CSMCC Round 7 Race Report

After 10 weeks away, it was time to go round Knockhill in the correct direction! The conditions where horrible but hey! First wet races of the year!

Qualifying

P10. Not the best but could have been worse, just wasn’t able to put in a lap due to the session being stopped or just not getting the space needed to put in a clean lap. Lesson learned for next time!

Race 1

Really didn’t know what to expect, my first time out in the wet so the plan was just move forward and bring the car home. Not the most exciting race apart from John Duncan Racing taken a short cut across the hairpin! Spent the race defending 8th as I just did not feel comfortable in the car as I was all over the shop. Finished 8th, not that bad but not the best.

Race 2

The plan was to move forward and get myself in the mix for the reverse grid, Minimax Motorsport changed the setup to help the issues I was having and the car felt a lot more settled! It was during this race I realised I was lacking straight-line speed compared to everyone else, I was losing 2-3 car lengths on the straight no matter what sort of exit I got, I managed to hold onto 8th till lap 3 then my team-mate Hannah Chapman Racing sailed on by, it was at this moment I realised I had no option but to “park the bus” and the drive widest mini I could. I good tussle with John again seen me take 9th on the line. Minimax Motorsport where straight on the car trying to fix the issue with the straight line speed as I was sitting duck.

Race 3

Where to start, just missed out the reverse grid by one position but with the straight line speed problem now fixed the plan was just to go forward! Made a position of the start and for the first time during the weekend I felt comfortable in the conditions, however going down Duffus on the 2nd lap I lost all power and fell down the order but it kept going and the same issue again happened at Clarks and also the hairpin the following lap. After seeing that the Safety Car was deployed I decided to come into the pits as I was already way down the order to see if anything obvious was wrong with the car. Minimax Motorsport checked over the car and could not see anything wrong and the decision was made to just carry on with the race and see what happens. Fast forward 3-4 laps and I caught up the back of the safety car queue and just as the lights went out on the safety car, my car lost all power and refused to get going again. Stopped at the Chicane, restarted the car and off I went again… for another lap until again I stopped at the chicane with 2 cars off in the gravel… Restart and off I went… until the next lap and again it stopped at the chicane this time with 5 cars stopped in the gravel. I think by this point the marshals where getting fed up with me stopping all the time and if it wasn’t for the Red Flags coming out I’m not sure the car would have made it! Apologies to the marshals at the chicane, I really didn’t make your life easy! Finished 18th but most importantly I gained crucial points! Never give up! Not the easiest “race” ever but these things happen!

Not the best weekend, I’ve moved down to third in the newcomer’s championship but mathematically still in the hunt but you just never know might what happen!

Thanks again to the marshals! Standing in that weather could not have been fun! I definitely did not make your life easy in the third race!

Again, a huge thanks goes to Allan Paterson and Angela Paterson at AP Autocentre for everything they do and allowing me this opportunity and also Minimax Motorsport dealing with the constant issues I give them!

Onwards to the final round! Let’s see if we can aim for that top step!

Photos by Eddie Kelly Motorsport Photography and John Finlayson