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2008
14th July As with Gary's Picnic and as he always drives at the Nos Nats, it was Dave again in the driving seat for the event, I had plenty to do, so left them to sort out the car and all I had to do was strap him in and send him off on the Saturday.
For this meeting, the car was back into the 11.5s wit Dave managing 11.50, 11.51 & 11.49 (All at around 113 mph) for the first three runs, then on the last the car got a little out of shape (Missed the fun as I had just turned around) and he ran a 14.28 @ 60 mph.
During the evening, Mark & Steve of Limited Funz's asked Dave if it was OK for them to crew so they could each get used to it when their car was ready, this was agreed and I had even less to do on the Sunday, all I had to do was show them how to strap him in and how tight, how to get him back into the water for the burnout and that was it.
SUN Again, it was down to Dave and Linda to do the dial in and I think 11.50 was right on the head, Dave first two runs were 11.496 and 11.502 to put him spot on and earn him the closest to dial in trophy at the end of the day, his next two were both a little either side being 11.464 & 11.541. As I have said before, the Bunch are getting better and we thought these would put us off the top, but at the prize giving, not only did Dave get the best burnout (For the second time) but earned 1st place as well, well done as it now puts us in the No one spot again, but we have still got a couple to do, so see if we can stay there.
Two weeks later and the Mini Showdown. I don't know what it is this year, this was the 3rd time we have had problems on the M50, but this was the worse, a lorry had jack knifed on the narrow bridge near the M5 end and we were stuck there for over 3 hours, in this time we made a cup of tea and had a good chat, I had just got me head down in the back when they started to turn us all around and send us in groups back down to the last exit.
We normally get to the track 9.30/9.45 and we did not get there until 2am, we just drove in, and stayed where we stopped and left the car still on the back of the van.
The track was damp and just when the crew were about to glue it, it started to rain, this happened a few more times before in the end they called it for the day. The British Mini Club tried to do a mile of Minis, but in the end they only managed just a 1/8th.
SUN It was me that was going to drive, but we had to dial in blind, as it was a very hot non windy day, we (Dave and myself) decided 11.50 again from the last meeting, Linda said we should have done 11.55, but kept it as it was. Not only did I have to check lots of cars and bikes, I was also asked to do the commentary for the Wild Bunch. To be honest, I struggled for the first run and had problems being on my own up the tower, I am not bad most of the time, but its nice to have someone with you in case I dry up, and I did a couple of times.
After the rest had gone down, I rushed and got suited and booted and ran a close 11.57 with the next being a 11.58. Then I met my old crew member Wayne and Steve on their bikes in the pairing lanes, Wayne said I could have a go of his new bike, it was a 900cc ? (Cant remember what make), signed on, put on his top and gloves and ran a 11.92 @ 127 mph, (His best for the day was 11.6 @ 130) still not my fastest run ever, but I enjoyed it.
I got changed and got ready for the next run, this was another 11.58 (All @ 112 mph) I was just going to have another run on the bike, when I was phoned to get my arse back into the pits and get ready for the last run. This was going to be my hairiest run for a long time. the car moved about during 1st & 2nd, but got really loose towards the top end, but I did not want and did not back off and ran a 11.66 @ 111. I thought this would put us well out for the day, after we had packed up, I was very pleased to find I had got 2nd place for the meeting.
Now its just down to my last event up at York, we are going top less this meeting at the front of the body is getting really bad and needs a lot of work to repair it to stop it sagging. (Its cracked along the top of the spoiler and it keeps hitting the ground under braking.) So we see you all there.
Thanks again to Dave & Linda and Steve & Lesley for all their help and the bracket for fixing the starter motor.
8th July I know I have not done a report for the Nostalgia Nats yet, but I will do a Double event one after the Mini Showdown this weekend.
This is a special report on one of the best events I have ever been to, this was the European Bug-in 2 held at CHIMAY in Belgium.
At the end of last year I was asked if I would like to scrutineer the cars at this event, I asked the boss for time off and sorted out a passport (I have not had one since leaving the Navy over 30 years ago.). only a few weeks ago I found out it was a all VW event, but as I like these and nearly bought one, I did not mind, but I was worried about the different languishes, but this turned out not to be a big problem, with most of the drivers or crew being able to speak English.
We set off Tuesday to get the early morning ferry from Dover the Dunkirk and was in Chimay by mid afternoon, found the event organizer Kobus and checked out the track, this was a long straight on part of the circuit (Which all part of the local main roads when not being used for events,) it had quite a heavy camber but was wide enough not to cause any problems. We was then taken to our B & B for the night, (This was a converted big barn and was fantastic.)
Thursday was track setup day and to sort out the arraignments for the tech bay, this was about 1/4 mile away from the track on the main circuits start/finish straight right outside the main office where I worked out off. this was manned by Michael, Charley & Karl, the good thing was that as it was a international event, they all spoke English and helped me out where needed.
The first thing that I needed to do was to make out the sticker packs for the race cars, this consisted of two side number boxes and two each of six sponsor ones, with over 200 pre entries this took about 2 hours plus sorting out other odds and ends.
I had been told that Dyno Don was attending the event, while I did not really know who he was, he turned up during the day giving every body (Including myself) a big bear hug, what a great man he was, he ended up spending over a hour in the office with me telling me stories, it turned out he used to do the Goodguy events at Avon Park for Brian Burrows when Jerry Cookson & Martin Bennett was doing the commentating. The funniest story was when, after someone doing a good burnout, he said to the amusement of Jerry & Martin that he thought that the driver was going to "Follow Through" after being told what that meant in English he said "How did I know it meant "Sh*t your pants", After that, two or three times during the weekend, Don would come up to me and say "Watch you don't "follow through"" laugh and walk away.
Also at the event was lots of famous old time racers signing autographs for the fans, this included the first team to run a 10 run in 1972 with a VW.
Friday was my busiest, as well as having to give out and tell the drivers that the stickers needed to be put on their cars, I had to check the car out and if passed wrote out and gave them their number stickers, also as Sue and Alison (Timing control) could only see the cars from the front, I also put the number in shoe whitener on the screens. Nearly all the cars were very well prepared, with even the rattiest ones having full tuned motors in the back.
The only problem was, that I did not have a table and had to work from the floor, I did not think at the time, but woke up the next day hardly being able to walk, (As I had tested well over 100 cars, I had done well over 200 squats during the day.)
Saturday, I was given a table and chair to put in the bay as well is the large umbrella I used the day before, this was a lot better but I only had about 50 customers during the day, also we had a big rain storm which stopped racing for a good few hours.
Once the track was dry, I managed to see some racing, this went on until it was just getting dark for the last runs, the crowd were going wild, especially when one of the Outlaw Flatfour boys done a massif burnout from the start line in his van nearly into his pits. What a fantastic night.
Sunday, There was very little for me to do, with only having to check one car, so it gave me chance for the first time to have a real good look around the show cars, auto jumble and trade stands.
There was a good selection of the Outlaw Flatfour team running and they (And loads of the other drivers) said how good the track was and praised the track crew for their hard work, for one, Chris Emmens was only a couple of 10ths off his PB, not bad for a normal road.
Another thing that surprised me, was when someone stuffed a piston through his block in the burnout, it was not a quick lets get it of the track and get started again, Dyno Don made a big fuss and explained to the crowd what had happened.
All in all, it was one of the best events I have been to, with the most friendliest people, fantastic country side and some great food and drink (I even drank a few Chimay beers)
On the trip home, due to the crossing was very rough we was late getting in and I just managed to catch the train home, the trip was great, even meeting a young couple who was going to London for her birthday, they even suggested that I shared a taxi when we got there, they dropped me off right outside Paddington and made their way to their hotel. My son picked me up from Cardiff and I got home just after 11. Again brilliant weekend and thanks to all that made it that way, below are some photos from the event.
6th June With Paul having another heart attack at the last meeting (I wish him all the best and hope he's back on track soon.) I knew it was going to be a busy weekend, so I phoned Dave and asked him to take his gear as he would have to do the driving. How did he do, find out later.
We managed to get in next to Steve & Lesley (Black Pig) as he agreed to help with the car with Dave & Linda.
Sat Dave managed to get in 4 runs during to day between 11.66 to 11.77 with a top speed of only 109 mph, I don't understand why it was so low compared to the normal 112/115mph, but I will have to look after the next event to see how that compares. also during one of his trips down the track, I looked behind me and when I looked back, he just missed the last timing block. when I saw him after, he said it had just dived side to side just before the finish line, he did another two trips after this and it was fine again.
Sun we woke up to a damp track and it kept on spitting for quite a while. I left Dave and Linda to sort out the dial in time for the day and they came up with 11.72. for the first run, Dave ran a good 11.69 at again 109 mph, due to the rain, it was decided that we would only get only one more run in, so Dave had to make it a good one.
This was another close 11.77 @ 109 mph. we knew this was good, but the Bunch are getting better all the time so we had to wait and see.
During the weekend, Nobby Hills had brought his Hound Dog funny car up with him and done a few warm ups, he asked if there was a chance on him running the car up the track without the body, (Did not fit due to the new parts fitted at the track.) Simon Haywood (Son of Owen) taking the ride. He had only sat in the car before and done the fire ups and never driven anything at all down the strip, but it was agreed as long as he took his time it would be OK.
Nobby towed him down the staging lanes and the crew got him ready, I was asked to explain how the start system worked and where the turn offs were, this I done and I pulled his straps down as hard as I could and he was then towed just behind the left hand lane, Nobby started it up, Simon followed my instructions and I got him into stage. When the lights went green, he just done what he was asked and ran on idle to do a 34.31 @ 36.31 mph. Well done Nobby, Simon and crew.
Anyway back to the Wild Bunch, We had just finished packing the car away and we were called for the prize giving. First on the list was the Iris Page Trophy, I had been waiting a long time to get my hands on this, so thanks to Sarah for looking after it for me.
Dave then managed to get the Best Burnout trophy and we waited to see who had won what in the series. We were very glad to hear that Dave had come second behind Darren Law and I think Claire said it was the closest so far with only about .001 sec between the two. Well done Dave and the rest of the winners.
Our next event is the Nos Nats and again Dave will be in the driving seat, this is his normal event for driving anyway, but we are still going to be very busy track wise for that meeting. See you all there
21st May Well, at last I managed to get some runs in, not many but enough to give the car a good check out and see how it performed.
Had a uneventful trip up Friday and set up camp in the middle of the pits, not many cars and bikes there but a lot more than last time.
When I got there, I met Leigh & Meg with their very nice looking 1260 Bandit, I am not going to put on a link, but I met then (In a way) through posting a clip on youtube. He managed to get 15 runs in over the weekend and for the first time got into the 10s with a 10.87 @ 122mph. Well done, they said they are coming back for more.
Sat Got up and signed on before 8 as normal and waited for our first customers to arrive for scrutineering, quite a few turned up but after the main rush I asked if I could have a play.
Dave had already warmed the engine and said it sounded good, but was popping on the headers, so we tightened the flanges and it was a lot better.
I got booted and suited and thanks to Claire for lending her car for towing, we went down for the first run.
Due to the weather not being to good, the track was not glued, this I found out on the run. I done a good burnout to get heat into the tyres, engine and gearbox and staged. The launch was really good but the car started to skate around just after half track, so I backed off to a 12.1 @ 97 mph.
We decided to go straight back around for another pass, but just as we got to the end of the lanes, it started to rain and that was it for the rest of the day.
Sun We was told that we could start at 9.30, so it was up early, sign on and get ready again for the rush, and what a rush, it was ages before it started to get quite so I could get some more runs in.
Steve & Lesley had turned up in the Black Pig and set up across from us, so we done what we normally do and tow down and run together.
For the first run, the car did not seam to be going too well, the engine sounded OK but in the end it netted me with a 11.7 @ 112 mph run. we changed the plugs for hotter running ones before the next run and this got us back (Only just) into the 11.5s with a 11.58 (cant remember the speed) the engine was sounding a lot better this time.
We got back to the pits and let the motor cool down, I decided to remove the body and see what it would do and for the next run Steve was shut down on the line with a oil leak. The car went to do a very straight 11.2 @ 117 mph, this was good as there was a head wind for the weekend, so I think there is a little bit more in the old girl yet.
After we got back, we packed up and got every thing ready for our trip home. (Which while I remember, one the way home from the Springspeed, we stopped in the garage just after Evesham to get some food and drink, only to find the water pump was leaking on the van. I took the cap off and filled it up and luckily only had to do it once again on the way home. Its all fixed now with even a couple of new hoses which was looking a bit dodgy.)
Anyway, our next event is the next Wild Bunch round on the 31st/1st June, so hope to see you all there
21st April Before I start on what will be a very short weekend review, I will tell you a little of what has happened over the last couple of years, most of you will already know this, but here goes.
After the end of the 2005 season, my car was now destined to RWYB status, this was mainly due to the box section chassis, other that that it would have need a extra couple of tubes welded in.
So when Glen asked over the off season if anyone would like to train as a scrutineer, I volunteered, being a MOT tester I did not think this would be so hard. With the MSA, they give you a log book which you have to complete and you also have to cover more that one type of racing. For this I contacted Keith Morgan who does the local rallies and sprints down at Llandow. With his and Glen's help I was able to cover all the log book and more over the 2006 season and I was given "Car Scrutineer" status for 2007. Also at the end of 2006, I was asked if I would like to train as Clerk of the Course, I agreed and am still in the middle of that log book and hope to have that finished by the end of this year.
At the beginning of 2007, I attended a couple of seminars for the ACU, the first was again for getting my Clerk of the Course license, (I now only have a couple of meeting to finish this.) and the other was a bike scrutineering course, This was the only easy one for me, I had been MOT testing bike for 15 years, so I think I know my way around a bike, but at last years National Finals at Santa Pod, I asked Dave May & Les Harries to show me around some fuel bikes, They took their time and explained each part of the bike and they way it should be. So thank you Dave & Les for your help. For this, I am now also a qualified Bike scrutineer.
Now to the event.
Fri as the car was already up the track and its a lot quicker to get there without it, At 7, I phoned Dave & Linda to say I was on my way and meet then at Raglan services, I stopped for fuel on my way instead of filling up during the week. and noticed that the air gauge was free (I mean not being used like normal) and decided to check my rear tyres, (I can check my fronts at work, but I have twin wheels on the back and cannot use our gauge on them.) I done the outer O/S one and put the gauge on the inner one, when it was up to the pressure I had set, when I took it off the air came out of the valve, I fiddled around with it and tried to blow it up again, it still would not have it. I drove into the main car park (Tescos) and called the RAC. (There is no way I could do it on my own) A hour and a half later (I had phoned Dave and Linda just as they were leaving the house, so they waited for me to contact them when I was ready.)
I was on my way again arriving at the track after 11, time we set up and had a quick chap with a few of the bunch it was gone one time I went to bed.
Sat as it was also a ACU meeting for the Super Twins & Junior Drag bikes, I was assistant C o C for the day and also hoped to at least get one run in to try the car. It was not long before the track was up and running and after the bikes had done two of their qualifying runs, I asked if I could go and play, so Dave went and got the car ready and I signed on, but coming out of the office I was asked to attend a meeting, this took about 3/4 hour and by the time it ended it was raining and did not stop for the rest of the day.
Steve & Lesley had brought the Black Pig up early Sat morning and had booked a B & B, so I stopped and had a chat for the first time this year, when they went for their food I went and started to do mine, I shoved a pizza in the oven and cooked the rest. when the rest was ready I ate it, I went of a walk around the pits and went to the clubhouse. After well over two hours later I went back to the van to watch a DVD, when I opened the door, the van was full of smoke, guess who had forgot the pizza?? I turned off the gas, opened to roof vent and as many doors as I could. I chucked out what was left of the pizza and cleaned up the van as best I could, I spayed it loads but even now it really smells in there and it looks like I am going to wash all the bedding and curtains again.
Sun after what seamed like a very sleepless night due to the smell, I got up and made my way to the track. It was raining (Up Race control we learnt a new word from Julie, this is "Mizzle" its a good description of in between Drizzle and Mist) and we could not start on the track until it had stopped.
When it did stop we done our best to get track as good as we could, we even had the help of a few car running up and down, this done it and it was street tyres only until it warmed up, but we had this new mizzle on and off and there was just no heat in the track. It was announced that there would be "No slicks" so that put paid to the first round of the Wild Bunch series and my chance of my first run of the season.
I had a uneventful trip home, I have fixed the tyre and have just got to sort out the van now.
The next event is the Springspeed Festival. This is a MSA and ACU event and as well as scrutineering I am also assistant Clerk for both over the weekend so again there will not be much of a write up after.
Since I have started to update my site again, I have also been asked if I would run the Guess Who over the winter,
I have not decided at the moment, but have already asked Peter Donaldson if I could use his site if I do, this was a yes, all I have to do is see if I can come up with a couple of good prizes at the end of it.
15th April I know its been over two years since this was last updated, but I have decided to get of my a**s and start again. a lot of thing have happened since 2005 with the main thing winning the WB series 2 times in a row.
Anyway, when I have time I will add a few things what has happened over the last two years as I go along.
I would like to thank my sponsors for this year for staying with me, they are Newgate (Newark) Ltd, Tuneup Discount. Tonypandy Motor Co. Tonypandy Autos (MAPS)
The first event at SCR on the 5/6 th April, The car is still painted in the Halloween colours, this is as I have to paint the car outside and I am waiting for the weather to improve before I start prepping and painting it, it will be the two normal colours (Magenta/peppermint green) but as to the design, I have a couple in mind and will decide nearer the day its painted.
We arrive at a near empty pits on Friday night, with Mark Hartnell all ready camped up. we set up in the middle of the pits and took the car of the trailer and set up ready for the next morning.
Sat It was damp when I got up and the track crew were already on the track getting it ready for the first event of the year, I checked a few cars over and went to help with the track. Bruno done a couple of passes with the glue and it started to rain, but luckily this was not for long, so he completed the gluing and the track was open to road tyres only.
The track improved during the day so I went to the pits and with Dave's help, got the car ready for a run, it started on the second turn, (Not been started since last November) and we warmed the engine. I got booted and suited and was going to take the car down to Paul for scrutineering, Mark was down the pairing lanes waiting for me so they could tow me back.
The car started first time but cut out when I put it into gear, then the starter was making a noise and was not engaging , we had a problem with this at the last even and thought we had cured it, but it seams like the bottom bracket has stretched, (Steve Field has already made a new bracket with just one hole in it at the moment, this will be fixed to the starter, marked and drilled to make sure its a good fit. Thanks Steve) I tried all ways to fix it, one minuet it would start and the next it wouldn't. In the end we took the side cover off and wedged a piece of wood between the starter and the chassis and it worked, just as we were finishing off it started to rain and that was the end of the day for us. we covered it up and hoped it would be better tomorrow.
Sun I woke up at 7 and it was very cold and quite, I pulled the curtain and tried to look out the window and could not see anything, then I noticed there was snow on the outside so I looked out another and saw there was about 3 inch's of snow covering the site. I got up and turned on the cooker to get some heat and cooked and ate my breakfast.
I got out the van and went around and took some photos (I will post some soon) and went and signed on. I went from there to the track to find that the crew had been working from before 6 and the track was now nearly clear of snow and slush.
We worked hard for the next few hours and just after 12 the track was open.
As the track surface was cold, I had decided I would not even try and run the car, Mark went out for a couple of 12 sec runs and there was another couple of cars running slicks but could not get much grip.
After the meeting, we loaded up and was just about to leave when I phoned Linda to see what the weather was like at home, she said it was snowing really bad at the time, I went over and saw Janet & John and asked if I could leave the car there, (I don't mind leaving to van anywhere if I got stuck, but but did not want to leave the race car somewhere in the wilds by the side of the road) they said I could and I parked it up over by the old clubhouse and made my way home. It snowed a couple of time on the way home, but it was clear up the Valleys, it was not worth taking a chance.
See you at the first WB round.