Nippon Races @ Cadwell 2009 (Race Report)

[Kris!]

So Cadwell arrived and my pent up aggresion meant I wasnt going to settle for 2nd place again, so it was either a class win or a huge accident that was on the cards. Having not driven Cadwell for over and year and not being able to afford testing, qualifying was going to be my re-introduction to the circuit. Some big changes were made to the Civic leading up to Cadwell with the addition of a Custom rear diffuser, carbon front splitter and ek9 rear spoiler.....all of which was done for £50 by begging, stealing and borrowing parts, with the addded help of Richy from Performance Autoworks desiging, making and fitting the whole package in just a few days.......truly awesome stuff!!!


Qualifying...........................


As always I made sure I was one of the first cars out to allow me a clear track and I was closely followed by the Hedge Doctor in the other Performance Autorworks supported Civic. We managed 5 clear laps with nothing in it between the 2 Civics but soon hit traffic and backed off waiting for a clear lap. On the very last lap I was having a flyer and came up over the mountain and into the chicanes a bit hot causing me to have a well controlled ( ops: ) tank slapper, which actually ended up being my fastest qualifying lap and posting a 1.43 which put me 3rd on the grid and 1st in GT250, with Mike Clark a few tenths behind me in 4th, and Dixon Cheng back in 7th.


Race 1...................................


As always the 4wd and turbo cars got a cracking start knocking me back into 4th with Mike clark hot on my heels and pushing me on every corner. 3 or 4 laps in I came up over the mountain to see Mikes Civic sat right on my bumper and realised I was going to struggle to hold him off for another 4 laps, but the next glance in my mirror saw an empty track and no Mike to be seen. I carried on pushing and coming around the long right hander at the back of the circuit, I caught a glimpse of an MR2 with smoke pouring out of it and then witnessed the RX7 of max spinning off the track, then Vaughan in the Scooby sliding wide with me following suit and understeering off the track slightly. This was due to a huge oil spillage which made the track lethal, but once passed it was back on the gas holding 3rd spot until the safety car was sent out and we were all bunched up for the next 3 laps. Passing the spot where I last saw Mike, I was horrified to see the embankment and tyre wall destroyed with parts of various cars spread all over the track, but no Mike. Nowt I could do though and once the mess was cleared up, the safety car pulled in and the last 2 laps were played out with Max regaining his place near the front with me finishing 4th overall and 1st in GT250

The next 2+ hours were spent with everyone and anyone helping out to repair Mikes Civic, and this just summed up the Niippon and how friendly everyone is in the paddock.....great stuff!


Race 2................................


Starting from 4th on the grid, I fully expected to lose out again to the gabble of Scoobies and the like but my intentions were just to keep Dixon behind who was starting from 5th on the grid. The lights went out and I had a better start than in race 1, and noticed a missed gear change from Vaughan in the Scooby which allowed a few of us passsed, but was soon made aware that Dixon was closing on my inside, so I quietly shut the door into going into Coppice. I then settled down into a smoother drive than in race 1 and noticed not only Dixon slowly dropping back out of sight, but the 2 GT500 cars infront were struggling to make ground on me and I seemed to be just keeping up with them. I kept up the pace and 2 mistakes from max in the RX7 meant at one point I was only 3 or 4 car lengths behind him, although I did really struggle on the straights and he did make the time up again shortly after. I kept up the attack until the last lap where I decided I wasnt going to catch either of them and backed off to cruise the last lap and save the tyres/car for snetterton. I crossed the line in 3rd sport and once again taking the GT250 class win. Even better were the fastest lap times for this race...................


Tim Clark (GT500 EVO) 1.41.6
Maxim Taylor (GT500 RX7) 1.42.2
Kris Dunlop (GT250) 1.42.7


The weekend was an absolute ball and I'm still quite suprised at just how well it went and how the little Civic handled the twists, turns and jumps of Cadwell........love the place!

Also, it was great to meet even more new faces, especially those who frequent the various forums aswell as potential new drivers and of course my sponsors who came to watch the action......I hope it was worth the travelling!



Pics and in-car vids will follow shortly, but a quick thanks to my Sponsors who without them, Cadwell would of been a non Starter


Richy, Simon and Sam from Performance Autoworks
Andy and Alison at www.vtecdirect.com
Saj from Jap Performance Parts : Home
The staff at Specialist in Sheet Metal | Copper Metal | Brass Sheet | Aluminium Sheet | Stainless Sheet - Metal Offcuts UK
Julian from Rare Rims | Rota Wheels UK


Cheers for reading


Kris!

[Dunsy]

Gooood Work mate

[olly ek9]

good work, looking forward to seeing the pics, sorry to hear about mikeys civic,

[Kris!]

Cheers guys, it was a bit gutting but Mike was back out there and came from last place to finish 10th overall in the "Tank Tape special" as the commentator kept calling it It did look pretty hard core when it was repaired

[Marcus Butlerus]

Well done, Looking forward to some Pics

[haitch]

An eventful race, good to hear about other teams helping Mike. Splitter looks good, I need to get mine sorted

[JIMBOB-EK9]

Well done mate!

Sounds like you had a really good day!

Again sorry to hear about mike's civic, hope it's not to bad!

Front splitter looks mint!
Need better pic's of the rear diffuser!

Sorry i did not get your spoiler brackets to you ready for this, just been really busy these past few week's!

Promise ill get these out to you this week mate!

[EK9turbo]

Nice work Kris! great writeup!
I bet your loooking forward to the next race at snetterton? a client of mine sent me this pic after speaking to you about your race car.


What make is your splitter?

[Kris!]

Hi mate, Yep cant wait for snetterton and on such a high from Cadwell still

All the Aero parts where custom made by Richy at Performance Autoworks, although the front splitter was originally made and fitted to Richy's Prelude for a few years until we stuck it on the Civic last week!


Oh and some more pics courtesy of Kieran........................

[EK4J]

Congrats mate!

You've definitely got great skills

Here's a vid from your competitor

I bet the driver of that Scobby had dreams with something coloured orange