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Post by sandys on Jun 20, 2017 10:46:49 GMT
30 degree temps at Gurston for the 50th Anniversary celebration. Two long days of hillclimbing. You can't beat it!  Day 1 Report. I managed to finish 2nd in class in a good field of 11 cars. There was a good mix of interesting machinery to compete against this weekend. Amongst the entries were a previous generation turbocharged Civic type R, a Evo 6, an immaculate Celica GT4, a Subaru impreza Sti and Simon Marsh, son of the late Tony Marsh (6x British hillclimb champion) in his Golf R. He is used to driving a 400+ bhp single seater and setting FTDs at Gurston meetings so I'm sure the golf felt like a bit of a change! The day ended with a solid P2 finish after yet another close battle against Shaun Fudges Impreza. For me the goal of the day was to break into the 36 second bracket. I couldn't manage it , finishing on a best of 37.26 just pipping Shauns 37.32. Simon Marsh wasn't far off in his Golf R, which was one of the fastest cars off the start all weekend, it pulled consistent 2.10 second 64ft times which is very quick, aided by a clever launch control system.  Day 2 Report After practice it was clear it was going to be a close scrap for 2nd place in class. Nobody was going to get close to the mighty Evo of Steven Moore, but there was a 5 way dice for second. Myself v Shaun and Sarahs Impreza (both dipping into the 36s in practice) V Simon's Golf R V The rapidly improving Celica GT4. It was game on going into the timed runs. I really focussed before my first timed run and knew where I could make the time. I knew my theoretical best going into today was a 36.67. The air temps were very high and subsequently the turbo powered cars were feeling not quite as punchy on the steep run to the finish. Never the less I pulled out a new PB and a first ever 36 second run to record a 36.68! This was enough to gain another 2nd place in class.  (my hands had just stopped shaking when I took this in the bottom paddock) Next up is Prescott next weekend for my debut event there. I feel my car will suit the venue well as its less of a power hill. Good run, it was a perfect weekend for getting good times with the temperature, fingers crossed it continues for Prescott, It's funny your run looks quite sedate considering it 5 secs quicker than I have done it   I decided I am going to give it another stab in August. |
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Post by apextwin on Jun 27, 2017 10:47:04 GMT
Weekend report from Prescott Hillclimb 24-25/6/17 Another brilliant weekend away hillclimbing. This was my first competitive outing at "the lawns" having done the drivers school last year.  Saturday was a round of the HSA speed championship and Sunday a round of the midland championship. My aim for the weekend was to put in a sub 50 second climb. I managed that on my second practice run. On my first timed run the dreaded electrical cut out gremlin showed itself again at the tight and steep left hand Pardon hairpin. The car ground to almost a complete stop before firing again and getting going. My first timed run was ruined, pretty frustrating! This led to a great deal of head scratching in the paddock, together myself and Robin "Baconsarnie" sourced the problem to a dodgy portion of MAP sensor wiring . Wiggling the wires to the right would cause the fault to show itself and the engine to die.... A quick bit of insulating and rerouting of the wiring to stop it rubbing on a bracket looked to have cured the problem in situ in the paddock. The big test of the hill remained. Going into the second timed run I put the electrical issue out of my mind and drove a smooth run to record what would be my weekends fastest climb at 49.63. The car ran faultlessly all weekend after the "fix". Sad to see a few competitors having some offs during the event. Particularly Dave Newman in his 5. It was good to see him in good spirits after the shunt and great to see the car looks (hopefully) sortable for the next event at Wiscombe park in July My Fastest run from the weekend:  Sunday the weather remained largely good but with a few brief very light showers at times. Luckily the track was dry for all our runs in the Midland B licence road car class. The class had a wide variety of machinery ranging from Caterhams to Porches to stripped out mod prod hatch backs on slicks. I put in pretty consistent runs on Sunday with a 49.96 a 49.88 and a 49.77 on my final run. Not enough for a new PB but enough to set a new class record and take the class win. Kudos for prescotts prizes - of classy Bugatti crystal glasses! Id like to get another couple to make a set - that will however prove much tougher next season in the proper >2000cc road going class!  Bit off a lull now after 3 events in 3 weekends. Next up is Wiscombe Park at the end of July. |
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Post by howardb66 on Jun 29, 2017 11:44:52 GMT
Congratulations Jon. Are you on List 1Bs? I recon you could go quicker at Prescott compared to how you drive Gurston.
I've got some of those but my brother got 4th in May & got a really nice paperweight which I prefer.... Maybe he'll beat me next year!!
edit- I looked at the Golf Rs vid at Gurston- by the look of the dash & lack of warning lights he was running with the stability aids on....
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Post by apextwin on Jun 29, 2017 20:57:23 GMT
Yeah I'm on R888.
The weekend theoretical best was a 49.39. I think a 48 is doable. looking forward to next time out there. Think I've decided to keep the car as it is power wise for next season. Have another year learning the hills then up the power the following season.
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Post by baconsarnie on Jun 30, 2017 7:47:29 GMT
Or... Rods & Boost, Rods & Boost  |
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Post by apextwin on Aug 1, 2017 12:31:32 GMT
I think i have a new favourite track. Wiscombe park, is not the fastest of venues but the feeling of speed on a tree lined track is next level stuff. I have always enjoyed spectating at Wiscombe park, but this would be my first time competing there. July is the ideal time of the year to compete at Wiscombe as the weather will be guaranteed to be fantastic.  Most approached practice on Saturday with some caution as the conditions were tricky to say the least. Wiscombe is particularly slippy under the tree covered Esses section, with the added danger of being lulled into a false sense of grip on the lower more open section of the hill with tends to dry a little earlier. Throughout the day it looked like it was going to be a close battle in out HSA class between myself and the usual Mx5 protagonists of Dave Newman (Mk1 1900cc screamer) and Sandy Smith in his well sorted Mk3. Dave pulled out some great times and won "our section of the class". Sandy and myself were reasonably close behind but couldn't match Dave's pace in the wet. We all had a good laugh in the paddock watching Sandys footage back of his quickest very commited and very sideways run. ( it looks like a scene from Tokyo drift ) By some miracle Saturday was dry. When I say dry, I mean "dry", as the Esses and the braking zone into martini hairpin were far from perfect.  Pace improved as the conditions got better and this time I managed to pip the other Mazdas with a 46.89. My goal going into the weekend (expecting a dry track all weekend) was to break into the 46s. I really can't wait to have another crack at this venue as I feel I can get the car down into the 45s or maybe even a 44 with a bit more practice. Next up is likely Gurston in September, where I have the possibility of claiming second in my class championship. Time to clean the Mazda as its absolutely filthy after the mud bog that doubles as a paddock at Wiscombe! |
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Post by scottydugg on Aug 1, 2017 14:13:34 GMT
Cracking thread, thoroughly enjoyed reading it, unfortunately can't watch the vidoe's in work  Do love a 5 with roundels. |
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tsp
Chats A Lot
Posts: 439
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Post by tsp on Aug 2, 2017 9:24:08 GMT
Is there any hope of you doing gurston late August??
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Post by apextwin on Aug 2, 2017 15:54:53 GMT
I can't make that one as I'm over at the nurburgring for a track day.
Put my entry in for September Gurston. Just worked out permutations for the Gurston down class championship. I need to either finish second in class again to beat the impreza in the championship, or not get beaten by him by more than 0.16. Cant wait.
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tsp
Chats A Lot
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Post by tsp on Aug 3, 2017 8:58:47 GMT
If you promise it won't rain I'll go to the September meeting instead then  Best of luck either way. This really shows what a 30 year old design is really capable of! |
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Post by apextwin on Aug 3, 2017 18:07:39 GMT
The August meeting will be better for spectating as its a national round. If you've never seen topflight hillclimbing its well worth it. 150mph+ from the top single seaters at Gurston!
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Post by sandys on Aug 4, 2017 10:11:27 GMT
Myself in my mk3 and Dave Newman with his ITB'd mk1 will be at the August event, if you are there come and say hello unlikely to be as impressive to watch as Mr Apextwin but we'll always give it a good bash |
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tsp
Chats A Lot
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Post by tsp on Aug 4, 2017 12:23:39 GMT
As I'm 40 minutes away I'll try to go to both. Best of luck everyone and sorry for the thread interruption! |
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Post by apextwin on Aug 4, 2017 17:23:46 GMT
Not as impressive to watch as me?? May i remind me of your epic wet run at Wiscombe last weekend?? |
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tsp
Chats A Lot
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Post by tsp on Sept 10, 2017 19:03:31 GMT
Not as impressive to watch as me?? May i remind me of your epic wet run at Wiscombe last weekend?? Looked great today and very quick considering the changeable conditions! How did you do? |
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I decided I am going to give it another stab in August.
le sigh