Moose mail  15th May 2006

Well where to start. Flew over to big paws ‘s at 6.30 Thursday evening to remove Tony Marshes rack and travel to his place to refit and set up on his Gould ready for to him to go Shelsley for a clubby meeting. We were very grateful for the loan of it and helped him load up his car into trailer it was the least we could do. Bigpaws and I then travel back to his base for a quick bite to eat and then back to the grindstone and fit the new rack supplied to Gould’s then collected by big paws on weds ready for us to fit, why when your up against it do things never quite go according to plan. A quick visit to Toms other shed for some hasty machining and car was loaded up with not all the jobs done but a list ready for some prep while at Barbon was the master plan but as we all know things don’t always work out that and with everything going on lately, maybe should have work later into early hours at big paws. With a scheduled stop at Gould’s to replenish the spares box and collect some bits for my competitors. It was then a trip to Honda formula one to collect the moose mobiles freshly painted bodywork .then the big drive to Barbon manor ,so much for an afternoons prep heavy  traffic on m6 put pay to that and  arrive at 7.30 bonus its still dry and light so remove rear floor and gear cluster to change ratios. And fit freshly painted bodywork we finish in the early hours by torchlight something had to give. So it was the usual bar meal. Never mind car more important. Am awoken by heavy rain in the night great especially as there are bits of fresh tarmac been laid only a few days previous. (Picture of BigPaws, A.K.A. Tom New and Moose).

Rounds 5 & 6 Barbon manor

Moose, no Gina (horse sitter probs) and Mark driving up 1^st thing

Will be good miss meetings when he’s not there (he keeps me honest)

We attempt to fasten bodywork and adjust according (what we do without tank tape )sign on and await scruitineering, no dramas.

1^st practice is on damp track on slicks and can honestly say was a terrifying experience I never want to re-peat the track with a combination of damp and new tarmac patches is lethal,2^nd practice is better but still not good, everybody is extremely cautious.

1^st timed run

We qualify 6^th on a low 23 sec run in run post a mid 22 and finish 6^th  no bad considering.

2^nd timed we up the game and post the 2^nd 21 sec run of the day with a 21.99 and qualify 2^nd behind rival and current champion groves who posts a 21.83 .with the last of the times this is good enough for 2^nd place in class and 1^st trophy of the year.

Run off we improve with a 21.66 just edging out Roger Moran’s 21.69 so with only groves to run who posts a low  21 sec to secure the win and finish with our first runner up spot of the year. And 2^nd F.T.D

Mark and I pack happy with our 14 pt haul I am still driving with Loton Park accident hangover but days like these really help ease mental state.

 We travel across to Harewood straight after the meeting has finished ,it not far in mileage buts takes 1.3 hrs

A quick much needed shower in a can (deodorant) and change and a few of us including ranson, mcb666 and wife, mark . and big paws travel to a secluded Chinese restaurant for some needed  tucker and  banter good to talk about non hill climbing matters. A good night was had by all.

Rounds 7 & 8 Harewood

The weather man lied, he had said we would have nicer weather but alas was horrible drizzle that would not clear. Moose really wanted some dry running.

Worst fears are realised as in first practice we are about  9 secs of the pace

It got a little better in 2^nd practice only 6 secs behind.

A bit effort would be needed for 1^st timed runs and as they say as we are fortunate to be running one of mcb’s on board cameras they don’t lie. We post reasonable time of mid 54 on a lot drier track and Q 6^th

Run off

Just before we proceed to the startline Mark makes An ace call to change the car to intermediate tyres, as I can never make my mind up I’ll let mark make the tyre choices and much to my annoyance he is usually right. As I roll down to the start line is just starting to drizzle with everyone on slicks except me I have  a wry smile as I fancy my chances ,I practice 3 starts on the on the now wet tyre warming area and await to be lined  up on start line. As I am awaiting green light they start flashing the red lights  .I switch off and wait 15 minutes later I am still there (a timing failure, funny been here before haven’t we ) long enough delay for yet more drizzle and everyone exempt me to change to wets ,funny how things turnaround I no longer have that smug grin. In hindsight I should have change d to wets but I didn’t and I bottle it and cruise to the top I am shocked as my 67 sec is still good enough for 10^th place and 1pt

We are a little despondent but sometimes things happen out of your control cant help thinking it always happening to me.

2^nd time run track is drying and we Q 9^th

Mark then has to gee me up and give a talking to try and rescue the day from being a complete disaster.

We are now left pondering tyre choice as with ever drying track some opt for slicks, some wets and others a mixture, with us having inters as well we are left quite a decision. To make  we make  a couple of suspension and wing changes and  opt for inters as this is the only track we got that has the pits away from start line so once you have chosen and rolled down  you have to stick to your decision.   On the way down marks words are echoing inside my helmet and when I see the few I have in front of me go and a slight dry line emerging on the cold tarmac (cant help thinking that we race in summer coz its warmer).you could mistake this for a winters day. I am every so slightly swayed to putting slicks on front but too late now lets make most of what we got.

Unbelievable I make the best start in the car to date and rocket away to first corner looking at logging I am quicker than dry run on slicks weird, with Harewood having multiple split timing  everything is logged and 3quarters of the way  round and i am up on the best time so far ,but with 6 cars left to run and track drying all the time I am conscience of pushing to extract the max and as I entered the farmhouse complex  I make a mistake and carry way too much corner speed and the front tyres are struggling for grip and I frustratingly under steer off into a gravel trap.

No points and a little pissed to say the least , Mark had said all weekend I needed to let car drift out wide and not hug the curb somehow I don’t think he meant that wide. We pack up in virtual silence he is disappointed at my performance but rest assured no one is more disappointed and frustrated than me with probably one of worst performances on British soil.

It’s a long lonely drive back to toms with 5hrs to reflect on the days happenings, when you drive well the trip always goes quicker.

We await the  camera footage .

We now lie joint 5^th in championship with Rob Turnbull on 27 pts with a rather large gap to Simon Durling on 54 in 4th  and martin groves leading on 69 we have a mountain to climb now ,we have next weekend off before we head to Gurston down  were we aim to improve our performance.

With no mark at Gurston Gina will be chucked in at the deep end.

The moose mobile will be sign written this week and will be back to 100 %  ready  for Rounds 9 and 10 at Gurston down on week on 27^th and 28^th May.

Moose's desire is still burning with pride............

All Mike's own words.

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