Qualified - 7th

Finished - 5th

Fastest Lap - 1 min 30.54 secs (2nd fastest of the race)

Qualifying was at a leisurely 11:10 am, our latest yet!  Plenty of time to check the car over, and mentally adjust to the glorious weather.  The track was resurfaced over the winter, and is still very slippery - not enough rubber has been put down on it yet.  The tyres were squealing everywhere, and understeer was a major problem, especially at Redgate (1st corner at the end of the start/finish straight).  Many people went very wide here, throwing gravel and dust over the track.  I quickly settled into a consistent pace in the  low 1 min 31 secs, which was 1 sec quicker than last year!  However despite trying different lines, and different gears, I couldn't get it any lower than 1 min 31.38 secs - good enough for 7th place, which was my best ever.

The race was mid-afternoon, and it was scorching.  So hot, that I persuaded an unwilling helper to hold an umbrella over me whilst we waited in the assembly area!  The start was less frantic than previous races - probably due to the fact that the Donington track is so wide.  Although I missed 2nd gear, I made it across to the inside of the track, ready for the 1st corner, and making sure that no-one could spin into me.  It worked, although I had lost a couple of places in the process.  Undeterred, I started to re-take places as I set the 2nd fastest lap of the race on lap 2.  Unfortunately on lap 3, there was a 2 car spin at Redgate (Danny Cassar 245 and Dave Black 28) who then took out a 3rd car, Nick Lear 70.  They were all OK, although only Dave Black managed to finish.  I was up to 4th, but determined to show that I hadn't been gifted it.  I set about chasing Brian Mitcham (64) in 3rd, and soon caught him.  As we came through the chicane and on to the start/finish straight, Brian got a bit sideways, and I took my chance, getting my nose ahead of him.  I went across the line in 3rd place, but as we approached Redgate, Brian was still alongside (although slightly behind) and had the inside line for the corner - worse still, the yellow flags were out.  We both backed off and Brian re-took the position - I think fairly in the circumstances.  Anything else would have been more hazardous to the good marshalls working on the track.  I harried Brian all the way around the rest of that lap, until the end of the main straight.  Then Jez Clark (1) decided to come up my inside as we braked for the chicane - but he did it with all 4 wheels locked up, and no way that he was going to make the turn in for the chicane.  I had no choice but to follow him straight on, and miss the turn point.  I finally slowed down enough to turn behind him, but he then clobbered my rear wheel arch as he also turned back on to the track.  During this, Kev Lucas (47) had got past us both, and I was down to 5th.  Not fair!!!!  I set about chasing Kev, and was closing fast as we started what we both new was the last lap.  Kev drove a very safe lap, ensuring that there was no safe way for me to get past, and I don't do dangerous moves!  As we braked for the chicane (last corner of the lap), Kev went wide (again) and I pulled alongside as we went down the start/finish straight.  We went across the line side by side, but with Kev 0.15 sec ahead.  Another lap, and I would have had him easily - even he admitted it afterwards!!!!  So, 5th place, my best ever (by 2 places).  My favourite track remains my favourite track, and my confidence in the car is growing - hence 2nd fastest lap of the race (1 min 30.54 secs)