Mallory park Race Report:
A damp start greeted us at Mallory park this morning, a race track we love. We were feeling quite good about our chances after the positive test we’d had 2 weeks ago. We just wanted it to be dry. As race 1, we were out to qualify at 09:30. The sun was trying to poke through but the circuit not really drying that fast. I went out first and had a few scary moments as some parts were very slippery. By the time I handed over to Tony it was starting to improve. Our current time was good enough for 6th on the grid but with a few minuets to go Tony put a great lap together to go 3rd and officially set our quickest ever lap around here. 53.6
Very pleased with that and our engine builder Dan from 519 Automotive had showed up to see how we’d get on in the race, along with a few other friends. By race time the track was bone dry and warm. After a few practise driver changes and the briefing, we made our way to the assembly area. I was feeling slightly nervous but couldn’t wait to get started. We lined up in exactly the same grid box as we did in the race last year. The 5 second board was shown and Russ in the MG came into my peripheral vision. He had crept out of his grid slot by almost a car length. The lights went out and I got away well, drawing alongside pole sitter Nigel in the #84 Peugeot 306 as we braked for the first corner. Not wanting to risk an outside move I tucked in behind but could have gone faster through Gerards in hindsight.
I kept it tight at the hairpin to defend and the revs dropped a little too low making me slow off the corner. Richard in the Focus was on my left on the pit straight and Russ in the MG in the mirror to the right. I braked earlier for Gerards than Russ was expecting and he had to take to the grass.
Things settled down after that and I could see Russ in the MG had David in the #15 Peugeot 306 to deal with so it gave me some breathing space for a few laps. I got my head down and tried to keep consistent. We started lapping cars on lap 7 and David had passed Russ in the MG-ZR so he was hunting me down. The Peugeot passed me into Gerards at the start of lap 9 and I expected him to disappear. But he locked up into the hairpin on the same lap and we went back passed. The MG was still tagging along and got back passed David as he ran wide at the esses taking the pressure off me a little.
On lap 13 I got caught behind a slower car at Gerards and David closed the gap again. There’s traffic at the hairpin and a Metro on the entry to Devils Elbow. I had to commit to a pass as the 306 is so quick through there, I needed to keep the momentum for the pit straight, so I clenched, held on tight and kept my foot in, it was close. Meanwhile 12 seconds up the road the leaders, Nigel in the 306 and Richard in the Focus had made their pit stops early. So myself and David were now fighting for the lead. On Lap 17 I made a mistake at the hairpin, let the engine drops too low again and was slow away. David went around the outside at Devils elbow and was cleanly passed. The next lap he defends inside at the hairpin, I get a better exit and I’m outside for Devils Elbow. Nose just alongside, David gives me enough room, as everyone on the pitwall gets a scare. Back in the lead into Gerards.
David pits to hand over to Jerry 2 laps later as Mike gives me the ‘IN 2 laps’ board. I have to lap some quick cars on my 2 final tours but still keep a good pace. Our stop is as good as ever and Tony rejoins still leading the race.
I take a minute to calm down and Matt is already checking the timing screen. We’ve made a big jump to be almost a lap ahead of Jerry and David’s 306 and ahead of the Focus by 4 seconds.
Tony settles in and sets a great pace with 3 laps in the 53′s, pegging the gap to Richards 2nd placed Focus to around 3 seconds. On lap 29 Jerry in the #15 Peugeot slows in middle of Gerards with gear linkage failure. Tony gets held up and the Focus halves the gap to around 1.5sec. Luck isn’t on our side now as almost every lap Tony has to pass a car exiting Gerards compromising speed down the back straight. Richards Focus is now right on our tail. On lap 35 a Honda is unknowingly indicating right in Gerards. Tony expects to pass to on the left but the Honda keeps moving over. Passing on the right and the lost momentum means a compromised entry into the esses as Tony goes defensive, he locks up at hairpin and Richards Focus is through into the lead.
For the rest of the race the gap is not more than half a second at the finish line. But there’s no way through unless Richard makes a mistake. A chance comes on lap 36 when the Focus has to hold back from lapping a car due to a yellow flag. Richard goes one way, Tony the other. The poor bloke in the Hyundai the meat in the sandwich. But Richard just stays ahead. The clock is running out now and on the penultimate lap, approaching hairpin, it gets a bit tight. Tony gets along side Richards Focus as they lap some cars. But gets boxed in by an MG-ZR and unintentionally gives it a nudge. Richards away and safely through to his first win of the season.
I ran over to meet Tony as he pulls up on the grid to be interviewed for circuit commentary. What a great race.
Shortly after we’d returned to the paddock we were informed of a penalty we were to be given for a yellow flag infringement. We went up to race control along with Nigel from the #84 Peugeot who finished 3rd. The incident was described to us and we and Nigel were handed 1 minute penalties dropping us to 3rd and him to 4th. We went back to the paddock as the amended results were released. Matt was already searching the in-car footage for the incident. Meanwhile questions were being asked about the start and that no penalty was given for Russ in the MG being out of his grid slot. The spectators, the commentator and the top half of the grid had seen it. Russ had held his hands up to it but the results had him in 2nd with no penalty.
We took our footage of the yellow flag incident to race control to show them and it turns out Tony had passed Pete in the #17 Clio at Gerards under a stationary yellow. It was very close but Pete had indicated and slowed to allow him to pass. These things happen, it was so difficult to spot the flag whilst avoiding another car in a 100mph corner. We accepted the penalty but it wasn’t intentional. After that the results were amended again putting us back in 2nd after Russ in the MG had been given his start line penalty. So the 2nd, 3rd and 4th placed finishers all received 1 minute penalties. But as we were the only cars on the lead lap the positions were as we finished. The class finishing positions would have been the same either way. So another 2nd place trophy for the shelf, a further 0.2 off our fastest lap time and the closest we’ve been to a win.
Must have been the eyelashes.
We took some time to reflect on the race whilst packing up and we were both pleased with our drives.
The car had been superb all day and Anglesey was a distant memory.
