The Winter Plan

We don’t waste any time here and the car is now in a million pieces scattered around the workshop.  The panels are off, the engine and transmission out, along with any other bits that come undone.  What we are basically left with is a mass of bars, some shock absorbers, a set of brakes and some wheels!

It’s amazing how dirty the spaceframe gets.   It’s only a few meetings since it was jet washed clean but everything is caked up in dirt again.  This, mixed with all the oil from the engine hanging on to everything, has left it looking a bit of a state, so the next job is to put my wellies on, get the jet wash out and give it a bit of a clean down.

All things considered the car was still relatively tidy come the end of the year and although it had the expected scrapes and scratches there were no completely knackered panels.   We have some new ones for next year so they can be painted and put on to make it tidy again.  The chassis is going off to SHP shortly for a few little adjustments - but more on that in the coming weeks.

I seem to have collected a pile of bent wheels so I’m going to have a session of rebuilding them at some point.   I’m also going to have to strip my beloved Compomotives and rebuild them, as the brake dust has got into them and turned them from white to a horrible off-grey.

As well as the car we have a few things to finish off on the lorry before it’s sold, and then a few little bits to do to the new one as well.   The trailer we have been using is also for sale.   We had it brand new just over two years ago and if anyone is interested please get in touch with me.

One of my long standing sponsors Allfloors are coming in next week and laying a new floor in the workshop, so Dad and I have the epic task of moving everything out of there before they arrive.  Although it’s all quite well organised there is still a lot of stuff to move - and some of it is going to be heavy and equally awkward!  It will certainly be worth it in the end though, and I can’t wait to see the finished job.

There is plenty more happening over the coming weeks too so I’m sure I won’t be short of things to write about.   Robert McDonald is heading down next weekend and I am heading up to John’s for New Year.   We’re in the stages of planning my birthday night out and then of course there’s the NEC in January!  I won’t be racing there this year, firstly because I don’t want to risk damaging the car like Jason’s terrible luck last year and secondly, with everything else that’s going on the car won’t be ready in time.

There should be some new updates to my website (link above) in the coming months along with the launch of a few bits of merchandise.  Next year’s calendar has been designed and ready to be printed so let me know if you’d like one. Thanks as always to TPR signs for keeping the website up to date and putting up with me and all my silly ideas and then turning them in to something great.

Thanks as ever for reading.

Until next time.

Mikey

Up in smoke

That’s it . . . racing is officially over for this year.  It didn’t end as I‘d hoped it would, and the last two meetings were disappointing for me.

When we got to Hednesford after driving through some pretty horrendous weather to get there, we were all geared up and expecting a day of racing in the rain.  But almost as soon as we pulled off the motorway the rain stopped and wasn’t seen again for the rest of the day.  This left us with a dry track and slicks for the first race and it was a great feeling to get in the car and join the line up.   It was only to be very short lived though as a ‘coming together’ on the first lap left me with damaged suspension, a bent wheel, and an Armco ringside seat to watch the next 25 laps!    For once I will actually say it wasn’t in any way my fault - it was just a case of ‘wrong place, wrong time’.  That’s racing after all, and it’s just one of those things.

After the race it was “all go” to get the damage fixed, and I just want to say a big thanks to Gavin Murray who was straight over to help get the car sorted and back on track.    Now let’s say I’m not really the best in these situations and I think Dad despairs at times, so it was really good of Gav to come over and help - and a reminder of  just how loyal my friends really are.

Now the next two races were a lot more successful with a 6th and a 9th respectively.  Not the best results I know but it was still two finishes with points, and I managed to escape picking up any more damage.   Everyone seemed to have some complaint over the meeting but I actually thought how well the N.H.R.P.A. handled things.  Like everyone out there I have had my complaints and times when I think things haven’t gone my way, but it’s easy to forget a lot of the people running the meetings and putting in hours of their own time do it for very little reward, and quite often get handed the rough end of the stick - not to mention putting up with a lot of whining from the drivers!

With only one week between the last two meetings, it left us with a few busy evenings in the garage.  When we loaded the car up on the Friday it was looking pretty sorry for itself.   I was looking forward to Birmingham, and with good weather forecast for the night I was keen to give the car one last blast before its winter break.

We got to the track early enough to do some practice, and when I went out on the track the car was absolutely flying.    It always does exactly what I want it to at Birmingham and I was really pleased with it.    But just as I was coming into turn three, disaster struck and the little red light on the dashboard flashed up saying ‘no oil pressure’.   I pulled off into the middle to find the belt driving the dry sump pump had come off.

After much swearing, sulking and conversing back in the pits, another belt was fitted and the car seemed to run fine.  Looking back now what we did afterwards was completely stupid.   Rather than take the sensible option and load the car up we decided we would try our luck and race it . . . foolish I know, but I needed some points.

To start the race the car was absolutely flying, but after about six laps coming out of turn three, the car went sick and started rattling.   By the time I’d reached the end of the straight there was a bang and a lot of smoke, and it really was ‘game over‘.    I’m absolutely gutted because it was a brilliant engine and the situation would have been completely avoidable had I not been so desperate for points and just loaded it up in the trailer.

With everything packed away we watched the rest of the racing.  Some of my pals had headed down from Scotland, and Ross had come along to his first ever Birmingham meeting and managed to watch me do the grand total of 6 laps!  So we set about drowning our sorrows on any beer we could find and actually managed to have a really good laugh.  This was topped off by the final visit for this year to ‘Big John’s’ for a feed.

So that’s that - all finished and the winter rebuild can begin.  The engine will be heading back to John Toovey who I know will send it back even better than before.  The car will be getting a freshen-up and we have quite a few little changes we want to make.

It’s also the end of an era, because after many years we are changing our lorry over the winter.  Although I have moaned about it in the past, we have done thousands of miles in it over the years having used it since my early days of racing Minis.  It’s been a faithful friend.

I’ll be back over the coming weeks looking back over the year and talking about the winter rebuild.  I’ve had a great time this season and want to say a collective ‘thank you’ to everyone who has shared it with me.

Here’s to many more!

Thanks as ever for reading.

Until next time

Mikey

Superbowl

Without doubt it has been a hectic few weeks.   Even though there hasn’t been any racing I’ve found plenty to do.   Ross and I, along with some other friends headed across to France for a week’s fishing.  Nothing at all to do with racing but one of the best experiences I have ever had with some great people and some massive fish . . . I can’t wait to go back again next year!

When I went back to work it seemed like the longest week ever and I was counting down the days till the weekend when I could head off to Scotland for the Superbowl.  I’m sure you all know how much I love Scotland and have lost count of how many times I’ve been up this year . . . it’s only a matter of time till John starts charging me rent!

I had a trailer belonging to John which I brought home on my last visit, so after loading it up with stuff to take back up with me, I set off.  Leaving to go on a 400 mile journey at 1pm on a Friday afternoon is - in hindsight - not the best idea, and after what seemed like days and miles and miles of traffic jams I finally arrived.  Hope was not lost though and there was time for dinner, a shower and then to head out on the town.   Well it wouldn’t be Scotland without a little drink!

The one downside to Scotland is how cold it gets, and I can safely say it was freezing at the racing on Saturday.  This was easily overcome by heading straight to the bar.   Along with Richard and Siobhan I did manage to go outside and watch a few races, but the weather soon had us heading back inside.

I know I always say it but there really isn’t any other track like Cowdenbeath and the Saloons round there are brilliant. I never get bored of watching the chaos they cause, and mixed with F2s and Ministox it was a good night of racing.

The nights out that follow the racing are always legendary and after convincing Richard to come out with us, John, David, Robert, Richard and I headed back into town.  It didn’t disappoint and I have never seen so many people in fancy dress in a night club before. It was a quality night topped off with a hilarious ride home in a minibus that has rescued us twice now this year!

As much as I would have liked to, I didn’t go to the racing on Sunday.  John and I had a few bits to sort out and after some lunch I headed off on the long drive home.  It seemed even further on the way back and it’s always hard leaving your friends after a great weekend away and going back to reality.

Back at home the car is very nearly ready.  It seems like an age since I last raced and I’m really looking forward to getting back in the driving seat.  It feels like the season has gone so quickly and it’s nearly the winter break already.   I always enjoy this meeting at Hednesford, the fire works are always amazing, and racing under the lights is pretty impressive too.  With Birmingham the weekend after it should be a good couple of weeks.

I have some big plans for the winter but more on that over the coming weeks!

Just one final thing:  I’d like to apologise for not blogging as regularly as I should.   I am so busy with work at the moment and it’s a struggle to even find time to think sometimes.  I haven’t lost interest though and fully intend to keep going until you’re all sick of hearing what I have to say!

Thanks as ever for reading and I hope to see you all over the next few weeks to help me round off what I can only describe as a truly amazing year.

Until next time

Mikey.