Kumho Race | Milltek Race

The last race of the season has arrived far too quickly.

I've not so much as even set eyes on Oulton Park before so it's going to be a challenge to be competitive. After my bad experience at Snetterton with lack of circuit knowledge I decided to do some some preparation by:

• Reading the circuit guide
• Playing "TOCA2 Touring Cars"
• Entering the Kumho BMW Championship race
• Walking the circuit

I've no idea what to set the suspension to so I leave it well alone, as per Snetterton, for Kumho practice. Despite my research, nothing prepared me for how the circuit would feel to drive! First time through Lodge Corner and Deer Leap I realised why people rate this circuit so highly - it's a rollercoaster - and that section gives you a satisfying thump in the stomach like Brands' Paddock Hill Bend.

My plan for Kumho practice is to put in three steady laps at a moderate pace and then up the pace progressively, learning from my mistakes along the way. The circuit is a little damp in places and there's cement dust down on the track where a car has dumped oil from the previous session. Towards the end of the first flying lap I see yellow flags on the approach to the fast Druids right hander and then Nigel Innes' estate parked in the gravel, front wheels on full lock. The next thing I see are red flags and we're directed into the pit lane. This annoys me somewhat. Nigel was also testing yesterday and to throw it off the circuit on the first qualifying lap, stopping the session, is robbing me of much needed track time. Never mind that I came close to doing the same thing at Snetterton!

As we sit in the pit lane, Hailey cautiously approaches the car. I beam back at her, "we're going to like it here!". Shortly afterwards, the session re-starts and with a couple of untimed laps under my belt, I abandon the softly-softly approach and try to put some fast laps in while there's still time. In the end there was only time for three more laps, my best being a 1:50.7 on the last time around. Tony Doe beats me to "class E pole" with a 1:50.2.

The car is feeling pretty good and it really feels as if my preparation, particularly the circuit guide, has helped me get up to a decent speed in a short time. But I know that I'll need to be a good deal faster to make it to the sharp end in the Milltek race. I decide not to make any suspension changes until I'm more familiar with the circuit and so simply adjust the tyre pressures and re-fuel between sessions.

I need to push from the start of the Milltek practice session but straight away I find myself in traffic. I reckon I can make it past the one or two cars in front of me but that's just going to put me amongst the quick guys. I don't want the temptation of chasing or trying to keep up with them so I back right off for a lap to make myself plenty of space. As the laps roll by, I'm happy to see the lap timer show me going quicker every time around and once I get into the 1:49's I relax a bit and then go quicker still! My qualifying time is 1:49.358 - good enough for the 6th grid slot but just over a second behind Simon Lambert's pole-setting time. Craig Jamieson, the person ahead of me in the series points table is a couple of places back. It's a tall order, but if I can finish with 5 cars between us then I'll pip him to 3rd place in the series. I'm not expecting this to happen but it's encouraging to be a second faster.

The qualifying times are very close throughout the field with the entire grid of 20 cars separated by just 6 seconds. George Haynes has also found some more speed since Kumho practice to out-qualify me and we share the 3rd row of the grid. Martin Dower and Tony Doe are on the 2nd row with Jez Clark and Simon at the front.

As the red lights go out to start the Kumho race I get a decent start and edge up alongside Tony Doe into the first corner. Optimistically, I try to go around the outside... but optimism combined with cold tyres is not a recipe for success and I end up running very wide on the exit and losing traction over the kerbs/grass. This then allows George Haynes to get in front before Cascades. Bugger!

I'm not too disheartened. I was hoping to be able to get/keep ahead of Tony and George but my main aim for the Kumho race is just to get some more track time and find some more speed. But it doesn't go too well. Having Tony and George ahead of me is distracting and I'm making mistakes resulting in an increasing gap. A black M635 come thundering up from the back of the grid. It makes a half hearted attempt at a pass into Lodge corner on lap 2 (screwing my lap) and then holds me up through Old Hall where I notice that it's dropping oil. Over the next couple of laps I notice "slippery surface" flags dotted about the circuit and proceed cautiously. And then the inevitable happens when a car slips on the oil into Cascades and ends up stuck in the gravel. Red flags come out and the race is stopped on lap 6.

I'm shocked at how much fuel I've used in just 5 laps. The Milltek race is scheduled for 10 laps so I'm going to have to put in more fuel than ever before to finish above minimum weight. Rather than mess about I just pour in what fuel I have left. It looks like ³/₄ of a tank but sitting the assembly area it's showing almost full! And again I decide that there's no point messing with the suspension settings ass it seems to be working well. This is the first time all year I've not touched the suspension settings.

6th on the grid is not a bad spot. It's towards the centre of the track with 2nd place directly ahead. The grid assembles quickly on our return from the green flag lap and I'm surprised how soon the 5 second board is shown. By the time I check 1st gear is engaged the red lights are already on. Breath... revs... concentrate.

Lights out, clutch up, what a start! Tony Doe is slow away and I'm past him easily this time. But Martin Dower has also had a bad start and I slice past him into Old Hall, reminiscent of the first race of the year at Brands Hatch. I'm up to 4th place, behind George, Jez and Simon but I know I'll have Martin all over me in no time. Sure enough, as I exit the Knickerbrook chicane for the first time I see him bearing down on me. It's impossible to defend from a 320 on long straights and Martin puts in a good pass into Druids or Lodge corner (can't remember which). I'm keen not to hold myself up and tuck in behind him for a tow down the pit straight. I seem to be a little quicker through Old Hall and manage to keep into touch down to Cascades where Martin goes in a little hot, allowing me to get a run on him on the exit. Martin takes a defensive central line down to the Island hairpin. I don't fancy risking a move down the inside (I won't get far enough alongside) so I move to the outside, hoping to capitalise on Martin's compromised line through the hairpin.

I'm able to get on the power much earlier than Martin and get half way alongside him on the exit. But by the top of the hill his superior power puts him back in front and I tuck back in behind. He glances in his mirror and I give him a little wave, "I'm still here!". I want to keep in touch through Knickerbrook and brake a little later than I want to. The front wheels lock instantly. Oh no! I immediately release brake pressure but the tyres keep on scrubbing and I know I'm going to overshoot the corner. With Martin right in front of me I can't see what is my best route to rejoin the circuit. I decide to cut across the grass, wide of the chicane entry and rejoin half way through. On reflection, this was a bad move but I didn't fancy smacking into a cone that might appear in front of me once Martin turned into the corner.

So I bump slowly across the grass, feeling that I had better lose another place to avoid a penalty. I probably didn't need to to this but I doubt I'd have had enough control over the grass otherwise. It pains me when Craig drives by, especially as by the time I regain control, Craig is a few car lengths ahead. Even if I'm quicker, it'll be a hell of a job to catch him. By the end of lap 3, Craig is 3 seconds ahead. So I put my head down and try not to make any more mistakes.

The same gap holds for a few laps and I also notice that the leading group of 4 cars aren't getting any further away. Each time on the approach to Knickerbrook I see them battling it out for the lead, positions changing every time I look. I wish I hadn't thrown away my chance of being up there...

And then, without really noticing, I find that the gap between Craig and myself is closing. Trying to drive smoothly and not make a mistake has now turned into a hunt. I'm getting quicker and Craig is getting slower - but there can't be much time left. I've been waiting for a mistake from Craig all race long but they're just not happening and the best I can do is cross the line half a second behind, corresponding with my best lap of the day, 1:48.809.

The front four cars have finished with Jez Clark taking the win, followed by Martin Dower, George Haynes and Simon Lambert. Not what you'd have predicted after qualifying!

So that'll put me in 6th then. Not the result I was hoping for and yet I'm feeling satisfied. I may have thrown away 5th (or better) by outbraking myself on lap 2 but I didn't make another mistake all race long and my lap times were consistent and comparable with the front runners. If I can put in more drives like that next year I'll be happy.

Next year... that's a sad statement. The last race of the season has arrived far too quickly. I don't know what I'll do with myself over the winter but I hope to be back and more competitive in 2006.

fourwheels racing © 28-Sep-2005