2001, Round 13, Mallory Park

I had a minor problem in the rear suspension in qualifying, which I did not discover until heading for the assembly area for the race. Still, it gave me an opportunity to be all secretive with Paul Mcmillan about what was up - I know he loves it when I do that.

As the lights went green, I got another blinding start from 5th place on the grid, and tucked in on the bootlid of pole-man Burgess. Paul Taylor from third had managed to get outside Burgess, and they went through Gerrards side by side. They stayed side by side on the run along the back straight, and into the Esses, but Taylor finally got the upper hand heading towards the hairpin.

For the next lap or so it was Taylor from Burgess from me - and VERY close. Then as we all came through the devils elbow, Burgess was slowed up slightly by Taylor, just enough for me to get a better run, and get alongside Burgess on the outside. As we headed for Gerrards, I had a nose ahead but I was not past him. We turned in together and went through Gerrards side by side with Burgess on the inside, and he popped out ahead as we pulled onto the back straight.

A lap later, I got a better run than Burgess through the Esses, and was ahead by the hairpin, and into 2nd place. At the Devil's elbow, a slightly slow gearchange by me gave Burgess behind me a better run, and this time round he was coming round me on the outside. As we approached Gerrards, Andy thought he had made it past me and that I was behind him, so he could take the apex, but the video camera never lies, and he had not passed me. He was still alongside me on the outside. I thought we could go into Gerrards side by side again, but with me on the inside this time. I was WRONG! The result was that I hit his rear flank as he came across, turning us both briefly onto the infield grass before we shot backwards across the track into the gravel on the outside. I rejoined about 13th, but with some very peculiar handling characteristics. Andy rejoined a lap down.

A lap or so later I started to push on a bit again, and started taking back a few places. Marshall was first, followed by Hilary Howlett - but that took two attempts. Paul Tibbs kindly moved onto the grass at the Esses to let a couple of us through, and then I was behind Gordon macmillan, who does an excellent impression of a mad fish round gerrards, with the tail of the car wagging like its posessed! I think I made my way up to 8th, but the car was starting to get really hard to drive. The final straw was a bang from the suspension, and failing to make the turn at the Esses. Another grass tracking effort got me back on the track heading towards the hairpin, but I could not get the car back under full control, so I slowed right down and made for the pits. Retired.

Taylor won the race with no further trouble, but another strong finish by Scarlett means he is now the 2001 Stock Hatch champion (I think - but I have been wrong before!), so congratulations to him. Morgan hasn't quite secured 2nd with myself and Burgess out of the running for the day, but he can only be caught by Burgess now

I felt bad about the shunt after the race. I wanted another good finish, so did Andy, and instead of running in 2nd/3rd, we crashed out. Perhaps I was also forgetting that we do this for FUN! So would I do anything different next time? NO, probably not! I could have avoided the contact, by slowing down and letting the car that was overtaking me get the rest of the way past, but that is hardly racing. In the heat of the moment I chose to go side by side with a car that had not fully passed me. It didn't work, but I suspect in the same circumstances, I would try again.

So I guess my first win will have to wait until Snetterton now!