Rounds 1/2
Snetterton 29-30 May

Dave Stewart

We arrived at Snetterton on the Saturday afternoon to watch the Aston Martin OC race meeting and caught up with a couple of faces from MG days, notably John Wilson who now races his MGB V8 elsewhere, and took a well deserved race win in his second race of the day. With a slightly new layout around this fast circuit, drivers have mixed feelings as to whether parts are better or worse. Only one way to find out...

In the collecting area for practice, and the nerves were massive. This is the first time I've driven Dad's TVR on slicks and in anger, going quickly with 220bhp is one thing, doing the same with 380bhp is quite another! The car hadn't had a wheel turned for several months; I was cautious on the opening few laps of practice - would the tyres work, did I remember to tighten everything, how good are these brakes??? All going through my mind. I gradually settled into a rythm though and with nothing to prove concentrated on learning the car and getting it back in one piece. I just about managed this, but Emma could see I was clearly disapointed when I got back to the paddock. A problem changing from 2nd to 3rd gear meant I was losing time. A little reminder that practice doesn't win a race and I thought maybe it better to chase than be chased while learning the car. The times were published and I managed a 1.25.9 putting me fourth in class and 2.5 seconds off class leader Andy Race's pace. A quick check over of the car and apart from the gear change (little I could do at the track), all seemed fine.

Race one and although still nervous, this time it wasn't quite so bad. Having proved to myself I can drive the car on slicks I don't think I felt under quite as much pressure for the race ... then, as I lined up on the grid, it suddenly dawned on me that I've never had to do a standing start in this car, and here I am right in the middle of a packed grid! Let's hope about 3-3500rpm will be OK! It certainly was and I got a terrific start. I could have passed a couple of cars on the run to turn 1, but thought better of it, not knowing how the car would handle on cold tyres. Through the hairpin and onto the back straight and the class leaders were just ahead, but by the end of the first couple of laps had pulled a little gap (more confidence in their cars from cold - something I need to get!). I did however have a cracking race with Jason Clegg in his class A TVR Cerbera - he had the advantage along the straights but I was there through the bends and as my confidence in the car grew I capitalised on that. We battled for several laps before Jason got a second wind and managed to edge away.  Traffic then increased the gap with Jason able to nip past a back marker before a corner, but nevertheless a really good race. On the approach to the last corner on the last lap there was a cloud of dust ahead and Keith Vaughan Williams, class B contender, recovering from a spin. Unfortunately I didn't quite have enough speed to get past him at the flag, but still managed 3rd in class, not bad for the first time out... And I did beat my fastest lap time from practice, this time managing a 1.24.6 - now only a second off the pace!

Back in the paddock and time to look over the car. The brakes had been a little soft towards the end of race 1, and on inspection there was quite a lip on the outer edge, possible causing the pads not to have as much contact with the disc as possible. A quick file off the very outer edge of the pads and we'd see how they went in race 2. The gear selection was no better, but I'd have to drive around this and sort for the next meeting.

On the grid for race 2 and drama before the race even started - the clutch wasn't right, the car was rolling forward as soon as I raised the revs so I was forced to start the race at tickover - not something I enjoyed doing! The panic of stalling was short lived though, and depsite a less than great start I was still with the class front runners round the first bend. Through the hairpin and along the back straight it was Keith Vaughan Williams leading, Andy Race second, Tim Broughton in third and me fourth, with the class A car of Perry Waddams just behind snapping at my rear quarter. On the entry to Coram at the end of lap one a slight touch between Andy and Keith, but Keith kept it all under control until lap two when a spin on the entry to turn 1 saw him drop way back down the field and Andy Race in class position 1. Into the hairpin and I got it all wrong, ended up with a box full of neutrals and went very wide, dropping back from the guys in front. Then drama for Andy Race too as his clutch decided to go on holiday. He managed to find fourth gear and finish the race, but way down the order. Meanwhile, Keith Vaughan Williams was on a charge after his spin, as was Cliff Jobson in his T350 who started from the back of the grid. It only took him the run into the first corner of the race to catch us up and by half way through the race both were trying to be passed. Perry, who had managed to power passed, started to suffer problems, which meant I was able to retake the position, and Keith managed to outdrag me along the start finish line, taking advantage of my gear selection problems. A lap later he passed Tim Broughton to retake the class lead, and both Myself and Cliff Jobson passed Tim a lap later. At around two thirds distance Cliff made a decisive move on me round Coram - his rear wing allowing him to retain more speed through the middle of the corner to pass and take position 2 from me. I couldn't keep up with Cliff from this point, the gear selection gradually getting worse, brake pads at the end of their life and the engine temp rising; I decided to bring the car home safely and managed another third in class. Disapointing that I wasn't able to push until the end but I'm sure next time at Donington we'll be sorted. On a positive note, I did improve again on my times, bringing me to within half a second of the fastest lap and lap record for class at this new layout for Snetterton.

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