Hi Guys

Just an update on the Stock Hatch racing at Brands Hatch this weekend as so many of you have been asking a questions about how to start racing and what its actually like on a race day.

Well.....

My XR2 failed scrutineering on Saturday morning as the external engine kill switch toggle pull was seized and it was not possible to kill the engine from outside the car. This was because the car has been stored for over a year and its the one item I failed to check before leaving for Brands.

It would not come undone and so a new one was required. I had to go out of Brands to find a replacement toggle cable and then fit it to the car. By this time I had missed my qualifying session and was excluded from the starting grid.

Well, got the car checked again and passed scrutineering, begged the clerk of the course to let me on to the grid without qualifying as I had raced at Brands Hatch in my XR2 several times before. He agreed and cleared me to do the race but the grid was completely full as there were 66 entries with two grids of 32 on each making 64 as Brands only allows 32 cars max per race. I had to go one the reserve list even though I entered in time.

Everyone turned up for the first race so I thought I had missed out. The race started without me but on the second lap one poor chap in an XR2i rolled his car and the race was stopped. The race was to be restarted from the beginning but with the rolled car missing. I know the racing rules so I requested they let me join the new race from the rear of the grid to make it back up to 32 cars which I did just as the lights went go!

I took it very easy as I had not been in the car for a year, it has a brand new engine that has not been fully run in and my fuel system had also been fully replaced in the days before. The new A048 control tyres took a bit of getting used to, I had never ever used any car with them on yet alone my XR2 that I had last driven a year ago.

Anyway, got 11 laps in the shortened race and managed to get a bit more familiar with the car and tyres. Got passed a Saxo and an XR2i (both more powerful than an XR2) and then made a silly error at Graham Hill bend and ran wide, they both got passed me. Eventually managed to get past them both again but by that time the rest of the pack was well gone. One lap from the end there was another accident with two more XR2's suffering heavy damage although they both did get repaired in time for Sunday. Overall I got 2 seconds a lap faster from the start to the finish but was still rusty and off the pace of the leaders.

Second race on Sunday I still had to start from the back of the grid as it was based on Saturdays qualifying which of course I missed. At least I got to do the whole race from a proper start this time. No mistakes this time and managed to get past a Saxo and 3 XR2i's but once again the pack was well gone by this time. There were a few more minor incidents with cars going off or stopping but nothing to bad. Two of the Xr2i's I passed didn't make the finish so I ended up being 2 or 3 cars from the back again on the results sheet.

During the second race I improved another 2 seconds per lap from the first lap to the last lap making a massive 4 seconds per lap over the weekend. Looking back its a great shame I missed qualifying as I would have got another 15 laps experience with the car and the sticky tyres before the first race. I would have started further up the grid to begin with to give me a better chance of progressing up the field. Anyway as they say, thats racing!

Overall I am pleased the car ran very well after all the time and effort I had put into it recently to get it up to scratch after its engine failure a year ago. I found the racing close and exciting, I enjoyed both races and went home happy.

Got to say hello to Craig ("Rallycross" on here), he has a Peugeot 106 which went very well and he manged to keep out of the incidents. Missed Stu who started this thread, hopefully see you at the next race.

Would be great to see a few more PF members taking up the challenge of Stock Hatch racing.


Thanks, Bob.