Went through the formalities of signing on and scrutineering - nice easy first time pass again. Bit more to do today as the car was still on slicks from last week and there was no way they were going to be of much use this morning. Practice was set for 12:10pm and the track looked pretty damp and daunting - haven't raced in the wet before. I don't have any true 'wets' as such, just a set of Yokohama A509s that I used to use on the road, although they are hardly worn at all.

Practice was a nightmare - the track was so slippery. I had already decided to play my joker today (in the Le Mans Auto-Italia championship, we are allowed one joker a year - It's a Knockout style - where we get double points). Why would I play my joker on a wet track that I have never visited before? Because this week there were only 4 entrants in Class B - last week there had been 9 (from which I finished 6^th) so there was a chance here to maximise points. And as qualifying also earned points down to 5^th place, that was more (doubled) points I could earn. Just driving round the track from the pits I soon realised how slippery it was - came out of the second corner and touched the white line on the apex - the back stepped out immediately. I was lucky to get away with it. My pal Neil (races an Uno) was just behind me and all I could think was he'll take the piss out of me when we get back to the pits!

Came around the next lap to see Neil spinning harmlessly across the track! Really felt lost - the back end was sliding, the front let go a couple of times, I had wheelspin in 3rd and 4th. The only thing I got right was braking - didn't seem to have too many problems on the brakes, just everything else I did was a problem. I spent the last few laps of practice chasing round behind John Artis' Alfa 33. I could haul him in under the brakes at the end of the pit straight, but no way could I dive down the inside of him into the corner! Every now and then I would get slowed as I moved out of the way of faster traffic, and then slowly reel him in again. Rather unsurprisingly, I qualified in last (21^st place although I couldn't see how I was 2 seconds behind John - thought if anything, he was holding ME up!

We weren't racing until late as we were race 10. It transpired that we didn't get out until 6pm by which time it was getting quite dull. This was a bit of a shame as the track had been drying out earlier, the sun had almost come out and slicks would definitely be the order of the day. I watched the first 5 races of the day, then strolled back to the paddock to change the wets to slicks. When I got there, Neil had already got his slicks on - but just as I arrived, it started to spit with rain. Decided to delay my decision a little longer. It didn't rain any heavier, but the track was getting wetter, the dry line had disappeared and it was getting cooler - not slicks weather at all.

I had nothing to lose, the car handled bad in the wet. I lowered the tyre pressures all round and crawled under the car to adjust the Leda shocks all round. They are 20 way adjustable shocks and I was pretty sure they were set to the central setting - I was only half right. The rears were set central, but the fronts were set fully soft! This came as a surprise as the car is pretty stiff. Pictures in action show that she does not roll much and lifts the inside back wheel. I softened up the back and stiffened up the front (set to -5 all round - needed to experiment to gain any information). Shortly before going out to race, someone pointed out that one of the guys in my class had packed his car up and was leaving the circuit. I had noticed him during practice, parked in the gravel trap but it didn't look like there was any damage. Seeing the car on the trailer, still only looked like the front bumper was missing. Anyway, the relevance of all this was now there were only three in my class. 3^rd place beckoned! I had already decided to drive carefully for points, I was that far adrift of the other two there was no point in being silly trying to chase them.

We run a reverse order grid - at least the classes are in reverse order so the Class A guys are at the back - behind me. This time there were 3 behind me. I figured the best thing to do was hug the kerb as we came round on the rolling lap so as to give them a clear berth, then negotiate the first bend from a position of good visibility. All went to plan, the guys behind me co-operated by blasting past me well before the corner so I watched what I expected to be carnage! Somehow most got through unscathed although an Alfa 75 went sliding across the grass and into the barrier (not so hard that it couldn't rejoin). I had a clear run down to the next corner, the left/right sequence and as I came out of there, I saw the Minari in front of me, spinning across the grass. He is in my class so that meant I was in second! All I had to do was stay on the track and I would get 36 points! I went to accelerate up the hill and nothing happened - the engine had cut out. Tried to hit the starter but nothing happened - everything was dead and all I had left to do was park by the side of the track and wait for the marshalls to push the car out of harm's way.

I was gutted. It was still slippery out there, but felt better than the morning session and I was not at all apprehensive about being out there - now I had 'null points' - Norway style. And even worse, no signature for the race licence so I still need another seven to take that novice sign off the tailgate. Watched the race from the marshalls post, saw a few people fall off, unfortunately there was damage to some of the cars, including Neil's Uno which got collected by the Minari spinning across the track having hit the wall. And what was the cause of this failure? A fuse! A scabby little 25 amp fuse had done this to me! Something for S & P to investigate this week as fuses don't blow without reason. Probably electrical overload as I had the front lights, rear fog lights, wiper, fuel pump and brake lights on - first time I have run with light and wiper together. Check out the race result.

Next race is at Donington Park on October 22^nd. The 127 Sport camshaft has been sent over to S & P for measuring - if it is usable, then I want it fitted. I have now entered the BRSCC Winter Series - in fact I have entered two championships, the Italian Car challenge (up to 1500cc) and the Winter GT/Saloons (up to 1600cc but turbocharged saloons count as GTs). Six races spread over three consecutive Sundays in November, the first meeting at Snetteron, the remainder at Brands Hatch. Hope the car holds out as I need the signatures and the track time. I could have spent the entry money on next year's development, and started work a month earlier, but the extra track time is probably more important right now.

Visit the Le Mans Motorsport site for details of the Le Mans Auto-Italia championship and standings so far.

Check out the race report for this race.