Wednesday 27 August 2008

ANOTHER OUTING AT THE PRODRIVE CIRCUIT THIS SATURDAY

Mike will be busy at the Kenilworth track this weekend offering driver instruction at PRODRIVE for Driving Experiences Direct. A week after Silverstone, he is looking forward to the next stock Hatch round at Oulton Park on the 6th September.

Sunday 24 August 2008

STOCK HATCH SUCCESS AT SILVERSTONE



Leaving home at 7am, we drove through a terrible storm on the way to the circuit, so it was no suprise that by 11am the circuit was flooded. As the first timed session went out, so did the sun, but the average times for that group were closer to 1.30 than the 1.15 lap record and Mike was a poor 26th out of 36 as he had never driven the 106 in the wet before and guessed the set up.

The second qualifying group had a dry track so were all between 1.20 and 1.14. Mike was therefore placed in the second chance heat, and by driving from 26th to 11th secured a place in the final with the top 30 qualifiers, with Mike lapping at 1.16 for his first visit to the track.
THIS IS A VIEW FROM A CAR ABOUT FOUR CARS BEHIND - MIKE IS THE GREEN 106 JUST KEEPING AHEAD OF THE PACK, BEFORE BREAKING FREE. THANKS TO JBS MOTORSPORT FOR THE IN-CAR ENTERTAINMENT. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vR6uMKvXRc0&feature=related THANKS ALSO TO DARREN FOR THIS RINGSIDE VIEW OF MIKE AS HE TRIED TO CATCH HIM ALL RACE. http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=5CeXT4HAv9M THIS IS THE FIRST PART OF THE HEAT AND STOPS AT A VITAL MOMENT, SO HERE IS PART TWO ;-http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=M_eZmd6WrYs PLENTY OF ACTION TO SEE IF MIKE WINS OUT ON THIS MINI-BATTLE? GREAT IN-CAR CAMERA WORK. WE MUST DO THE SAME AT THE NEXT MEETING, SO WE ALSO GET A FORWARD VIEW.

In the final, Mike started in last in a grid of 30 and quickly made six places before being pushed out wide when attempting another pass and into the gravel. He kept the car going and resumed last, but in the remaining five laps clawed back four places.

The aim for this first Stock Hatch meeting was to get into the main final, hopefully via the heat so he could get two signatures. With a practice session planned before the next round at Oulton, Mike now aims to qualify in the top 30 so he goes directly into the main final.

Much thanks to Matt Wisher for the use of his car and support on the day, and to the band of brave supporters who watched from high up in the main stand.

Saturday 23 August 2008

ELVINGTON WENT WELL IN THE DB9

Another Track day passed with 40 happy customers all enjoying their ride in the DB9 round Elvington Airfield near York. It's a long day having to leave at 6am and not getting back until 8pm, with over 300 miles of driving there and back and almost 300 track miles during the day.

As always it's a micture of people who just want a treat to sit in a Supercar at upto 150 mph for a few laps, while others own similar vehicles and are there to learn how to optimise their skills. My friend Peter Felix was ther in his Audi R8 giving hot laps at £35 a time. Considering he had over 100 customers, his £85,000 purchase price will soon be recouped.

Although Mike was working for Ross Jones from Driving Experiences Direct, he was subcontracted out to Driving Sensations who also provide Porsches, Lambo and Lotus cars to compare with the Aston. Last weel Mike was subcontracted to 6th Gear and has also been offered work at Bruntingthorpe for September & October with Driver Dream Days. As soon as he passes his ARDS exams he will also be working for Everyman Racing.

Monday 18 August 2008

FRIDAY TESTING AT SILVERSTONE IS FULLY BOOKED

Unfortunately Silverstone is fully booked before Mikes first outing in the Stock Hatch Championship. Fortunately he will be kept busy taking the Aston DB9 round Elvington for the day. The added experience of a track day would have helped, but with the strange weather we are having the conditions on Friday may be totally different to the race conditions on Sunday.

Mike was very pleased with the car at mallory, and all that needs to change is the addition of a second petrol tank, as the races are slighly longer and Mike needs the extra ballast to meet the minimum weight. We have aquired a 4x4 and covered race trailer but it will mean a 6am start Sunday morning. Pictures should follow.

Wednesday night at Gloucester is Kart night!

The SVS kart team are reformed to take on all-comers on Wednesday. So far this year the team are unbeaten with Mike setting the fastest lap in every race. This time the venue has been moved to suit some of the other teams who will now have a home advantage. We believe that the team leader of the main opposition once managed the circuit, so he should know the quickest way round. Pictures will follow.

SIXTH GEAR TRACK DAY WENT WELL

On Saturday Mike spent the day at PRODRIVE in an Aston Martin DB9 all day offering instruction on behalf of sixth gear. This was his first booking with them and as well as the selection of Ferrari, Lambo and Porsche cars, they also have an Ariel Atom and a Caterham to entertain people in. This is now the second time Mike has driven the Aston and while it is a very comfortable carto drive too and from the track in with plenty of grunt, on the track it is too heavy to throw about like a Ferrari 360 or a Diablo. Mike is booked again this Friday at Elvington.

PASSED PRODRIVE INTRUCTORS COURSE

On Tuesday at 12.30 Mike managed to pass the Instructors exams held at the PRODRIVE Circuit near Kenilworth. This now allows him to instruct at any of their events, which includes any Track Days they organise on behalf of manufacturers any bespoke testing for development purposes and the Track day experiences run by Driving Experiences Direct, Sixth Gear or Dream Days. At the moment Mike is managing at least a booking a week there to help fund his car racing.

Sunday 10 August 2008

FIRST RACE MEETING A GREAT SUCCESS

Firstly, many thanks must go to the Morgan Sports Car Club and the Northern Sport Car Club for a great day at Mallory who assisted Mike in gaining his first two signatures towards his National A licence. Secondly a big thanks to the marshalls and team at the circuit for a well organised event. Then many thanks to Matt Wisher and Adam from Everyman Racing for their input and support and finally thanks to Rich for the use of the transporter and Phil for his mechanical expertise at the end of the day.

Having enjoyed a successful practice on Wednesday morning, the aim was to crack the 57 second lap. According to Marque Cars Formula Ford boss Don Hardman, the track was running about a second slower than normal for his driver, parly due to the damp conditions, and partly because it was getting very uneven in places.

Mike had difficulty in setting the correct tyre pressures, initially running in the low 20's and in one heat at 36psi all round. Practice was very damp for both sessions, so in his 1600cc 8 valve Pug running on road tyres, Mike was able to keep up and pass the likes of a 944 Porsche, D type Jag several hot hatches, plus Morgans etc.

Mike was up against a former BTCC Civic an M3 and a variety of Caterham and Westfields. He was never going to win a race, but mid-grid in both races gave him a chance. Unfortunately in the afternoon the sun came out and several more powerful cars on slick tyres soon got the better of him.

In the first race Mike managed to beat a couple of front running stock hatch competitors, and in the second race had a good dice with a 944 and the D type. In both races he finished in the top 10 and learnt a lot of good race craft with much faster cars lapping him in the 15 minute races. Overall, Mike managed to hit regular time in the low 58 seconds, which in better conditions would have been lap record pace.

To conclude, there is a lot to be gained from the car, as the tyres were over a year old and rock hard and the damper settings were wrong to start with and eventually about right. Mike agrees that once he is in the Stock Hatch pack, he will have the chance to copy the lines of the front runners and push the car a bit harder. Today the car needed to get back undamaged to secure the two signatures fron the Clerk of the Course.

Silverstone is next on the 24th August. Hopefully some images will follow.

Thursday 7 August 2008

ANOTHER PRODRIVE BOOKING ON 16TH AUGUST WITH DRIVING EXPERIENCE DIRECT

Weekends are filling up for Mike. After his two races at Mallory on 10th August, follows a trip to the Kenilworth Track on 16th. Later that week on 22nd, he had planned to test at Silverstone in readiness for his Stock hatch race on 24th, but the day is now fully booked, so he will be going to Elvington again for a Track Day. Assuming all goes well at Silverstone and he enjoys gaining another signature, he will be at Prodrive on 30th August to round off a busy month.

On 13th September he has a Kart Endurance meeting at Gloucester to compete in for Driving Experience Direct.

GT40 racer and world famous glass artist, Richard Blenko will be arriving from the US in September, to watch him race in Stock Hatch at Oulton Park in Cheshire on the 6th/7th. Mike hopes to get a run out in the GT40 at Prestwold Hall where he keeps it. Hopefully a third or even forth signature on his licence with a further Stock Hatch race at Snetterton in Norfolk on 27th/28th September.

The plan is then for Mike to team up with Clio Cup racer-Peter Felix or car owner-Matt Wisher to compete in the time-extended Tin Top races at Castle Combe on 4th/5th October and again at Snetterton on 18th/19th October.

If possible Mike would like to fit in the TKM O plate as his only MSA kart race for 2008 and subject to his availability, maybe the GP plate in December, where he had his last race and podium finish.

PROMISING PUG 106 TEST AT MALLORY

Initially just three half-hour sessions for Mike at Mallory, to test the car and learn the track. It had rained overnight, so the track was 'green' with just a damp line for the first session at 9am. At the back of his mind was the fastest lap in the previous Stock hatch race of 57.6 seconds. The first aim for session 1 was to get below the minute. Following an initial 3 lap warm up, and then two laps of 59 seconds, the red flag came out for ten minutes. The session ended with a further 10 laps all in the low 59 second range with Mike having a dice with a more powerful MGB.

Session 2 was at 10 am, so just enough time to check the tyre pressures, torque the wheels and top up the fuel. The weather was muggy and with 20 vehicles in his session - mostly Clio Cup and Ginetta's, there was a drying line developing. Sadly after just 5 laps, the MGB Mike had a dice with in the first session decided to leave the track an compress itself against an Armco! it too 20 minutes to sort the mes, so with just a couple of warm up laps and 5 more at race pace, Mike dropped into the mid 58 second range.

Session 3 was at 11am, so with just 20 laps experience so far, we were pleased to be given a 40 minute slot. We changed the damper settings, lowered the pressures and brimmed the tank. Without a stop watch we were relying on the car lap timer, but friends from Piro were there testing their Clio Cup cars and kindly included Mike on their time sheet. After 5 initial laps Mike then put in 15 laps all between 58.5 and 58 seconds dead. He came in for 5 minutes, as the front tyre was melting and scrubbing off too much speed as he under-steered. Not enough time to let the tyres cool enough to crack the 57 second barrier, Mike did a further 20 laps in the low 58 second range experimenting with different lines.

Considering the car hasn't been used for a year and the tyres were rock hard Mike was 'happy' that given better tyres and another 15 laps, he would be on lap record pace. As an aside there were several cars turn up that will be in his race at the weekend that he was able to pass, including a Black BMW M3 and a Jaguar XJ6. Hopefully as well as gaining two valuable signatures, he might manage to beat a few people.

Monday 4 August 2008

PEUGEOT SHAKEDOWN WEDNESDAY 6TH AUGUST AT MALLORY PARK

Still on target to give the car its first shakedown outing at our local friendly track this Wednesday morning. The transporter has been ordered for Tuesday night, so fingers crossed all the final work will be done in time and the car loaded and delivered Wednesday first thing. Let us hope the sun shines for the four hours we are there. We hope that successful pictures will follow.

ANOTHER GOOD OUTING AT THE ELVINGTON CIRCUIT & AIR MUSIUM NEAR YORK

A 6am start Sunday in order to drive the Aston Martin DB9 upto Yorkshire and then from 9am until 6pm taking clients round the track mostly for tuition as part of a 4 lap Track Day experience.

Some then paid extra for Mike to show them how quick the car can lap the circuit and practically show what he was teaching them.
From their faces, a good time was enjoyed by all attending. Tuesday Mike completes his PRODRIVE Training, which enables him to take on corporate work for manufacturers such as Mercedes, Seat and Subaru who use the track for their product launches and dealer training.