Well I had intentions of just getting the Stylus around the track safely without damaging the diff' any further plus staying on the track in the wet that was forecast
Firstly , the double driven Dereck Hodder Westfield wasn't 245bhp -- it was 285bhp
, had very wide slicks plus a set of soft sticky wets
The Escort 2.3lt didn't arrive nor did the GTD40 5lt
So --- it was me against the two Westy drivers. First practice , it didn't rain just spitted a bit but I went very steady with the bearing making lots of noise . Time was 100 sec's approx'ly , slow for me. The Westy quickest driver did a 92 sec
The second was slower than me .Once again the ' seeding ' was all wrong , putting me behind two cars that I told them I'd catch ---- and I did
I didn't bother asking for a re-run though , it would just slow the day up and make my first timed run wet maybe
Then it started pissing down ----
, then it was lunch time cos things were going very slowly organisation wise. I'd made up my mind to nurse it round in the wet conditions also not to further damage the diff' bearing ------- however ---- Rod Styles arrived , an old friend of mine just to chat . He got the full story then told me it could be adjusted
I said great , I'll do that after next weeks Stylus meeting at mine
Next he said , I'll do it for you now in the lunch time if you like
Can't , I said --- no major tools etc for that job. No prob's says Rod , I've got my van here full of all my tools
In 40 minutes the prop' was off , bearing adjusted and prop' back on --- brilliant
By then the rain was heavy so I decided to get the best run possible on my first timed run and leave it at that because it was getting worse all the time.
Again they got the seeding haywire , putting me behind two single seaters BUT then a RADICAL SR3 behind me
Most were expecting to see me caught(including me
) but I finished the lap around the same gap between us as at the start ----- very steady through standing water plus running water across apexes. The bearing uttered no sound or vibration and my rubbish time of 118 sec's still beat the others in my class of 135 sec's and 126 sec's . They immediately loaded and left . I didn't take the second run either but stayed to collect my 1st in class award --- actually my first ever win in the wet
Now that the vibration's sorted I'll be pushing very hard next time out
Thanks '' Ned '' for turning up in the rain to support