Due to local noise restrictions the test day was on Thursday. This left us with no alternative but to qualify the car "straight out of the box". The transporter arrived at 7.00 a.m. on Saturday morning to unload and set up the pit garage. The repairs had been excellent with the corner weights balancing out perfectly straight away. We were in good shape although at a disadvantage in terms of set up.
The weather was lovely and we discussed the possibility of the afternoon session being slower due to increased temperatures. I thought it would be best if Cor used the shorter 20 minute first session to set up the car and put in a "banker".
Out he went and was soon into his stride setting a time for third on the grid. He then came in for adjustments and returned to the track setting a 1 min 9.262 sec lap putting us on provisional pole. This was excellent!
After the session and more discussion I felt that it was again best if Cor started the afternoon session in case it was quicker. I would then re-acquaint myself with the car for the rest of the session, settle myself in and be ready for the race.
The second session was faster so we had read the situation well. Cor's time was soon beaten by a couple of tenths but once he had warmed up the tyres he was on a flyer. The result: an excellent 1 min 8.500 sec lap putting us on pole by half a second. Next up I drove round in heavy traffic getting myself switched over from the last weekends car and dialling in to the blind left hand turns at Donington. Blind because of the huge bulge on the bonnet housing the 5.9 litre V8 Chevrolet engine!
I was pleased to get into the 1 min 9 sec bracket despite the traffic and very limited time in the car.
This car is fantastic around Donington. Apart from the ferocious rate at which it eats up the track hitting around 165 mph down the Dunlop straight, moments like turning in to the second Craner Curve blind certainly concentrate the mind.
Valtra's guests came to the pit garage for a talk round the car, we had lunch and soon it was time to concentrate and get ready for the race. Cor put on his helmet and drove off slowly round to the grid.
After the usual Powertour fanfare the engines roared and set off after the pace car on the run to the start. The pace car pulled off and the field closed up, the lights went green and Cor made an excellent start to streak away from the battling cars behind him. Cor is very good at getting the maximum out of the car from the off and with a clear track ahead of him eased away over the first half of the race.
Being the last car to pit gave us an apparently huge gap over the next car but that was soon shrunk when Cor came in to hand over to me. The change over went very well but I managed to stall the engine. First time ever in a race pit stop! Also the engine would not fire up straight away - later I got a low battery warning - with very slow cranking on the starter. Finally it fired up and I streaked away to rejoin with a 13 second lead over the Lister.
Before the race Cor had reminded me that championships are won by consistently scoring points. So I continued in a good rhythm preserving the car and conserving fuel as best I could. The tyres were well past their best with wonderful big power slides out of most corners. Driving out of Coppice with 600 odd BHP with a handful of opposite lock for 100 yards did put something of a grin on my face.
Several laps from the end of the race I inadvertently knocked off the fuel switch. I had also done the same to one of the fuel pumps but did not notice because it was obscured by the gear lever. This was going to have a curious effect on the result of the race. I flicked the ignition back on, losing only a couple of seconds and kept the pressure up. The Lister had closed in a bit but I had it under control and felt I could finish with a couple of seconds in hand.
Suddenly the engine started to splutter and the fuel pressure went down. I was just finishing what I reckoned would be my second last lap and as I came on to the pit straight the engine died. I could not believe it! I looked round the cockpit in case I had missed anything and there it was. I flicked the fuel switch back on and the engine caught. By this time I had freewheeled the entire length of the pit straight but worse the Lister and the Lotus had gone by. I gave chase but half way round the last lap it spluttered and I knew I was in trouble. Later I heard from the team that the fuel tank was completely empty.
However I managed to nurse it to the flag and nevertheless took the last step on the podium and 10 points to boot. It was just as well that I had flicked off the fuel pump earlier or I would not have made the finish at all!. This puts me 12 points clear in the championship but the Lister has now had 2 wins and looks like the main championship threat. However there are others with extremely fast cars which have had reliability problems. Once they are sorted I am sure they will come into the picture as well.
Next round is at Silverstone on the International circuit on May 21st. The circuit will favour the Vipers I think but I will be plugging away going for the win as ever.
Many thanks for this report to Melindi and Calum - You can follow Calum's activities in 2000 on his website, but if he is out in a Marcos, you'll hear how he's doing right here!