed to drop a car off the back of a trailer due to a slightly dodgy handbrake
Paul Skivens props his car up, its not coming off, its not going back on
The lads have a think about it
After meeting up the night before with the other drivers for a Barbie some beers and watching of DVDs I crawled out of my tent to a gorgeous sunny morning. Jez pops up and states rain by 10am so it looks like todays going to be interesting!
10am comes and goes and after applying the new DPM Racing logos to the car qualifying commences. I was pleased with qualifying unlike the last race where I thought I could have gone a lot faster, this time I got a couple of decent runs and recorded my best time at Lydden so far (55.594). This put me into 11th place for the race, a big improvement on 15th last time out.
With an hour to go to the race the heavens opened, everything and everyone was deluged and headed for cover under the gazeebos and much nervous joking was had about the mess to come on the first corner. For most people this would be the first time they'd ever driven their BMWs in the wet, let alone raced them around a quickly sinking Lydden track.
I got a reasonable start and spent most of the first part of the race fighting with Nigel and Dave Arrundale close scrapes were many and lots of sideways action as the car attempted to kick out all the time. Dave managed to scoot past (I still can't remember how or when) leaving me attached to Nigels bumper and Mike Knowles crawling all over mine from behind.
Mr Walsh decided to continue straight on at Devils Elbow parking his car in the kitty litter leaving the zone yellow flagged, unfortunately 2 slightly naughty individuals didn't notice this and came screaming down past Dave, Neil and myself forcing us all down by 2 places. Revenge was had when one of the perps parked his car in the arnco at Pilgrims half a lap later.
With two laps to go Mike took me coming out of Devils elbow I couldn't believe it, with 2 laps to go, I was determined to get the place back. Liam 'I like it wet and moist' Crilly appeared in the mirrors (the race leader) to lap us and as I let him through I latched onto his bumper, unfortunately Mike had the same idea and we were a close packed 4 BMWs into the hairpin. With a lap to go, I managed to get round the outside of Mike into the hairpin, I could see the checkered flag waving on the start finish straight, this was going to be close, all or nothing. Side by side into the nasty paddock bend and onto the start finish straight I'd just managed to pull 2 foot on Mike as we passed the chequered flag (0.4seconds apart).
11th place qualification - 11th finish was a good result, hopefully I can continue to improve and get into the points next time which would be a better result than I expected this season!
Visibility at the start (from Steves car, you can just see the back of my car two cars up in the murk)
Paul Golding goes for a little lawn-mowing session
