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Well, my first Stock Hatch race of 2002. The Swift I was to use is an old track day car converted to be (mostly) legal for Stock Hatch at the end of the last year, but with no 'development' work on it. Qualifying would be just a case of getting it round, as the gearbox is broken, and 2nd gear is very reluctant. The new gearbox has been located, but no time was available to get it fitted.
The 'balance' of the car was nice, hanging the tail out neatly round the faster bends, albeit with a bit more roll than I am used to, but the lap times were steady as a rock - dropping only slightly as I figured out a way to get 2nd gear for Druids. I qualified for the B race, with the usual suspects making up the front of the A race grid.
The C race was up first, and passed largely without any drama. Darren Blumson led almost from the off, but dropped back into obscurity towards the end. My team mate Charles was making good progress up the field after a poor qualifying run was put down to fuel surge. Then after taking a slightly wide line through Graham Hill bend, the fuel line was snagged and ruptured, killing the engine, and bringing his charge to an end.
The B race was going to be difficult. When I went to take the car over to the assembly area, we could no longer select 1st gear or 2nd gear at all. After the mechanics adjusted the clutch one way and then the other, it was clear there was nothing more that could be done, and I would have to start the race in 3rd gear. Luckily I was on the outside of the grid, so I made sure I was as far over as possible as we lined up, and waved bye bye to those around me as the lights went green. The advantage of being last by the first corner, is that you do not have to slow down like everyone else, and I figured I could make up lost ground by barrelling into paddock without lifting off. This would have been fine if I had not found several spinning cars waiting just out of sight through the corner. I lifted briefly, the back end came round, and I had no choice but to floor it again, and hope to find a gap, but I was no longer last. Red flags came out as I headed down to Graham Hill bend, so I tried slamming the gears into 2nd with plenty of revs - it worked, so I tried the same thing to get first - it was in. Now I had to get back to the grid, but I dare not take it out of first again until after the restart!
At the restart I got away much better and had a good battle with those around me. Gary Parkes made Graham Hill bend look a lot more interesting than I remember it, eventually settling for the barrier. I missed the cut for promotion to the A race by just one place, so I decided to go over anyway when the race was called and announce myself as a reserve.
It paid off, as I was allowed to start the race from the pit lane after everyone else was away due to some empty grid slots. I had a good battle near the back. Trevor Corteil left the track at Druids, rejoined and zipped straight across my bows to the other side of the track, leaving me on his inside for Graham Hill. Two into one never goes unless you both give room, and the result was that he span to a standstill on the exit. Gareth Wright tried to demonstrate that his car is at home in the gravel as it is on the tarmac - several times, and I tried to hold him up wherever possible as he tried to come back through, but it was good clean fun with no contact, and I finally came in 25th. Craig Shepherd took another dominant win, and nows looks like a strong contender when the lowest scores are dropped.
All in all it was a good weekend. Good to see that Darren STILL did not beat me, despite me not being in my old 106!! The new gearbox will no doubt be fitted to the Swift very soon, but I suspect the next time the number 4 appears this year, there won't be a Suzuki badge on the bonnet.
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