Moose Mail - Mike Dean - www.2T4T.co.uk

Moose Mail, the final entry... as it was posted on the homepage, removed and left here in memorial. Come back Moose.. or enjoy a different aspect of it, like you did at Jersey and Guernsey 2007 (Mr useful)

The Moose is gone, for 2007.
Due to financial, work and logistical constraints it is with much regret I announce that I will sit out 2007 season.
- Mike Dean aka Moose aka Uncle Albert & H

We will miss the nasal rasp of the Moose, as the orange sun sets, be sure it will rise again.
The future is orange, just not tomorrow. Click the picture for a slideshow that covers Mike from 2004 to 2007.

Moose mobile is ready and a slight shower occurs just before we hit the track, as this is the first run of the season Moose is eager to get one run under his belt. Marks instructions are to take it easy as a few of the usual runners have already come to grief. Moose takes heed of the warning and heads out on track, a reasonable split is posted and all though the track is greasy there is some grip to be had, on approaching the finishing line the track is wetter than lower down and grip is at a premium, tempting to stop wheel spin Moose shifts up more gears than usual, as he is about to cross the finishing line the Moose mobile snaps sideways and demolishes 2 tyre walls whilst also removing the right front wheel suspension body work front wing and rear floor and left hand front suspension! (with a speed of approx 125 mph the damage all though substantial could have been so much worse. The moose crew supervised recovery whilst Moose has check-up from doctor). This is not the start to the season that we had hoped for.

On returning to the paddock many offers of assistance are offered, after quick briefing with the crew it was decided that the best option would be to return the car to the Gould factory at Newbury. After unloading car at Gould's damage to the front uprights and the steering rack it was decided that the car would have to stay, it was with much regret that the crew returned to Loton minus Moose Mobile, the offer of various vehicles from our competitors was vast, Moose took up the offer of Simon Durling's Gould GR55B with power by the 2.65 NME unit, although less horse power than Moose's this would be our best chance of rescuing the weekend.

With no practice and Moose crew equip car with our seat and tyres Moose is ready for first time run in this borrowed steed to try and qualify, (no pressure) although we have raced this track many times before Moose is badly effected by nerves and a very stiff body, we failed to make the cut and finished 13th missing out by 2 tenths, the Groves / Ranson show has its first glitch and their NME fails to burst into life with a very unusual ECU failure, Moose's ECU is removed from the stricken car at Gould's and is on route to Loton to save their day. Scot Moran takes round one win from his father, Simon Durling is 3rd.

A renewed effort from Moose sees a one and half second improvement and qualify by the skin of our teeth 12th, we are ready for the run off, unusual for Moose to run first as a share and the slowest time, this is a new experience for the team, with a ballistic start the teams hopes are dashed as a timing glitch occurs and Moose is flagged for a rerun, some how the next start are never as good, with no split posted a time of 50.38 is achieved, Moose and the team are unsure that this is right, Scot Moran is next up and he gets no time and is offered a re run, Moose complains but is on deaf ears, the final outshot is we finish 10th and get one point. Roger Moran takes the win, with Martin Groves sporting Moose's ECU second and Scot (jam strangler) 3rd

We are very grateful to Simon Durling for the loan of his steed shame Moose didn't do it the justice it deserved, although already facing a large rebuild bill, he didn't really want two bills, so at the end of the day one point is better than none!