2001, Rounds 5 & 6, Snetterton

Qualifying was VERY wet, with standing water evident in many places. I had to try to push hard, my expectations were higher and I wanted to qualify in the top 6. 3 half spins, and a complete 360 degree spin between the bombhole and coram made it an entertaining session, but I managed some good laps too, and qualified 5th. Unfortunately in the spin, I had taken chunks out of another tyre as it was forced against the bodywork.

As we assembled for the start of the race, the heavens opened again, flooding the track, and forcing the abandonment of racing for the day. We therefore lined up the following morning to resume where we had left off. It was at least almost dry now. I got a reasonable start, staying in 5th, but gaining a little on the cars in front. Sean Stanway got a big tank slapper on at Riches, and I passed him. Alan Thorndkye had been blisteringly fast in the wet, but was not so at home in the dry, so I passed him too, and found myself in 3rd. There I remained, until the red flags came out. At the restart, I held 3rd, but Andy Burgess took the lead from Craig Shepherd, who tried to hang on round the outside entering the Esses, and left the track for a while. I was now second, and for a good few laps looked comfortable. Towards the end, I again found my grip began to dwindle, and Stanway's car was getting larger in my mirrors. At the very last corner, I took a defensive line to stop him coming up the inside, but I think that was my mistake, as he shot past me on the outside in a perfectly executed outbraking maneouvre. I finished 3rd, which is good, but could not help feeling I should have hung on to 2nd.

Race 2 would be a few hours later, but instead of using the lap times from race 1 to determine grid positions (which would put me 3rd), they decided to re-use the qualifying times, so I would start 5th again. The weather was starting to look threatening - Would it be wet or dry? It didn't matter really, as I had found a slow puncture in another tyre, and I simply had no choice of what to fit any more. This time no-one made any mistakes at the start. Shepherd was off into the sunset with Burgess doing his best to pursue. I found my way past Stanway and Thorndyke in the first couple of laps, up into 3rd, but could do nothing about the lead 2, and I could not shake Stanway off. This time I had chosen some tyre pressures that were less likely to cause a drop off in grip, but that did not stop me missing a gear on braking for the Esses, and allowing Stanway through as I struggled to slow down enough to make the turn. I found my way back past him again on the next lap, and made no more mistakes, to collect my third podium in three races.

Next stop Pembrey, historically a wet event, but can it be any wetter than this meeting at Snetterton??