Snetterton, 13 October 2007

An early morning start meant an even earlier morning departure from home and despite arriving at the circuit by 8am, our designated parking area in the paddock was already full, which meant parking way outside the paddock away from the majority of the LMA Euro Saloon & Sports Car Championship drivers. I was not alone with a number of us parked here.

Scrutineering went a lot more smoothly than back in August and I was even able to take up a reasonable position in the queue for qualifying - with 36 of us out there (it should have been 37 but Pete Challis' Primera was diagnosed with head gasket failure during pre-qualifying checks) even Snetterton was going to be crowded.

Qualifying:
Out on track, the surface was dry despite the rain that had fallen at home all day Friday. And as I came round to the start/finish line I was surprised to see the lap time trigger to zero - this was promising as I've not managed to get it to work before. I'm still not sure whether the circuit beacon triggers it, or whether I should be placing my own beacon on the pit wall. I suspect the latter as the timer was being triggered some way before the line.

Anyway, it meant I could keep better track of my progress knowing that back in August I had done 1:33.9 in qualifying and 1:31.4 in the race. My times were coming down and by lap 5 I had managed 1:31.2 but traffic was everywhere and I knew there was more in both Rover and me. I had been struggling for a couple of laps with the Ford Focus, very fast down the straights and scarily slow round the corners - I almost hit him at Russell twice. I'd be right on the rear bumper through Sear, then it would drive away and baulk me again at Russell. Nothing for it, I needed to drop back so I cruised down Revett straight in order to create a gap.

Best laid plans and all that, about 6 cars all went past me down the straight and then another lap was compromised while they found their way past the Focus. Time was running out and I knew I had to get on with it. I managed a 1:31.3 but lost time round Coram as a Clio came past on the inside at the Bomb Hole - surely this would be the last chance. The flag wasn't out and finally nothing was behind. The final lap showed what the Rover could do - 1:29.4. Still not fast enough, Pongo cracked in 1:28.9 on its last lap, although Tim Morgan-Barrett and Jason Newman were behind us, both having problems.

Race 1:
Tim had been goading me in the assembley area, reckoned he would be past me going into the Esses. And as we went for green, still coming out of the chicane at Russell, this was on my mind. Up front there were clouds of dust and as I approached Riches I could see Martin Johnston's Ford Falcon exiting left and Alex Schoolledge's Vectra exiting right. And sure enough, as I rounded Sears, no amount of willing Rover on could prevent Tim (very smoky today) from cruising past and getting past before the Esses. And then the red flags came out - awfully late if it was because we weren't bunched up enough, although it didn't seem to be for either Johnston or Schooledge as both were allowed to take their original grid positions for the restart. As if it wasn't back enough that both our races were reduced to 15 minutes because a Fiat hit the Armco hard in an earlier race (the Armco needed repairs), now we were down to 12 minutes in this race.

We were more bunched up this time, even 15 rows back I was on the straight and on the bumper of Scott Lowther in front of me as the lights went out. I tried to get the jump on the Focus but had to lift while trying to pass on the outside as he went left too. Still, I made a better start than usual, Rover might be slow but keeping my foot in round the outside of Riches gained a couple of places and a couple more were gained at the traffic jam into Sear. And they were all lost going down the Revett Straight! Jason Newman only just got by before the Esses but went off exiting them allowing me past again. Peugeot power told up the straight, but on the following lap he did the same, but coming straight back on causing me to swerve round him. And as soon as we got to the straight, he disappeared into the distance along with everyone else.

And that was really it for Rover, racing against the clock at the back. We got down into the 1:28s during the race and didn't come last after all because Tim's VX220 wasn't happy and spent some time in the pits before rejoining to get the finish.

Race 2:
Race 2 was late in the day and the October sun was very low in the sky, the glare coming round Coram made the most committed corner on the circuit very difficult to see out of. Another bunched up start meant we got it right first time, this time I held off Tim into the Esses. Over the next couple of laps we swapped places two or three times, finally I tried to run round the inside of the VX through Coram but Tim cut across the front of the Rover on the exiting forcing me to lift and the momentum was gone. Another lonely race at the back against the clock, this time I just couldn't get below 1:29. But still Rover didn't last, Jim Mepham lived up to his Flymo nickname losing a lap in an off and finishing some way behind the Rover.

So, eight races, eight finishes for Rover. Not enough to hold onto 3rd in class, that went to Mark Nicholson who got his first LMA class in in race 2 (and played his joker). Jason Newman also got by, his wretched run of DNFs finally ending today, leaving us with 5th in class. But we did get interviewed pre-race for the TV coverage so will have to see how that comes out.

Another LMA season over, already planning for next season. We will be back in Class B next season. Plans are afoot to get the kappa up and running again, but we have also bought a new T car, the ex-John Moon Castle Combe Saloons Calibra Turbo 4x4. And we are hoping to give this a runout in the MSVR Open Saloons race at Brands Hatch on 28th October. We have no preconceptions, the car hasn't been on track in four years so Keith at Auto Integrale is going over it now to get it ready to race. Rover is now up for sale after battling valiantly not to come last - came last in 3 races from 8, but only beat one car (Pongo at Brands) on true merit. But reliability is a virtue, if the kappa ran as reliably as the Rover has done we may well have won Class B, or come very close!

Visit the LMA site for details of the LMA Euro Saloons championship and standings so far.

Check out the current points standing.

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