17 replies to this topic

[RobNA]

A couple of weeks ago I was given the opportunity of a lifetime and compete in my first ever race. For those that dont know I work in motorsport as an engineer however have not really been given a chance to drive the cars on track, let alone race!

 

The whole weekend was surreal as I was with the people that I work with, but on the other side of the fence so to speak. Testing was on friday 13th, which was my first test day ever, and also my first time around Oulton Park at all! Not my first choice of circuits to make my debut but beggars cant be choosers! I made it through Friday 13th without incident and had done a reasonable time of 1.41 (slow, but not awful for the first time at the track and my first ever test day as a driver!)

 

The race was a 90 min endurance race with a mandatory pit stop. We decided to let my (more experienced) team mate start and I would jump in half way to do the final 45 mins. The SR3 has a 70L tank which is just big enough to do 90 mins, however ours had a slight issue where is leaked some fuel from the breather for the first couple of laps meaning we ran out just 2 laps from the end but I didnt mind as I had a blast!

 

Here is a video of my best lap in Qually, I was very lucky to find hardly any traffic in my 15 mins and improved my time to a 1.37.7!

 

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=q4Qakmskf-8

 

I have seriously got the bug now and I am looking at ways to do more racing, which will probably involve selling the VX... I will upload some photos shortly too 

Edited by RobNA, 22 June 2014 - 06:13 PM.

[RabnaKS]

What an opportunity, good luck!

[Sticky]

That looks amazing! Selling the VX won't last you long in Motorsport

[Sticky]

Double post

Edited by Sticky, 22 June 2014 - 08:53 PM.

[Matthew Bentley Racing Ltd]

You can tell your an engineer, very gentle on the car. I like that

[Scuffers]

You can tell your an engineer, very gentle on the car. I like that

So what's your excuse?

[Bumblebee]

A above what an opportunity!

[cnrandall]

Great first effort!!!

[Pidgeon]

Your report's a little modest.  In your 'first ever race', on your 'first time around Oulton Park', your 'more experienced' team mate only managed two laps within a second of your best.  I'd be bloody delighted.

 

As to Rads, they must be serious money, guessing north of £2K a weekend?

[cnrandall]

Just had a look at the results sheet.  Your times are pretty phenomenal for a first race, you need to give yourself a massive pat on the back!

[RobNA]

Cheers guys, yeh I was really pleased with how well it went   

 

Price wise for a Radical race weekend obviously it varies quite a lot depending on the age of the car, the team that are running it and whether you have included (tyres etc) but yes, lots more than £2k to rent a seat at a weekend as far as I know.

 

Anyway, pictures! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rob999]

Well done Rob, all those Walshy days are paying dividends

[Nev]

Nice one Rob, I hope you have a deep wallet Those things go so fast, it makes a VX look positively slouchy

[RobNA]

Finally managed to edit the race video. The camera angle is bad because my team mate knocked it on his way out in the pit stop. Not particularly good editing skills but it gives you an idea!

 

 

 

Nice one Rob, I hope you have a deep wallet Those things go so fast, it makes a VX look positively slouchy

 

Cheers Nev. Its amazing what you can do with 200bhp 

[Nev]

Been watching your vids again, it's getting my mouth watering ! LOL I always fancied building/buying a budget single BEC single seater, something around the £10k mark, sub 300 Kg with an engine that doesn't need stripping down every 5 minutes.

Edited by Nev, 22 July 2014 - 07:32 PM.

[simonlpearce]

Think i was watching your team round Snetterton at the weekend? There was a GT Cup on at the same time which i know a driver in David Walley and im sure i recall seeing intrax there? In fact wasn't there a big SR3 pile up when someone stalled on the grid?

[RobNA]

Yep, I was back to work as normal at the weekend at Snett. We had a customer racing the RXC V8 in GT Cup, but also the usual SR3 Challenge races, Club Cup races and SR1 Cup races.

 

There was a big crash at the start of the Club Cup race when someone stalled, 5 cars involved but everyone was ok (apart from the wallets) 

 

Next time you are going to be at an MSVR round that Radicals are racing at let me know and I will show you around the cars if you like

[simonlpearce]

Yep, I was back to work as normal at the weekend at Snett. We had a customer racing the RXC V8 in GT Cup, but also the usual SR3 Challenge races, Club Cup races and SR1 Cup races.

 

There was a big crash at the start of the Club Cup race when someone stalled, 5 cars involved but everyone was ok (apart from the wallets) 

 

Next time you are going to be at an MSVR round that Radicals are racing at let me know and I will show you around the cars if you like

 

That's mighty kind of you, i will ping you a PM!