great pics good luck with the races man
Just been looking at the Lap times to see where things can get better
looking at what a slow lap was and what my best laps were.
Race 1
lap 1 1.24.659 standing start …Lap10 1.15.699
lap 2 1.18.656 …Lap11 1.15.317 BEST
lap 3 1.17.547 in trafic trying to find…Lap12 1.18.139
lap 4 1.17.816 a slot past…Lap13 1.16.430
lap 5 1.17.461…Lap14 1.15.878
lap 6 1.19.500 WORST 2 slide poor lines…Lap15 1.15.840
lap 7 1.18.543…Lap16 1.16.444
lap 8 1.16.694…Lap17 1.17.030
lap 9 1.16.483
once clear of traffic the times got more consistant and a little quicker
still 3 secs slower on average to the 2 front runners. which adds upto a massive 1.11 behind after 17 laps.
Race 2
lap1 1.22.022 standing start…lap10 1.16.170
lap2 1.18.164 …lap11 1.16.418
lap3 1.17.779 …lap12 1.16.749
lap4 1.16.731 …lap13 1.16.749
lap5 1.17.124 …lap14 1.16.088
lap6 1.16.545 …lap15 1.15.851 BEST
lap7 1.16.623 …lap16 1.18.548 WORST passing the back marker.
lap8 1.16.822 …lap17 1.16.136
lap9 1.16.474
More consistant times but not as fast as race 1
Maybe having no one to help set the pace effects me.Must get a lap timer and see.
Anyway bit of practice before the next one as a few of us are going to Cadwell Park on the 7th just prior to our next race on the 12th june
maybe some of you can pop along and have a chat.
Alan
Been for a trackday at Cadwell for bit of a refresher…
Put some decent amount of miles under the car and slowly built up my speed over the day.
car is far more planted and forgiving than uma
Will be interesting to see what happens on Sunday 12th and what my lap times are 2.01 was my fastest in Uma in 130bhp mode
Alan
car all ready for tommorow.
Weather says light showers…lets hope not…
cadwell is entertaining enough in the dry
Alan
Wish you all the best,forecast aint great, same for everyone I guess. 
Good luck mate, and thanks for the ride on tuesday and your instruction was spot on. At least you wont have a ruddy westfield holding you up tomorrow
Mikey
Good luck slimmer looking big Al 
…oh yeah, I saw the carbs go down over Tatton weekend 
…anyway you wont see this as its Sunday morning
Well that was fun.
So onto Cadwell Park for races 5 + 6 and could I maintain my average 6th Position ??.
Most or us had been to Cadwell on Tuesday for a bit of a practice track day and in the dry I felt confident I could hold up well.
Well the weather forecast was watched and it went from light showers
To all of the UK covered in blue on the radar…Crap!
Sunday 12th
This was my first 1 dayer with qualify and racing on the same day
I Set of from home in Brilliant sunshine gently easing my tow car with its slipping clutch and trailer over the M62 + M180.
“its Gonna stay dry today I said to the wife”
Before seeing she was fast asleep.
How she spent most of the day pretending to read with her eyes closed !
We arrive in bright Sunshine and unload the car and give it a once over
Yup that meant plenty of RAIN X (just incase) on the screen and inside.
I got booked on and passed scruitenering before chatting to some of the new drivers taking part this weekend and the sun was still shining.
Rolf had been out trying the car on Tuesday after taking his ards earlier in the year after several years of track day…That sound familiar.
Seems a very controlled and methodical driver, I will have to keep an eye out for him.
The other new driver was Sam who was also out for the first time in her husbands Mk1, she setteled in well and listened to the advice that people gave her and I think she realised what a challenging circuit Cadwell can be even with the sun shining!
Had to sort out a camera mount as I dhad left the shoe for the manfotti head at home…this worked hopefully!
Qualifying
The Sun was still shinning !
Went out and got the feel of the car and tried to put in a quick time before I caught up My nemesis of John T (matching Cars ,Matching experience)
I pulled in a 1.52.089 qualifying me in 6th
Fastest lap went to Rodders with a 1.46.459
This would put me behind C Bussey and alongside J Shipley
Who are both quicker than me and I was keen to hang onto their shirt tails
For a few laps in the first race.
Then a 3 ½ hour gap to drink overpriced tea and try to shed some weight from the car (well the driver actually but we wont go into details.)
Then the cloud came and a little drizzle…I could see Nick D doing a little rain dance and rubbing his hands over his nice fresh rubber.
That’s his tyres…its not that exciting !
Then More rain
And so it came to get ready for race 1
Race 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wF2hmcu2GtE
It was Raining Hard and sitting in the assembly area drying to keep rain out your helmet (oohh Matron) is a thankless task.
Had a reasonable start as many drivers took it cautiously but Nick D
Punished me befor Id got to charlies , another driver fell to him at the Gooseneck and he was up the pack by the time he got to the mountain
Finishing 4th in a 1.8 against a field of 2.0L’s
I setteled into a rhythm with J Shipley just in front and J Tilsley behind
I thought id see if could catch the car in front with a few laps remaining
But lost it on the exit to Mansfield sliding part way up the bnk backwards
No damage to the car but John went past me
And I finished in 8th…Should I have held my place and took it cautiously
I dunno but I gained a lot of wet race experience in that 20 mins
My Fastest lap 2.06.310
Jon Halliwell put in a 2.01.921 which shows how the rain can be a great leveler.
Race 2
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeClLng3SJ4
Yup it hadn’t stopped raining and the time inbetween races had been spent fetling and helping some of the drivers with minor repairs to their cars
I swopped my wipers over cos the passenger side one was better.
Bit more of Tesco’s finest in the tank and im ready.
The grid is formed with John T alongside me if I can hold the line at Coppice I will the inside for Charlies and I will be away…well that was the plan…It didn’t quite go like that.
5 second board
Red lights on… Pouring rain
Revs rise
Lights out clutch out….
Brakes the car in front stalled on the grid and as I look in the passenger mirror looking for a space to pull around some on smacks it folding it flat
I cant see out my attention goes to the car in front pulling away and I get a slow start of the line.
At the very back of the pack.
First overtake is on park straight and im back with the groover and shakers
By the Goosneck. A quick look exiting Mansfield and thers nowhere to go.
I hold the onto the back of Mark + Rolf knowing that I am quicker thru charlies and have the legs on the Mk1’s going down park and this is wher I start to chace the Mk3’s
I can see 4 Mk3’s bunched up and I make them my priority.
I caught Duncan Freeman(car 57) up who id tussled with at Silverstone
He was playing it very defensive trying to hold onto his position and I could see the other 2 cars pulling away.
So we had 3 laps of very close driving before he tried to hold the inside at Mansfield and spun off…No could I get back to the others
I saw the last lap board and hoped the others might ease down and I pushed a little harder putting my fastest lap in on that penultimate lap
a 2.06.919…
But it wasn’t to be on approach to park at 100 mph I missed the apex by and run wide onto the grass hit the dip at the end of the rumble stripsand the back went round. Sliding me towards the Marshal post.
I gently eased onto the tyres and tried to get traction on the wet grass. The sound of Car 57 go past filled my ears as I was still ice skating looking for tarmac.
I finished 7th overall but only due to 2 cars going off at Barn on their last lap.
Think this sums up the difference between Competitive driving
The need to balance getting around safely and trying to be quick. I am still learning this balance and still learning to handle the car I all conditions.
Fastest Lap Jon Halliwell 2.01.921
On the drive home I recaled the very boring MSA video you get sent
“one certainty of racing in the Uk is you will race in the wet”
Ok I undestand but is still don’t like it.and its something that only experience will teach me.
But due to 1 thing or another I am in 4th place overall (how???)
But John T is only 1 point behind me a true battle of the Novice plodders
Well done John.
Hopefully I will be next out on the open car class at Anglesey ob the 2/3rd July but the next round of the Max5 championship isn’t till October at Mallory park.
And once again if I can do this you could too
Come and give it a try….
Alan
http://heroespastandpresent.org.uk/
Keep the updates coming mate, hopefully you’ll tempt a few out to go try a track for themselves
Nice one 
Just found these in a soggy pocket!
Was your car Ok Nick?
I didn’t see yours as I went past i was too busy looking at halliwell !!
Good luck with the Ring trip this weekend…I am very sorry not to be coming along…To many things too few days.
Alan
You made Autosport this week mate, photo wise and I noticed you out qualified Nick at Cadwell!!! so all in all apart from the excursions not too bad considering the ■■■■ conditions,( how come your 4th in championship??) keep plugging away it will come. hopefully see you at Blyton? wouldn`t mind a go in dear old UMA now the poor old girl has been sidelined a bit so to speak. Great day on tuesday by the way , thanks for the ride
Mikey
The bonnet and boot lid are straight! However one wheel is shagged and both rear track control arms are bent.
There is a slight horse power difference which is negated somewhat by the rain.
I think what Nick is trying to say is im ok in the dry with a quicker car…
And rubbish in the wet.
4th due to completing all the rounds in a reasonable position,if you get a DNF that loses you your race poiunts.
Alan
Watched your uTube vid mate and I’ve no idea what you’re complaining about…
Didn’t you see last weekend’s Grand Prix?
paid millions of pounds and my car fixed for free…
I dont mind keeping my foot down a little more.
See you next Saturday Mr Smith
Cant get out of work but will be along for the afternoon…Maybe Nick canm sort me out for an afternoon session Only
Alan
OK. Its been fairly quiet but im out racing again this weekend down at brands hatch on the full cicuit.
The Max5 crowd have been invited to take part in the Nippon Challenge an we fit in the lowest category the GT150 class
mixing the field with MR2’s and Hyundai coupes…they are allowed greater modifications than us but hopefully ythe cars will show thru
Its a big weekend with the F2000 and the GT cars all out.
This should be fun and more to learn from the big and mixed grids.
Only time will tell.
We will be racing on Friday and Saturday both races late in the day.
An Update will follow on Sunday
Alan
The full GP circuit? Lucky you!
My money’s on Haliwell then.