Glorious Goodwood!

After my disaster at Pestalozzi it was good to get back to a proper racing circuit, rather than someone's garden path (I'm still bitter!).  I like Goodwood despite having my only crash (as opposed to an 'off') here in July.  I suppose I'd better admit it - I may have been to Goodwood before the Scholarship sprint (okay, I gatecrashed the Graduates sprint and did a track day the week before).  It's not as if its local.   I've got a five hundred mile round trip every time I come here!

I was pretty dishevelled after my six hour drive, including a detour to pick up my car from Mallory Park.  The diff had been on its way out after the previous weekends manoeuvres (500 miles on the road, a trackday and a sprint at Curborough in the hands of 'sig. other' Karen), so Derek at Classic Carriage made time to fit a new one (thanks Derek).  While he was in there, I thought it was a wise move to have two new halfshalfs fitted that weren't made of cheese.  Anyway the sumptuous surroundings of the Old Railway Station made up for the drive and I felt much better the new morning.   The circuit itself is rather spiffing, especially as it was being decked out for the historic Revival meeting a fortnight later.  Covered garages, the Control Tower Restaurant, the pit viewing area, and the emotive entrance tunnel - better than sitting in a field and peeing in a pig trough (where could I be referring to...?). 

After the convey run, it was straight onto the practice runs - or run, as it's one (timed) standing start run followed by an untimed flying lap.  I'm not sure of the wisdom of this as the first corner Madgewick is completely changed on a flyer and you build up a lot of heat in your tyres for the second lap.  Jason obviously agrees, so pulled in to the paddock after one lap!  As I finished my first lap I got shown the chequered flag.  I knew I had another lap left, but the marshal standing in the middle of the track waving me into the paddock didn't!  I was left with the choice to quickly slow down, or buzz the poor guy at a ton!  I came in, and after some 'debating' with the Clerk of the Course was allowed out for a second lap.  In-between my fractured practice I checked my time - 107 seconds and almost 2 seconds clear of anyone else.  Wow! 

On my first timed run I did my usual drop-the-clutch start and held the car (nearly) flat in fourth through Madgewick, flat through Fordwater and, for the first time that day, totally flat through 'No Name'.  This gave me an 'altered' line to what I'd been used to into St Marys (in a kind of "Bugger!" sort of way).  I braked a bit too early and missed the apex but survived.  Lavant was its usual slidey self and I took my (relatively) cautious braking-in-a-straight-line approach to Woodcote after taking out most of my front offside suspension there earlier this year.  I'd been trying a bit of a different line through the chicane, as I reckoned exit speed wasn't that important with the finish only just beyond, so turned in early, aiming to straight line it and brake/downshift (for the first time on the lap!) through it.  I ended up using all the exit kerb, and a bit beyond, but was safely over the line.  I was ecstatic with a 107.23 and a potential first place!  I think this quite impressed my parents who'd come to see me race for the first time.

I made no changes to the car or my plan of attack for my second run (if it ain't broke...), aiming just to tidy up St Marys but couldn't beat my first run time.  A few tense minutes as I waited for the rest of the results to come in, but no-one beat my first time.  Jason came within a tenth for second, and Jonathan Mennear (a fellow Goodwood tester) came an superb third, less than another tenth behind. 

I'm now just waiting for the call from Nick Mason to drive one of his toys at the Revival Meeting at Goodwood in a fortnight.

...

Still waiting, Nick...