Goodwood yesterday was first a total shock then eventually an absolutely brilliant day
For a start it had rained all night after Mistral racing's day there in the dry . First practice was without doubt lethal , most people's times showing it too . Mine was 134 sec's
When it's wet even running water there's some sort of grip but I'd describe it yesterday as greasy , almost like driving on oil .
Anyway , the Escort was 4 sec's quicker on the full wets . The TR6 V8 didn't even turn up for practice so that was him sorted . The RX7 5.7lt had full wets but failed sound testing twice . Then he borrowed an angle grinder and put three inch slots all round the exit five inch pipe , bent them inwards almost touching each other --- passed sound ok BUT then after two laps pulled off overheated looking surprised -------- what did he expect with hot gases not getting away from the engine efficiently
That finished his day too so it was now just Nigel in the powerfull Escort and me as usual .
First timed run was wet but not running water and still greasy , he stayed with the wets but dropped pressures after asking what I was running . I said don't copy me , mine are skinny 7 inch with 1b's against your 10 inch wets . He dropped them from 22 to 17 then out we went and promptly lapped totally identical times at 108.91sec's
Lunch came and went and the circuit dried out with just a puddle here and there . Nigel changed to the 10inch slicks after feeling very good at matching my first timed run in the wet . I felt this would definitely be his day and he was looking pretty enthusiastic after our banter over lunch . Out we went again . I knew this HAD to be my very best effort as the rain could return with still no sunshine . I got the best start I've had for years , pulled 4500rpm and fed it in for a yard or so then dumped it --- she shot off the line getting me to Madgewick in 4th very close to flat , no braking turning in then grabbed 5th on exit . Fordwater had a little puddle but not really on my way so that was almost flat in 5th . A small lift without braking into noname then dropped to 4th and no braking into St Mary's , foot on floor . Lavant -- a tiny touch on the brake with a lift , stayed 4th then 5th after exiting . She touched the limiter at 8000 rpm coming into Woodcote , a lift into 4th gently through till straight then dropped to 3rd for the Chicane and floored it to the flag/timer ---- phew , felt great so whatever the time turned out to be , I knew it was my absolute lot with no more to come .
Nigel got to the ticket cards before me and I met him walking back looking ' down ' with two cards in his hand ------ I said did you get me then --- he showed me the cards , his dropping 9.39 secs down to 99.52sec's . Mine said 96.26sec's , dropping 12.65sec's from the last run in the wet
We had one more run where he went 0.29sec's quicker and I went 0.22sec's slower . Strange cos it actually felt quicker but the clock is God
So there we are , I got away with it again
A great day too for two other Sylva Marques , both running my ARB , one with my set-up advice the other with my set-up done by me . There were 4 in their class and Jeff in his Phoenix/ my set up was first in class beating my time by 0.11sec , so making him 9th overall , me 10th overall . Mark in his Fury Spyder came 2nd just 1.69sec's behind Jeff --- brilliant and Jeff's never competed at Goodwood before nor been round it .
Just hope it's dry ish 
and let me know how you get on 
and I'm still feeding off the day's result