Phil’s Diary - [Blog @ http://www.philsdiary.net/]
Rather a fun day today. Early start (7am) to get there on time. Even doing that I nearly crashed. We’d got most of the way to the circuit and were driving along one of the roads around the circuit, wondering where all the traffic was waiting to park (we’d not seen another car for a good five minutes), when we came round a bend and found it. Stationary. In a queue. And we came round the bend at speed.
It’s time like that I’m glad I a) have ABS b) have good brakes and c) have a nimble car. The three combined meant I swerved around the cars, with the anchors on, and stopped in two car lengths.
Though it felt very much in control (no locked tyres thanks to ABS, no spins, no clipping of other cars, just a quick jink to the right and a quick stop), it was a close call.
Anyway, parked up and into the track and racing is just starting. The new Rockingham track is fantastic. It’s and Indy style oval with them using two bends of the oval and a midfield section today.
What makes it good is that with the grandstand seating you can literally see the whole track. None of the F1 style sitting and seeing one corner and the straight into and out of it. This made watching the racing really rather good.
The racing consisted of TVR Tuscan’s (with Peter Wheeler, the boss of TVR racing, though not doing brilliantly), SEAT Leons (ITV TV series of the races on next week), Formula 3, British GT and some minis.
The SEAT and TVR were probably the best to watch, with the Formula 3 close. The GT racing was pretty dull. The cars were fast and very very loud but there was very very little overtaking or drama. The minis were quite cool, but they sort of coincided with drink or food breaks for some reason.
The most amazing event of the races was a Formula 3 car that on hitting a kurb lifted the front end, enough to flip the car over, so it was upside down, at which point it rolled and landed right side up. Staggering to watch. Think it shook the driver up quite badly though.
Around lunchtime they let the public into the pits too. It’s quite cool walking around a pit garage as the mechanics are tinkering with the cars.
All in all a good day’s racing.
Leaving the track was pretty effortless too, which made a nice change from most circuits.
Back home and I’m knackered, and very glad I used some sunscreen, because the sun was beating down on me all day.
See you tomorrow
Posted by Phil on August 03, 2003 09:40 PM | Categories: Motorsport