Caterham Academy 2004, Round 7 - Oulton Park Race
Oct 4th, 2004 by Tim Skipper
I wasn’t really expecting a fabulous result at Oulton Park this weekend, having never seen the track in anger before (I don’t think 6 laps on a single-seater experience 5 years ago count for a lot), especially since my main championship competitors spent all day Friday testing there.
It was really great to see Barry, Matthew and Katie turn up mid-morning to support us. Thanks guys for standing around in the cold and wind all day, through numerous delays until we finally got to race!
Having spent all of Friday evening in the hotel listening to Pete telling me how rubbish I’d be having never driven there, and despite it raining before our qualifying session, and despite Guy Harrington’s Dad commenting “oh you’re not using wets?” and enquiring how much track time I’d had there whilst we were sat in the assembly area waiting to go out…. I only went and grabbed my first pole of the season, by a 1.157 second margin. Funny how things turn out isn’t it.
The track was damp in places, but Druids and Lodge were like a skating rink - very treacherous. I went off at Lodge on one lap, kept it in a straight line thankfully and just let it find its natural way back to the track without making too many inputs at the controls. Bit of a bum clencher that!
Pole: Tim Skipper, 1:47.096
2nd: Peter Earnshaw, 1:48.253
3rd: Chris Fryar, 1:48.342
4th: Jamie Mackrill, 1:49.260
5th: Guy Harrington, 1:49.833
Guy took the championship lead at the last round, with me just 2 points behind. So beating Guy is my main priority, and hopefully by more than one place. This line up was nigh on perfect!
Unfortunately the Gods at MG Rover had other ideas. No sooner had the race started, with Pete making a rapid getaway I found myself looking at a rear view mirror full of blue smoke, and a car struggling to pull past 6,000 rpm (6,800 rpm usually). Oh dear. I did my best to chase after Pete but it just wasn’t happening, I was driving a dud.
Gradually they reeled me in, and despite my best blocking attempts to stave off the inevitable as long as possible, I had no choice but to yield to one car after another. I think I was down to 7th at one point, when a glimmer of hope in the shape of frantically waved yellows into Old Hall corner, a stationary Chris Fryer in the middle of the track (no doubt busily changing his underpants) and a very wonky looking Roger Ford off at Cascades… two places gained back!
I managed to battle a bit with 4th place man Keith Chanter, swapping places a couple of times, but I was seriously having to short-shift and pray that the engine wouldn’t give up before the final lap.
Eventually I crossed the line in 5th place, just 0.137 seconds behind Keith but a disappointing 14.754 seconds off winner Kevin Dodd. That’s two in a row for Kevin! Guy Harrington took 2nd and long-time race leader Pete came in 3rd. Just 0.102 seconds covered the first three across the line!
To be honest, the day before if someone would have told me I’d place 5th in the race I wouldn’t have been that distraught given the lack of testing, but to have that glorious pole spoiled by mechanical gremlins really hurts. Ah well, racing is a cruel mistress indeed.
The final round is next weekend at Brands, and the championship table now looks like this:
1st. Guy Harrington, 127 points
2nd. Tim Skipper, 122 points
3rd. Kevin Dodd, 116 points
4th. Peter Earnshaw, 115 points
5th. Chris Fryar, 104 points
6th. Jeremy Ellis, 96 points
I think it’s now going to take a storming race from me and some bad luck on Guy’s part to take the title off him at Brands, but I only need a top 5 finish – assuming Caterham Midlands can fix my engine in time that is – to keep my runners up spot. Not bad going if I say so myself.
I dropped off the car at Caterham Midlands on the way home today. I’ve no idea what’s wrong with it, but it could be a valve gone or a cracked piston (two examples of each have happened to other cars this year). Either of those situations is looking at nearly a 2k bill. Ouch! I’m hoping they can fix it and deliver the car back to me at Brands on Saturday morning, otherwise I’ll have to go all the way back to Leicester mid-week and get it.
If they can’t fix it in time; well I don’t even want to think about that.
Update: It was a two cracked pistons and I collected my car back the day before the championship final!