Cadwell Park
20th May 01
Round 4
Enjoyment (out of 5)
Fastest Practice Lap: 1.11.437
I've never raced at Cadwell but I have tested here. I was lapping in the 1:16s during the test session last year. Pretty slow. With a bit more experience in my pocket I thought I would improve a lot. I did. Reasonably happy but I felt I was giving it all but I was still 4 seconds slower than the pole man. I couldn't figure out where I was losing all the time.
Heat: Grid Position: 21
Heat: Race Result (10 laps) : 16th - 12:34.165 - 69.98MPH
Heat: Fastest Lap: 1:12.651
I lost some places off the line and during the first lap. This seems to be my nemsis, a poor start coupled with a too gentle first couple of laps. Second lap I began pulling back a few places. My dad told me afterwards the commentator even said the immortal words "Tony Dowson is coming through the field". I was battling hard. The hairpin is a good overtaking opportunity, going into it on the brake or coming out, especially if someone misses a gear or goes a little wide. Aaron went a little wide coming out and I tried to keep it tight and accelerate but I drifted towards him. I wasn't in the mood for lifting off so we briefly interlocked wheels. Al was going well when I missed second gear and stalled the engine coming into the hairpin. Lost countless places and mountains of time. Cursing myself I did it again a lap later. No more mistakes meant I picked a couple of places up from guys spinning but I only managed 16th. Not good enough to get into the final. Missing second gear twice had cost me a race & final.
Final: Grid Position: Reserve 1
Final: Race Result (10 laps) : 19th - 12:13.424 - 71.96MPH
Final: Fastest Lap: 1:11.854
I was first reserve for the final. As I waited in the pits somebody came past and said Martin Brown wasn't going to make it. So I thought "Great I'm in". Then he turned up. Ah well, never mind. They did their green flag lap and Martin Brown's car was smoking badly. The marshal came over and told me I was in. So I watched the green light, everyone launched off and then the marshal waved me out of the pits. I was a good 5 seconds behind everyone else. But I didn't care I was in the race. Then red flag, Bill Burnett had crashed at the hairpin and his car was stuck in the middle of the track.
We formed up on the grid for the restart. I would be starting from the back and the second reserve, Aaron Atkins, had also made it. When I took my position on the grid I noticed I couldn't see the lights. An overhanging tree was blocking the lights. So I started when everyone moved off. So not a great start but by the second corner I was right up with Peter K and there I stayed. I just couldn't pass him. I was losing too much time coming out of the hairpin and it took my half a lap to close back up. Then I was at a part of the circuit that was not good for overtaking. I did pass one spinner, Andy Metcalf but he re-passed me and Peter K into the hairpin. Andy came out of Mansflield the corner before the hairpin much faster than myself. Perhaps this was where I was losing my 4 seconds to the quick guys.