Thursday 12th June both Paul and myself arrived at Brands Hatch to shake down the 31 and 32 V8’s in readiness for our1st race in the VSR V8 Trophy Series later in the week at Brands on the Sunday 15th June.
The day began with a few problems for both the 31 and 32 V8’s, 1 being noise and the second, loose brake calipers on the back axles which prevented both cars from being able to test in the morning sessions, Team Networking/MGA Motorsport team manager Mike Gorton and crew chief Chunky worked flat out to have both cars ready for the last session of the day. At 3.30pm Mike shouted “Ok Duncan lets get you strapped in and ready to shake it down.” We fired the 32 V8 up and left the garage, it felt really strange? The last time I drove out of these garages was in an F1 car and not a left-hand drive V8 Trophy (ASCAR)
 
I completed the shake down and headed back to pits to let our second driver Paul Bowman take the wheel. I then quickly climbed aboard the 31 Car. I proceeded out of the pits and began to shake down the V8 Trophy car. I was only on my 2nd lap when I was shown the black flag and “Go to Pits” board? When I arrived back in the pits, a Brands Hatch marshall was telling our team manager Mike that our 31 V8 was losing fluid from the rear. After carrying out an investigation, Mike reported that he couldn’t find anything and sent me out again. This was short lived as I had only completed half a lap and was again shown the Go-To Pits board.
On a second investigation, Mike spotted that there were traces of fuel dripping from the rear fuel tank vent! So that was the 31 cars testing over. The good news was that Paul Bowman had completed nearly a full 20-minute session in the 32 car without any problems, His grin as he climbed out said it all!
Race Day Sunday 15th June- forecast bright sunshine at the circuit.
On Sunday Morning both the 31 & 32 V8’s sailed through scruitineering and the Brands Hatch noise test!
As both Paul and I lined up for qualifying, neither of us really knew how the V8 Trophy cars where going to handle and perform in road circuit format,
It wasn’t long before I found out? In-fact it was about 3 laps into qualifying as I turned into Paddock bend on the power, to my surprise the 31 Ford Taurus began to drift nearly all the way through, as I arrived at Druids Hairpin it was the same again, as the qualifying session progressed it was becoming a little more obvious that we didn’t quite have the 31 car balanced correctly, but with only 15mins, we didn’t really have much opportunity to change things.
Race 1 on Sunday, Miguel Gomes lined up next to myself on the front row, followed by the other V8 trophy cars on a 2 x 2 grid.. On the green flag we set off behind the pace car in formation still maintaining the 2x2 grid positions for a complete lap. As the pace car peeled off coming out of clearways, Miguel pulled alongside myself and we both picked up the pace a little as we approached the red lights on the starter gantry. At this point I didn’t even want to blink. Suddenly the red lights where extinguished and I was off and away!
In the lead through Paddock Bend and on up to druids, at this point I started thinking where were all the others? Un be-known to me Colin White was right up on my right rear wing and pounced as I turned into Druids! The rest is history as I gave Colin enough room so we didn’t clash but what I didn’t realise was, just how close Keith White was behind him!! As I came across to the right coming out of Druids there was an almighty THUMP & GRIND? Keith and I had collided, I quickly turned left and we both managed to carry on with no damage.
 
It was then I noticed in my mirrors the V8s of both Tony Hurdle and Miguel. We continually lapped within inches of one another, sometimes Tony drew alongside but I was determined he wasn’t coming through, We must have been battling for about 17-18 laps and then exiting Graham Hill bend my 31 Ford Taurus suddenly snapped right and caught the grass, Tony jumped along side to my left and to his credit when my car snapped back left he gave me enough room to get back on the track, we both charged side by side towards Suttees fast left and as I looked in my mirror, Tony was just at my back left rear wing but as I began to inch left my car began to slide right? I knew something wasn’t quite right, but Tony fairly nipped through on the left and was ahead,
I now found the 31 car a little lively but held Miguel at bay without to much problem, but as we approach the start finish line with 1 lap to go, my clutch pedal vanished beneath me to the floor. I pulled quickly to the right as I knew Miguel was very close behind and I didn’t want him to run into the back of me, Miguel must of realised that I had problem and was already on the left side and passing. I managed to bring the 31 Taurus home clutch less and carrying a left hand rear puncture.
RACE 2: The Team Networking/MGA Motorsport team had made a change to the rear suspension and fixed the clutch pipe for race 2, The front row was again made up of both Miguel Gomes and myself, as we pulled away behind the pace car we were all weaving side to side to try and get some temperature into the tyres. As the pace car pulled off and as we approached the red lights, I was determined to make an even better start! The lights went out and I was off and away. I could sense Miguel’s car was trying to pull along side, but I was so determined, I left my breaking so late, that the 31 Ford Taurus was nearly a car length ahead as I turned into Druids Hairpin.
As I exited the Hairpin I tried to get the power on hard and began to slide sideways. Almost immediately, I could see Colin White sideways in my mirror and knew I had to get a move on!
 
As we came out of Graham Hill bend Colin was right on my back bumper and as we charged up to Surtees I was still leading but as I exited into Clearways long left hander I ran wide and Colin nipped through. All was not lost as I noticed Colin’s entry speed had made him very sideways to the point of nearly running off the track. I tried to seize the opportunity to take the lead back, but as I tried to get the power on I to began sliding sideways towards the edge of the track and by the time I had got the 31 car straightened up Colin was already a car length ahead, and with Miguel and Tony Hurdle not far behind I needed to get my act together! Within a few laps the 3 of us were again lapping about a cars length apart, in fact as all 3 were coming out of Druids Hairpin, we were all sliding the back ends around in formation!
A few laps later, as I was exciting Paddock bend and running up to Druids, I noticed Miguel’s V8 snapping right and vanishing out of site of my mirror at unabated speed. That then left Tony and myself to battle out for the rest of the race.
A little later in the race I came across Colin White’s car sliding all over the track as he fought for control at Clearways, I didn’t realise that I was now 2nd in the V8 class, I could see Tony was still chasing so I just got my head down and got on with the job in hand. Several laps later I noticed in my mirror that Tony had dropped back a little, but that was little comfort as my clutch had started slipping.
As I came across the start finish line and saw the 1 lap to go sign, my clutch began to slip more and more, and at the same time in my mirrors I could now see the V8 of Phil Weaver closing. As I came out of Clearways the last bend before the start finish line for the last time I had no drive at ALL and could only watch helplessly as Phil came along side and pipped me on the line by 1 thousandth of a second for 2nd in class.
A very eventful weekend for me, but I was really please to see just how well my team mate Paul had done in his very 1st time in the 32 Chevy Monte Carlo.
“Well Done Mate you were a credit to the team all weekend, Welcome Aboard”
P.S
A very big thank you to all the Team Networking/MGA Motorsport Crew. Without them we would not have made the grid.
Pictures courtesy MAD Photography |
