Who did what at Harewood?

[Richard Price]

As the title - "Who did what at Harewood?"

 

I've been working all weekend ☹️

But I'm out at Loton next weekend

 

Edited by - richard price on 4 Jul 2004 23:07:14

[Irrelevant]

It's a great venue.

All our runs were wet apart from the last one where Peter C got 66 seconds, Ken Evans 67(IIRC) - about 5 secs quicker than their best wet times (again IIRC). There were only a couple more people under 70 seconds.

It looked like Peter had it sewn up when Tony Pickering got a rerun and ended up just pipping Peter C to the FTD for the L7CGB - another 66 second run.

 

Congratulations Tony

Bad luck Peter ☹️

 

Forgotten who else came where - sozz... 😳

 

After a hi-vis (pocketted side) driver's door if anyone's got one?

[Irrelevant]

Loton will be good . . .. . lots of Ferraris. Times will be interesting 😬

 

After a hi-vis (pocketted side) driver's door if anyone's got one?

 

Edited by - AdamHay on 5 Jul 2004 00:01:39

[Mark Durrant]

Richard

 

Adam was too modest to mention that he won Class 2. I have sent the preliminary results to Graham which no doubt Harewood will confirm in due course.

 

As your in Class 2 the 1,2, 3 was as follows:

1st Adam Hay 71.65

2nd Andy Nicholls 71.79

3rd Mark Durrant 72.14

 

Too tired to publish the rest but no doubt BB will have them on the website in the near future.

 

Mark D

Su77on Se7ens

 

[Tonycaterham]

ll be

[Tonycaterham]

Hi,

 

As you all will no doubt hear Harewood was certainly an eventful two days, especially for me!!

 

After everyone left the results changed!!!!

 

Both myself and Andrew Dent cars 54 and 55 were given a re-run which was subsequently disallowed.

 

I was posted as first in class 23 with Peter Carmichael second and Andrew third and I think Ken Evans was fourth. Initially the Stewards upheld the re-run but then it was subsequently disallowed, so Peter then came first Ken second Andrew third and myself fourth. I was given to believe I could have formerly protested but a as I only compete for fun and just want to be competitive in my class and was happy to still have a car in one piece, I declined.

 

Thanks for the help (which included Peter Carmichael) after my first run which resulted in me going off big time smashing the rear wing and putting large creases in the back panel but we rebuilt the wing using tank tape.

 

Despite the rain this is a great venue which I have only been to once before.

 

 

The real unsung hero of the two days was Paul Dickens who after the wet qualifying runs and the first timed run was first overall in a Standard Superlight. However as it dried out for the second run Paul was giving it everything to make up for the lack of outright power and unfortunately he had a slight off which cost him the day and an 1st overall.

 

If anyone has Peter Carmichael's email/pnone number can they please let him know as this revised result has considerable positive implications for the rest of the championship for him.

 

 

Regards

 

 

Tony

 

Edited by - Tony7 on 5 Jul 2004 08:02:52

[Mark Durrant]

Other Class results:

 

Class 1

 

1st - Charles Fitzhugh 71.46

2nd - Robert Herring 72.60

 

Class 3

 

1st - Robin Oldfield 69.75

2nd - David Nelson 70.46

3rd - Rob Margel 70.70

 

Class 4

 

1st - Ken Evans 67.37

2nd - Matthew Rimmer 69.11

3rd - Andy Griffiths 76.31

 

Class 5

 

1st - Peter Carmichael 66.61

 

Other positions in Class 5 not known due to appeal which happened after I had left for the 5 hr drive home- Tony Pickering please can you let me know your time and that for Malcolm McGovern

 

There were no entries in either Classes 5 or 6.

 

Mark D

Su77on Se7ens

 

 

Edited by - Mark Durrant on 5 Jul 2004 07:36:06

 

Edited by - Mark Durrant on 5 Jul 2004 08:21:52

[Tonycaterham]

Mark,

 

Believe it or not with all the ho ha I do not have the exact times

 

Sorry

 

Tony

 

Edited by - Tony7 on 5 Jul 2004 08:01:16

[Jason Plato]

Wasa Peter the only entrant in Class 5 ?

 

 

Glad to hear you all had a good weekend ( despite the rain)

 

Dave

[Mark Durrant]

Dave

 

There were 4 entrants in Class 5, Peter, Richard Anderson, Tony Pickering and Malcolm McGovern. Due to the appeal and the cjange in the 2nd run times it looks like BB will need to wait for the official results from Harewood before he can work out the points for class 5.

 

Mark D

Su77on Se7ens

 

[KenEvans]

Griff will be kicking himself (bad back allowing) for buggering off on the assumption there wasn't going to be a final run Though it wasn't quite dry it was much better than on previous runs as the improving times show!

 

Ken

[robmar]

I wonder what time the second top 12 run off finished, must have been very late the way things where going 🤔

 

rob

[Andy. N]

Great Venue (despite being on the edge of the arctic circle) 😬 - but well worth the 4 hour journey and sleeping in the car (too wet and windy to put the tent up). I would definately be up for a return next year if we're invited.

 

Despite the lousy weather there were lots of highlights - close competition in the L7 Club classes (well done Adam in class 2), awesome times set by the front runners in the national series, exotic machinery, the usual good banter etc etc. Oh, and I managed a personal first - crossing the finish line (nearly) backwards.

 

And the BBQ on Saturday, where a well known member of the L7 club asked a friendly but very burly local marshal and his family if they actually owned a whippet 😬 😬

 

Great fun

 

Andy Nicholls

C7 AJN

[Paul Ranson]

The event eventually(!) finished at about 18.40. I left at 19.50 and was home by 22.00. So not too bad in the end. But they really ought to sort out their timing gear.

 

Paul

[robmar]

Paul - how did you get on 🤔

[david nelson]

Great weekend, can we go back next year please?

 

Thankfully the footy was on so the m1 was quite, left Leeds at 6.45 and was home by 10.00

 

Thank to everyone for making such a good fun weekend, and lets hope for sun next saterday.

 

 

David

[KenEvans]

If we do go back next year I think some of us would prefer one of their single National B days. There's too much waiting around on the Nat A events, as interesting as they are.

 

BB, Dale Cordingley said he's on the committee (as you probably know anyway) and would be happy to talk to you about it.

 

Ken

[Paul Ranson]

Paul - how did you get on

7th in the first round, too slow to qualify in the second. It'd been a long day and there was no go when needed. Nevermind. It's off to (hopefully) sunny Jersey and Guernsey next week.

 

FWIW the Ferrari Hillclimb Championship (they mandate no trailers, I think) go to both Doune and Jersey. Worth a thought, if they can do it...

 

In terms of going to Harewood for a single day event, I don't think you'd get so many entries, the Westfields were there on May 15 and only had 18 entries in the results. Worth a try though, especially since the BARC(Yorks) Chairman is an ex-Caterham competitor

 

Paul

[david nelson]

Why not join forces with the caterham acadamy climb, then there would be lots of 7 and would make a good day out for all.

[Peter Carmichael]

What a strange way to 'win' an event. The other times for class 5 were:

 

Tony NTR 67.54 (re-run 66.38)

Andrew 76.32 67.97 (re-run 66.91)

Malcolm 78 (timing error on second run, I think) re-run with 67.57

 

As several of you witnessed, I was upset by the way things were handled at the time - I would always prefer to see an event played out through performance "on the hill". The technicalities of timing should not ever be an influence on the outcome of an event.

 

Here's a brief account of how it felt from my point of view.

 

Walking the course on Saturday morning it all looked a bit technical and I didn't fancy the look of the rain coming in. I think everybody got a wet first practice and it was a very slithery affair, with no idea of braking points or turn in. Mostly a matter of remembering which way the next corner would be going. I was voluble in stating my theory that it's "only the dry run that counts" so my plan was to run on my big ACB10s whatever the weather. In fact that's my only plan ever, because I don't have any other tyres. With the first practice runs in, I think I had posted the fastest L7C time. Ken Evans was very close behind on List 1A tyres, IIRC. The run had me grinning like an idiot - brilliant gooning fun even if it felt like it had no relevance to the matter in hand of learning the course.

 

The track looked to be drying and then a further downpour heralded the second practice. Another slithery affair. Some more time taken out here and there and another L7C fastest.

 

Third practice on Saturday and there was a sufficient delay in restarting after lunch to allow the next rain shower to hit. It stopped just as Andy N and I queued up for our runs and the tarmac was damp rather than soaked. The run was still slippery with a good start achieved by using less than 2000 revs and with a big slide exiting Chippys with the power on and another slide around Farmhouse, again trying to feed the power in. The time was improved: 71.85, IIRC which was fastest of the first batch. By the end of the batch and certainly by the time the second batch went the track was drying fast in the strong breeze, allowing Paul Dickens to go some 5 seconds faster with Tony and Andrew also benefitting.

 

Overnight, I reckoned that on a wet track I could probably count on a win, but if it turned out dry I would still have everything to learn.

 

Between the end of third practice and the following morning, several happenings occur. First off, it seems that half past three is officially declared beer o'clock. Next Andy N and I disappear to Argos in Otley to get much needed supplies - two fold out Gaezbos to replace the rather broken one that had been threatening to blow away all day; more beer, because supplies were running short; and an instant BBQ (just in case).

 

The evening's entertainment began with a bit of Flexifoil kite flying in the still raging wind, before adjourning to the BARC BBQ. The BBQ was good fun with great company and lots of cold beer, opened with my purchase from the night before (a gurgling bottle opener) - Andy N provided the main amusement with an almost orgasmic acting out of the gurgling beer sounds and the follow-up: "aaaaaah!". Last beers in the early hours and a few hours sleep in the towcar. With blue skies and the sunstreaming in through the windscreen I was up good and early for a sneaky instant BBQ to cook the breakfast sossies and bacon. In return for a bit of scorched food, Andy N cleaned some of the previous day's mud from my car. The site started coming to life, with the timing gear being set out and the marshalls taking up positions. The largest raincloud EVER chose that moment to breast the horizon and head our way. The practice run was going to be wetter than anything we'd had the day before. John Powell decided not to risk his 3 month old R400 in the conditions and packed up to go home.

 

The start of proceedings were delayed and when we finally got out there it was as wet as expected. I think the photographs that Adam has linked (like this)show the full extent. Rather strangely there seemed to be more grip through Chippys and in a couple of other places and the run felt good. I modified my use of the gears to give a less choppy run and it seemed to work better. Unfortunately the timing gear recorded 105 seconds for my run so I have no idea how well I went. A few others amongst us recorded bogey run times, but with a cramped programme there wss no chance of a re-run.

 

By this stage a certain weather paranoia had set in. It seemed that the rain arrived every time on cue for the first runners of the class. There was always going to be a significant delay between batches until the later runners got onto the hill in which time the weather and road conditions could change massively.

 

The first timed run was rescheduled to immediately follow an early lunch and right on cue more rain came in. We were itching to get out before it really settled in to soak the course, but the marshalls took their time getting everything right. In the event, I think everybody in batch 1 got a fairly decent run in similar conditions, but the times didn't start soming through at the timing hut because of an incident. The halt in running was caused by a Vision Super Sports car running at the front of Batch 2 being pulled out of the ditch having damaged the timing wiring. Tony Pickering, Andrew Dent and Mad Malc have to sit in the rain for a good while waiting for the timing to be fixed. Tony then went off at the Esses, giving the tyre wall a good clout. Further delay meant an even wetter Andrew and Malc. Eventually the runs were done and the times came up.

 

Mine was safe enough with 73.09. Ken E was half a second behind. Paul Dickens came through slightly ahead of both of us. I'm comfortable with a class 5 lead even if not the fastest of the L7C. At this stage, the changeable weather has played into my hands as Andrew, Malc and Tony definitely had wetter and more problematic conditions.

 

The remaining runs seemed to take forever, with the weather again dictating the qualifying results for the British Championship. The first runners of the big single seaters were in the dry, with it getting progressively wetter. More timing errors required re-runs of the single seaters, but the access road had already been filled up with Mod Prod; the single seaters had to get down to the startline using the top half of the course. There were more incidents as the big boys struggled with huge power and the dampening conditions. We all saw the prospect of our second runs disappearing with each new delay on the course. A red flagged run on the top section caused a following car to have to complete the course and then turn around and go back down for a rerun - shambolic and time was wasting away.

 

Eventually all the first runs were completed and the top twelve run-off began on a drying track. The run-offs are different, with only one car on the course at a time. It takes longer to do it this way and more incidents guarantee that a 4pm curfew comes and goes. Adam Fleetwood does an incredible run in still far from perfect conditions. There is some Sevening interest in the run-off with Paul Ranson's Gould DFR running with both Paul and Martin Groves driving and sounding awesome.

 

It is a complete surprise when Batch 1 is called again for a second timed run, causing the first "Le Mans start" I have witnessed at a speed event.

 

This one is going to be the one to count, even if a few patches of wet remain. Andy N leads the Lotus Seven Club down to the start. I follow. For the first time all weekend I look in my mirror by the tyre warming area and see the rather special sight of 20-odd Caterhams lined up in access road all ready and eager to drive in the dry. I watch Andy's start carefully to gauge how much grip there is off the line. It still looks pretty slippery, so I modify my dry weather 5500rpm for a more modest off-cam 4000rpm for the start. It still slips more than I'd want, but the car soon finds the grip to put down full power in first gear up to the first corner and grabbing second. I am surprised as I arrive to realise I can put power on soon after I have turned in - all runs so far have been a slip-sliding guesswork of how much acceleration to risk.

 

The braking point for the Esses is still completely random with damp patches and the car needs some correcting back on line - messy, but I get through. Chippys I know now not to overcook. I am patient and then give it a blast up to the crest at Country where I risk a bit more speed but still turn in too early and sacrifice exit speed. Willow is a bit more of the same and I probably allow too much respect for the damp patch at Orchard. The turn to go through the farm buildings is tight and I again aim for it early, and it seems to take an age to get on cam up the straight. I scare myself with the approach to Farmhouse because there are still some patches of wet, but I am moving a fair bit quicker than before. In Farmhouse itself I forget to leave some space so I more or less cling to the inside line all the way round. Up the straight I get into 4th for the first time in the weekend and scrabble around Quarry still cursing that I braked way too early to be greeted by the clock saying 66.61 - it felt like all I could give for a first ever committed run up the hill.

 

I turned immediately to take the car out to the waiting trailer so I didn't get caught in the paddock while the other classes ran. In the distance I could still hear my name being mentioned on the tannoy. It sounded like I was faster than Ken (yes, I know he's class 4) and as the other runners came up I still had the lead of the L7C runners. The tannoy told us that Paul Dickens had spun off which was very bad luck leaving Paul with only his wet time to count. Batch 2 ran through and I still kept the lead.

 

That's it! I've won something! My first victory since Llandow in 2002 and the end of the run of 8 consecutive second places! (yes I know I had to go to a Dave Jacksonless event to achieve it... but...)

 

I go back to the paddock. I strike camp and get the car strapped down, everything packed away and tidy. I get changed. It is a very pleasant glowing feeling. The run was as good as I could have managed and it is more satisfying to have held onto victory with everyone getting a dry run - a somewhat random event with the vagaries of the weather and the complete lack of dry practice, but a result that I am proud of - more proud than Llandow 2002 where I had a big power advantage. I wander back to watch a bit more racing to see the mystifying sight of Andrew Dent disappearing down the access road to the start line again, all geared up for racing. I find Dale and Sarah Cordingley and ask if they've heard what is going on. We crane to see if I've been mistaken and I have the start of a sickening feeling in my stomach. Soon enough the three Batch 2 runners all get their re-runs over an hour after my run and on a perfectly dry track that has been coming up to a decent temperature under blue skies and sunshine. All the times have been tumbling and Tony pips my time, leaving me to understand that it is always my fate to come second. No matter to what degree I drive my heart out. No matter if despite conditions, I run as fast as I dare in the wet. No matter if through three timed runs at MIRA, I hold a lead. No matter if last year at Loton I lead into the last run, but in error tell Simon Rogers where to find the time he needs to beat me. No matter if victory was only as far away as a missed gearchange at August Curborough 2002.

 

I will joke. I will help people with mechanical difficulties with their cars. I will deprive myself of a good night's sleep and I will have a drink or two the night before, but when it comes to the start line I focus my mind and try my best. I am competitive by nature. I haven't turned in a driving performance that I'm not proud of since Lydden at the start of last season. I have never turned up at an event expecting to lose, whatever the competition. I have not hurried a replacement big power engine, because I know I can race with the car I have - and by racing I mean that I will pick off anybody having a bad day or a bad run.

 

In my upset state, I said a few heated things at the timing hut. The pre-re-run times were there on the screens. The re-run times were shown as a third recorded time. Tony, Andrew and Malc all had been instructed by the marshalls to assemble for a re-run because the official event timekeepers had found a discrepancy. I could not have stayed to take a second place trophy with so little sporting grace in my heart, so I apologised to Andrew Dent and took my leave. I had plenty of time on the drive home to think about what had happened and draw some conclusions.

 

It felt like injustice, but hillclimbing is a rough sport, with certain elements of chance. The national champion had, for instance, only barely qualified for the championship run-offs because of the weather. It did however feel different because so much time had been allowed to elapse and the fault was caused by evident dodgy timing equipment rather than random chance (weather and suchlike). I kept getting stuck on the difference between chance and the consequences of certain shambolic tendencies in the event management. If the weather had been the only factor I would have been far happier just shrugging my shoulders. Seeing as we turn up at these events to be timed and compared in order to determine a competitive result, an event which fails in this principal task seems worthless.

 

My temper doesn't have the stamina of youth any more, so I probably wasn't even as far as Leicester before my muttering rants and outbursts in the car subsided. I was going to face ridicule from certain quarters for taking the damned thing so seriously. I was going to have to face again the prospect that maybe my run of second places would be broken with a worse placing rather than a better one. I wasn't happy, but I wasn't fuming in the same way. A letter to the MSA regarding the poor timing might have been in order, but I was not about to seek advantage through whinging and whining and through the technicalities of the rulebook. The judge's decision was final.

 

Except as Tony has now explained, the judge's decision changed in my favour. I can't honestly say whether I am or ☹️ about that.

 

Sahf London;

every 1st Wednesday from 19:30 at The Duck just around the corner from Clapham Junction station

 

Edited by - Peter Carmichael on 6 Jul 2004 12:44:30

[Jason Plato]

Congrats on the win Peter

 

the organisation all sounds a bit farcical tho

 

Dave

[robmar]

Peter - no wonder you looked so miserable when i passed you on the M1

 

thanks again for the battery master switch, can I return it when we next meet 🤔 likely to be curbugger

[Peter Carmichael]

Rob,

 

Probably better if you order a new one and get one or other sent back to Graham R. He may need it as soon as this coming weekend!

[robmar]

already ordered - will drop graham a line and find out his address etc etc

[Jason Plato]

Rob - I have a spare one you can use ..........