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I was regraded back to red for this meeting due to the amount of points I'd been scoring. I wasn't sure about the car in practice, the power was there but it felt like it was rolling over a bit when cornering, I didn't worry to much about it though.
Heat 1, got an average start but was struggling for grip going in and out of the bends as the bangers had been on before hand and left a lot of oil and water etc etc their seemed to be a bunch of car that stayed together all the way, I was nearer the back of the group due to being passed early on by other red graded drivers and Super Star drivers I stayed with them and even started looking for a way through again. Their was one large patch of oil on the exit of the bar bend which we all hit every lap and slid about a bit. It was a matter of time before something or someone got it wrong and they did one lap from the end, don't know wat happened really, all I remember is coming out of the bend with the power on and their wasa car stationary after being involved in a bump with a few other cars and I went straight in to this car, I don't know whether I had time to brake or not it happened that quick, I just remember slamming in to someone and my bonnet was bent and lots of steam coming out and I was getting splatterd with water, the fan was catching on something too, a gap apeared though so I got my foot down and crossed the line, the race was stopped then because of the pile up and with their only being one lap to go. I finished 5th thanks to the pile up. Thats sound like I'm glad about the pile up, I'm not really, I don't wish any damage on anyones car. The official Team Lowe Racing camara woman filmed it and the rest of Team Lowe watched it later and informed me that it was 77 Andy Ledgar that I hit, so i'd like to say sorry to Andy for that, I really couldn't do anything about it. I aint seen the video yet, I had to get home and bath and feed my son Daniel. It was all go in the pits after that heat as I bust my radiator and shuved the front end in and split a couple of hoses too. It was like a re run of the weekend before when my old man took my car out in RookiRods, the first heat of the day, he come off with a bust rad and front pushed in (read all about it on the Rooki Rick page) back to me now, forget him he's rubbish (just kidding) we just got it ready for the next heat, its such a good feeling to drive out on track for your next heat after working sooo hard to get the car fixed and ready to go.
Heat 2, all I remember about this one was watching the temp guage to make sure every thing was ok because I'd fitted a second hand radiator. I struggled for grip again in this one and so did others, I was behind 55 Phil Highfield and ended up side ways on the bar bend and I decided to go round the outside of him but he ended up heading for the wall, we were both locked up, Phil was heading for the wall and I was heading for Phil. We got going again and we had a good race together. I always enjoy racing against Phil Highfield because I know he's a really good clean driver and a top bloke. I got the better of Phil in the end (he was also struggling for grip) and finished 9th.
The Final, again struggled for grip beacuse of what the bangers had sprayed all over the track. I had a good race with 306 Craig Bennet which was good because I'd never raced with him and I found him to be another very good clean driver, he got the better of me though. I had a tussle with Criag in Heat 1 too, if I remember correctly. I like to say a BIG THANK YOU to Craig for all the help he's given me recently and for the loan of his engine crane, Thanks Craig!!! if you ever need anything mate, just ask! I came 9th again in the final.
The promoter give us an extra race and I enjoyed this race more than any of the others due to the track not being so slippery. I had anothr battle with 55 Phil Highfield and I came 8th. So not a bad day, pitty I was fighting with the car all day. I could also hear the engine tapping at full revs at the end of the straights, thats something else to look at during the closed season. My Dad mentioned that I could of been having problems with the handling due to the bump he had in RookiRods the weekend before as the car he had a bump with hit the outside front wheel of my car. Anyway its all over now and I'm looking forward to seeing where I finished in the points.
I like to say WELL DONE to Brian Heywood for racing Bangers for 30 years, what a guy!! I find drivers like this inspiring, its people like Brian who make people like me want to race and never give it up. So thanks Brian and I hope to have some battles with you in Hot Fords in 2007.
Finally I'd like to thank all of TEAM LOWE RACING, Nik Eastwood (Hot Ford 161), all my Sponsors, anyone else who has helped me in anyway, Buxton Raceway for being the BEST and most of all Sharon, my much better half for putting up with me and supporting me all the way, THANKS TO EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU, I CAN'T THANK YOU ALL ENOUGH!!
8th October 2006
I was looking forward to this meeting as it was the Final of the British Championship and I'd managed to qualify in the last of the three qualifying rounds. Unfortunately I was on the back row, 19th on the grid. The start was clean, everyone got away safely. It was a long fast race, great fun and I was pleased with my result. I finished 11th. Then it was on to the normal heats.
Heat 1, Not to much to say about this one apart from I got away well and had lots of room on track and finished 1st which is always nice.
The Final, I got a good start again and found my self in second, the first placed car was quite far away and it took me a good few laps to catch and pass it but this I did and finished 1st :-) I think I'll be regraded again now because of the points I've been scoring. I'm looking forward to this as I preffer to race from towards the back of the grid, its more of a challenge and at last my car is running and stopping well for the first time since moving in to Hot Fords. I'm hoping to take my other car out for a run though at the next meeting (29th October) I've been out there tonight getting the engine ready to come out. I want to give it a run out before I start next season with it so I can sort out any problems it might have, thats the plan anyway!
24th September 2006
I had my fingers crossed for this meeting as I hadn't had such a good day the meeting before. I had looked at the car which was suffering from loads and loads of understeer. It turns out the car was falling apart, found a few loose bits (whoops!!) anyway, it was all sorted an up to Buxton I went.
Heat 1. I got a good start an with not many cars in front of me, I soon got in to first position and everything was going ok until the waved yellow flags came out and the race was stopped due to a pile up. I got away well on the restart and managed to hold on to the lead and get my first win in Hot Fords. Yes I was happy :-) (just a bit, GEDIN THERE!!!!)
Heat 2, Again I got away well soon passed the cars in front of me and was leading until about 3 or 4 laps to go and I came up behind a back marker and took the wrong line behind him and was passed by #69 who had been hot on my heels the whole race, I couldn't get the first place back so had to settle for second this time, GUTTED!!! but thats racing, just goes to show you that you only have to be leading for one lap, the last.. Well done to HF69 though.
The Final, Once again I got away well and after some really good fast clean close racing I crossed the line second to #69 once again. Great racing, well done to Hot Ford 69 and thanks for some good battles throughout the day. So no damage to fix this time. I'm going to have a look at my brakes agian though, I wasn't happy with them all day, the pedal was almost hitting the floor and that didn't do much really. See you next time, 8th October. Oh, THANKS to Deano for my jumper!!!! pic of me in it to follow soon!!
10th September (British Championship Qualifiying round)
Well the good news is I qualified for the British Championship Final today, picking up my first points since moving to Hot Fords (well chuffed!!) the day started ok with really nice weather. Got a couple of practice sessions in and the car seemed to be on the pace.
Heat 1, Had a terrible start got passed by two or three cars, but soon got my act together but I was having trouble holding a good line init the corners, drifting wide and suffering from under steer, I managed to pass a few cars though and finished 3rd, 12 points in the bag, was happy with that but was a bit concerned about the handling of the car, changed a couple of tyres and went out for -
Heat 2, average start but on the second lap coming in to the town turn, my car just didn't! turn that is, I was heading for the wall but just managed to avoid contact, lots of cars passed me and I had a go at catching them again but just found myself going backwards really. The car was quick enough down the straights but all over the place in the bends. I thought it was oil left on the track by the bangers who had been out before us. I finshed, but last I think as I decided to move to the outside line and back off and let everyone behind go passed.
The Final, I'd put good tyres on and thought I was in for a good race, it was horrible, again, the car was quick enough down the straights but in the bends it was handling like a robin reliant with a puncture, I couldn't do a thing with it, I was winding loads and loads of lock on, it was suffering from loads of understeer. Then I was hit by one driver then another, I was off the pace too, but they still hit me for some reason and then I got hit by a third person and this time I was sideways but managed to catch it and carry on but the car was not well so I pulled off (fed up, to say the least, can't say how I really felt) somebody damaged mainly the front wing and drivers door and I'm going to have a good look at the car this week sometime to see what the problem is with the steering/suspension. So all in all a bad day really, there was obviously a problem somewhere and it got worse as the day went on but I did get a 3rd and some points so thats good.
Exhaust now sorted thanks to Stewie Fairbairn!!! Cheers!!
Well, due to popular demand (Sojo, lol) I thought I'd better update my news page. I'm racing this Sunday and its a British Championship Quailifying round as mentioned in my last update below. I've done a few routine jobs on the car, only a couple more to do. The exhaust is blowing pretty bad so I think I'll be losing back pressure, it looks like I'm going to have to change it before weekend, shame really because that exhuast always sounded a bit mean. I towed Chris Fairbairns car (RR27) up to the track for the last RookiRod meeting and Chris only went and won the first heat of the day, "Well done Chris, you deserve it after all them engines you've blown". Im going to try and get my new car back out again before the end of the season, and my old car (the one I'm using at the moment) will be making an appearence in RookiRods again on the 22nd October with a rooki driver with the same surname (if the car lasts that long!) thats all I'm saying for now. See you Sunday if your at the raceway. Oh one last thing, if anyone has an exhaust they would like to donate to me asap for a fiesta, I would be very grateful, put your number or email address on my guestbook. Bye for now. Will that do ya Martin lol
I've been down graded to yellow now so hopefully if I can keep the car on the track and not break down I might be able to pick up my first Hot Ford point or even two (fingers crossed). Just a few routine jobs to do on the car before I race on the 10th September. This meeting is a British Championship Qualifying Round, so hopfully I can score a couple of points and qualify to race in the British Championship Final. I'm looking forward to racing again as there has been a bit of a gap between Hot Ford meetings.
July 16th 2006
This was my second meeting in Hot Fords, I'd done a couple of little jobs on the car as it wasn't performing as well as it should last time out. I put a new K&N air filter on, an in line fuel filter and took the carb apart and give it a good clean out.
Heat 1
Slow start but soon got in to it finished 12th which was about where I started on the grid, I was overtaken by a couple of cars and I overtook a couple, one of them being the 161 car of Nik Eastwood, which I was keen to pass because I knew he had a video cam in his car and I wanted to be on it (he he) so that was that, a good fast clean race.
Heat 2
Again, a slow start, but got in to it and was pleased to be up with the blue graded drivers very quickly, not much happended for a few laps until I received a bit of a nudge on the back end (nothing nasty, just a racing incident) I found myself drifting wide out of the bend and a couple of cars past me because of this. Finished 11th which was a shame because at one point I had got myself into 8th place and on track for my first point in Hot Fords. Good racing though.
Final
This was my best race of the day, fast and furious. Great battles with different drivers all the way through. Towards the end of the race I was catching the 55 car of Phil Highfield an ex RookiRod driver, I was pleased about this as Phil was really on the pace all day picking up two 2nd's in his heats. I ended up finishing 11th or 12th I think, which I was pleased with. All in all another great days racing, I'm really liking these Hot Fords even though I'm probably off the pace a little starting at the back with some quality drivers, its nice to be racing with them though after watching them for so long and appreciating how good they are.
July 2nd 2006.
My first meeting in Hot Fords. I felt a bit nervous before the meeting as we'd been up to the track the day before for a practice and the car wasn't well, the engine was making a lot of noise. I dropped the oil that night, replaced a couple of tappets and went out for a practice before the racing started. It seemed to be ok, the tapping had stopped and it seemed to be running ok.
Heat 1.
I got off to a flyer from the front of the reds and was up with the blue's before the end of the straight, the car was going well until a few laps in and it started to miss when putting my foot down out of the corners. Great race though, no contact and it was great to be racing along side really good drivers, I dont think theres a bad driver in Hot Fords (well, maybe there is now!!!) I was passed by 3 or 4 cars but was pleased there was still a few who didn't take me.
Heat 2
Start wasn't as good but the racing was ace, I still struggled with a miss or something when getting the power down.
Final.
I checked my spark plugs, they were clean, took the air filter off and it ran better without it so I left it off. I didn't qualify for the final so started further back this time, had a great tussle with 161 Nik Eastwood, he held a really good line but I got him in the end. The car ran much better this race until with maybe 8-10 laps from the end and it started playing up again. I've decided there's dirt in the carb again, thats what you get for not having an in line fuel filter fitted. So I'm getting a new air filter and fuel filter for next time, might get a new petrol tank too.
So, What did I think of Hot Fords? Their GGGGGGGreat!!!!!
I think I will still be red grade next meeting(I had to stay at the same grade as I was in RookiRods) but after that I 'll be down graded to blue because I have no points now, you can't take your RookiRod points with you. One thing I found in Hot Fords is that they are quicker, miles better racing and the drivers seem to have a lot of respect for each other on the track. It's not easy though, If I drove like I did yesterday, in RookiRods I would of still made my way through the pack even with the problems I was having but not in Hot Fords, oh no, I'm playing with the big boys now and I like it!!!!
