Nic's Race Report for Snetterton October 2002.
So the big day arrived....Paul and I woke up cold in our motorhome, erm make that the back of a Volvo Estate, in the paddock of Snetterton Race Circuit. Gingerly, we jumped out the car and then realised that the ice that was on top of the car may have contributed to the cold.Thankfully, some of our fellow competitors were far better prepared and friendly, so we were invited into a caravan that felt like it was at boiling point and fed liberally with tea and toast.
The busy bit of the morning was upon us as I had to sign in for the race, attend a new drivers briefing. Paul dealt with the scrutineering of the car (like a race MOT) and then we had twenty minutes before the practice. I felt quite nervous, especially as the track was still wet from the evening before's rain.Then it was down to the assembly area, where we lined up and the 27 cars that were to be in our race went out one by one. As it was still quite wet, I was taking it easy (at least in Audi terms) but at the second corner, the car got out of shape, I corrected, nothing happened, I corrected some more, by which time the car had responsed to the first correction and I ended up heading sideways/backwards across the track. A deep breath.
I let the rest of the cars that were behind me get past, selected first and headed off. I didn't have any more incidents, and was beginning to get the hang of it when the chequered flag was shown and back to the pits I went.Half an hour later, still grinning, I headed to race control to check out the position that I would be on the grid. Well 25th out of 27 at least wasn't last and we had a respectable average speed of 50mph. This more so in the fact that this was the first time I had driven the car at more that 20 miles an hour.
A few hours off gave a chance to check the car over, to have a bite to eat and realise that somethings that needed fixing on the car just weren't going to happen and I just had to live with them.About 40 minutes before the race the fan club arrived, that was a welcome sight. Thanks to every one who did make it up, it was great to see you all. Twenty minutes to go I headed down to the assembly area in the Special.
The tension was rising, though I was feeling fairly calm about the race. Just as I was about to head out to the grid, the car stalled and was very difficult to restart. I got to the grid and just as I was being issued into place the car stalled again. It was harder to restart than before.
All the cars were in place, the 10 second board was shown. I couldn't hear my heartbeat or the engine as the other cars revs rose, I kept one eye on the rev counter the other on the lights at the front of the grid. The 5 second board was shown and then the red lights came on.The lights changed and all mayhem took place, the plumes of engine and tyre smoke were such that I could no longer see the front cars. I took off, soon to be passed by one of the cars behind that had a flyer of a start. Second gear. Straight in front of me was a car that had stalled on the grid, the driver had both hands in the air and I swerved to get between him and the pit wall. Third gear, I was catching the car that had passed me. Fourth gear, engine splutters. I try third gear, then second, the car comes to a halt. It won't restart and I try switching everything off, then back on to see if I've knocked something by mistake.
Unfortunately not. I look in the rear view mirror to see the leaders coming round. I decided the game was up, leapt out the car to watch the rest of the race from a great vantage point on the first corner. Finally, once the race is over I get to do the whole circuit towed by one of the breakdown trucks. I get to wave at our fan club on the last corner and get towed right up to the paddock. Everyone has assembled to pass on condolences including some of our fellow racers. I feel disappointed, but I just remember the roar of the engines, the smell of Castrol R and burning rubber on the startline, and I just can't wait to do it all again next year.
The hospitality budget of Team Grele Racing stretched to a pint in a local pub for the fan club, and after a hearty meal we headed homewards, cheery, thinking of the improvements we could make on the Special.
So the big day arrived....Paul and I woke up cold in our motorhome, erm make that the back of a Volvo Estate, in the paddock of Snetterton Race Circuit. Gingerly, we jumped out the car and then realised that the ice that was on top of the car may have contributed to the cold.Thankfully, some of our fellow competitors were far better prepared and friendly, so we were invited into a caravan that felt like it was at boiling point and fed liberally with tea and toast.
The busy bit of the morning was upon us as I had to sign in for the race, attend a new drivers briefing. Paul dealt with the scrutineering of the car (like a race MOT) and then we had twenty minutes before the practice. I felt quite nervous, especially as the track was still wet from the evening before's rain.Then it was down to the assembly area, where we lined up and the 27 cars that were to be in our race went out one by one. As it was still quite wet, I was taking it easy (at least in Audi terms) but at the second corner, the car got out of shape, I corrected, nothing happened, I corrected some more, by which time the car had responsed to the first correction and I ended up heading sideways/backwards across the track. A deep breath.
I let the rest of the cars that were behind me get past, selected first and headed off. I didn't have any more incidents, and was beginning to get the hang of it when the chequered flag was shown and back to the pits I went.Half an hour later, still grinning, I headed to race control to check out the position that I would be on the grid. Well 25th out of 27 at least wasn't last and we had a respectable average speed of 50mph. This more so in the fact that this was the first time I had driven the car at more that 20 miles an hour.
A few hours off gave a chance to check the car over, to have a bite to eat and realise that somethings that needed fixing on the car just weren't going to happen and I just had to live with them.About 40 minutes before the race the fan club arrived, that was a welcome sight. Thanks to every one who did make it up, it was great to see you all. Twenty minutes to go I headed down to the assembly area in the Special.
The tension was rising, though I was feeling fairly calm about the race. Just as I was about to head out to the grid, the car stalled and was very difficult to restart. I got to the grid and just as I was being issued into place the car stalled again. It was harder to restart than before.
All the cars were in place, the 10 second board was shown. I couldn't hear my heartbeat or the engine as the other cars revs rose, I kept one eye on the rev counter the other on the lights at the front of the grid. The 5 second board was shown and then the red lights came on.The lights changed and all mayhem took place, the plumes of engine and tyre smoke were such that I could no longer see the front cars. I took off, soon to be passed by one of the cars behind that had a flyer of a start. Second gear. Straight in front of me was a car that had stalled on the grid, the driver had both hands in the air and I swerved to get between him and the pit wall. Third gear, I was catching the car that had passed me. Fourth gear, engine splutters. I try third gear, then second, the car comes to a halt. It won't restart and I try switching everything off, then back on to see if I've knocked something by mistake.
Unfortunately not. I look in the rear view mirror to see the leaders coming round. I decided the game was up, leapt out the car to watch the rest of the race from a great vantage point on the first corner. Finally, once the race is over I get to do the whole circuit towed by one of the breakdown trucks. I get to wave at our fan club on the last corner and get towed right up to the paddock. Everyone has assembled to pass on condolences including some of our fellow racers. I feel disappointed, but I just remember the roar of the engines, the smell of Castrol R and burning rubber on the startline, and I just can't wait to do it all again next year.
The hospitality budget of Team Grele Racing stretched to a pint in a local pub for the fan club, and after a hearty meal we headed homewards, cheery, thinking of the improvements we could make on the Special.
Being towed back to the pits.