WELL DONE ECLIPSE!

[viperman]

Hi, was at oulton yesterday, what a great GT race, i was really really hoping for the eclipse TVR to win, thought a 2nd place was going to be it, but due to the moslers problems A WIN!!! Altough they took the win due to misfortune of the mosler, still two great stints from Shane and Piers, they deserved another win, i hope they can challenge for and hopefully win the championship. Also to top it off the MG of Anthony Reid took its first 2003 BTCC win at croft! Im a very big MG fan and touring car fan and its great news. Also! its my birthday today, what a top weekend/start of the week!

[yellow peril]

Happy Birthday Viperman.....

Did your ladies show in the Viper yesterday?

.....//P//

[caro]

Happy Birthday, viperman! and thanks for telling us who won the GTs, I'm pleased for the Eclipse TVR, Lynch and Johnson are a good pairing. Didn't make it to Oulton, shame as it's a great circuit. Glad there was no horrible pile up like last year!

[hansgerd]

Also a happy birthday greating from here and congratulations to Eclipse.

[viperman]

thanks everyone, unfortunately the viper didnt show up, but i decided, fcuk it, COME ON TVR! I no it sounds nasty but i had a big grin on my face when the balfe mosler slowed down! It was a great race, but i have to say some of the driving standards in the GT cup class were pretty bad! No mentioning any names cough*Golf GTi*cough cough*glenvargil360*cough! The drivers in the gold were ok until someone wanted to pass them, i.e the leader of the race! and the Glenvargil ferrari put some moves on various cars, mainly the lotus's which i relly didnt think were on. Also the F40 kept missing the knickerbrook chicane! must have missed it about 10 times alltogether, also the GTO marcos either braked earlier or the TVR braked late and the peninsular TVR hit the back of it sending JCB TVR bodywork flying in the air, looked quite spectacular, the TVR then hit the wall at about 10mph i think, and eventually moved form the chican after about 5minutes and went to the pits, had lots of tape to put it together. BTW someone should tell Mr 2 lotuses and glenvarigal ferrari 3 do not go round the exit of the knickerbrook chicane without a gravel trap moment! as the all found out! Also Marco Attard, my favuorite! I said to my dad, i bet he'll have some big moment or a monster lock up like he always had in 2001, and yes he did! i got a picture of it, but you cant see the car due to all the smoke! All the race was action packed and it will be fun to edit it to 30mins for channel 4!

Theres my little race report! God bless you all!

[godmother]

An excellent and indeed accurate report Viperman! You must've been stood right next to me at Knickerbrook by the sound of it. I noticed that the cup class drivers do tend to give it a bit more 'attitude'! However, I found that rather entertaining. I had such a fab day!! Would've liked to have seen the Corvette hassling a bit more, but considering their gear problems, well done them for a finish!

[viperman]

god mother, hi, i was at hill top for half of the race and half at knickerbrook, i was right next to the T400R when its bodywork fell off, made me jump! It was a brilliant race, lots of action and passing, the corvette sounded funny coming out on the apex, exiting knickerbrook, was he stuck in a gear? Also the nice blue elise was constantly on the grass on being bashed, or bashing cars! It was in parts quite comical!
Must add what a shame about the CDL T400R, looked strong, until it stopped. Also a shame the ultima didnt get a well deserved podium.

One thing i must add! absolutely no disrespect to them what so ever, but i dont think the comentator was right in giving the ultima car and drivers, 'drive of the day' to me Peter cook and pelle (sorry dont know his first name) deserved the award. The car was not happy handling at all! but managed to get it home and in 3rd place! amazing, top job, top race, SH!T RACE ORGANISATION THOUGH! im not happy with the organisation of the event, all the races had to be cut, poor organisation, and why did they start at 12.15 when the curfue was only until 12pm, that could have been 15 mins extra, and the 10minute GT warm up, whats the point! Anyway, thats my take on a top day out, and only £10 and free program!

[backman]

viperman said:

why did they start at 12.15 when the curfue was only until 12pm, that could have been 15 mins extra, and the 10minute GT warm up, whats the point!

Quite right in saying the curfew was up until 12pm but when you have a race engine that has not been run since the previous afternoon it takes a good few minutes to get temperatures and pressures up to the correct / safe levels so as not to cause serious damage to the engine.

The warm up is usually 15 mins not 10 and allows the teams to check settings etc which will have greater impact during a longer race.

[viperman]

yes, i completely understand why they have a warm up, i was more saying that 10 minutes is pretty crap! Such a shame that curfew only lets them have 12pm- 6.30, thats only 6 and a half hours, im sure the BTCC runs in the morning as well as afternoon, whys that? special dispensation?

[godmother]

Viperman, forgot to say happy birthday! One of the reasons I stood there was because it was in the shade - phew! Vette was stuck in gear with the aid of molegrips I think and the splitter was flapping about too. I though maybe the Peninsula TVR maybe should have got driver of the day for sheer determination to finish with bits of car and sticky tape peeling off!!

[viperman]

thank you godmother, yes, the peninusula TVR did well with the tape keeping the front wheel arches together. I was in the pits and watching the team take part of the under tray out and the mechanics just bashing it and Dennis Leach (not sure if ive spelt his surname right!) having a bit of a go at his mechanics. The team had to change engines over night (i think) top job, shame the team werent reward by a good strong place, but still a finish and a good effort.

Looking forward to rockingham, there will be a monster crowd, which is good for the championship, and free tickets!

[The DJ 27]

viperman said:

yes, i completely understand why they have a warm up, i was more saying that 10 minutes is pretty crap! Such a shame that curfew only lets them have 12pm- 6.30, thats only 6 and a half hours, im sure the BTCC runs in the morning as well as afternoon, whys that? special dispensation?

Think you'll find the BTCC run on saturday mornings, as did everything at the GT meeting. Saturdays are allowed 9am until 6:30pm. Its a stupid local law. And it wasnt race organisation. Blame Stefan Hodgetts for demolishing the barrier at Lodge in the Seat (zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz) race

[RowenaC]

A belated happy birthday to Viperman and, yes, congrats to Eclipse. Thoroughly enjoyed watching! First the chasing of the Ultima and then the lead Mosler going out (shame! And I didn't even need to bring my crowbar! ). Shane and Piers are now second in the championship so here's to more good results!

Ro.x

[viperman]

Thanks Rowena, it was a fantastic race, and yes shane and piers are just a few points behind the mosler, i hope they can do it, good old shortys TVR deserved the title last year, but was robbed by velouqx. Good luck Eclipse and the peninsula TVR crew, they deserve some luck.

[af373057]

If there is any luck being distributed around the paddock, can I request some please!!!!!!

[af373057]

If there is any luck being distributed around the paddock, can I request some please!!!!!!

Stuart
CDL Racing

>> Edited by af373057 on Friday 18th July 08:35

[godmother]

Well, if you read some of the reports on other sites, it could we worthwhile adopting a donkey, and do as your mother taught you - say your prayers at bedtime! Best of luck to CDL at Rockingham!!!

[viperman]

af373057 said:

If there is any luck being distributed around the paddock, can I request some please!!!!!! Stuart CDL Racing >> Edited by af373057 on Friday 18th July 08:35

i no! You guys have had shocking luck so far this season, i really felt for the whole team when i saw it pull off near the knickerbrook chicane, but your time and luck will come. Best of luck for rockingham, i'll be there hopefully seeing you get a good, solid race finish.

[Ahonen]

The CDL team is unfortunately suffering from the same level of ill luck that we had last year. It will come good eventually. Obviously I don't know for sure, but it seems that a different problem stops them each time, which is encouraging in a way - at least they're getting to the bottom of things. Not like Shorty's first year, when engines were suffering major "oil leaks" with truly astonishing regularity.

Stick at it, chaps. We did and things are looking, perhaps, not so bad now.

Rowena - You kept a low profile over the weekend!

Ted - Where's the race report? I know you weren't there, but I'm surprised that even the F3/GT press release hasn't been pasted up. TVR won again, after all. That's three in a row! Let's shout about it.

Oh, and thanks to those who congratulated us. It was quite a surprise to us, really, but as soon as Piers started catching one Mosler and dropping the other we knew we had a chance. Both the chaps drove brilliantly and the driver change was the best we've ever done - it doesn't even happen that fast during practice in the awning...

Steve @ Eclipse.

>> Edited by Ahonen on Friday 18th July 14:04

[Rowenac]

Ahonen said:

Rowena - You kept a low profile over the weekend!

Was being conspicuous by my absence! (Feeble attempt to prove to myself I am not the team jinx!) Too hot to move around that much so stuck to comfy chair and suncream trackside!