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MSA British
Hill Climb Championship |
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Moose Mail Thurs night After going to Jersey presentation on Thursday night after the hill at Bouley Bay it’s a mad dash down to catch the ferry to get to my home base. We arrive back at my garage at just after 10 pm, that’s Moose, Gina, Phil Cooke and Force boys, big paws , Grovesy and Ranson and all their trailers. If you have seen my garage then you will know it's a logistical nightmare cramming them all in. We put my car and big paws in the work shop for a early assault on them for Friday morning. The master plan ! (yes we have a plan for every meeting, they don’t always come off but we do have a plan). We arrive home, toast and marmite are the choice of most, cup of tea and bed. It's been a long day, I have a house full and some. Friday We opt that’s big paws and I to go to garage at 5.30 am to sort out cars and load so we can have afternoon off and relax. For the first time in 5 seasons my car is ready before 1pm a full 12hrs earlier than ever before. My prediction for GSY if dry was 3 sub 29sec runs, the 3 would be me, Grovesy and jam strangler most people laughed and looked at me as if I was crazy, well I was almost right. Read on and find out... Mark, Jane and Holly arrive mid morning and we all meet up for lunch at rock mount and it was really good. An afternoon was spent on the beach, I am sure dun cell has some moose found buried alive pictures on the www.2t4t.co.uk site. In the evening we went to Richmond where Holly and Simpson have a ride on g strings horse. Simpson is my nickname for big paws daughter Olivia, her initials are O.J, you’ll soon catch on one of my traits is giving everyone a nickname) like it or not. Also we found time to help set up the hill and re familiarise myself with the hill, a whole year has passed since I last drove it. Sat Race Day This is another early rise, I opt to sleep in my lorry for some peace and quiet, by 3.30 am I am awake and can't get back to sleep. A quick polish of the race car and then I drive back to my house to collect big paws, Mark and dun cell and George. Time is now 5.30am [argh - Richard] ,we arrive back at the garage and load up ready to go the hill. We arrive at 6 am and unload and park up. Mark preps the car while I stick on my other hat as chief scruitineer and organise the cars to be checked. Then we go to drivers briefing and then back in racing driver mode well almost ! driver mode more like. I have one last hill walk. To say I am desperate to put the first national win is a understatement, the longer the wait, the harder it gets.... Fist practice is a low 31 sec run and f*** me the hill is lethal slippery, no grip and a huge moment for me, I have a quick check to make sure I haven’t cocked up on the settings, no it's just slippery. 2nd practice a 30 .67 3rd quickest and we go to lunch, Mark then asks have I remembered to insure the car the answer I was so busy relaxing I had forgot. You know when you say you are going to do something and you don’t sometimes you wish you had and then you beat yourself up for not doing it. Well I am like that, so I make some calls and that’s it done, it's all insured for the afternoon. I am lucky now I can give 120 percent with no fear. I know later on I will need to push harder than ever to achieve my goal. After a brief discussion with Mark its
decided to hold back from going all out in time runs and qualify top to only be
deflated by the times Scott and Martin post so opt to qualify mid pack and save
some raw speed for run offs only I qualify 4th
for first run off on a 30.15 quick enough but a lot in reserve. We fit our best
set and prepare. I am to follow big paws, the lead time is jam strangler on
29.88 well reachable just as hotrod leaves the entry of tunnel (hot alias Colin
le maitre) a huge bang is heard he has blown his engine a 35 min delay in track
cleaning is about to We roll down I know the 2nd run off I must push the envelope in the pursuit of my goal . I know they have not seen my best I just couldn’t throw caution to wind on those track conditions so fair play to martin that times was awesome in those slippery quick bits. Mark and i quick access damage from my spin over finish line nothing tank tape and Allen key for strength wont sort. The 2nd time run I miss a gear and am cautious as to not make a mistake and qualify we qualify 5th or 6th I think and run after big paws, we analyse data and pick out 4 places were I can make up time, I am in the car early so I can focus for a death or glory run with jam strangler, Grovesy to run after me I know they will be very quick and I want to post an unbeatable time and suck some of there mental energy, as Groves often does to us all. I know when tyre warming that it could end in disaster but I am willing to risk it all something I have only ever done once before in Doune last year in run off .so many people want to see my first win but rest assured no-one WANTS IT MORE THAN ME. 26 secs later its all over a disaster in the bank I arrive at bottom of straight quicker than ever before we hit limiter on top straight 118 mph I know that was the run but I am too quick too late on the brakes
and the back of the car unsettled and
huge spin and cant stop it hitting the bank and at first it looks like no damage
So its off to the pub to drown team moose sorrows thanks for all the support sorry I couldn’t do it justice I am truly sorry. Moose. Thanks to Eddie Walder for all the pictures on this page. Richard was too busy swaning around with his video cameras. Which now have my fastest crash for prosperity. [Added after the original report].
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happen me
Grovesy, Roger Moran, and big paws are invited up to track inspect. My worst
fears are realised, there is oil all over racing line the marshals do a great
job but in my heart of hearts as being the first v8 to attempt to blast through
it all I know deep down this run will not be my first win as to win you need to
give 110 percent as I travel through I am only at 95 percent at that track point
but I do give all at every other corner with a spin over the line the clocks
stop at 29.83 the lead but deep down I know martin and roge will go quicker so
at least worst case 3
but on closer inspection its 9k
and climbing so I hope David and Sean and the boys from Newbury at GOULDs are
not too busy and we will be ready for Wiscombe and the hunt goes on .sorry
forgot to mention roger posts a 29.99, Martin a 29.19 and jam strangler 28.83
awesome another record well I did get 2 out of predictions right.