CSMCC Round 8 Race Report
Last round of the season! Can’t believe how fast it went!
Qualifying
Last! Unfortunately disaster struck early on! The same gremlin that caused us to limp home during last round had crept back upon us, even after a trouble free testing session on Saturday! I just managed to get the 3 laps required to race then decided it would be best to park the car to not impede any laps! Minimax Motorsport where straight on the car and had the issues resolved and we were set for the last 3 races for the season!
Race 1
Starting last, Things couldn’t get worse! Got a mega start and passed 3-4 cars before even reaching turn 1 and with 2 cars spinning off ahead this seemed to help my case! However, safety car! It was then I noticed P9 on the pit board! 9 Positions in one lap! Safety car starts seem to be a weak point however of mine but I nailed the restart a passed another car before turn 1. At this point myself and Dominic Wheatley worked together and moved up the field! Finished P7! Not bad from last!
Race 2
Now right in the thick of it, it wasn’t going to be easy. Another good start seen me move into P6 until John Duncan out dragged me on the straight. With my head down, I sat about following john however a mistake with 3 laps to go seen me run wide at Clarks and rip out the belt for the water pump! I could feel the car getting slower and with the temp gauge rising I was just hoping the car would make it to the end. Thankfully it did and I just got pipped on the line to finish P9.
Race 3
Again, Minimax Motorsport got about fixing my car and had it perfect condition for the last race of the year! Considering it was Race 3, it was quite a tame race for where I was! Up into P8 and with my teammate Taelor Shand chasing me all the way I stayed there until the flag dropped! And that was that!
First, Congratulations to Mark Geraghty on winning the newcomers championship but also the main championship! Well deserved!
Again, a huge thank you to the marshals, without you we couldn’t go racing! Hopefully this time I wasn’t as much trouble!
As I have said in every report, all of this wouldn’t have been possible without the backing from Allan Paterson and Angela Paterson at AP Autocentre. Words can’t describe how thankful I am for them giving me this opportunity allowing me to show what I can do! Thank you so much for making it happen!
Huge thanks also needs to go to my driving coach Victor Covey, if it wasn’t for his original faith in me I would of never of had this opportunity in the first place!
Another huge thanks goes to my friends and family for coming to support me and every race! It meant so much to me to see all your faces at each round! Especially Marie who has had to put up with my constant chat about racing!
Last but definitely not least without all the work from Scott Mckenzie and the guys at Minimax Motorsport I would not have been able to compete at the front of the field! Thank for everything and taken all my moaning on-board! Apologies for not returning the car in a good as condition as you gave me it!
And that’s a wrap for my adventures in the Celtic Speed Scottish MINI Cooper Cup! It’s had it’s ups and downs but it’s been great to get behind the wheel in Scotland’s most competitive championship. What an experience it has been! Loved every minute of it! I finished the overall championship in 7th! I hoped for an overall podium at the start of the year but to get the results we did I just couldn’t dream of it!
1 x 🥇
1 x 🥈
3 x 🥉
6 x New Comer Wins
1 x Pole
Over the moon with how the year went!
Now to focus the plans for 2018!
Photo credit Sam Corson