|
Hi everyone firstly I would just like to apologise
for the delay in communication with the website - a few problems
have kept me away,
What a couple of months we have had as a team what
with losing the top spot in the table and regaining it but the gap
still so close this is shaping up to be as good as it always is
in Trucks - close to the end.
Why can't it be easy you say? Well, the reason
is it would be boring for me and the other drivers - that's why
we love the trucks and what makes us the closest racing in the UK.
Anyway lets get down to the nitty gritty. Firstly
I would like to welcome a new member to the team his name Roger
Scotland he comes with a wealth of knowledge and is already familiar
with the Trucks and a few other members of the team.
He has worked closely with Dale Parson aka Shrek
and Poodles - all from the stock car team Torquespeed.
Saturday
I arrived early with Hollie and Alan the team already
set up from the previous night - Waking most the crew up except
Poodles who was raring to go.
Just a few minutes tinkering and the car ready
to go for open practice. 12 laps was all we did and a 4th place
was good enough with the Truck on a full dry race set up but actually
practicing on a damp track.
Qualifying
This was always gonna be a short run after doing
what we needed to do in the first outing. We started by scrubbing
new tyres in for race one but the times were all wrong.
We were 14th after 20 laps and a lap time of nearly
1.6 seconds off the pace left us scratching our heads.
After the qualifying we were all wondering were
the time had gone all we had done was change tyres and cross weight
but only by 1%. Spanner checked and oiled changed just meant all
we had to do was find a good setup again and we were in business.
Race
Trying to forget about our last run yesterday wasn't
easy. As a driver you always remember what the car was like the
last time you drove it and to be honest it was cr*p. Starting down
in 20th with the reverse grid isn't a problem - I'm so use to it
now it doesn't bother me. The only thing that bothers me is the
possibility of an accident. Normally things run smooth but there
is always a chance someone will loose out and being collected by
someone else's accident is the worst way to retire.
It wasn't long for the first caution to come out
as the trucks entered turn 2 the yellows had been thrown for an
accident that happened behind. When it was all clear and everyone
in line we passed under the start gantry to resume battle, the car
feeling awesome and very fast especially out of turns 1 and 4 I
was able to hold a tight exit and still pull on cars in front.
Promising my dad (team principle Alan) that I would
take my time instead of bowling to the front on the hope I would
get there safely I passed cars with slowly. Then when I passed Steve
Dobbs on the exit of 4 he run up the track and clipped the impressive
John Stant who was having a blinding run, this put Steve into a
spin and one of our 9 lives down the pan. It was close. The cars
running further down the pack all slowed up for the spinning Dobbs
and inevitably there was contact with Phil White hitting the inner
pit wall ending his race.
My car was still feeling pretty good. I was giving
Poodles feedback via Dale (spotter) on what it was doing. It still
felt as good as lap one. Me and Dale were working so consistently
this weekend and we were both on the same wave length.
After a few more laps of running with Nic Grindrod
we started catching the lead pack but another caution was turning
this race into a long one. Dobbs and Stanty touched while running
well but with them both hitting the turn 1 wall their day was over.
This left me 4th with a green, white, chequer - basically 2 laps
with 3 top drivers in front. This wasn't gonna be easy but me but
Dale worked out a plan. When started the 2nd from last lap we got
on it soon building good pace. I took 3rd off Nic but still had
Richard (Nic's brother) and the undefeated Paul Poulter going for
his 9th straight win at the rock in front. As we exited turn 3 I
had a good run and so did Richard he went to the inside of Poulter
and I went to the inside of him. Three abreast into turn 4 and we
exited in 2nd just pulling passed Richard and right behind Poulter.
I was gonna settle for this if I'm honest but when you're pumped
up its hard to not go for the win and especially as when I exited
turn 3 I was carrying so much more speed than Paul. I left it 'til
the last minute before diving down the inside but my Truck, still
as good as lap one, enabled me to just drive passed him, with a
brief rub of wheels when we came out first and pulling on Paul right
to the line.
The whole weekend was a mixture of emotions to
be honest, Saturday was good and bad Sunday was excellent and the
whole team helped towards Seager Heating's first win at the Rock
in 2007 and putting Poulters' run to an end. I would like to thank
Justin, Tim, Alan, Ian, Dale , Rodger, Kev and of course Poodles
and who ever else helped this weekend. It's always a team effort
I just feel a lil better now that our hard work has paid off.
Gav
|
Report 
