Mozza@Curborough

[Mozza]

This is my third time at Curborough but not on the track, I had previously been up to watch Bobjacqs sprint his Mk1 MX5 a couple of times, which convinced me that I should have a go. But watching from the spectators banking I had thought that this was no more than a Go Kart circuit as it looks such a small venue. For the competitor I’ve changed my mind, it is a lovely circuit with three sections to get just right. Some of the drivers said that the last corner is the most difficult, as it tightens up. Me, I thought the very first long left hander to get round flat out was the hardest as it seemed to be two corners in one with a blind apex. So how did I do this time?
Well, when we arrived it was dry but overcast, I had only just got settled when it started to rain and it did not stop all day, poor Janie had to sit in the car and was bored to tears, bloody weather!

Ok, this was an unusual, apparently, double lap course, so the first practice run was as usual trying to find out when the bends were, not that hard as there are only five to worry about.

First practise run:

Don’t know what got into me, over excited I guess and being very wet had wheel spin from the off, again changing into second and major slide going into the first left hander and this didn’t change much on any of the next eight corners (two laps don’t forget) and finishing over the line braking hard because you can’t see just where the road goes and locked up both fronts, thought I was going to finish up down where the start is, but managed to steer it back on course. Drove like a right plonker but the finishing time was still good. Tony Thomas produced a very low 82sec so I thought here we go again, we are going to be last again.

I think I finished in the high 82ish seconds, didn’t write the times down as I thought they would be posted to me, but only the official timed runs showed in the results that arrived on the door mat yesterday.

Second practise run:

Decided to settle down, and drive like popping down to the shops with a copper standing on every corner, very little slipping and sliding this time, but still a bit of wheel spin at the start in first gear and finished in roughly/close to exactly the same time as the first run.

First official timed run:

Did exactly the same, but this time change into second at 4500/5000rpm and an early change into third for the first left hander. No mishaps and finished in 82.61sec.
On the way back to the paddock I just caught sight of Bob spinning his Mk1 1.6 on the first left hander. He has video of this on his blog.
http://bobjacqs.wordpress.com/

Second official timed run:

OK this is where I have to do well, Tony Thomas in his Mk3 2.0 litre has put in a official time only 1.7seconds behind me (84.31), with Bobs failed first run I am currently in first place.
I know I can leave braking later on the straight before I start the second lap, so I decided that if I leave it ten to fifteen feet later it will gain me a second for sure. All went well, but must have left braking to 20 feet later as the fonts locked up and I sailed 15 foot past the left hander I should have taken. (Fail).

So now it’s down to waiting and seeing if my three MX5 championship contenders beat me. Bob is next and finishes in a time which I won’t mention after mine. So it now leaves a very fast Tony Thomas to make me feel miserable for my third event of the season, not so, he finishes in 84.37.

Yippee, I get my first win of the season; it will probably be my last as well.

We will see, Mallory Park tomorrow for another go. Some faster car to contend with there, but I’ll do my best.

Ken

[greg#2]

Well done buddy, you did brilliantly well to go faster than last years champ.

Bravo, we have the next sprint champ in our midst people

A nice methodical approach will always work wonders in challenging conditions, only change one thing at a time though or you won't know which change made the difference.

Greg

[DaveMc]

Well done Ken. I marshalled there a few times last year, and the double lap caught quite a few out. On the finish line post (Post 1 for some reason), we called a number of cars for 4 wheels over taking the bend. Even had one Westfield have a tank slapper under braking taking out the finish board a few feet away from us.
First shiny trophy for the cabinet..

[Vindi (Russell)]

A great result, well done ... you must be chuffed to bits!!!

Russell.

[Vic]

There is life in the old dog yet .....................

Nice one Ken.

[NickD]

Well done Mozza! You must be chffed to nuts.

The rain is a great leveler.