Red Dragon MR2 Race Series, Castle Combe

Prior to this race meeting the troubled gearbox that had been a problem in previous races was removed with the clutch and replaced with an exchange unit.

The leaking fluid dampers were also replaced with new gas dampers and the ride heights and set up re adjusted to accommodate.

Qualifying

It had been raining all night so the circuit was extremely wet with standing water everywhere. The control tyre used by this series are called ‘Silverstone Tyres’ and are used throughout all conditions. Having never driven the circuit before and having only 6 laps to post a time with a car that had completely new suspension was fairly difficult to say the least. I managed to qualify 18th out of a grid of 35 cars which was a little disappointing as I was 5 seconds adrift of Steve who I’m normally on par with.

I decided to enter another race called the ‘Nippon’ as this would give me more track time to help with the MR2 race. After a further 7 laps of quail for this I felt I now knew the circuit, as race 1 for the Nippon was before race 1 for the MR2’s I was able to understand the cornering speed a little more and get quicker with every lap.

MR2 Race 1

After an awesome start for the first time at the end of lap 1 I had moved up to P14, and felt very happy with the handling of the car. Taking a further 4 cars on the next 3 laps put me in P10 by lap 4 which is where I stayed until we caught the back markers on lap 7, Having a good exit out the final chicane I was able to take 9th position before the start of lap 8. For the remaining two laps I was unable to take P8 from Steve and although I did push him pretty hard, some great car control saw him keep P8 with me finishing in P9.

Nippon Race 2

As it had stopped raining the conditions were very tricky, off line was very slippy while a drying racing line proved to be making laptimes fall with ever lap being quicker than the last.

Adapting to these drying conditions I managed well and as a result I finished 2nd in the 150 class which gave me my first ever trophy.

MR2 Race 2

Starting on the wet side of the grid and wheelspinning during the start and fluffing the 2nd gear change made me loose 8 places before I’d even got to the first corner, however undeterred I drove right round the outside of everyone at turn 1 and at the end of the lap was only 5 places adrift of where I’d started in P9. By lap 3 I had moved up to P11 and Lap 8 I was back in P9 where I started the race.

Lap 9 saw one of the leaders engine blow up spectacularly which left a trail of oil which 5 cars fell victim too. I narrowly missed a spinning car and the barrier after the car I was following hit the oil that was all over the racing line. Whilst taking avoiding actions off track I was overtaken and the race was then stopped short on lap 11. My final position was P10.

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.

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