YourIrishShop.com MR2 Race Series rounds 3+4 at Castle Combe

 

 

May bank holiday weekend would set the stage for the second round of the YourIrishShop.com MR2 race series at Castle Combe.

Qualifying was warm and dry, the circuit did seem quite slippy and i waited ages for the tyres to get up to temperature. My new engine was all ok so I pressed on for a decent lap time. I managed a 1.24.8 which put me 5th on this full grid.

Race 1

With Aaron on pole and Dave in P3 both unable to start the race due to wiring faults and engine trouble I was promoted to 3rd place car although I would still start from my 5th grid slot. An average start saw me pull along side of Peter Higton #4 as we raced up the hill to Quarry corner, although being squeezed by Peter and having 2 wheels on the grass I kept my foot in all the way to the corner. I slowed on the apex to back up all the cars behind then accelerated away after the leader Paul Corbridge #43. In my rear view mirror I saw that Peter had been clipped and gone off which had momentarily held the chasing pack up, this gave me a couple of seconds gap back to them.

My race was spent managing the gap behind to keep 2nd position, i didn’t have the pace to catch Paul and already having had the exceeding track limits flag during qualifying I didn’t want to push, go off track and get a 5 second penalty so I settled for second position.

Race 2

Although starting from the left hand side of the front row this gave me a problem as I couldn’t see the start lights as my rear view mirror was in the way, I had to lean to the left to see them, this gave me cramp in my left leg so when the lights went out I couldn’t get it off the clutch quick enough, when i did I just sat there wheel-spinning.

After taking avoiding action at the first chicane on the opening lap (basically going 4 wheels off to ensure a overtake) I’d moved up from 7th to 5th and set about trying to take P4 away from Eddie O’Kane who was driving the ‘Stealth’#77 car. After 4 laps I was able to do this out of the last corner and have a drag race all the way up the hill to Quarry corner, me being on the inside saw me take the place and almost immediately I was able to gap him to be on the rear bumper of Jon Winter’s Hyundai. Another 3 laps spent trying to get past Jon saw Eddie, Peter and Aaron filling my rear view mirror all trying to take advantage of me whilst I was trying to overtake Jon, A hurried rash overtake around the outside of Quarry corner moved me up to 3rd position but still having my nose just in front of Jon saw me cut the chicane (to take avoiding action – again) and to secure 3rd. I stayed there for another couple of laps until Aaron drove past me to take 3rd position which demoted me to 4th.

The last couple of laps I spent defending to Peter Higton as he seemed quicker in the latter part of this race, I was able to hold him off to the chequered flag.

More information on this event will appear soon.

Check back closer to the event date for an update.

Thank you for your interest in 22GT Racing.


DBRS9 Francis Flower Find us on Facebook Find us on Twitter

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