Here we were at Pembrey circuit in Wales for the second time and after the Friday test day I was confident with myself and with the car and was sure I was in with a good finish again after being fastest in the test sessions.
Now back to Saturday again, all the cars took to their positions in the assembly area ready to go out for none timed practice. After taking to the circuit it became obvious to me that again I was one of the fastest using the other competitors as gauges for my speed and each lap I just kept knocking them of one by one which put a smile on my face for once.
Come qualifying we left the assembly area again and steamed out onto the track and I immediately backed of and allowed everyone else to pass me to allow me a clear flying lap. I circled the track a few times at a moderate pace to allow the car to warm all its parts up and then hit the hammer and went for my flying lap, as I flew out of Honda Curve and down the pit straight it felt already like I was in for a good lap, after completing what seemed to me the perfect lap I crossed the line in a 1.13.62 which put me on third place for the race which I was happy with.
And now the first race was about to start and I was third on the grid and had the inside line to the tiny hairpin at the end of the straight. The red lights burst on and then off, all the cars leapt from the grid and careered towards the hairpin and as I expected to happen as I braked I found my self being crunched between two cars which was fine for me but not for the car in front which got pushed wide, which allowed me to jump into second place where I stayed for most of the race until, one of the cars broke down at the side of the circuit which meant a red flag and a restart race with 3 laps left.
This time I was second on the grid and I was second with a broken left drive-shaft which wasn't so good, so I decided I had to do my best to get of the grid, so I decided to do a touring car start, the lights came on one more time and I planted my foot to the floor with the car bouncing of the limiter and the clutch ready at the biting point, and off they went and I dropped the clutch and I blistered away from the line quicker than I ever have and shoved my car to the right cutting up the car on third from making a move on me. Well, after that really the lead car and I left the field by a huge amount and once again I took another second place.
This was the second day of the race which after yesterday's race I was confident I could win today. Once again I managed to secure myself third place on the grid which I was happy with for the same reasons.
And here I was again finding myself on the same track, same grid position and the same game plan. The lights came on and stayed on for a good twelve seconds before finally dying out. I used my touring car start again which took me away to another good start and a good run on the inside down to the first corner. At the first corner, the two lead cars decided to touch each other and take each other out which put me in the lead or so I thought as one of the cars who had started fifth on the grid jumped the start a fare way before the lights went out snuck down the inside of me to take the lead. Straight away we had pulled a lead on the rest of the pack and I made a few attempts to overtake him but as he was a previous stockcar driver I was sure that if I came along side him he was going to shove me off the track. As we sailed out of Honda Curve for the first time and down the pit straight I saw car 27 had a ten second penalty for jumping the start, when I saw that board I knew all I had to do was keep the car on the track and the lead car within ten seconds of me which was easy to do. As the final lap board came up I got ready to take my first race win this year as I did my final tour of the circuit and took the chequered flag.
The top three cars did a final lap of honour as all the other cars were pulled into parc ferme ready for scruteneering as we toured the track and eventually pulling into the pit lane. As we came to a holt outside the commentators tower my dad flung the door of the car open and just said "you did it mate, you did it, well done, you did it" and I just pulled him through the door of the car and wrapped my arms around him whilst kissing his head with my helmet still on and said "no we did it, we did it".
Straight after getting out of the car I had the commentator's microphone in front of me asking me about the race and other things that commentators ask you. But really all I wanted to do was get back to the team motor home and open the big bottle of champagne we've all been waiting to open after my first race win. Another good note to add is that I'm now leading the series by ten points and I'm also ready to increase that lead.