Craig's Xe track Nova (pb fixed to page 10)

[nova_niek]

I set a personal best of 1:15.72 which suggests the car is going in the right direction, and somebody caught a great picture out of Esses. No idea who took it but thankyou.

This pic made me smile. It just screams "maximum effort!".

[brucer]

Good going, any videos?

[8valve-craig]

I didn't film that meeting, The camera was not where i thought it was just as i was leaving and I'm a bit sad about it. Must have left it at work.

Its a real shame as it was a cracking race. The last video represents very little now and although it was educational i hate to watch it back. Braking points, corner speed and gear shift points have all changed which shaved over a second off the previous best lap times and crucially kept me near the front.

[Iain]

Shame about forgetting the camera. Great to see definite improvements leading to getting closer to the faster cars.

[8valve-craig]

Shame about forgetting the camera. Great to see definite improvements leading to getting closer to the faster cars.

Thanks Lain. As you know the 205 driver is a 60x race winner there and the Astra makes no secret about knocking on the door of 300hp. Im happy to even be within sight of them, for now.

[boffer8]

Any updates from the weekend gone?

[8valve-craig]

Monday was another Castle Combe Hot Hatch meeting which went relatively well. Dry qualifying on new tyres was disappointing, back down into the 16's which put me again 3rd on the grid. I had hoped for either 2nd or 4th, as i knew there wouldn't be a gap in the front row of Prebble and Wyatt this time around.

Shortly after qualifying the heavens opened and persistent rain was the order of the day, so around 30 mins before the race start some road tyres went on and i hoped it would stay wet.

The race came around and after the formation laps were done there sure enough was no longer a gap in the front row. That turned out not to be a problem as they both got great starts, so off I went to Quarry in the spray. The Focus of Mike Webb got in front putting me 4th, but i managed to go around the outside of Wyatts mighty Astra into 3rd. This order remained for 5laps, but under real pressure from the Astra i made a big mistake at Camp. Luckily I held the slide but had lost momentum for the straight and he went past at Folley as we went either side of a back marker. Now in 4th place and with a drying track i could maintain a distance to him but not get near, so finished as such.

My 4th was upgraded to 3rd when it was found that the race winner in the Blue Focus was out on full race wets and subsequently disqualified.

All in all a great day. There's an 8 week break now, but looking forward to the next meeting

[Benn]

Well done, 4th/3rd is very good going.

[8valve-craig]

3rd. Cheats aren't counted.

[Benn]

True. 3rd is a great result.
Glad to see you enjoying it.