Elise Trophy Brands Hatch GP

[Andy G]

Brands gp

What a weekend! Left the burgh at 9am on Thursday night, hooked the trailer up to the Rangie and with Mrs G in tow, headed for brands. Arrived at 3.30am, and slept in the Rangie. Who said motor racing isn’t glamorous!

Up at 7am, and in to the paddock.

Havent done the GP circuit before so delighted to have 2 practise sessions ahead of qually.
Not a fan of the Indy circuit at all tbh, but the GP circuit is WAY better, with some cracking corners, bound to test my 10 year old exige S1 suspension, as my Nitrons were still on the 340R post frolic!

Enjoyed the session and most people are out tinkering around post session, where as I’m stickering up my car in an attempt to cover up the matt white wheel arches from my last vist to brands, and in particular a tyre wall.
It became fairly obvious during qually, that i was going to struggle to keep on the pace. Steve W was on fire, and me and my shed, just couldn’t hold a candle to him. Hugely impressive as I used Steve as my track “guide” for the session.

Qualified in 14 out of 39. Not bad for my shed.

Saturday, and feeling a bit jaded after a Friday “coaching” session at Chez Walshy, I’m in the car and up for the challenge.

Poor start of the line, drop 2 places, then make up about 4 in the run to druids going up the outside. 2 corners later, and i make the save of my season so far, swerving sideways to miss a spinner and then getting to the end of the rack gathering it back up. Lost one place and no scratches on the car! Result. 2 corners later though I make a cock up.

Went in to hard trying to get the ruun on someone through the next straight and lifted slightly and swerved as i tried to not make contact. In to the gravel i went.........raging at myself, as the pack goes by. Still could be worse.........actually no it couldn’t, tthe bloody safety car has just shot by = 39/39.

With the phrase “Ave it” ringing in my head, i go on what was to prove the most entertaining bit of driving for the weekend for me, as i set about making up the lost ground. 3 cars on the next lap, 1 the following , 4 the next again, and really starting to feel the confidence flow, and more to the point, not actually over driving for a change!
Turned out i passed KEll on a waved yellow, but his car had obstructed my view, and I decided that if i got penalised 1 place, fair enough, but i HAD to get by!
SC brought the race back together with 1 lap to go, and i made up another couple of places to get to 21st.
On the run back to the paddock the car in front broke down in the tunnel. Guess who had to get out and push the bloody thing! The joys!
Off to London spared me another nights boozing with the Welshman, suspect you may hear about this one, or soon see it on Youtube (pun intended).
Sunday, headed back out to the track for about 4pm, after a bizarre lunch with come morris dancers entertaining us!
Determined to do better in race 2, but also realising that if i really want to be on the money, I need to set the car up properly, perhaps re-map, and get the Nitrons back on, oh, and 2 race old tyres might not be the way forward.
Started well, and had a cracking run through paddock, passing Steve W and others, and getting further ahead in to Druids. Really enjoying a scrap with Andy Dolan and Mick, but then Steve comes through on a charge, and I’m struggling to stay with Mick and Andy.
Lap 6 my tyres are gone. I drift the entire way round paddock, and end up in the gravel, but recover it well, and get straight back out. However, that bit of idiocy has just cost me 2 places. Apparently there was some applause in the box when i saved it!
I spend thre remainder of the race chasing the guys that are 8th and 9th, but despite catching them as they battle i keep falling back through the tyres being goosed and my over driving.

Red flag halts play, and I’m strangely happy to have finished 10th. I tried my f***ing nuts off, perhaps too hard, in an attempt to get on the podium with Clare there. I couldn’t do it.

As for the 10 year old Exige springs, I might just frame them.

In car was on for qually and races, so expect me to bore you with that soon. Race 1 first lap is WELL worth a view though..............
Top bunch of blokes in the Elise Trophy, and a great weekend as usual. It was awesome that they made Clare feel so welcome, and looked after her during the races, taking her to race control, the box etc.

oh and i had my first autograph hunter! Expect to see a pic of that. It might be that he though my driving style was so "special" that he might be the last operson to get a signature from me if I drive that like for a race again!!

[ruadh08]

Good report Andy, you obviously had good fun!!

[robin]

Although I am worried about the "come morris dancers" ... too much time with the Walshman I think ...

Cheers,
Robin

[Dominic]

Sounds like another epic Gordon weekend!

May need to give this lark a go at some stage...........

[Mike Scib]

[Scotty C]

good effort mate, get the nitrons on.

Scotty

[graeme]

...hooked the trailer up to the Rangie and with Mrs G in tow, headed for brands.

What, she's not allowed to ride in the Rangie now? You miserable barsteward!



Great effort!

[RobW]

Lap 6 my tyres are gone. I drift the entire way round paddock, and end up in the gravel, but recover it well, and get straight back out. However, that bit of idiocy has just cost me 2 places. Apparently there was some applause in the box when i saved it!

The move was appreciated at the top of Paddock Hill as well - especially as I thought you might end up harpooning Mr Nobel's car which had just gone into that gravel trap in front of you!

Good to see you down South

[wheelie]

Sounds like a good trip, I had hoped to do the Brands GP day last week but have had no time since Frolic.

There is some footage already posted on SELOC, it looks like the Mule was a handful from early on in race two
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZTN0o0mN2W0

Nice save at 1:10:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJDW-HYa4Mg

Dave

[Scotty C]

looks like you were driving your balls off.

car looks a bit soft, as well as underpower. Good to see you fighting at the front thou .

Scotty

[gambler]

Another great write up Andy. Sounds like you will be flying when you get the nitrons on.

It's so easy to get the red mist and over drive. It's something I have to constantly stop myself doing. It ways looks more dramatic though.

Good to see all your drifting practice on td's has saved your ass during your races.!

[BigD]

Great driving Andy, lovin the over the kerb and on the grass/dirt bit at the start of the first vid. Who says you can't use kerbs in a lotus.

[Mikie711]

Look forward to watching this when I get home. Envy you doing elise trophy, need to get Scotty to convince Ruth it's a good idea

[Mike Scib]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nsca3Uqy ... tube_gdata

[Andy G]

yup - you should have seen that when it made it to the pits - tatters