Today we had the car out at Donington again for another hard days work on getting the car perfected for the race in two weeks time. Instructing me today I had Nigel Greensal who has been helping me along the way with my driving and getting the car perfected.
But it was only half way through the day that we found out that we had a problem with the car, it was down on power. Me and Nigel noticed this when one of the sessions we were both out in the car and Nigel realised that all of my shift points were 20 meters or more later than usual. At the end of the session we came in and looked over the car and Jaco pointed out that the exhaust and the spark plugs had gone orange. Then we knew we had some work on our hands and only two weeks to sort the problem and test the car again.
Today is the day when we know if we are going to be in the race and running up front again. With all the help from everybody in the motor sport department at East Berkshire College we managed to put my car on their rolling road facilities at the college. This was our only chance to get the car back up to speed and make sure everything was running as normal.
We spent around four hours on the rolling road throughout the afternoon changing various things on the car looking to see if the problem was solved, but no it wasn't. Eventually after trying loads of things we got round to the oxygen sensor and within 5 minutes that was changed and the car back of on its next run on the rolling road, it was looking good the noise was back and so was all the power we originally had. All of us were really happy that we were going to compete in the race and we couldn't have done it without the help from East Berkshire College and especially Ray Westwood who was the man who made it all possible.
Today was the scariest day of my whole life. It was race day and the first one of the new season. And what made it even worse is that I knew I was going to be up front. All day I had my coach Tom Ferrier who I had keeping me together and constantly giving me advice.
We went out in qualifying and managed after pushing hard for 15 minutes to put me and the car on 5th which I wasn't so pleased with but it would have to have done. But everything we had worked for, all the time, effort and money thrown at it, this is what it all came down to, 13 minutes of pure solid racing and I was so nervous I could barely feel my legs. I still had about an hour till the race began but I wanted to be ready for it and get the car ready for the biggest thrashing of its life.
We all lined up in the assembly area and then guided out onto the grid where we took out positions on the grid, this was it 30 seconds and then nothing else matters except giving it everything you got. The lights went red and then out, everybody nailed it of the line and I dived down the inside of two drivers going into Redgate coming out in third place. For most of the race it was a never ending battle for first place between the 3 front cars, all of us on the same second as we crossed the line and then on lap 5 I think it was I managed to snatch second place and was really close to first but the race was red flagged due to another driver having a big crash and then they decided to leave it at that and call the race finished leaving me to take second which I was happy with.
And after all of that all I walked away with was a small trophy and prize money but whatever that's club racing for ya.