Post by Catriona on Jun 17, 2010 12:27:50 GMT
(Originally posted 2nd March 2008)
The adventure basically began on Valentines Day 2007 when I opened a letter to read the words "delighted to inform you that you are one of three successful candidates for the 2007 Legends Scholarship." Having entered it more as a laugh than anything else while I scrimped the pennies to try and go racing in some way shape or form at some point during the year, I have to admit to being very shocked to have received it. I'd had a shot at the Legends Experience at Knockhill the previous September and tootled around safely if not spectacularly and enjoyed my time, expecting it would be the last time I'd drive one of the little machines. To then find out I'd been given some funding by Aly Hunter's Scotlegends, Knockhill Racing Circuit and the Scottish Motor Racing Club with the condition I attempt the full series threw my original thoughts of possibly getting a Fiesta XR2 and running a couple of times with the XR2 Championship out the window!
So this gave me a few weeks to get sorted and I duly got the required medical, did the ARDS test to qualify for a Competition Licence, bought the relevant safety gear and helmet and turned up at Knockhill on the 15th of March for the "official" Legends test day. After a brief session running my car round in circles in the second paddock to check all was working and to do some practice gearshifts etc, it was time to get suited up and hit the track properly. It was pretty much at that moment that the enormity of what I was doing hit me - after standing trackside for so many years and wondering to myself if I'd ever be able to give it a try and see the track from the point of the guy in the crash-helmet going for the hot lap, here I was about to leave the pitlane and turn some laps in anger for the very first time in my life. The track was damp, and during those first laps I lost it at the top of the Seat Curves and skidded sideways down the hill (a moment not missed by those in the control room watching the CCTV cameras I'm told). With that moment of reality, I throttled back and spent the rest of the day simply trying to get the laps in and not worry about the speed. At the end of the day I was a long way off on the timesheets but that didn't concern me too much, some time would come with practice and I was just glad there were no more spins or dodgy moments and I'd had maximum track time.
So some quiet weeks followed until debut time. After a much better test the day before the first races with lots of dry running, my debut race approached. When your first ever race in anything at all is in a field made up with names of the calibre of Jon Higgins, Dave Newsham, Ben Mason, Carol Brown and Robin Drysdale, it's easy to start thinking that maybe diving head first into the deep-end of the pool without any experience of the shallower waters that would be represented by karting and the like is a leap too far. Still, the day went well and with the exception of a spin in the final of three races when I gave it a bit too much right foot leaving the hairpin, I got the chequered flag in all three races. Indeed, this was how things would continue at the next round - three more finishes and more experience gained.
The third round in June was held in some pretty nasty weather and especially in the first race especially, the rain was terrible. That race saw my biggest moment of madness all year - running 13th or so on the last lap just ahead of a few cars, I snatched 2nd gear too quickly at the hairpin and spun, losing what would have been easily my best finish all year. Still, you live and learn. The previous day the engine had needed changing following some harsh treatment by Legends Experience drivers (which thankfully meant no monetary damage to me) so I'd not managed too much running. After the first race on the Sunday, however, the track dried to "greasy" and I really struggled to get anywhere, having a big spin out of the chicane in the third race.
After a couple of exhibition races at the Scottish Speedfair and then a round in August where I started in the pack instead of off the back of the field for the first time, we got to the end of August and our support slot on the British Touring Car meeting at Knockhill. This was going to be big for us, even though we were on the bill in such a way that we'd get minimum crowd time (one race on Saturday then first and last on Sunday before and after the Touring Car fans would arrive and leave!) it was going to be incredible to be involved in such a high-profile event. Sure enough, in front of live Setanta TV cameras we had our two races, the best being the final where far more people stayed to watch than anticipated and we had a brilliant race which ended with lots of waving and burnouts from the big guys to give the people something to look at. Signing a handful of autographs and getting sideways glances from the crowd all day while they tried to work out if the guy they were walking past in the racing suit was someone famous was hilarious as well!
After the heady heights of the BTCC round, I got the opportunity to experience the polar opposite at the next round in September. The first of two double-header meetings to close off the year, the first race started in hideous conditions with the rain streaming down. On the third lap of the race a new driver passed me into Clark Corner just a bit too quickly and nearly lost his car on the exit. This forced me to react and I headed out to the middle of the track to avoid possible contact. This put me wheel to wheel with Frank Ogg and we bumped wheels, both spinning to the left. At this stage we would have both gotten away with it but out of the corner of my left eye I could see a shape heading straight for me and Murray Ford arrived on the scene, unsighted by the spray and with no chance to react, he rammed me side-on and I recall seeing his wheel take off over my engine cover. I lost a couple of seconds at this point and came to my senses when I heard the car spluttering to a halt and stalling as my feet had been knocked off the pedals. A bit winded and a lot shocked, I took a moment to get out of the car, my left arm and especially my wrist hurting from being banged off the door by the impact.
The marshalls decided that it was worth checking out and called over the ambulance to give me a ride to the medical centre to just make 100% sure all was ok. It was a bit embarrasing to get a lift in with the siren going like I'd broken something but I guess they don't take any chances in these situations - after a quick examination it was decided nothing was broken but I'd be a bit bruised the next day (which is no exaggeration, I was black and blue all up my left side for the next two weeks!) and I was released to wander back and find out what the damage to my car was. As it turned out, Murray had taken the worst of it having had his right front suspension ripped off while outwardly my car wasn't too bad. Aly Hunter reckoned a handful of inches back and my car could have been in two pieces so again, some luck involved.
The steering column had taken some heavy damage though and while we managed to get the car on track for the other five races that day, the steering was all over the place and I never felt confident to go for it and I had a couple of offs in the afternoon. Still, we didn't give up and kept pounding round.
The final event of the year was the second double header in October. With the forecast looking a lot better and after a good Saturday test in which I discovered that the car was spot-on in the handling department, we got to Sunday morning and almost immediately, myself and Murray were in the wars again. In the first heat he tried an inside move into Scotsman Corner and slid out on the greasy track, banging my right-rear and spinning us both off. We got going again and finished and after two further quiet races, got to the final round in the afternoon. It started well with a fun battle with Murray followed by my first 64.xxx second laptime (the target I'd set myself at the start of the year) and the second heat was fairly uneventful. Then came the final.
Starting on Pole alongside Mark Spiers who was having his first round of the year and with generally slower cars at the front thanks to the reversed grid for the Final of each round, I went for it on the first lap, leading for a couple of corners and trying as hard as I could to not just fade instantly into the field. I managed one lap before being freight-trained somewhat but it was the best I could have hoped for and then we had some great battles all through the field to round out the year.
I would have loved to try and run a full season again in 2008 now that I've learned the basics of racing, the lines to take etc and at least got into a pace that can keep up with the last third of the grid, but financially that's just not going to happen. All three scholars in 2007 faced monetary uncertainty towards the end of the season and knew we wouldn't manage the same again so we decided to link up for 2008 and run a team car between us at Aly's suggestion. That way we can see where we stand for 2009 while still managing to keep our hands in this season. We'll be doing the "team" deal in such a way that Rory Bryant gets the chance to build on his Rookie Champion status last year and go for an overall race win and Gordon Mann can try to get some more great finishes and break the top ten again.
As for me, a season in a no-downforce single seater-esque car confirmed to me that I don't have that "thing" that proper race drivers have, but I'd be lying if I said I cared. I love getting out in a proper racing car and going as fast as I can in it, regardless of how slow that may be in comparison to others and to have a chance to come back and do it again is all I need!
The adventure basically began on Valentines Day 2007 when I opened a letter to read the words "delighted to inform you that you are one of three successful candidates for the 2007 Legends Scholarship." Having entered it more as a laugh than anything else while I scrimped the pennies to try and go racing in some way shape or form at some point during the year, I have to admit to being very shocked to have received it. I'd had a shot at the Legends Experience at Knockhill the previous September and tootled around safely if not spectacularly and enjoyed my time, expecting it would be the last time I'd drive one of the little machines. To then find out I'd been given some funding by Aly Hunter's Scotlegends, Knockhill Racing Circuit and the Scottish Motor Racing Club with the condition I attempt the full series threw my original thoughts of possibly getting a Fiesta XR2 and running a couple of times with the XR2 Championship out the window!
So this gave me a few weeks to get sorted and I duly got the required medical, did the ARDS test to qualify for a Competition Licence, bought the relevant safety gear and helmet and turned up at Knockhill on the 15th of March for the "official" Legends test day. After a brief session running my car round in circles in the second paddock to check all was working and to do some practice gearshifts etc, it was time to get suited up and hit the track properly. It was pretty much at that moment that the enormity of what I was doing hit me - after standing trackside for so many years and wondering to myself if I'd ever be able to give it a try and see the track from the point of the guy in the crash-helmet going for the hot lap, here I was about to leave the pitlane and turn some laps in anger for the very first time in my life. The track was damp, and during those first laps I lost it at the top of the Seat Curves and skidded sideways down the hill (a moment not missed by those in the control room watching the CCTV cameras I'm told). With that moment of reality, I throttled back and spent the rest of the day simply trying to get the laps in and not worry about the speed. At the end of the day I was a long way off on the timesheets but that didn't concern me too much, some time would come with practice and I was just glad there were no more spins or dodgy moments and I'd had maximum track time.
So some quiet weeks followed until debut time. After a much better test the day before the first races with lots of dry running, my debut race approached. When your first ever race in anything at all is in a field made up with names of the calibre of Jon Higgins, Dave Newsham, Ben Mason, Carol Brown and Robin Drysdale, it's easy to start thinking that maybe diving head first into the deep-end of the pool without any experience of the shallower waters that would be represented by karting and the like is a leap too far. Still, the day went well and with the exception of a spin in the final of three races when I gave it a bit too much right foot leaving the hairpin, I got the chequered flag in all three races. Indeed, this was how things would continue at the next round - three more finishes and more experience gained.
The third round in June was held in some pretty nasty weather and especially in the first race especially, the rain was terrible. That race saw my biggest moment of madness all year - running 13th or so on the last lap just ahead of a few cars, I snatched 2nd gear too quickly at the hairpin and spun, losing what would have been easily my best finish all year. Still, you live and learn. The previous day the engine had needed changing following some harsh treatment by Legends Experience drivers (which thankfully meant no monetary damage to me) so I'd not managed too much running. After the first race on the Sunday, however, the track dried to "greasy" and I really struggled to get anywhere, having a big spin out of the chicane in the third race.
After a couple of exhibition races at the Scottish Speedfair and then a round in August where I started in the pack instead of off the back of the field for the first time, we got to the end of August and our support slot on the British Touring Car meeting at Knockhill. This was going to be big for us, even though we were on the bill in such a way that we'd get minimum crowd time (one race on Saturday then first and last on Sunday before and after the Touring Car fans would arrive and leave!) it was going to be incredible to be involved in such a high-profile event. Sure enough, in front of live Setanta TV cameras we had our two races, the best being the final where far more people stayed to watch than anticipated and we had a brilliant race which ended with lots of waving and burnouts from the big guys to give the people something to look at. Signing a handful of autographs and getting sideways glances from the crowd all day while they tried to work out if the guy they were walking past in the racing suit was someone famous was hilarious as well!
After the heady heights of the BTCC round, I got the opportunity to experience the polar opposite at the next round in September. The first of two double-header meetings to close off the year, the first race started in hideous conditions with the rain streaming down. On the third lap of the race a new driver passed me into Clark Corner just a bit too quickly and nearly lost his car on the exit. This forced me to react and I headed out to the middle of the track to avoid possible contact. This put me wheel to wheel with Frank Ogg and we bumped wheels, both spinning to the left. At this stage we would have both gotten away with it but out of the corner of my left eye I could see a shape heading straight for me and Murray Ford arrived on the scene, unsighted by the spray and with no chance to react, he rammed me side-on and I recall seeing his wheel take off over my engine cover. I lost a couple of seconds at this point and came to my senses when I heard the car spluttering to a halt and stalling as my feet had been knocked off the pedals. A bit winded and a lot shocked, I took a moment to get out of the car, my left arm and especially my wrist hurting from being banged off the door by the impact.
The marshalls decided that it was worth checking out and called over the ambulance to give me a ride to the medical centre to just make 100% sure all was ok. It was a bit embarrasing to get a lift in with the siren going like I'd broken something but I guess they don't take any chances in these situations - after a quick examination it was decided nothing was broken but I'd be a bit bruised the next day (which is no exaggeration, I was black and blue all up my left side for the next two weeks!) and I was released to wander back and find out what the damage to my car was. As it turned out, Murray had taken the worst of it having had his right front suspension ripped off while outwardly my car wasn't too bad. Aly Hunter reckoned a handful of inches back and my car could have been in two pieces so again, some luck involved.
The steering column had taken some heavy damage though and while we managed to get the car on track for the other five races that day, the steering was all over the place and I never felt confident to go for it and I had a couple of offs in the afternoon. Still, we didn't give up and kept pounding round.
The final event of the year was the second double header in October. With the forecast looking a lot better and after a good Saturday test in which I discovered that the car was spot-on in the handling department, we got to Sunday morning and almost immediately, myself and Murray were in the wars again. In the first heat he tried an inside move into Scotsman Corner and slid out on the greasy track, banging my right-rear and spinning us both off. We got going again and finished and after two further quiet races, got to the final round in the afternoon. It started well with a fun battle with Murray followed by my first 64.xxx second laptime (the target I'd set myself at the start of the year) and the second heat was fairly uneventful. Then came the final.
Starting on Pole alongside Mark Spiers who was having his first round of the year and with generally slower cars at the front thanks to the reversed grid for the Final of each round, I went for it on the first lap, leading for a couple of corners and trying as hard as I could to not just fade instantly into the field. I managed one lap before being freight-trained somewhat but it was the best I could have hoped for and then we had some great battles all through the field to round out the year.
I would have loved to try and run a full season again in 2008 now that I've learned the basics of racing, the lines to take etc and at least got into a pace that can keep up with the last third of the grid, but financially that's just not going to happen. All three scholars in 2007 faced monetary uncertainty towards the end of the season and knew we wouldn't manage the same again so we decided to link up for 2008 and run a team car between us at Aly's suggestion. That way we can see where we stand for 2009 while still managing to keep our hands in this season. We'll be doing the "team" deal in such a way that Rory Bryant gets the chance to build on his Rookie Champion status last year and go for an overall race win and Gordon Mann can try to get some more great finishes and break the top ten again.
As for me, a season in a no-downforce single seater-esque car confirmed to me that I don't have that "thing" that proper race drivers have, but I'd be lying if I said I cared. I love getting out in a proper racing car and going as fast as I can in it, regardless of how slow that may be in comparison to others and to have a chance to come back and do it again is all I need!