Our weekend started at 6pm on Thursday as we started to load up the van with all the necessary tools, spares, camping equipment and BBQ food (most important). Our vessel of choice left Dublin port at 9pm, arriving in Holyhead just after midnight. Our crew this weekend included a couple of newbies to the world of racing (Gavo and Takumi) who followed in Takumis car. We arrived at Brands Hatch at 6am, quickly set up our canopies and tried to grab a few hours sleep before testing started, I did best on the sleeping front managing to grab about 3 hours. A quick BBQd breakfast and we started getting ready proper for the afternoons two testing sessions.
TESTING:
Brands Hatch is a circuit I have wanted to drive on for a long time, and my first few laps confirmed why people compare it to a rollercoaster. The first half of the first session was used to just get myself used to the track. We were running on a mix and match set of tyres, Yokohamas on the rear and Toyos on the front that were really only fit for the bin, but it didn't make sense burning up decent tyres in testing. After a few changes bewteen sessions we were hapy to get a good few low 55s laps and one that dipped into the 54s (54.85). We were confident that with fresher tyres low 54s were on the cards.
QUALIFYING:
We awoke Saturday morning to a drenched track, so set about altering the geometry settings slightly . As we were running in the invitational class we opted to run a set of wet tyres that I had lying around from when I raced Puntos a few years ago. We would need every advantage we could muster when you consider our direct competition had up to 300BHP more than us, local knowledge, 4wd or all three!!
Like most of the other drivers I was surprised how grippy the track was considering the conditions. I got a few banker laps in before starting to push. Paddock corner (turn 1) was my favourite corner. I felt it was here that I could make the most of the Tuning Factory DC2s excellent chassis set-up. The only slight issue I had in quallifying was that due to the full grids and short circuit I never got a proper clean lap where I didn't have to negotiate slower traffic. In the end we qualified in 3rd position with only 400bhp-550bhp 4wd machines ahead of us. A pretty good result all things considered.
RACE ONE:
Still wet, so we left the car as it was in qualifying and headed out on the circuit. Straight away I sensed something wasn't right in the drivetrain. This was confirmed when I lined up on the grid for the start of the green flag lap. I found it very difficult to select 1st gear, eventually when I rammed it into place the car started rolling, despite having my foot fully on the clutch.. On the green flag lap it was VERY difficult to get up and down the box, third to second gear downshift was not even a remote possibility. On the grid for the start of the race proper I couldn't keep the car still so had to turn the engine off and leave in gear. When the lights started to light up I hit the start button while holding up the handbrake. Luckily I timed it roughly right and the car didn't move, but I had no hands left to hold the wheel!! Anyway, I got off the line reasonably and even managed to defend from a few of the fast starting 4wd machines behind and get past the Subaru of Adrian Howells somewhere on the run to or through Paddock (can't remember). Simon Deeton in his monster Evo was long gone though so I really just settled for bringing the car home as the clutch was basically non existant at this stage. End result, second place overall and first 2wd home....but any hope the Tuning Factory guys had of a quiet lunch were dashed as we had just over an hour to the next race and there was a clutch to be fitted.
CLUTCH REPLACEMENT:
I've decided to include this as part of my blog, cause to be honest it was a very important part of the weekend and the TF guys deserve praise where its due. As soon as I mentioned we had a clutch issue the lads jumped to the task at hand. Its at times like this when a good team come into their own. I sat back, knowing that if I tried help I would only get in the way. It was a pleasure watching the guys do what they do best and just 70 minutes later that car was back on its wheels ready to go!!
Turns out, one of the rivets of the pressure plate had sheered so I wasn't getting full engagement of the clutch!
RACE TWO:
With a front row start, a clutch and a car and driver that was loving the challenge of Brands I have to be honest and say that we were aiming for an outright win. It was all going to come down to getting ahead on the first lap and trying to defend.. In truth, probably unlikley when you consider Deatons straight line pace...In the end it all came to nothing, when all the red lights light up normal procedure is that you go once they go off. Instead of the reds going off a row of orange lights came on. To me that signals an aborted start, meaning do another green flag lap and try again. However Deaton was gone as soon as the orange lights came on. I held station, convinced the start was aborted and waiting for the starter to wave the green flag. But then all those behind me decided that they were starting the race! So with little option I pulled away with them but was about 8th at this stage with Deaton already through turn one. I made up a couple of places through turn 1 and was 5th by the end of the first lap. Ahead of me was Deaton (Evo), Howell (Subaru), Hughes (Buddyclub DC5 K20), Cheng (DMS DC2 K20). Knowing that I had to dispatch with each quickly or the guys ahead would pull away I tracked Cheng for a lap, I had a look at Druids after a better run through Paddock but Dixon defended well. Through the last corner that leads onto the straight I concentrated on getting a tight exit so that I would be on the inside as we approached turn 1 (Paddock). Chengs car was slightly quicker on the straight but I managed to stay to the inside and outbrake him into Paddock. Job done.
It took me about 2 laps to catch the Buddyclub DC5 and Impreza who were running close to each other. Again through Paddock I got a better run than Hughes, but his additional 100bhp voided any advantage I'd gained as we approached Druids... So it was going to have to be an outbraking move, Hughes defended the inside line so I went to the outside and managed to come out of the corner alongside him, again his power advantage kept him alongside on the run to Graham Hill bend but as I was on the inside I was able to complete the move, With Hughes and the Buddyclub car dispatched next up was Howell in his Subaru. His car was stronger than the TF Integra in the same places as the BC DC5 was so it all came down to another around the outside move at Druids which while tight was good fair racing, Adrian giving me the width of an Integra. No more no less, the way it should be. I stuck in a couple of quick laps to pull a gap, Deaton at this stage was so far ahead there was no point in me pushing too hard so I just consolidated the position and brought the car home for another second place overall.
All in all a fantastic weekend, looking forward to a few more in 2010.
Barry
Thanks to:
Tuning Factory
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VIDEOS AND PICS TO FOLLOW
TESTING:
Brands Hatch is a circuit I have wanted to drive on for a long time, and my first few laps confirmed why people compare it to a rollercoaster. The first half of the first session was used to just get myself used to the track. We were running on a mix and match set of tyres, Yokohamas on the rear and Toyos on the front that were really only fit for the bin, but it didn't make sense burning up decent tyres in testing. After a few changes bewteen sessions we were hapy to get a good few low 55s laps and one that dipped into the 54s (54.85). We were confident that with fresher tyres low 54s were on the cards.
QUALIFYING:
We awoke Saturday morning to a drenched track, so set about altering the geometry settings slightly . As we were running in the invitational class we opted to run a set of wet tyres that I had lying around from when I raced Puntos a few years ago. We would need every advantage we could muster when you consider our direct competition had up to 300BHP more than us, local knowledge, 4wd or all three!!
Like most of the other drivers I was surprised how grippy the track was considering the conditions. I got a few banker laps in before starting to push. Paddock corner (turn 1) was my favourite corner. I felt it was here that I could make the most of the Tuning Factory DC2s excellent chassis set-up. The only slight issue I had in quallifying was that due to the full grids and short circuit I never got a proper clean lap where I didn't have to negotiate slower traffic. In the end we qualified in 3rd position with only 400bhp-550bhp 4wd machines ahead of us. A pretty good result all things considered.
RACE ONE:
Still wet, so we left the car as it was in qualifying and headed out on the circuit. Straight away I sensed something wasn't right in the drivetrain. This was confirmed when I lined up on the grid for the start of the green flag lap. I found it very difficult to select 1st gear, eventually when I rammed it into place the car started rolling, despite having my foot fully on the clutch.. On the green flag lap it was VERY difficult to get up and down the box, third to second gear downshift was not even a remote possibility. On the grid for the start of the race proper I couldn't keep the car still so had to turn the engine off and leave in gear. When the lights started to light up I hit the start button while holding up the handbrake. Luckily I timed it roughly right and the car didn't move, but I had no hands left to hold the wheel!! Anyway, I got off the line reasonably and even managed to defend from a few of the fast starting 4wd machines behind and get past the Subaru of Adrian Howells somewhere on the run to or through Paddock (can't remember). Simon Deeton in his monster Evo was long gone though so I really just settled for bringing the car home as the clutch was basically non existant at this stage. End result, second place overall and first 2wd home....but any hope the Tuning Factory guys had of a quiet lunch were dashed as we had just over an hour to the next race and there was a clutch to be fitted.
CLUTCH REPLACEMENT:
I've decided to include this as part of my blog, cause to be honest it was a very important part of the weekend and the TF guys deserve praise where its due. As soon as I mentioned we had a clutch issue the lads jumped to the task at hand. Its at times like this when a good team come into their own. I sat back, knowing that if I tried help I would only get in the way. It was a pleasure watching the guys do what they do best and just 70 minutes later that car was back on its wheels ready to go!!
Turns out, one of the rivets of the pressure plate had sheered so I wasn't getting full engagement of the clutch!
RACE TWO:
With a front row start, a clutch and a car and driver that was loving the challenge of Brands I have to be honest and say that we were aiming for an outright win. It was all going to come down to getting ahead on the first lap and trying to defend.. In truth, probably unlikley when you consider Deatons straight line pace...In the end it all came to nothing, when all the red lights light up normal procedure is that you go once they go off. Instead of the reds going off a row of orange lights came on. To me that signals an aborted start, meaning do another green flag lap and try again. However Deaton was gone as soon as the orange lights came on. I held station, convinced the start was aborted and waiting for the starter to wave the green flag. But then all those behind me decided that they were starting the race! So with little option I pulled away with them but was about 8th at this stage with Deaton already through turn one. I made up a couple of places through turn 1 and was 5th by the end of the first lap. Ahead of me was Deaton (Evo), Howell (Subaru), Hughes (Buddyclub DC5 K20), Cheng (DMS DC2 K20). Knowing that I had to dispatch with each quickly or the guys ahead would pull away I tracked Cheng for a lap, I had a look at Druids after a better run through Paddock but Dixon defended well. Through the last corner that leads onto the straight I concentrated on getting a tight exit so that I would be on the inside as we approached turn 1 (Paddock). Chengs car was slightly quicker on the straight but I managed to stay to the inside and outbrake him into Paddock. Job done.
It took me about 2 laps to catch the Buddyclub DC5 and Impreza who were running close to each other. Again through Paddock I got a better run than Hughes, but his additional 100bhp voided any advantage I'd gained as we approached Druids... So it was going to have to be an outbraking move, Hughes defended the inside line so I went to the outside and managed to come out of the corner alongside him, again his power advantage kept him alongside on the run to Graham Hill bend but as I was on the inside I was able to complete the move, With Hughes and the Buddyclub car dispatched next up was Howell in his Subaru. His car was stronger than the TF Integra in the same places as the BC DC5 was so it all came down to another around the outside move at Druids which while tight was good fair racing, Adrian giving me the width of an Integra. No more no less, the way it should be. I stuck in a couple of quick laps to pull a gap, Deaton at this stage was so far ahead there was no point in me pushing too hard so I just consolidated the position and brought the car home for another second place overall.
All in all a fantastic weekend, looking forward to a few more in 2010.
Barry
Thanks to:
Tuning Factory
Packaging Shipping Services | Warehousing Facilities | Pack N Ship | Fulfillment Warehousing | Warehousing Service | Delivery Services
VIDEOS AND PICS TO FOLLOW
to the forum Barry!
