Cadwell Classic - 15th Sept

[Tony Harman]

Penultimate Classic package round - (I think)
All getting interesting for most of the championships involved now. Great twisty slippery circuit. Terrific fun watching the Group 1's through the trees...
So who's up for it ?

[josvandeperre]

Count me in - i'll try to avoid trees (and barriers) this year - another appallingly early start for pre 90

[Stacy]

Originally posted by josvandeperre
Count me in - i'll try to avoid trees (and barriers) this year - another appallingly early start for pre 90

Afraid so.

Not a brilliant group for any of the races really. Fiat's putting out two cars..

Stacy

[Hobson]

I'd love to go, but my brother's got a Radio Control National meeting at Bedworth on the same day. I'm trying to get him to cancel so we can take our model buggies to Cadwell.
Look out for a black/orange/blue unguided missile aiming for a tree...........

[Hobson]

Any updates?

[Tony Harman]

Originally posted by Hobson
Any updates?

Not a lot - these threads seem to be getting a little thin. Some of the grids look a bit small on the finals considering for many this is the penultimate championship round. Fiats are a joke - can't see them running that race, probably out them in the pre 90's maybe ?
Weather looks like it could improve for the weekend.

[Stacy]

Originally posted by Tony Harman
Some of the grids look a bit small on the finals considering for many this is the penultimate championship round.

I think there is a factor that as the final championship rounds draw near, those who aren't in with a shout are less keen to go. That combines with the fact that Cadwell is a long haul for many people, and not on the favourites list of many.

I understand Classic Thunder is merged with Pre-66, but that there have been a few pre-90 late entries.

[Tony Harman]

Yes - you're right there Stacy, although we also see some people out who have spent the whole season preparing the car and want to give it a run before the start of next year.

[Peter Mallett]

There's also Spa this weekend.

[spnixon]

I'd love to be there - and the car is ready (as much as it ever is).

But our first sprog is due on Oct 2nd and the all powerful one has stated that the Cadwell meeting is too close to the big date, especially since it'll take me so long to get back to South London if things DO start happening...

This season has been a nightmare anyway, to try another race would just be fated I think.

Pity the grids appear to be small, Cadwell is probably the best circuit in the UK to drive.

[Stacy]

Originally posted by spnixon
But our first sprog is due on Oct 2nd and the all powerful one has stated that the Cadwell meeting is too close to the big date, especially since it'll take me so long to get back to South London if things DO start happening...

Pity the grids appear to be small, Cadwell is probably the best circuit in the UK to drive.

Yep, understandable. Best of luck and all that to both.

If you're signing off for the rest of the season, it might be a good time to strip the thing down over the winter and put it together slowly and properly though. At least that way your chances of reliable fun next year are greatly improved. In fact, you could put that oil pump on it I told you about months ago before you run another bearing.

I know from bitter experience how soul destroying mechanical failures are. I've had DNS's where the car refused to start off the trailer, engine failures, steering failures, brake failures, wheels falling off and lots of others besides - I know how you feel, and I think a lot of others do to. It's an expensive enough hobby when it's working..

As for Cadwell, I know what you mean, but as one with what might be described as an "unforgiving" car when on the edge - I'm a bit cautious about it meeting the "unforgiving" wall.. Or in Jos's case, the tree.. ;-)

11 points and a straight car are my goals for the weekend! Neither are a given.

Stacy

[Slowcoach]

Hi guys well I shall be there, just three on the CT list although I think one or two more late entries should be forthcoming, people holding off entering early because of possibly going to Spa, as Peter mentioned. I hadnt heard about the merger with the 66's , I would have thought it more appropriate to merge with pre 90's as we have done before but I guess it might be to do with timetable considerations, I'll probably call Claire tomorrow and get some more details.
So Tony did you mention somewhere u are a class leader ? And Stacy well I just looked at the table and fingers crossed for you ('overall' I should hope !) As for me I need a decent points score too - I'd be delirious if I got 11 ! At this stage I am planning to go Oulton - more from a grid number perspective than anything else, hoping we CT can survive for another year, going to be touch and go though......

[Tony Harman]

Originally posted by Slowcoach

So Tony did you mention somewhere u are a class leader ?

Yep - just manged to squeeze two points into the lead at Pembrey - although holding on to that is going to be a tough call, I've never beaten DC who is just behind.. but we'll try !

Originally posted by Slowcoach
I'd be delirious if I got 11 !

Me Too !!!

[Stacy]

Originally posted by Slowcoach
Stacy well I just looked at the table and fingers crossed for you ('overall' I should hope !)

hoping we CT can survive for another year, going to be touch and go though......

Overall tis all that matters now really. If there wasn't a shot at it, I would have saved time and money by missing some out. I've got to produce the goods at Cadwell and Oulton, which includes fastest lap. Steve Cripps will no doubt be there so I can't exactly hang around..

It's very tight between Will Mc and myself, so it could still go either way.

As for CT I think you'll be OK. CT is a core championship and everything's being done to keep it going.

Stacy

[Slowcoach]

Good stuff ! I know a couple of extra people who will come out to play next year, one was registered for this year but blew his car up just 3 days before the BH meeting and it's only just been finished - might try and drag him up to Oulton.
On the subject of the Cadwell merger of CT and Historic races - combined grid now numbers 16, 8 of each.

[denlyon1]

Make that 17... I spoke to Claire Nixon at 11:30 this morning, to secure a place... definately the last round for me though.. I seem to have lost all my savings ;-)

[Stacy]

Originally posted by denlyon1
Make that 17... I spoke to Claire Nixon at 11:30 this morning, to secure a place... definately the last round for me though.. I seem to have lost all my savings ;-)

Good stuff. You've timed that well then, just Christmas now to restock!

Stacy

[Slowcoach]

Well done Den - almost double figures then. I'm looking forward to visiting Cadwell again, it's only 19 years since my one and only visit there......did a 'Team Touraco' driving day there, poured with rain all day. Only thing I can remember is the building at the end of the Mountain/Halls section - but I beleive thats long gone now - better get my circuit guide out !

[Tony Harman]

Methinks a visit to the CofC is required SC

Well time to start checking the weather - Forecaast at the moment is dry, mild (20deg) but cloudy so will be slippery in the forest in the morning.

Also there is new tarmac out the back after Charlies, through the big dip.

[Pete Howarth]

In the end the grids where not to bad, some very enjoyable racing.

[Stacy]

Originally posted by Pete Howarth
In the end the grids where not to bad, some very enjoyable racing.

Yep, not too bad at all.

I watched the Pre-90 and Pre-74 CTCRC races before going out in Group 1, and found them enjoyable.

I can honestly say I gave it everything I had in Group 1's, and you can't do any more than that, so I'm happy. Fair play to Nigel in the Camaro - the trouble is he takes up half the track! ;-)

Stacy

[Slowcoach]

Well done Stacy - that was a cracking battle, everyone in the crowd where I was was rooting for you, I think the commentator was rather surprised when you went for it and were ahead, albeit not for long, he thought you were going to settle for safety and your class winning points towards the championship! I know how Mr Garratt must have felt I had a Lotus Cortina all over me like a rash through the twisty bits but could leave him for dead on the straights-bet the crowd were all rooting for him too(the old David and Goliath syndrome), still 3rd overall and 2nd in class I believe secures me my class win - and perhaps more significantly a 100% reliabilty record for the season, up from 50% last year!! Congratulations Den - great way to finish the season for you !
Tony, talk us through yours ?

[josvandeperre]

No trees - no speed - no fun - no comment

[denlyon1]

Thanks, I really enjoyed the Classic Thunder race.

I felt sorry for Colin in his mighty Capri, who was relying on the class G3 win in CT for his championship points. He stormed through from 10th to 2nd in 2 laps, then passed me on about lap 5, only to have the front drivers side suspension let go through Barn..
Watched Stacey "I am bloke" Vickers battle with Nigel, excellent tussle, right to the last. Well done.

I went into the Cadwell meeting with some trepidation, my first and last race there in 2000 ended in tears in an MGBGT, firstly ripped the exhaust and front bodywork at mountain, then pitched in sideways into the hairpin due to lack of brakes.... ah well, seem to have the right machinery now.

Cheers all,

Den

[Tony Harman]

Originally posted by Slowcoach
Tony, talk us through yours ?

Do I have too... Don't know if Cadwell is my jinx circuit again or not, discovered a loose gearbox when we unloaded, that's just down to bad prep but can't believe how I managed to miss it during the weekly bolt check. So spent the evening putting it back on instead of walking the cct and in the bar.
Just found it really difficult to drive, made a small change to the rear set up after Pembrey to try and get a bit more bite on cold tyres but it upset the balance so had a couple of spins in practice, only qualified 12th. Race wasn't much better, put the susp setting back and it wasn't so twitchy but I was so slow through Charlies 2 and Chris curve / Gooseneck that I had B Sport cars all over me so not too good really.
Oh and just to cap it all as we were leaving, the trailer jockey wheel hit a bump on the slope out of the paddock which disengaged the coupling !!! , glad I've got a decent trailer - the breakaway cable worked and snapped on the brakes so preventing the trailer running back downhill into a FF2000. It then took 2 hours to fix the wiring which had wrenched out of the plug and somehow seemed to induce an earth fault on the trailer lights.
Still, not going to let Cadwell beat me - it's a great demanding circuit so we'll be back next year, but I think we'll have to fork out for some testing - £160 - ouch.