According to the tracking system the container with my car was offloaded at Tilbury Docks (London) at 1810 this evening, couple of days to clear Customs and I can go and get it. Looking forward to seeing it again, although it needs a bit of fettling before it'll be out in anger!
I find it strange that the car has made it back to the UK faster than the refund of my Aussie Customs Bond ... Hey, ho!
Thursday 2 June 2011
Tuesday 3 May 2011
Check this out ... Yours Truly on TV
Interviewed at Phillip Island ... shame they called it a TR3, it is a TR5 of course!
http://www.c31.org.au/schedule/view/episode/19765
http://www.c31.org.au/schedule/view/episode/19765
Monday 2 May 2011
Back in the single-seater...
I had wondered how driving the Formula Junior round a gravel-lined modern track would feel after the tree-lined adrenaline rush of Targa, well I'm pleased to report it was still fun!
My first round of this year's FIA Lurani Trophy, at Donington Park, having missed the earlier rounds at Monza and Hockenheim. The car was woefully unprepared having been away for so long, but we checked a few obvious bits, put in some fuel and went well in qualifying having not sat in the car for six months I was quite pleased with a 1:28:3, 3rd in class C. Had a couple of interesting slidy moments, one tank-slapper through the Craner Curves had my full attention!
Race one sadly was a complete disaster... Good enough start, although I'm still not great at getting this car off the line, interesting first lap, but a broken gear selector at the chicane saw me coasting into the pits and into retirement. Very disappointing, and a bit ironic that it wasn't anything I'd have checked in the uncommitted winter job list.
Fortuitously I had a spare selector, and got it replaced (when the car should have been in Parc Ferme apparently!), and with a generous nod to that engineer of last resort, Mr Heath Robinson, we lined up for Race Two on Sunday morning ... Not a bad start and a good couple of laps, but then red-flagged after a three car shunt at the front of the field, disappointing considering we'd had the riot act read to us that morning by the Stewards, after some iffy driving standards on Saturday. I don't know how the shunt came about, but I crested the rise at Coppice to find bits of car all over the road, and came past John Fyda's broken car to see him lying alongside as a marshal arrived urgently beckoning more support ... I am pleased to report that he has just a broken ankle, but I didn't find this out till later, frankly it had looked worse than that when I came by... Hope your leg mends quickly John.
Got a poor start in the second attempt, and got tangled up with the front-engined cars, also leaving a small margin as I expected to find a 'box full of neutrals at some point, and coupled with a gusty wind chucking the car about, I was well off the my Qualifying pace, but sitting on the grid for 20 mins whilst ambulances and broken cars come past you really doesn't do much for your confidence ... Pleased just to finish to be honest. 3rd in Class, of 5. 15th overall from 32 starters.
A very long wait for the cars to be released from Parc Ferme, whilst there was a lengthy Steward's enquiry, then the M1 was closed, then our chosen alternative the A361 was closed, then the kids needed a break ... We got to Delta's to drop the car off gone 18:00... Ho hum!
Well done to the awesome Callum McLoed for two fine wins in the Caravelle.
Get well soon to John Fyda, and I hope to see the mangled cars back out soon, especially Stuart Roach's beautifully prepared Alexis.
Next stop Porto, a full six weeks away.
My first round of this year's FIA Lurani Trophy, at Donington Park, having missed the earlier rounds at Monza and Hockenheim. The car was woefully unprepared having been away for so long, but we checked a few obvious bits, put in some fuel and went well in qualifying having not sat in the car for six months I was quite pleased with a 1:28:3, 3rd in class C. Had a couple of interesting slidy moments, one tank-slapper through the Craner Curves had my full attention!
Race one sadly was a complete disaster... Good enough start, although I'm still not great at getting this car off the line, interesting first lap, but a broken gear selector at the chicane saw me coasting into the pits and into retirement. Very disappointing, and a bit ironic that it wasn't anything I'd have checked in the uncommitted winter job list.
Fortuitously I had a spare selector, and got it replaced (when the car should have been in Parc Ferme apparently!), and with a generous nod to that engineer of last resort, Mr Heath Robinson, we lined up for Race Two on Sunday morning ... Not a bad start and a good couple of laps, but then red-flagged after a three car shunt at the front of the field, disappointing considering we'd had the riot act read to us that morning by the Stewards, after some iffy driving standards on Saturday. I don't know how the shunt came about, but I crested the rise at Coppice to find bits of car all over the road, and came past John Fyda's broken car to see him lying alongside as a marshal arrived urgently beckoning more support ... I am pleased to report that he has just a broken ankle, but I didn't find this out till later, frankly it had looked worse than that when I came by... Hope your leg mends quickly John.
Got a poor start in the second attempt, and got tangled up with the front-engined cars, also leaving a small margin as I expected to find a 'box full of neutrals at some point, and coupled with a gusty wind chucking the car about, I was well off the my Qualifying pace, but sitting on the grid for 20 mins whilst ambulances and broken cars come past you really doesn't do much for your confidence ... Pleased just to finish to be honest. 3rd in Class, of 5. 15th overall from 32 starters.
A very long wait for the cars to be released from Parc Ferme, whilst there was a lengthy Steward's enquiry, then the M1 was closed, then our chosen alternative the A361 was closed, then the kids needed a break ... We got to Delta's to drop the car off gone 18:00... Ho hum!
Well done to the awesome Callum McLoed for two fine wins in the Caravelle.
Get well soon to John Fyda, and I hope to see the mangled cars back out soon, especially Stuart Roach's beautifully prepared Alexis.
Next stop Porto, a full six weeks away.
Wednesday 20 April 2011
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