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Mallory Park 26th May Race Report
On bank holiday Monday it was the second round of the Mk1 MR2 Racing series, and this time we went to Mallory Park..
I'd done a test day there once before, and to be honest it's not the most exciting or complex track in the world, basically an oval with a hairpin at one end. And I hate the hairpin. Even if you do get it right, it never feels like you do. It seems really messy and scrappy, which ever line you take. The general consensus is that other drivers feel the same about it, so it’s not just me.
Anyway, onto qualifying. I managed to find some clear track for 5 laps or so, but could tell that I wasn't gaining on the cars in front of me. I felt like the car wasn't quite at it's usual speed, and that it could, no, should, have been lapping quicker.
Turned out I qualified 5th in the end. Not bad, but summed up my feelings of how both the car and I could have done better.
Race 1
So, onto the first race. When the lights went out I got a little bit too much wheelspin, and by the first corner I was down to 6th. However, as the race progressed, a great battled ensued between four of us for 3rd place. At one point I was along side another driver down the back straight, when for no conceivable reason he decided to turn into me, forcing me to take a flying trip across the grass. Luckily, I only lost one place before getting it back on track, but it spurred me on to get past him. And get past him I did. I managed to beat the other 3 people all yearning for the last step of the podium, and when the chequered flag was flown, I had that step. 3rd place. I was really chuffed with it, mainly because I had to work so hard to get it. Also, it felt to me like the car was faster now than it was in qualifying.
 This was backed up by the time sheet, as it emerged I had the fastest lap of the race, nearly a whole second quicker than my best lap time in qualifying. In the race I barely got a clear lap either. We discussed it afterwards, and have sort of come to the conclusion that one, or maybe more, of the brakes is binding. We've had the problem before, to the point where the one offending brakes would make its wheel too hot to touch, where the other 3 wheels would be barely lukewarm after the same amount of time. It makes sense, as the car had been sitting around for the best part of a month, and the first outing in it after that month was qualifying, which maybe is what it needs for everything to free up.
Race 2
Anyway, next race. This time I started 6th. Sitting on the grid, waiting for the lights to go out, I managed to put it in 3rd rather than 1st. My racing driver excuse is that the gates are very close together, but my real excuse is that it was entirely my fault and I should have been more careful.
So when the lights did go out, I went from 6th to 15th, right to the back of the pack. I was a little annoyed, but just got my head down and tried to make up as many places as possible.
To cut a long story short, I managed to battle my way up through the field, gaining as many places as possible, and by the end of it I finished 6th, which is where I started, and that in itself isn't a bad achievement I suppose. I didn't want it to end as I was gaining on the leading group all the time, and by the end of the race I was within touching distance of them. So it was a good experience, I'd rather not have done it but now at least I'll check it each time and make sure I don't do it again!
To see the rest of the pictures from this meeting, SEE HERE
For on-board videos from this meeting, SEE HERE.
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