Qualified: 32nd out of 37

Finished: 12th

With 37 Locosts turning up, qualifying was split into 2 sessions - I was in the 2nd session.  The first session seemed to go well in the dry, but with clouds looming.  Just as we pulled out on the second session, the clouds opened.  I was a bit apprehensive about Mallory anyway since I had had an accident there in the last race of 2003.  Added to the rain, and a car set up for dry conditions which just didn't handle in the wet, it didn't go well.  I ended up tip-toeing around the track to keep it on the black stuff.  Above all else I wanted to keep the car in one piece to ensure that I made it to Donington on Sat 20 Mar - my favourite track. So I qualified in 32nd place out of 37 - it was going to be an interesting heat!

The track was dry for the heat which was just as well, as I had a lot of places to make up to ensure that I made it through to the final.  Having practiced my start technique, I got a cracking start, and had gained about 10 places in the first 2 laps when the red flag came out.  A spinner at the Esses had been collected by another car.  As we had completed less than 2 laps, the re-start was from the original grid positions, much to my disappointment as I went to the back of the grid again.  The 2nd start was just as good, and I again made up ground quickly.  There was a lot of very close driving and many near misses - I'm sure it wasn't like this last year, but then I was never this far back last year! We managed about 10 laps before the red flags were brought out again at the Esses for a carbon copy of the first incident but with 2 different cars.  With most of the race distance completed, and time running out, the race was declared over, and I had moved up to 8th position - more than enough to qualify for the final.

Although the clouds threatened, the final was also dry.  I started in 18th place and made steady progress.  Unfortunately I suffered from fuel problems, with misfires coming out of the hairpin and the long fast sweeping Gerards.  Opinions differ as to what caused it - some say fuel starvation, some say fuel surge!  I also had problems with my gear-stick extension linkage.  Exiting the hairpin, and changing up from 2nd to 3rd gears, I twice managed to find 1st gear, and missed 3rd a number of times.  As soon as I finish typing this, I shall head to the garage to fix it!  My hairiest moment in the final was exiting the hairpin.  I tucked in behind the car in front to gain from the tow, and then he missed a gear.  I hauled on the steering wheel, and swerved across the track, missing him by millimetres.  Finally putting "the ghosts of crashes past" to bed, I got my lap times down under 1 minute, and ended up in a respectable 12th position.  Not quite as good as last year, but then I've never started from so low down!

Next race - Sat 20 Mar - Donington - can't wait!