I collected the car Thursday at 4pm from Lotus, quick blast down to North Weald to meet Andrew Walsh for an hour on the Airfield to try out some suspension settings and to see what the car feels like with the new LSD that Lotus fitted for me. Was a great session and I did try to understand what Walshy was explaining, but it was really hard when I was concentrating on my driving as well as understand what the car was doing. I will get the hang of it?
Friday Am was an early start for me as I had to drive to http://www.vinylcreations.co.uk this meant the M25. traffic wasn’t to bad and made it in plenty time. Big thanks to Rick and Stacy who worked none stop to wrap the side of the car and add my sponsor’s logo’s. Really happy with the look of the car.
Turned up at Brands, signed on, when I was away Skeggy got the car scruteneerd (cheers). My car then went for a power run and I was a little bit surprised that my car was over power 241 at the hub (limit was 227) I knew the car was quick, but I have never driven another 2-11 so I had nothing to compare it against, apart from track days and racing at Silverstone 2 weeks earlier (sorry guy’s but I’m not handing back my trophies). When we go moved into the holding area I had lost my scruteneering sticker for my car. A quick look in my other car that had half my life and load’s of tools car parts etc but I couldn’t find it and was in a bit of a panic. Skeggy then went back to my car and found it in my jeans pocket (thanks again mate I am due you a few shandies) by then I noticed on my tyresure meter was telling me that my pressures had gone up just with the car sitting in the sun. No time to alter the pressures so Walshy told me to head out get a banker then come in and he would let down the tyres. I am not sure where the time went but by the time I came in Walshy told me that I only had 4 minutes left and just to head out and have another try. I was lucky to come out into a clear track and even with the car not handling to good I got a clear lap and managed to get in a not bad lap. 5th overall (first 2-11) a good place to be with a top 10 reverse grid, but I was only a second off being second on the grid. Another lesson learnt.
Brands A1GP
Brands A1GP
"Here for a good time not a long time"
Re: Brands A1GP
Look forward to the next installment mate 
alicrozier wrote:As Robin said, need to be comfortable and confident to push right up to the limit - sometimes you only find the limit by going beyond it...
(that's why I think Mike will do fine, that and his lack of imagination).
Re: Brands A1GP
Saturday race 1
Well I was sharing a room with Walshy Friday night and I had went off to bed earlier then the rest, as the race was early doors and it had been a long day. Walshy comes into the room a bit later, spends half the night snoring, when I finally manage to get to sleep, I am woken by him switching the light on and telling me to get up. WTF its only 5.30. Oh sorry I thought it was 7.30, c0ck. Well we get up at 7, breakfast and head off to the track. Only one race today and were on at 10.30 (I think) I was feeling confident knowing I had the pace of the front runners. Up to the grid sitting 5th, I have no plan just wait and see if I can get a better start then at Silverstone. I can’t remember much apart from Steve Williams coming past, so I’m down to 6th or so after corner 2. Just keep calm I am here for race the 2-11 not the Modified boys ;o). Well I think I pass a couple of people and my plan of just racing the 2-11 goes out the window. I am on the back of Bens Elise, he’s in 4th and I can see Randy and Steve in front (they are fighting for 2nd-3rd and the podium I really want). I get a run on Ben coming round Stirling’s and go to pass, one way then the other, I get squeezed on to the grass and have to lift off not good doing 100 mph 2ft from the Armco. I come back onto track and then start to concentrate on the 2-11 win. I am really starting to struggle with the cars handling. I just put it down to the new LSD and maybe we got the wrong settings, the car is a real handful and my confidence to push is hard on the fast corners. I then have another off, the car just seemed to understeer straight off the track. This lets Jon (in the 2-11) and Sean passed. This is not what I was wanting. But I manage to focus and start chasing them down. I manage to get a run on Sean down paddock and coming up to the hairpin he out brakes himself and I slip down the inside, I then manage to get on the back of Jon. On the same lap I pass him on the inside coming onto the start finish straight and pray the flag comes out but no we have to go round again. Well I can’t remember much about the last lap but when I pass the flag I am well chuffed, top 2-11 and a signature. Back to the pits via scruteneering and I am 1kg over my power to weight. Well judged
) After about 4-5 beers and a great BBQ the handling thing is still going round in my head, so after a chat with Walshy we go to have a look at the car and make a few adjustments. We then find out that the collar holding the rear spring has broken into pieces and the spring is rattling about and only held on by the plastic adjuster. I am well chuffed, I now know why the car was handling like a dog and it wasn’t just my driving or the cars set up. Well Walshy and Steve then start going round the paddock and making phone calls. FSR have a spare set of shocks that belong to Tom Chatterway. Steve call’s him and he said I could use them, top bloke a very nice thing to do, thank you very much sir. So change the shock’s and off to the Pub with Bob Van who has come all the way from Holland to cheers me on. Thanks Bob.
Well I was sharing a room with Walshy Friday night and I had went off to bed earlier then the rest, as the race was early doors and it had been a long day. Walshy comes into the room a bit later, spends half the night snoring, when I finally manage to get to sleep, I am woken by him switching the light on and telling me to get up. WTF its only 5.30. Oh sorry I thought it was 7.30, c0ck. Well we get up at 7, breakfast and head off to the track. Only one race today and were on at 10.30 (I think) I was feeling confident knowing I had the pace of the front runners. Up to the grid sitting 5th, I have no plan just wait and see if I can get a better start then at Silverstone. I can’t remember much apart from Steve Williams coming past, so I’m down to 6th or so after corner 2. Just keep calm I am here for race the 2-11 not the Modified boys ;o). Well I think I pass a couple of people and my plan of just racing the 2-11 goes out the window. I am on the back of Bens Elise, he’s in 4th and I can see Randy and Steve in front (they are fighting for 2nd-3rd and the podium I really want). I get a run on Ben coming round Stirling’s and go to pass, one way then the other, I get squeezed on to the grass and have to lift off not good doing 100 mph 2ft from the Armco. I come back onto track and then start to concentrate on the 2-11 win. I am really starting to struggle with the cars handling. I just put it down to the new LSD and maybe we got the wrong settings, the car is a real handful and my confidence to push is hard on the fast corners. I then have another off, the car just seemed to understeer straight off the track. This lets Jon (in the 2-11) and Sean passed. This is not what I was wanting. But I manage to focus and start chasing them down. I manage to get a run on Sean down paddock and coming up to the hairpin he out brakes himself and I slip down the inside, I then manage to get on the back of Jon. On the same lap I pass him on the inside coming onto the start finish straight and pray the flag comes out but no we have to go round again. Well I can’t remember much about the last lap but when I pass the flag I am well chuffed, top 2-11 and a signature. Back to the pits via scruteneering and I am 1kg over my power to weight. Well judged
) After about 4-5 beers and a great BBQ the handling thing is still going round in my head, so after a chat with Walshy we go to have a look at the car and make a few adjustments. We then find out that the collar holding the rear spring has broken into pieces and the spring is rattling about and only held on by the plastic adjuster. I am well chuffed, I now know why the car was handling like a dog and it wasn’t just my driving or the cars set up. Well Walshy and Steve then start going round the paddock and making phone calls. FSR have a spare set of shocks that belong to Tom Chatterway. Steve call’s him and he said I could use them, top bloke a very nice thing to do, thank you very much sir. So change the shock’s and off to the Pub with Bob Van who has come all the way from Holland to cheers me on. Thanks Bob."Here for a good time not a long time"
Re: Brands A1GP
Sunday race 2
Well we have been given (or Paul Golding has haggled) an additional 15 rolling start. Well I was thinking I would just use this to get my 2nd signature (you can only get 2 at one meeting) and then have a go on the last race. Well my plan went out the window when I get a good start and pass 2 people but Steve passes me again but I’m up into 4th and chasing that podium. I’m not sure what lap 3 or 4 and I come out of Westfield (90=100mph) very hot and lose the back end. I make a school boy error and I think I lift off to quickly and the back goes. The next thing I am heading backwards towards the barrier pedal fully on the brake pedal but I’m a passenger. Some luck and some high speed reversing I am going backward parallel with the barrier, well I clip the barrier with the rear corner and I am pushed back onto the track in front of 44 cars at 100mph. Sorry to Pat who get knocked off in the bedlam. I manage to limp back to the pits praying the cars not too bad, but its crabbing fairly bad. I am really annoyed with myself I really wasn’t concentrating on what I was doing and dreaming of the podium. Lucky for me the car only had 2 bent ball joints and a scrape down the side. Thanks to Andrew (SW Lotus mechanic) and Walshy for changing them over and giving the car a geo, while I wonder up to the Ireland garage with Russell from Lotus to have a look round during the A1GP sprint race and get my mind off my mistake.
Well we have been given (or Paul Golding has haggled) an additional 15 rolling start. Well I was thinking I would just use this to get my 2nd signature (you can only get 2 at one meeting) and then have a go on the last race. Well my plan went out the window when I get a good start and pass 2 people but Steve passes me again but I’m up into 4th and chasing that podium. I’m not sure what lap 3 or 4 and I come out of Westfield (90=100mph) very hot and lose the back end. I make a school boy error and I think I lift off to quickly and the back goes. The next thing I am heading backwards towards the barrier pedal fully on the brake pedal but I’m a passenger. Some luck and some high speed reversing I am going backward parallel with the barrier, well I clip the barrier with the rear corner and I am pushed back onto the track in front of 44 cars at 100mph. Sorry to Pat who get knocked off in the bedlam. I manage to limp back to the pits praying the cars not too bad, but its crabbing fairly bad. I am really annoyed with myself I really wasn’t concentrating on what I was doing and dreaming of the podium. Lucky for me the car only had 2 bent ball joints and a scrape down the side. Thanks to Andrew (SW Lotus mechanic) and Walshy for changing them over and giving the car a geo, while I wonder up to the Ireland garage with Russell from Lotus to have a look round during the A1GP sprint race and get my mind off my mistake.
"Here for a good time not a long time"
Re: Brands A1GP
Excellent Stuff Scotty
Re: Brands A1GP
bloody hell mate! What an incident packed outing for you, esecially with the week running up to it.
all good stuff though, and sounds like your first born is going to be called "Walshy" at this rate
all good stuff though, and sounds like your first born is going to be called "Walshy" at this rate
AMG GT-R
Atom 4 - CM425
Lotus Esprit S4S
G30 M5 Comp
Ferrari 599
Lotus Elise S1 "Shed" spec
Atom 4 - CM425
Lotus Esprit S4S
G30 M5 Comp
Ferrari 599
Lotus Elise S1 "Shed" spec
Re: Brands A1GP
He's only helping as he can't race for a couple of months, he goes into hospital tomorrow for a op on his shoulder but it could take 3-4 months before he driving (racing) again. He has been great and has even managed to get me a new sponsor (watch this space) I am sure all this will stop when I start whipping his ar5eAndy G wrote:bloody hell mate! What an incident packed outing for you, esecially with the week running up to it.
all good stuff though, and sounds like your first born is going to be called "Walshy" at this rate
Race 3 to follow, tonight.
"Here for a good time not a long time"
Re: Brands A1GP
Race 3
Reverse grids meant I was 6th on the grid and get a good start up to 4th on the first corner but then get squeezed by Steve back to 5th at the hairpin. We come out the hairpin and I look in my mirrors and there is nobody behind me, where has the rest of the field gone? Red flags come out straight away and I start to think that this could be serious and I hope everyone’s ok. We cruse round to the grid again and wait to see who doesn’t come round not good as 4 or so cars don’t seem to make the grid and I can see Jamie is talking to the Marshals. Next thing he drives past and into the pits. I can see his under tray hanging off and think he must be out as well. Wee seem to sit on the grid for ages, it was roasting sitting on the grid, but I am fairly focused and very calm. I still have the thoughts about making the Podium and now 4 or 5 of the front runners are out I have a real chance. I asked one of the marshals’s if they are going to reduce the length of the race and he said he has heard that it will be a 10 minute race. I think a 1 minute board comes out and about 20 seconds later the 5 second board comes out (what happened to the 30sec and the 10sec board) Lights go out and I get another good start. My main focus was Simon in the other 2-11 who was on Pole. Sean gets a great start and is off. Not sure how the first 2 laps pan out, but Steve has a big spin in front trying to pass Connaire and I am up to 4th. I get a good run out of Surties onto the back straight and pass Simon and then get Connaire on the start finish straight up to 2nd. I can see Sean up ahead but I have been pushing for a couple of laps and the tyres and brakes are going off so I back off a little as Sean was a good way ahead, But I have Ben behind me a closing fast. I can’t remember how Ben gets passed but going into the hairpin he out brakes himself and I pass him on the inside, I then have a lap with Ben all over me. Coming onto the start finish straight I am hoping for the flag, but it wasn’t to be and we then have another lap with nothing but paint splitting us. I was really struggling with the car but manage to hold him off and next time round the flag comes round. I was over the moon 2nd overall and the Podium I dreamt of. San has the biggest smile on his face (next time maybe) Have a quick chat with Ben about my moves out on track and he said I was all fair. Up to the podium, Paul Golding then tells us about the deal to take the Elise Trophy to OZ. I standing there thinking am I dreaming? WTF is going on. I get my trophy presented by Australia's ex-F1 World Champion Alan Jones (I had to ask who he was, sorry) we then come back down to the paddock and then onto the back of the open top Range rover for a parade lap waving at the crowd.
Top weekend.
I have a lot of people to thank, but a big thank you to Andrew Walsh for all his help (and Emma for putting me up for the week). Steve Williams for sorting my car out. Tom Chatterway for the rear suspension. Paul, Jez, Emma and all the other LOT helpers. And to all the other drivers and supporters that made this a weekend one I will never forget.
Living the dream.
Scotty
Reverse grids meant I was 6th on the grid and get a good start up to 4th on the first corner but then get squeezed by Steve back to 5th at the hairpin. We come out the hairpin and I look in my mirrors and there is nobody behind me, where has the rest of the field gone? Red flags come out straight away and I start to think that this could be serious and I hope everyone’s ok. We cruse round to the grid again and wait to see who doesn’t come round not good as 4 or so cars don’t seem to make the grid and I can see Jamie is talking to the Marshals. Next thing he drives past and into the pits. I can see his under tray hanging off and think he must be out as well. Wee seem to sit on the grid for ages, it was roasting sitting on the grid, but I am fairly focused and very calm. I still have the thoughts about making the Podium and now 4 or 5 of the front runners are out I have a real chance. I asked one of the marshals’s if they are going to reduce the length of the race and he said he has heard that it will be a 10 minute race. I think a 1 minute board comes out and about 20 seconds later the 5 second board comes out (what happened to the 30sec and the 10sec board) Lights go out and I get another good start. My main focus was Simon in the other 2-11 who was on Pole. Sean gets a great start and is off. Not sure how the first 2 laps pan out, but Steve has a big spin in front trying to pass Connaire and I am up to 4th. I get a good run out of Surties onto the back straight and pass Simon and then get Connaire on the start finish straight up to 2nd. I can see Sean up ahead but I have been pushing for a couple of laps and the tyres and brakes are going off so I back off a little as Sean was a good way ahead, But I have Ben behind me a closing fast. I can’t remember how Ben gets passed but going into the hairpin he out brakes himself and I pass him on the inside, I then have a lap with Ben all over me. Coming onto the start finish straight I am hoping for the flag, but it wasn’t to be and we then have another lap with nothing but paint splitting us. I was really struggling with the car but manage to hold him off and next time round the flag comes round. I was over the moon 2nd overall and the Podium I dreamt of. San has the biggest smile on his face (next time maybe) Have a quick chat with Ben about my moves out on track and he said I was all fair. Up to the podium, Paul Golding then tells us about the deal to take the Elise Trophy to OZ. I standing there thinking am I dreaming? WTF is going on. I get my trophy presented by Australia's ex-F1 World Champion Alan Jones (I had to ask who he was, sorry) we then come back down to the paddock and then onto the back of the open top Range rover for a parade lap waving at the crowd.
Top weekend.
I have a lot of people to thank, but a big thank you to Andrew Walsh for all his help (and Emma for putting me up for the week). Steve Williams for sorting my car out. Tom Chatterway for the rear suspension. Paul, Jez, Emma and all the other LOT helpers. And to all the other drivers and supporters that made this a weekend one I will never forget.
Living the dream.
Scotty
"Here for a good time not a long time"
Re: Brands A1GP
Jeezo Scotty, this is great stuff - Alan Jones, Elise Oz Trophy - next you'll be showing us photos of all the pit lanes babes sitting on your car with two trophies.... 
Well done man
Well done man
Emira - Volvo spec
A1 Black Edition - Ilford HP5 spec
A1 Black Edition - Ilford HP5 spec
Re: Brands A1GP
Scotty,
Terrific stuff - love your race reports and the way they come out in instalments to keep the tension high
Brian J
Terrific stuff - love your race reports and the way they come out in instalments to keep the tension high
Brian J
2006 S2 Exige - Magnetic Blue
Re: Brands A1GP
genuis mate - not envious at .....must stop looking at 2-11 ads and do some work 
AMG GT-R
Atom 4 - CM425
Lotus Esprit S4S
G30 M5 Comp
Ferrari 599
Lotus Elise S1 "Shed" spec
Atom 4 - CM425
Lotus Esprit S4S
G30 M5 Comp
Ferrari 599
Lotus Elise S1 "Shed" spec
Re: Brands A1GP
Nothing to add, already told him he is an ace.
Hopefully if he can stay on Saturday night for Clare's 21st we will tuck him up in bed.
tut
ps stocked up on Pro-Plus so that I stay awake.
Hopefully if he can stay on Saturday night for Clare's 21st we will tuck him up in bed.
tut
ps stocked up on Pro-Plus so that I stay awake.
Re: Brands A1GP
Your a brave man Tut, Scotty's recent exposure to all that Totty at Brands, and the winning adrenaline flowing through his body, makes a dangerous combination at a 21st full of Clare's gorgeus friends!tut wrote: Hopefully if he can stay on Saturday night for Clare's 21st we will tuck him up in bed.
.
PS Can Iain and I come please.......................................
Paul G
The elder, occasionally more sensible member of "Team Still Game"
The elder, occasionally more sensible member of "Team Still Game"