Monday, 18 August 2008
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.
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.
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.
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.
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