Scottish Elises

Well I should do a write up as I am off to Le Mans on Friday for the last round of LCE.

After getting a last minute offer I could not refuse, I headed down to London to pick up the 2-11 and drive out to Spa.

There was a trackday on the Thursday and part of my deal was to help out and take first timers out and give them pointers. I really enjoyed my day and I even had time to take the 2-11 out for a couple of sessions. This is the first time I have driven Spa in the dry (this was my 5th day) and it was amazing. I still never got En-rouge right even with 20 + attempts, Pouhon at 120mph does give you neck a work out )

Friday practice and qually. It was damp but I thought I was in with a chance. I decided not to bother putting on new tyres as the track was drying out, but 2 minutes before Qually it started to rain. DOH!! I was using a old set of tyres, rears were down to the wear indicators (tightfistedaberdonianthatiam) The track was really slippy and just about every corner had a different level of grip, but I had thought I had done a decent time in the conditions. The thing about Spa is the length of lap in 20 minutes you only get in 6-7 laps. I normally go out get a banker in then have a cool down lap get the head in gear, find a gap and have another go. I got my banker, I knew I wasn’t as quick as Jamie as I really struggled to keep up with him (we went out together at the back and held back first lap) This was to prove a wrong decision with only 7 laps I should have tried every lap. My best lap was my last lap and I think I lost a couple of seconds getting held up behind a back marker. 7th WTF and Michael in the other 2-11 was second. Oh well let’s hope it pisses down.

Sat race was early and the track was damp and there was a bit of drizzle, I had put on a different set of tyres (still not new), but they had only done 40 minutes of dry use. I was really focused and was well up of it. I knew I would be quicker than the Modified boys as I had all the toys ;o). Rolling start, The guy in 5th (who I can’t pass until the lights go out) was a bit slow coming out the bus stop and we are already good 30-40m back from the cars in front but I get a good run up to the first corner and the front lot are being very cautious ;o) I manage to get passed Michael who was on the outside of everyone, I then manage to sneak up the inside of Chris Hedlem and head up to En-rouge in 4th. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSKKLSErfM0 I then start picking of Ben and then Sean, I am up to second by the end of the first lap, by then Jamie has managed to pick off a big lead out front. It has stopped raining and finding grip levels was really hard. I wasn’t using the abs or the t’/c too much (I find out later how to use it properly) I was just trying to be super smooth. This is when my in experience really comes into play. My mind starts to wonder, there is a lot of cars off round the track and I’m thinking about the drivers, hoping there alright. Thierry’s car was in a right mess and he was nowhere to be seen. I then get about 4 laps on my own. I’m not making any progress on Jamie but I can see Michael and Ben closing on me. Michaels car has a lot more poke then mine and as we come out the first corner he has enough power to drive round the outside down towards en-rouge. I could have dived up the inside going into en-rouge but I decide to get in his slipstream and get a tow up the Kemmel straight. Michael almost looses it going up en-rouge and I have to back off and even change down a gear. Going up the straight he just pulls away. I manage to catch him under braking and follow him in traffic. I now also have Ben giving me a hard time and I have to block him as well. I loose it round the back and I’m very slow coming onto the back straight that leads up to Blachimont. Ben just drives round me like I’m not moving and gain on him a blachimont but we both outbreak ourselves going into the bus stop. Come round the corner and the chequered flag comes out (F**K, F**K, F**K, F**K, F**K) I was totally pi55ed off with myself for not being more focused when I was in second. Not only did I loose the class win, I don’t get to go and stand on the podium at Spa.

Race 2 to follow.

Great write up, unlucky mate. Look forward to next one

Scotty - can totally empathise with you on that - i always felt sh*t when you knew there had been an accident on track.

Jealous as hell

My head was not with it on the Saturday.

I think if I go racing next year I need to get some sports physiology to get me more focused.

Scotty C wrote:My head was not with it on the Saturday.

I think if I go racing next year I need to get some sports physiology to get me more focused.

I can do that

You just need to spend 24 hours with me and Kelvin - we spent the whole day leading up to the Spa race a couple of years ago telling Neil to "just drive faster" Perhaps not as sophisticated as the chat you'll get from proper sports psych but a lot cheaper (if you discount the bar bill ).

Cheers,
Robin

the mental torment approach by kelvin and robin is highly effective

I heard about a guy called Neil who's apparently "awesome at Spa".... anyone else heard of him???

Race 2

Woke up and could hear cars passing and that the roads were wet. This gave me mixed feelings, yes I would be quick but also I don’t want to hit anyone/thing as I am not taking the car home. I have to drive it to France after the race and leave it there for the next race in Le mans in 3 weeks time. We get to the track and is very damp and heavy drizzle. It’s also cold, a lot colder then Saturday, I have a chat with Dave (Lotus engineer) and decide to put my tyre pressures up (a lot). I was going to change the antiroll bar but decide that I it might change the cars handling too much (and it might stop raining and dry out) Just before we go out the rain seems to get heavier sitting in the car trying to keep my gloves/steering wheel dry and stop my visor on my helmet from fogging up. We sit on the grid before the green flag lap for what seems like a long time, safety car leads us off for our warm up lap. I decide not to bother trying to warm the tyres up and I concentrate on grip levels both on and off the racing line and mainly into the braking zone’s.
As we come round and the safety car pulls off the pack pick up a bit of speed and wholly sh17 I can hardly see the car in front. As you would expect everyone takes there time, I get blocked in and just follow round the first corner. I manage to get up to 6th, head up en-rouge and down the Kammel straight, I was sitting about 20ft from the car in front (Ben) and I couldn’t even see his car, we are doing about 120-130mph aqua plaining, I looking at the side of the track to kind of judge we are. I am fairly confident that I can out brake Ben at the end of the straight (I want the racing line as there is more grip there) I am behind him but to the right hand side trying to focus on his brake light’s he pulls over to block me (perfect) I then dive to the left Ben then brakes at the 200m board. I go past him like he’s not moving and I am able to wait until the just before the 100m board doing about @120 mph (I am not looking at the speedo) To give you a indication how good the abs system is on the 2-11 is, in the dry at 140mph I can wait until the 100m board before braking, I then having to trail brake into the corner). He must have thought I was heading off into the countryside. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcn4amtaY_M


I then set about Sean and Chris who are both tripping over each other. I manage to pass them by the end of the first lap, By the time I do this Michael and Jaime have pi55ed off. I am really focused and pushing quite hard I think it takes me about 3 laps to be on the back of Michael, but every time I catch him (under braking mainly) his car is faster than mine, so when we come onto the straights he just pulls away and there is nothing I can do. I tried a few time to pass him. I can now see Jamie up ahead and if I can only make a charge on Michael I can set about Jamie. As we come down to Pouhon I am close enough to go on the inside. Michael goes in far too deep and runs wide and off the track I take a very narrow line and out the corner of my eye I see Michael coming back onto the track right in front of me. I have to back off to avoid hitting him, he gives me a sorry wave (fair enough I would have done the same MAYBE) I must admit trying to pass was like tip toeing you just never knew how much grip you were going to get. Well we cross the finish line, Michael 2 sec ahead of me and Jamie only 2 seconds ahead of him. I was well chuffed I had tried my hardest but most of all I had really enjoyed the race even though it was not the result I was hoping for. We come in Parc frame and get the mini bus up to race control and then out onto the podium. As we are standing behind the podium wait for our introductions I notice that they have put a St Andrews flag up for me. On the Podium at Spa. Still living the dream.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnMp-x8rujQ
passing a backmarker


Off to Le mans Friday.

Great write ups and a good result on sun Scotty. Shame about the saturday race but it sounds like a lesson learned re- sports psycology. Nothing better than a f**k up to focus the mind in future.

Good luck to Le Mans

Bravo mate

Stunning job - and i thought Castle Comb in the wet was tricky

Bloody hell, not sure I would fancy racing in those conditions. Good stuff

Great write up and result Scotty, good to see you on the podium there, but rather you than me in those conditions.

Just watched the first youtube from Chris's car, but you are not in it. Sure you got the correct one?

tut

tut wrote:Great write up and result Scotty, good to see you on the podium there, but rather you than me in those conditions.

Just watched the first youtube from Chris's car, but you are not in it. Sure you got the correct one?

tut

First clip on Race one I pass him on the way down to En-rouge (I thought he didn't see me and i was going into the wall)

First clip race 2, I pass him after the clip stop's (BOOOOOO)

Scotty, that was an exciting weekend then - well done for bringing it back unscathed - despite the mega run-off in places, you can still easily have a big accident at Spa. Better yet you got on the podium for the second race

BTW the corner names are :

La Source (first hairpin at the top of the start finish straight)
(l')Eau Rouge" - literally the red water - the kink in the steep up hill bit - perhaps it's called the red water because that's where the blood pools on a wet day
Raidillon, the corner immediately at the top of the hill that leads onto the Kemmel straight,
Les Combes is the chicane at the end of that straight,
Rivage is the 180 right hander
Bruxelles ~90 degree left hander
Pouhon - double left 90
I don't know the name of the chicane immediately after Pouhon.
Stavelot (double right hander leading onto back straight),
Blanchimont (super fast left)
Finally the bus stop chicane.

Not that I care how you spell them (I really don't - not having a dig), but just so you know what the proper corner names are for future bragging in the pub (you wouldn't want to put the wrong lock on air-steering wheel ).

Cheers,
Robin