2001, Round 10, Cadwell Park

Myself and my co-conspirators got to the assembly area early - and ignoring any wise cracks about having german blood in me, I took my place at the head of the queue (cheers Gordon). First onto the track gave me a clear session from beginning to end, and I was well happy to have qualified 3rd overall with a time basically equalling the previous lap record.

When the race came, I got a demon start. Tony Scarlett in front of me seemed to be caught out by the long hold on the red light, and I got away faster than he did, and moved across to tuck in behind Pete Morgan, but his car, although VERY fast when it gets going is not the fastest off the line, so I moved out round the outside of him too, and charged into the first corner in the LEAD! Tony Scarlett got a good run along the park straight and tried to pass me round the outside into park corner in a taste of things to come. I wasn't having any of that, and held him off. As we headed up the mountain and under the trees I remembered that I had joked that Tony would be the first to find out for the rest of us if it was still slippery under there - now that seemed a little ironic as I led the pack round for the first time.

As we got onto the park straight for the second time, Tony had an even better run on me, and this time his outbraking move that he practiced a lap earlier worked. I tried to hang on to his back bumper but he was very quick in the early laps, and soon I was being hounded by a fimiliar (and already battered) 205. I managed to hold off the threat from behind, and eventually towards the end I was gaining on Scarlett again, but the flag fell with half a second between us at the line.

So, my fifth trophy this year, but still no laurel wreaths. Isn't about time you miserable lot let me have a first place trophy to go with all the second and third place trophies I now have on the mantlepiece (NO Glenn, I have NOT built a trophy cabinet yet!)

Further back it had been all action - I had even seen people trying to pass each other under the trees through hall bends, but with Pete Morgan 8th and Andy Burgess in 11th, it meant that the battle for second in the championship is now a 3 way fight, with nothing to split us. Tony meanwhile is heading off into the sunset on his own. Gordon Macmillan took a well earned taste of success in 4th after some difficult races recently, and 'Dad' Paul McMillan (no relation) had a good first outing for his new Saxo in 15th - but it does seem that the lions days aren't over just yet with an all Peugeot top 4. Come on Paul, we're ready for you!