|
| |
Ranson Times 2nd June 2006
 |
|
| Martin Groves adjusts the wing, Paul in the car |
|
Gurston Down is the UK hillclimb course with the
highest speeds. Craigantlet is close, but last year we didn't see over 150mph
there and at Gurston the logger recorded 155... Craigantlet naturally has its
own attractions, although whether breaking a family holiday is a plus or minus
is left as an exercise for the reader.
Anyway we got away with the weather at this year's first visit to Gurston Down.
During first practice there was a drizzly shower as the main unlimited racing
car batch ran. Which left me sitting on a good time... It rained more seriously
before the third practice and many of us elected not to run on the basis that
the weather would be fine on the Sunday. Which it was. Luckily the Groves team
junior members got down and dirty with the sponges and removed most of the muck
Martin sprayed on the car bringing it back.
Gurston Down is nice and easy to drive. Basically you go off down the hill as
fast as you can, knock about 20mph off before the kink, then floor it around
Hollow. Change down 4 times into Karousel, scrabble around the top then try and
accelerate over the bump. Tiptoe around Ashes and then just accelerate to and
through the finish. Nice and easy to say, somewhat harder to actually do.
I'd decided I'd not lift through the finish in practice unless I really really
had to (perhaps as many as two wheels on the grass would be a good reason?)
Rationally all you have to do is steer, even in less than perfect conditions.
Psychologically I got a boost from being clearly the quickest in the speed trap
on Saturday and also setting competitive times. Of course if I'm slow in
practice at the next meeting then I can tell myself that pressure helps...
Come the day from what I saw the first round was somewhat dull. Onto the second,
Arriving at the top after my second qualifying run the clutch pedal was soft,
and the clutch itself was dragging. So I arranged to leave last, we pushed the
car so that it was aimed directly at the exit, I started it, stuffed it into
gear and nothing happened. No drive at all. Fortunately the marshals and course
controllers allowed a tow back to the paddock, although it actually proved
possible to coast past Hollow.
The only available action was to bleed the clutch. It's a cliché in hillclimbing
that when someone has a problem everybody, even your closest competitors, pitch
in to help. It may be a cliché but it's true. And it's fantastic to experience
firsthand. Fortunately, (even for us), it's a rare experience.
 |
|
| Martin wears the black Darth Vader helmet, Paul's is
white. |
|
So after a few minutes of frantic activity the covers
and nose were put back on. Martin got in. Toby Moody ably organised turning the
car around and we pushed the car all the way to the start line to do a
qualifying run. Start it up, put it in gear, go. Job done although in a somewhat
lacklustre time. Faster than me though (just)...
Fortuitously I'd just out qualified Roger Moran. This meant I'd run second and
last of the double drives and could do a nice dignified U-turn at the top and
drive straight back without stopping, minimising clutch use.
Again we pushed all the way to the line, removed the
pallet wrap from the tyres, started up, engaged a gear and departed. I was
uncertain whether the clutch was slipping or the wheels were spinning but
eventually decided to get on with it. The time was disappointing, but there was
a time. I rather needed a time so that was mission accomplished.
Martin decided that he would spin the tyres up and then go. From his perspective
settling for a mid-field result was a bad use of resources. Win or bust was
entirely rational. And in the way of the champion, win was it.
This last weekend Gould had two complete top 10s. Congratulations. Is this
unique?
The clutch has now been serviced for the second meeting running and the slave
cylinder seals changed. If I were superstitious I'd be kissing the coffee table.
This being preferable to touching Sean...
I missed almost all the excitement at Gurston, I've not even heard Trevor
Willis's new car run in anger. While packing up I discovered that Chris Merrick
and Deryk Young had also had clutch problems. I hope they're sorted for this
weekend.
Paul
|
