2000, Rounds 8 & 9, Silverstone

I had a good start from 9th, losing no ground until the first corner when Simon Hunt squeezed through on the inside. At Becketts, Pete Featherstone got through as well, and then as we all charged into Brooklands it all started to go wrong. Simon Hunt lost control of his 205, and I correctly guessed that his car would swing back onto the track into whoever was in his way, so I went wide, onto the grass to avoid a certain accident. He hit Andy Burgess, bounced off, and spun back round and collected me on the grass anyway. No justice. I rejoined last.

Lap 2 I could hear the wing grinding on the tyre, and the air was full of the smell of burning rubber. As I braked for Brooklands the second time, the car just wouldn't slow down. The tyre was already far too hot to grip, and I ended up running through the gravel. Something had to be done, so I pulled into the pits, jumped out, yanked the wing away from the wheel and got back in to try to set a decent lap for my grid position for the Sunday race - knowing full well that this race was already lost. A lap later Simon Hunt pulled into the pits to do the same but I hear he pulled his wing right off, and the scrutineer would not let him rejoin the race. I finished 27th, beating only the car of Roddy Pratt who spun at Copse.

Sunday, I made a good start again, staying in 27th until after the first bend, and then started moving up at the second bend. By the time we had completed about 6 laps, I had caught and passed 9 cars, although some of them were a bit persistent and I had to do them twice. I now had my eyes fixed on Simon Tyrell, but he was being a lot more stubborn. He was very slow through Luffield, but he knew it, and made sure he blocked my every move. On the straights he was still faster then me, so the move would have to come at Luffield. I managed to get up the inside one lap, but he pulled away again on the straight and was ahead by Copse.

Next lap I was hit from behind at Luffield, and the car began to get turned around. I struggled to straighten it up, because the car behind had not slowed up and so was effectively still pushing my back end round slightly. When I finally did get it all under control, Simon Tyrell now had a healthy breathing space, and I was under fire from behind. I took over a lap to get back up behind Simon again, and by this time we were on the last lap, so it was do or die, and I had failed to get past on the inside, so this time I had to try round the outside of Luffield. At the line, we were alongside each other just 2 hundredths of a second apart - in the wrong direction. Never mind, I'll get him next time.

Elsewhere, Mark Davies ballistic 205 got pole and an easy win on both days. How boring that must be compared to all the action I got! Darren Blumson proved that if the car is groaning enough you really should listen to it and stop. When he didn't, his wheel fell off approaching Copse at over 100 mph. A quick roll through the gravel, and he now has a job on his hands to get a car ready for Pembrey in 2 weeks time.