Croft write up - Round 6

[Lauren 2259]

Yesterdays sprint at Croft was a tough one, a bit of a nemesis for me as I’ve never won there before. It has been resurfaced but many of the bumps remain, which is definitely a good thing. What made yesterday’s sprint interesting (depending upon how you look at it) was the weather.

 

The first timed run saw a slightly damp track particularly out on the back section from Tower to Barcroft which is the fastest and scariest part of the circuit. On my first time timed run, I could see it was damp under the trees on the exit of Tower, but getting power down there isn’t a real issue. It was a bit of a leap of faith through the Jim Clark Esses that the car would hold on the exit. This is a very fast part of the circuit, slightly over 100mph in my car and by the time I’m turning into Barcroft I’m in fifth gear going past 110mph or so. The problem is once you commit to it, you’re in for the ride, so trying to read the track ahead, is it dry is it wet, will it grip requires a good bloody guess as otherwise it’s crash or die!

 

My first timed run, I managed to hold my nerve and set a good first time of 1.42.17, giving me a two second advantage over my nearest rival, Graeme. Now, I know people will say I always set a fast first time, get a banker I say and whilst this is true, I had to have the confidence to do it.

 

On the second timed run, it started raining before I got on the start line. But when I got to Clervaux and Hawthorn it was still dry, so I went for it. Coming down the back straight at high speed towards Tower, there was a sudden deluge of rain and it went from being clear to being blinded by the rain. I could see the rain bouncing off the track by the time I got there, which was obviously going to ruin the run. I lost three seconds on that part but it was almost dry again by the time I got to Sunny In. Weather eh? it was so hard to read with some of the track remaining dry but the ballsy, fast far end of the circuit getting a load of rain dumped on it.

 

After lunch we went out, it looked dry but again, some rain during lunch had made Tower through the Esses wet again, making a fast run impossible, seeing me lose around three seconds again, though it was fine through the ironically named Sunny!

 

The only thing I could be thankful for is that it was consistently the same when my class ran. I felt sorry for the Yaris drivers where it was dry for half their class and wet for the other half, ruining the runs of the later drivers.

 

Come the time of the last run and Graeme is, I know dying to beat me. I’m doing a rain dance which kind of worked with a load of rain on the far side of the circuit again, all the way from Tower to Barcroft. The top classes went out and their times were suffering. Both Adrian and Tim told me it was wet out there and there was no grip. Not very confidence inspiring!

 

So there was I wondering whether to bother going out, but I could see Graeme was so I duly got in the queue wondering if it would be the death of me when I happened upon Barcroft and saw the big oak tree! I had set a faster time on run four of 141.11 which still had me ahead and I thought it might be enough.

 

As I got to the gate. Mike kindly told me that Rob had done a 141.5 taking a big chunk out of his earlier time. That gave me some confidence that there was time out there and maybe it wouldn’t be wet out on the far end of the circuit. He also told Graeme too which was only fair and well I went for it. I had to really hold my nerve as I passed through the Esses, foot to the floor and changing up to fifth gear on the exit. I knew I couldn’t lift for Barcroft, but let me tell you my heart was in my mouth. Thankfully though it was wet off line through the Esses it didn’t seem to be the case through Barcroft and the car kept it’s balance on the way in. I nailed a great bit of trail braking on the way through Sunny In which gave me the perfect amount of oversteer in the middle of Sunny setting me up beautifully for Sunny Out, I hardly hat to steer it was all on the throttle. I gave the steering a slight kick to straighten up on the exit and launched the car down the straight to the Complex.

 

I admit at this point I was patting the steering wheel thanking my car as I knew I had absolutely nailed it through Barcroft and Sunny. Just the Complex to go then. I kept it nice and tidy, not too much oversteer on the way in and keeping tidy on the brakes. I told myself approaching the hairpin, ‘do not slide it on the way out’. i didn’t and didn’t compromise my time. 1.39.44, wow! I knew that was a stonking time and a new class record.

 

I got into the paddock, jumped out of my car and legged it to the pit wall to see what Graeme would do. When I saw him come round to the hairpin, I could see it was going to be very close. One eye on him and one on the timing board as I wait full of anxiety to see where the timing board would stop, it was going to be so close. 1.40.35, yes another win! Poor Graeme, obviously I couldn’t help myself but jump up and down punching the air as he came in, which he may have noticed!

 

What a day, this is what sprinting is about. A mega thanks to all the lovely people at Javelin and my fabulous friends I get to race with. Also a huge thanks to Team RRG Macclesfield for their support. Is there really anything better than a race weekend. I just love it!

 

That’s five wins out of six rounds. Two round to go and the worst two get dropped. There’s still a way to go, but I’ve just wanted to win so badly this year after feeling a bit in the doldrums last year.

[KevinA 695]

Good write up @Lauren was a good day and very challenging to us all, you seem to have pretty much dominated the NA class this year WELL DONE. My personal day was much the same trying to cope with the additional power in changeable conditions, I do miss the NA battles if I am honest.

 

Next up is one of your favourites so look forward to another great weekend.

[BRZ-123 174]

Lovely write up, excellent result and best wishes for the last ones. Enjoyed the adrenaline bits and look forward to the final report.

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