Race #2 - Oulton Park - September 2009

After all the excitement of race one I was understandably nervous about race two. I would be starting from 3rd this time after my slightly better qualifying.

Thankfully I concentrated on the start and managed a clean get away. Unfortunately so did John Jones in the white car and he nipped in front of me at the first corner, so there I was in 4th place... again!



The two drivers in 1st and 2nd place went off in to the distance while John and I started to battle.
There were two or three points on the circuit I knew I was quicker than him but every time I had a chance to get along side in a corner he would either block me (all's fair in love and war) or I would bottle the move and drop a few car lengths behind him.

This ebb and flow went on for 7 or 8 laps but as my confidence grew so did my kahunas. I knew I was quicker on to the main straight and into the first two corners... so I planned a move.
I put myself along side him around the outside of the first corner which gave me the racing line into the big down hill left hander (the one I nearly crash on during race 1). We both flew around the corner side by side (I could have shaken his hand we were that close) and it paid off. I managed to pull a couple of car lengths on John and then it was my turn to block him... what is good for the goose is good for the gander!

Thankfully I managed to keep my place in front of him, even though I had a slight expedition across the grass on that bloody down hill left.
Unfortunately after I had bumped back on to the circuit the car started making a horrible banging sound, the knocking started getting louder and louder. I wasn't sure if I should stop or keep going, it wasn't my car after all. I also had no idea how much of the race was left.

There was no way I was going to give up a 3rd place and a spot on the podium so I just kept on going hoping that the poor car would do the same. Thankfully there was only 2 laps left so I crossed the line in third. I felt like I had won a world championship!




As I nursed the car back to our pit and was worried that the guys would be furious with me for keeping going with a damaged car. I needn't have been as they were as chuffed as me and had been listening to the car getting worse each lap and were praying I would make the finish.

After all the problems of the first race, coming third and pulling (if I do say so myself) a great overtaking manoeuvre I was hooked.





So that is the history of how I end up here desperately trying to gather enough money to do a full season which I have, maybe foolhardily, committed to doing.

From now on I will update this blog with what I am doing to get me to and through the 2010 season in the Kumho BMW Championship.

I hope you enjoy the ride.