Knockhill National Sprint - 19 May 2007

[kevham]

I've got my entry for the Knockhill National Sprint on Sat 19 May. This is round 2 of the Adrian Hemingway Northern Speed Championship and also a round of the Scottish Sprint Championship.

Best of all, its a round of the SBD British Sprint Championship so there are some very serious cars and drivers entered. The record for these cars is 91 seconds - for 2 laps! I expect to be around 150 secs.

I'll be car number 34 and the timed runs kick off around noon.

I know some of you will be down at Beamish but if anybody is at a loose end, come along and say hello - I understand entry is free.

I'll also be at Knockhill on Friday 18 May for a Dreadnought tracknight if anyone else wants to come along - bring a helmet and I'll take you round.

Cheers,

[Si]

Unfortunately I won't be able to make this event, but very best of luck!!!

Si

[rockdoc]

wont make it either

[koolchef]

aww mate - i seen a black mk2 mx5 R reg coz i was just there - my dads 50th and we got him a rally course thing. i was going 2 go over and have a look at the mx5. aw crap. anyway mate. hope you had a gd time.
koolchef

[Si]

How did you get on Kev??

Si

[kevham]

Well, today was a bit of an upper downer day. The layout was a start from the mid-way along the pit-lane and then a full lap followed by a another lap and into the pits - 1.9 laps in total.

Now, I know from previous experience that I can get a flying lap round Knockers in 73-74 secs dry and 78 secs wet so I was aiming for around 150 seconds for my runs.

It was very wet first thing and the 'big boys' in their V8 single seat monsters were flying off at every bend so this delayed things a bit.

Anyway, first practice came and I managed run around 148.8 secs - I was pretty happy with that. I was having a wee tussle with a couple of the guys in Peugeot 205/106 Rallye (a class below me). They were also going round in 147/8.

Then the downer - the announcement came that because of all the morning delays, there would be no more practice - straight into timed runs!

The weather picked up a bit so I was hopeful I'd get a dry run but again, the 'big boys' delayed things so by the time my class lined up, the hail had started! I only managed 157 secs on this run!

By the time of my final run, the track had dried out a bit and I was able to push a bit harder bettering my practice to record 148.17 secs. Again, I was quite happy with that.

I still ended last in my class, the winner being Martin Stott in his super quick Lotus Elise recording around 132 seconds. Still, I beat the guys in the Peugeots and I beat a couple of kitcars including a Ginetta and 2 Westfields so I can't complain.

I've learned a few things about me, my car and sprinting in general:

1. I'm absolutely petrified of the wet! 9 seconds slower because of some rain

2. I need to be much aggressive. My driving style is pretty smooth but in sprinting there is no 'building up' to speed - you need to nail it first time.

3. I need to have more confidence. I'm sure I can go faster because I was rarely 'on the limit' - the fastest guys are always 'on the limit'.

4. There are tyres and there are tyres. General consensus in the paddock was that Toyo T1-R are about the best road tyre for this type of event. Goodyears are 'probably' a bit hard. Other notable recommendations - Yoko A539 and Bridgestone RE010

5. Smaller wheel/tyres will increase the gearing and make me go faster apparently. So I'm on the lookout for 13" rims which will clear my brakes

Anyway, I'm still the fastest MX-5 in the Northern Speed Championship

Next competitive event - Elvington Sprint, York, 9 June......................(with trips to Knockhill and Curborough in between )[/b]

[koolchef]

Anyway, I'm still the fastest MX-5 in the Northern Speed Championship
Next competitive event - Elvington Sprint, York, 9 June......................(with trips to Knockhill and Curborough in between )[/b]

yeh man it was really windy and really wet - then got abit dry.

and you being the fastest? ill try be there next time mate. so atleast u have some company and some competition!

but congratulations to you anyhow.

[sgibson]

13" x 8 Rota RB's

[kevham]

yeh man it was really windy and really wet - then got abit dry.

and you being the fastest? ill try be there next time mate. so atleast u have some company and some competition!

but congratulations to you anyhow.

I'm the fastest MX-5 because I'm the ONLY MX-5

[jo]

But you are still the fastest there Kevham and that is what counts, just because none of the rest of us 5 drivers compete takes nothing away from what you are doing as you have the bottle to go out there and compete, oh yes nice report again.

[Robin]

yeh man it was really windy and really wet - then got abit dry.

and you being the fastest? ill try be there next time mate. so atleast u have some company and some competition!

but congratulations to you anyhow.

I'm the fastest MX-5 because I'm the ONLY MX-5

Was waiting for that one Kevin Congrats never the less.

[koolchef]

um.. i have an mx5 as well. so there will be two next time.

[kevham]

Sorry koolchef - I misread your post.

Does this mean you are taking up sprinting/hillclimbs? If so, that would be great - I'm dying to have some real competition. Is your car pretty standard?

[koolchef]

ohhh! is my car pretty standard. yeh it probably is - well no - its different. but anyway ill catch u at a pub meet mate and u can chat 2 me there.

[Baron von Ripper]

ohhh! is my car pretty standard. yeh it probably is - well no - its different.

Aye, its different cos of the loose nut behind the wheel