Beetle race report swinging 60's at Donington Park may 30
Discussion
Race 2 for the beetle in the 2011 cscc swingiing 60's series....
....2 gear changes in 2 minutes!
So the may bank holiday brought back the familiar sight of raindrops on the window signalling that summer has started and you really should have made the most of the sun earlier in the month. That pretty much sums up the mood for the race weekend for me too.
Saturday was a good day, a good friend of mine had his first race in future classics so I was helping him out during that and keeping my hands free to help EMC out in the deutche marques race.
EMC had an epic race a 2nd overall for Pete and Alex in the 968. And two class wins with young Ben winning his first trophy in the 325.
My friend had a mixed day, blowing the boost pipe off during qualifying and developing an issue which left him running less boost pressure than he should have, but the race went much better, from 17th on the grid he cut a Webber like swathe through the pack to finish a very credible 10th in a poorly car.
On to Sunday then... Qualifying in the Beetle is always special, the car makes me and everyone around it smile. But Donington is my absolutely favourite circuit in the uk and predictably it's all about Hollywood, Craners and old hairpin. I still remember my first track day at Donington when I was much younger (but still folliclely challenged) I was taken for a lap in a race prepped 3.0SC and I was left gob smacked after we went through that whole section foot to the floor. I've tried to work towards that in the cars that I've owned since then without ever having the necessary "2 veg" to do it. I came close once in the 944... It ended with me facing up the hill and up to my sills in kitty litter at old hairpin!!
..anyway back to the Beetle...qualifying starts with the now standard "Kevin's law" - 'get your 3 laps in first before you start the heroics'.
So off I went, heart in my mouth, this was it, my absolute favourite car ( yes I know I need my head seeing to) on one of my favourite circuits, and it didn't disappoint.
The first run down Goddard straight, a glance and a subconscious nod of respect as you pass under the clock and quick thumbs up to the guys on the wall before eyeing up the braking and turning points for Redgate. All done and nice and steady I headed towards Hollywood and I get my first view of Craners through the windscreen of the Beetle, I can actually feel my heart beat quicken as it pounds against my Hans! With a deep breath and kevin's words still ringing in my ears I take pic a line and ( ...in my head) sweep majestically through Craner Curve for the first time, it's been raining so stay away from the paint and curbs. Even at ridiculously slow speeds it still gives me a buzz... I LOVE IT!!
The car felt stable and planted through Old Hairpin and pulled cleanly up the hill under the bluebird and towards the right hander at McLeans and a bit of a wiggle - steady now.... I'm still 2 laps away from my mandatory 3! Coppice next... Trickier than it looks but the Beetle felt great going through it, line was a bit iffy but I'd try something different next time!
The long run down Starkeys straight takes that little bit longer in a slow car but it feels even longer without the iconic Dunlop bridge to break it up. The new chicane layout is a lot less of an event than the old one, it's flat and trimmed with those suspension busting sausage kerbs. Steered well clear of them then!
The next two laps go without issue, I played with some lines around Coppice and found one that I liked and felt 'easy'.
A quick visit into the pits to check pressures and off I went, look out Doninigton!!
1 quick steady lap to double check lines in my head and make sure a bit of extra speed wouldn't upset the balance of the car and then BOOM I was gonna give it the large one! Foot down hard on the exit of the chicane and off i went in search of the perfect lap, I've always had huge confidence in the stopping power and handling of the Beetle so passing the "usual" breaking point of the pit lane exit was no drama, the shortest of stabs on the brakes a rifle bolt change into 3rd and a firm turn of the wheel and Redgate was dispensed with, taking 4th on the exit and this is was it.... Foot to the floor as I rounded Hollywood, even at these relatively low speeds holding my nerve for the left hand turning point for Craners also meant holding my breath!! Round she went like a Magnatraction Scalextric racer! Im positive that I let out a "yeeee-haa" as I arrived at the kerbs on the entry of old hairpin. No time for celebrations, a down shift and straight round, hooking 4th well before the end of the exit and up the hill we went.
Gravity has long been a friend of the Beetle and McLeans was taken in 4th with just a hint of a lift, the same with Coppice, I'd picked my reference point for the blind turn in and let the car run wide and back again... The smile on my face was so big now my cheeks were hurting after being pushed against my crash helmet!!
Plenty of time to think about the chicane and the new flat profile makes it a lot quicker so it was a very late brake a down change, right-left hard on the (limited) power and up into 4th and head for the line!
The laps were toting up nicely, flat out through Craners time and time again, any line I chose the car just went "yep, no problem gimme more!!!" The only problem was the car was still running up to 6krpm far too quickly and I was flat out almost everywhere but just not going very fast! Did I say 'only' problem.?!
The session was coming to an end and then there it was a bright red light on the dash that tells me that all is not well..arse!!
I managed to limp back to the pit lane with a very unhappy car and straight into the garage. With the engine cover off, looking at a heavily oil covered deck lid the world fell out of my weekend. I'd chewed the fan belt and the engine had got VERY hot.
Luckily I was the last race of the day so we had time to get it sorted, the car was left to cool and a new belt was fitted.... Fingers crossed now! Qualifying time 1.49. Not great!
As the race approached I was still annoyed with myself and the car..... I was talking through what to and not do in the race, and the advice as always came straight and BS free. "I can't make you drive differently, I can only tell you how much it'll cost to fix it" so pep talk over! I suited up and the plan was to keep it to 5K ish ! This was going To be a very long 40mins!
With the race under way, and engine saving mode switched on in my head it was looking like it was going to be a very dull race... I wasn't far wrong, every lap spent listening out for anything that sounded out of place, anyone whose driven a Beetle will know that's not an easy thing to do!
Needless to say there was a distinctive change in engine tone and I pulled in to the pits to check it out, turns out that just to amuse me the car had blown the exhaust apart, ace thats just what I wanted.!!
40 mins of lapping, making just 2 gear changes per lap, 4th to 3rd into the chicane and back to 4th on the exit. The end of the race couldn't come quick enough, having to temper my enthusiasm through Craners was getting frustrating too!
As I exited the chicane and I saw the chequered flag a wave of relief came over me and I settled in for the parade lap, but it wasn't over yet! As I rounded Coppice for the last time, waving at the marshals there was an all too familiar stutter.... This was so not my day, I killed the engine and rolled as far as I could, I eventually came to rest just before the chicane.
A short tow back into the pits and another day at the races done and over with. I was all set to run from the circuit with my tail between my legs when I was summoned to the presentation by the cscc coordinator... Well blow me down I've only gone and finished 3rd in class, so my worst day ever ended with a trophy.
It just goes to show, every cloud has a silver lining and to finish last, first you must finish!
As always I have to thank the guys at EMC Motorsport for continuing to run the Bug for me, and I have to thank everyone at GAZ suspension, LifeLine Fire & Safety, Varley Redtop Battery’s, Dodo Juice, AWS, and NGK spark plugs for their continued support in 2011.
I’ll also drop a mention for my chosen charity The Childrens Trust, Tadworth continuing their excellent work in supporting children with multiple disabilities, complex health needs and acquired brain injury. I still have my justgiving page open if anyone would like to add their support to the charity.
....2 gear changes in 2 minutes!
So the may bank holiday brought back the familiar sight of raindrops on the window signalling that summer has started and you really should have made the most of the sun earlier in the month. That pretty much sums up the mood for the race weekend for me too.
Saturday was a good day, a good friend of mine had his first race in future classics so I was helping him out during that and keeping my hands free to help EMC out in the deutche marques race.
EMC had an epic race a 2nd overall for Pete and Alex in the 968. And two class wins with young Ben winning his first trophy in the 325.
My friend had a mixed day, blowing the boost pipe off during qualifying and developing an issue which left him running less boost pressure than he should have, but the race went much better, from 17th on the grid he cut a Webber like swathe through the pack to finish a very credible 10th in a poorly car.
On to Sunday then... Qualifying in the Beetle is always special, the car makes me and everyone around it smile. But Donington is my absolutely favourite circuit in the uk and predictably it's all about Hollywood, Craners and old hairpin. I still remember my first track day at Donington when I was much younger (but still folliclely challenged) I was taken for a lap in a race prepped 3.0SC and I was left gob smacked after we went through that whole section foot to the floor. I've tried to work towards that in the cars that I've owned since then without ever having the necessary "2 veg" to do it. I came close once in the 944... It ended with me facing up the hill and up to my sills in kitty litter at old hairpin!!
..anyway back to the Beetle...qualifying starts with the now standard "Kevin's law" - 'get your 3 laps in first before you start the heroics'.
So off I went, heart in my mouth, this was it, my absolute favourite car ( yes I know I need my head seeing to) on one of my favourite circuits, and it didn't disappoint.
The first run down Goddard straight, a glance and a subconscious nod of respect as you pass under the clock and quick thumbs up to the guys on the wall before eyeing up the braking and turning points for Redgate. All done and nice and steady I headed towards Hollywood and I get my first view of Craners through the windscreen of the Beetle, I can actually feel my heart beat quicken as it pounds against my Hans! With a deep breath and kevin's words still ringing in my ears I take pic a line and ( ...in my head) sweep majestically through Craner Curve for the first time, it's been raining so stay away from the paint and curbs. Even at ridiculously slow speeds it still gives me a buzz... I LOVE IT!!
The car felt stable and planted through Old Hairpin and pulled cleanly up the hill under the bluebird and towards the right hander at McLeans and a bit of a wiggle - steady now.... I'm still 2 laps away from my mandatory 3! Coppice next... Trickier than it looks but the Beetle felt great going through it, line was a bit iffy but I'd try something different next time!
The long run down Starkeys straight takes that little bit longer in a slow car but it feels even longer without the iconic Dunlop bridge to break it up. The new chicane layout is a lot less of an event than the old one, it's flat and trimmed with those suspension busting sausage kerbs. Steered well clear of them then!
The next two laps go without issue, I played with some lines around Coppice and found one that I liked and felt 'easy'.
A quick visit into the pits to check pressures and off I went, look out Doninigton!!
1 quick steady lap to double check lines in my head and make sure a bit of extra speed wouldn't upset the balance of the car and then BOOM I was gonna give it the large one! Foot down hard on the exit of the chicane and off i went in search of the perfect lap, I've always had huge confidence in the stopping power and handling of the Beetle so passing the "usual" breaking point of the pit lane exit was no drama, the shortest of stabs on the brakes a rifle bolt change into 3rd and a firm turn of the wheel and Redgate was dispensed with, taking 4th on the exit and this is was it.... Foot to the floor as I rounded Hollywood, even at these relatively low speeds holding my nerve for the left hand turning point for Craners also meant holding my breath!! Round she went like a Magnatraction Scalextric racer! Im positive that I let out a "yeeee-haa" as I arrived at the kerbs on the entry of old hairpin. No time for celebrations, a down shift and straight round, hooking 4th well before the end of the exit and up the hill we went.
Gravity has long been a friend of the Beetle and McLeans was taken in 4th with just a hint of a lift, the same with Coppice, I'd picked my reference point for the blind turn in and let the car run wide and back again... The smile on my face was so big now my cheeks were hurting after being pushed against my crash helmet!!
Plenty of time to think about the chicane and the new flat profile makes it a lot quicker so it was a very late brake a down change, right-left hard on the (limited) power and up into 4th and head for the line!
The laps were toting up nicely, flat out through Craners time and time again, any line I chose the car just went "yep, no problem gimme more!!!" The only problem was the car was still running up to 6krpm far too quickly and I was flat out almost everywhere but just not going very fast! Did I say 'only' problem.?!
The session was coming to an end and then there it was a bright red light on the dash that tells me that all is not well..arse!!
I managed to limp back to the pit lane with a very unhappy car and straight into the garage. With the engine cover off, looking at a heavily oil covered deck lid the world fell out of my weekend. I'd chewed the fan belt and the engine had got VERY hot.
Luckily I was the last race of the day so we had time to get it sorted, the car was left to cool and a new belt was fitted.... Fingers crossed now! Qualifying time 1.49. Not great!
As the race approached I was still annoyed with myself and the car..... I was talking through what to and not do in the race, and the advice as always came straight and BS free. "I can't make you drive differently, I can only tell you how much it'll cost to fix it" so pep talk over! I suited up and the plan was to keep it to 5K ish ! This was going To be a very long 40mins!
With the race under way, and engine saving mode switched on in my head it was looking like it was going to be a very dull race... I wasn't far wrong, every lap spent listening out for anything that sounded out of place, anyone whose driven a Beetle will know that's not an easy thing to do!
Needless to say there was a distinctive change in engine tone and I pulled in to the pits to check it out, turns out that just to amuse me the car had blown the exhaust apart, ace thats just what I wanted.!!
40 mins of lapping, making just 2 gear changes per lap, 4th to 3rd into the chicane and back to 4th on the exit. The end of the race couldn't come quick enough, having to temper my enthusiasm through Craners was getting frustrating too!
As I exited the chicane and I saw the chequered flag a wave of relief came over me and I settled in for the parade lap, but it wasn't over yet! As I rounded Coppice for the last time, waving at the marshals there was an all too familiar stutter.... This was so not my day, I killed the engine and rolled as far as I could, I eventually came to rest just before the chicane.
A short tow back into the pits and another day at the races done and over with. I was all set to run from the circuit with my tail between my legs when I was summoned to the presentation by the cscc coordinator... Well blow me down I've only gone and finished 3rd in class, so my worst day ever ended with a trophy.
It just goes to show, every cloud has a silver lining and to finish last, first you must finish!
As always I have to thank the guys at EMC Motorsport for continuing to run the Bug for me, and I have to thank everyone at GAZ suspension, LifeLine Fire & Safety, Varley Redtop Battery’s, Dodo Juice, AWS, and NGK spark plugs for their continued support in 2011.
I’ll also drop a mention for my chosen charity The Childrens Trust, Tadworth continuing their excellent work in supporting children with multiple disabilities, complex health needs and acquired brain injury. I still have my justgiving page open if anyone would like to add their support to the charity.
You were great - I couldn't stop laughing as the beetle came chugging past us on the pitwall. Only disappointed that you didn't do a 'no worries' hand signal through your window for the photos!
Next step forward is to fit a Merlin engine and then see you zipping around Donington like something from the Wacky Races - Dick Dastardly perhaps?
Next step forward is to fit a Merlin engine and then see you zipping around Donington like something from the Wacky Races - Dick Dastardly perhaps?
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