Twenty-Ten (part 1)

2010 was a very mixed year for us with racing, it had some massive highs but also some terrible lows.  It got off to a flying start with the arrival of the new Tigra.  We bought it rolling off Hairds and spent the winter bolting it all together at home ready to go on display at the NEC.  I think it looked beautiful sat on the stand and I have a picture of it as the background on my computer now.  If I’m honest it was far from finished and we still had lots to do before we could take it out testing.

The first time I drove it was at the Haird test day at the end of February.   I arrived at the track first and was so excited I could hardly sit still as I waited for everyone else to get there.   The plan was to test at Northampton that day then head back with the car to David’s in Newmarket, check it over and change the diff Saturday morning then go to the Ipswich practice on Saturday night.   Dad was going to come straight from work on Saturday, meet me at Ipswich and bring the car home.

After the first lap in the Tigra I knew I loved it.   It was so much easier to drive than the Saxo and even straight out the box I could feel how much quicker it was.    I loved the Saxo and was proud of how far we got with it but it was just very old.   Panels were a nightmare to get hold of and we made all the suspension bits ourselves.    I spent all day thrashing round Northampton getting used to the car and sorting out any initial problems that came up.   Just as we were getting ready to do the last run my parents arrived out of the blue to have a watch - and as soon as I pulled out onto the track the car developed a misfire . . .

I spent all the next morning changing bits in Hairds workshop to try and cure it and by the time it went in the trailer Saturday afternoon I was pretty sure it was sorted.   However, as soon as it reached about 4,000 rpm, it starting missing again.   Dad was at the track by now and between us we set about changing bits between runs, but all of it was to no avail and we left with the misfire still not cured.

Back home we took the engine straight out and back to Toovey for him to look at and fitted a very old engine we had in the garage so we could go and do a practice day at Hednesford.     We got there and the car ran fine and handled brilliantly but the old engine was very slow leaving me a complete second off the pace of the other Nationals!    John Toovey rang us saying there was nothing at all wrong with the engine and no matter what he did on the dyno it didn’t misfire.    We had sent the coil pack and plug leads up with the engine and he said he would run it with them on.    Sure enough a phone call a few minutes later revealed number 4 plug lead to be the problem.   We had done all that work for a plug lead!   It had a brand new set on and we took it for granted they would be fine.   Lesson learnt there for sure!

With the new engine in and everything sorted it was off to the first meeting full of confidence and ready to race.   The meeting went well and we picked up some points along the way.   The highest finish being a seventh in the second heat.   The car was brilliant and I came away really happy.

The great thing with the car is the way it responds to change; you can make a minor adjustment and really feel the difference it makes.   You could pretty much do anything with the Saxo and it would still push into the bends but the Tigra is so balanced and will just stick anywhere you put it.

Easter Monday at Ipswich saw the car’s third meeting and will certainly be a day I’ll never forget!   I started the first race on the inside second row and went into the first bend still in third.  It stayed in that formation until about lap 4 when the leaders tangled going into the scoreboard bend leaving me enough room to slip up the inside and into the lead!    I remember thinking that it was now or never to win a race and was determined to hang in there for the win.   The race seemed to last forever and as the 5-lap board was out I ran really deep into the bend almost letting Chris Harvey come up the inside.   I managed to hang on to the lead and take the win and as I crossed the line I felt so relieved that I’d finally won a national race!

The season rolled on and we kept making changes to the car, getting it better and better with every meeting we did.    We picked up some points - and a few DNF’s - but I was really happy.    May saw us make the trip across to Skegness.   I had never even seen the track before and had heard so many different things about the place but when we got there I was pleasantly surprised.   It was a brilliant track to drive and was really quick for its size.   I’m glad it’s back on the calendar this year!   The first race saw me finish near the back but in the second race came a second place finish.   I had managed to overtake quite a few cars to get there and it felt like such an achievement.   I’d spent so long starting at the front and trying to outrun the other cars - and to actually overtake them and gain places felt so good!    This backed up with a 4th or 5th in the final certainly meant we went home with a smile on our faces!

This is turning into an epic blog now. . . so I’m going to sign off for today.  I’ll pick it up again next week and take you a bit further into 2010.   Thanks as ever for reading

Until next time

Mikey

An Irishman, two Englishmen, and a missing Dutchman!

Well, first and foremost thanks to everyone who voted for me in the driver awards, Most Improved Driver 2010!   This came as a total shock to me, and it means so much that you all voted.   Things have just been getting better and better, and this was the icing on the cake.   It’s fair to say that it’s all I’ve been talking about since, and I really am overjoyed about it.   Going up onto the stage for the award was a brilliant feeling - especially sharing the experience with John and Chris, two of the biggest names in Hot Rods, and both really deserving of all their awards.

I don’t really know where to start with this because there’s so much I want to write about.   The weekend certainly didn’t disappoint, and I left it feeling very tired and hard up.   I won’t bore you with all the details, but there were two very late nights, lots of beer, and - most importantly - a lot of laughs!

I had heard so many things about racing in the live arena: some people said how great it is, and others were telling me it’s very slippery and really rough on the car.  So, when the time came for the first practice, I was very cautious and just took it steady to figure it all out.   I thought it was brilliant. We had a set of old wets on the car and it seemed to have enough grip to be controllable yet you could still get it sideways with the smallest touch of the throttle.   It was great being back in the car after two months, and I was quickly reminded just how brilliant a National is to drive.

The track was probably about the same size as Yarmouth but was almost laid out in a square, with a big concrete pillar making up each of the four corners, and a concrete wall around the edge.   You entered the track one end, then exited it at the other; everything was tight on time and was run like clockwork and you don’t even have time to leave the car between races.

We had a bit of a scare after practice when the marshal thought the car was leaking oil, but an inspection showed no leaks and after a few quick checks we were good for the show.   If I’m honest, I had never intended to push the car that hard and risk damaging it and was only going out there to enjoy the experience.    Racing under the lights was brilliant and the atmosphere was almost electric - all the drivers were giving each other respect and just out having a good time.

Both shows went well, with me getting more confidence with each run.  I didn’t win any races or set the world on fire - just had a thoroughly good time putting on a show with my mates.

I had billed the weekend to be a pretty wild social event and it really didn’t disappoint!   Myself and Ross managed about 5 hours sleep over the whole weekend, but ‘you’re only young once’ and sleep, as they say, is for the weak!   Friday night saw us sit down for a meal before heading off into town for one or two social beers.    This however didn’t happen, and before long we all found ourselves at a very random 80’s club. . . drinking Sambuca. . . and Gavin and Carl pulling off some very retro dance moves!

I thought Friday night was random but it wasn’t even going to come close to Saturday’s antics.   The evening began with 16 of us heading into town for an Indian meal – five people went in John van den Bosch’s  pick-up, leaving the rest of us to cram into the back of a delivery van.   I would love to have seen people’s reactions as we all piled out of it onto the side of the road.   After the meal we all headed back to the Hilton to get an early night . . . not likely!   After some beers in the bar, Ross, myself,  Steven O’Shea and John Van den Bosch’s  brother Peter decided it was time to get a taxi into town.    It was already well past 1am by this point, so any chance of an early night was now well out of the window.    When we got into town Ross went to a cash-point to give his bank balance another battering.   As he walked back across the road he saw Peter disappearing off into the distance not to be seen again that night - and not through lack of searching I might add!   It was the biggest feeling of relief when we saw him at breakfast the next morning and he explained he had to bluff his way into a hotel to use the toilet, and had been unable to find us again afterwards.   After a fair few vodkas we ventured back to the hotel at about half past four.   I retired from the hotel bar at about 5.30 (I know when I’m beaten - and I was driving next day),  Ross and Steven were still going strong and finally found their way into bed at about 7am - only to get up at 9 for breakfast . . . mental!

I could keep writing about this weekend because we just had so many laughs but I’m sure you’re starting to get bored of my rambling by now.   Thanks again to everyone that voted for me, it really does mean so much.   It was a cracking weekend and I can’t wait for the Autosport 2012, see you there!

Until next time, stay lucky.

Mikey

The Countdown

Well the NEC is only a matter of days now, I know I’ve been on about it a lot recently but I really can’t wait.   Not only does it mean I can finally get back in the car again but I get to see all my friends and play ‘catch up.’   With people from all over the country racing and following Nationals it means I only see some of them at the meetings - this is great but the meetings are always pretty hectic with people rushing to get the cars ready and you often don’t have time to ‘just chat.’   The show is more relaxed and gives you time to wander round looking at the cars and finding out all the gossip!    There is also the legendary nightlife?! . . . . details of this to follow next week I’m sure!

The social side of racing has always been a big part of it for me and the people I talk to and meet are just as important to me as the racing itself.    Whether it’s talking to fans about the cars or going into detailed lap to lap analysis with another driver, it’s all relative - and the pits without friends would be a very lonely place in my opinion.

I don’t really have much to report from the garage this week, but it would have been even less had things gone smoothly.   Firstly my Dad fitted the tyres in a hurry at work one evening and when Ross blew them up back in the workshop we found the air was leaking out of two as fast as it was going in.    It was back to work with them the next morning to be re-fitted and now they are staying up perfectly.  Fingers crossed!   Luckily we found enough straight wheels so we haven’t had to repair any, because as you know this is a job I really hate.    For now at least, the ones on the car are literally my last straight ones so we’re just putting off something that will become inevitable.

The next problem was discovered when Dad was having a look under the car and put his hand straight into a pool of petrol that had been dripping unnoticed from the fuel tank.   We smelt petrol at the last meeting but couldn’t see anything leaking so ignored it.   The tank must have a tiny split somewhere because it’s barely a teaspoon of fuel but ‘a leak’s a leak.’   A phone call to Gerry at Haird’s has seen another packaged up and sent, ready to be fitted this week.

The error I made with the stickers is failing to leave me alone and as I removed the wrong sticker off the side skirt it took all the paint with it.   Not only did this leave a mess along the side but to add to my annoyance you could still clearly read the incorrect web address - in grey primer this time rather than the fluorescent yellow it was before.    The side skirts are only held on with six bolts so that has been whipped off and given back to Terry who once again is going to sort my mess out!

We finally have some sort of plan for the show.   Terry is going to tow the car up for on Friday and Ross and Jay are going to baby-sit me and make sure I don’t cock everything up in my Dad’s absence!  He and Mum are coming up on Sunday and I’m sure he will enjoy sitting in the stands and watching without the worry of making sure everything is ok back in the pits.    I really do ‘owe’ these guys for all their help . . . . . . . .  and for just putting up with me!

That’s about all that’s happened this week.    I’ll be back next week with a full run down of the show. I’m thinking about looking back at 2010 the following week, and I’ll have some tales from a snowy, cold Sweden the week after that.   Massive thanks again to everyone for reading this, sorry it’s been a bit ‘samey’ (is that a word?) the last few weeks.   Looking forward to seeing all my old friends and making some new ones at the weekend.   Enjoy the show.

Mikey

So: into 2011.

Well “Happy New Year” everyone; hope you all have good ones!  It seems crazy that it’s 2011 already - time seems to fly these days.    Just before I start I want to thank everyone who helped make 2010 the brilliant year it was and thank everyone in advance for everything during 2011.   There are a lot of people who make the racing possible not just for me but everyone else as well so thanks to you all.

With snow being on the ground for what seemed like forever, I was spending most of my day clearing it from various places at work and by the time we were getting home at night we just didn’t feel like going out and working on the car, so it was really nice knowing it was all finished and just sitting in the workshop waiting.  We have decided to add a few more stickers just to make it look a bit different,  and once they  arrive we can get down to the serious work of polishing ready for the show.

As I type this my overalls are in the washing machine having a ‘freshen up’.   My parents bought me a new helmet for my birthday, my granddad bought me some new racing boots for Christmas and I have a new pair of gloves that I have never used all ready for this year.   I’m really fussy with helmets.  Wearing glasses seems to give me all sorts of problems with them misting up and actually fitting properly, so after trying lots of different ones and borrowing John’s Simpson helmet for a while, I settled on a motocross style helmet that lets me use my special double-glazed goggles with them.   I find this style of helmet so much more comfortable to wear; the goggles stop my glasses steaming up, and the big aperture gives you better visibility I think.

All my paperwork arrived for the NEC show the other day, and I’m going to sit down and read it when I get a second - it’s getting close now and I’m on countdown like a kid at Christmas!  I’m also nervous about it - my dad comes to every meeting I do and I would be lost without him, but due to work he won’t be able to make the weekend and is just going to drop me off on the Friday then he’s coming back on Sunday with my mum to look round and pick me up again.   I don’t have a licence to tow the trailer and this year I am hell-bent on taking the test because it really would make things so much easier at times like this.   My friend Ross is coming up and I’m trying to convince Jay Austin to come and play crew chief for the weekend, and make sure I’m not doing anything wrong!   Jay has always been a great help and always seems to make sure I have my head screwed on when I get in the car and don’t forget anything when I’m out of it!

Christmas and New Year has seen me eat and drink too much so now it’s time for the diet to begin and the exercise to start!   I say this every year but this time I’m determined . . .  the mountain bike has even been dug out of the shed ready.   I don’t think I have ridden a bike for at least 5 years but it can’t be that difficult surely!    I’m convinced that good fitness would benefit you whilst racing so it’s something I’m willing to try.  No pain, no gain, as they say!

My good friends John and Robert have flown over to South Africa to race there this January, and whilst I am very jealous I wish them both the best of luck.   Robert - of Stock Rod National Championship winning fame - is in my opinion one of the best drivers I have seen on a short oval, and think it’s about time he pulled his finger out and raced a National!   Hopefully when he drives one again John, will realise how much he misses it and make a return himself, back here in the UK.   Have a great time guys!

This coming week is going to see us making the final preps for the NEC, and although it’s the most organised we’ve EVER been, there’s bound to be something we’ve forgotten.  Now, time permitting, we can start the mammoth task of clearing out our workshop.   Those of you who have been in our workshop will know what I mean - and those of you that haven’t, just think 11 years-worth of racing stacked round the edges, with a ramp for the car in the middle!

Thanks once again for reading this and I wish everybody both on and off the track all the best for the coming year.

Until next time

Mikey