With some last min late nights to get some technical issues sorted, I cruised the Soarer up early on Friday morning to Donnington, the 30k punters for the combined Donny show appeared to be all driving the same way as me such was the weekend holiday traffic, all was running well though, bar a spongy clucth pedal something to do with a rather large turbo sitting next to the master cylinder hmmm. The sun was out for the weekend & it looked to be a good one for the Motors TV guys. My car now has a complete new livery courtesy of graphic master Simon at SJS Design, to go with my new all pearl white paintjob, new engine, new turbo & new suspension just about new everything except me, this would be the first time I’d get to drift the car in anger since last year so fingers crossed.
Showing Off The New Livery on the parade lap
Looking good eh?
The Crowds awaiting the action for the first corner & this is just am practice
Saturday Practice
I can confirm the beast works all rather well, you have to hear the noise though its mad, really mad. My only issues were a suspension arm moving around causing some strange handling at full lock, that was soon sorted though, then there was a whisper of clutch slip as I was soon pulling 4th gear out of the last two bends, hmmm how much power has this thing got!!!! when most others were in 2nd or 3rd! Oh yes tyres, with this much horsepower it appears I need some bigger grippier ones to get the power down not having had time to practice with the car I stuck with last years sizes to be on the safe side. The fastest cars of the day according to the speed gun were on trackday cut slicks, with first corner speeds of 85 mph, I was on regular road tyres, all be it the Marangoni super smokers.
Working like a dream
Sunday Qualifying
The top 16 drivers would go through to the Sunday PM main event, 34 drivers in total so mora than half of the field would be out. We had 4 runs, one warm up & three qualifying, best scrore goes through.
I put in an excellent first two qaulifying runs, sticking close to the clipping points & neat tidy. Knowing I’d put in a a couple of good’ns, I thought I’d up the anti with the Marangoni super smokers, a 3rd gear entry with 4th gear for last two corners onto the main straight to outsmoke the opposition to make it known I meant business.
Smoke Machine 4th gear on the limiter through the chicane onto the pit straight - absolutely awesome :) the crowd loved it
First round I qualify for the top 16 yay!!!!!!!!
The scoring was so close for the top 16 it meant that many drivers had matched scrores, my qualiftying position would be 13th place with a score of 86 points (which means some championship points) which would put me up against the 3rd qualify driver Paz in a Corolla AE86………. eeeek thats going to be a tough first battle, half the weight of my lardass beast means he’ll be quicker through the corners but I can initiate way earlier with the cars weight & pull the angles through the whole corner, it’ll be a tough one. Still it gaurantees I’ll be on TV with camera’s mounted on the cars for the battles - should be great.
Sunday the big event
We get another practice session on Sunday & I’m practicing my tactics for the upcoming Coralla lightweight battle, sticking close to the inside line for blocking tactics & reducing my entry speed a bit so I’ve more speed through the corner, faster cars are not allowed to out drag the slower cars into the first corner so I shant be copying my quaifying style. All goes to plan & I’ve the boost is down to 0.6 bar for better traction.
My opponent for the battle - 200bhp & only 800kg
First run
Paz leads, I chase, pretty evens 5-5 but a close call (note camera mount on Paz’s car)
Second Run
I lead Paz chases - 2nd corner I’m sat waiting for the traction I have’nt got he catches me through the off camber turn 6-4 to paz so Paz goes through to the top 8 aaaggghh
Paz actually pulled 4th place in the end, so congrats to him
The winner Mark Johnston in the Western Performance car, on trackday cut slicks
So overall I’m pretty pleased, some more work do on the car notably tyres!!! need loads more traction to match the power & weight. Clutch master cylinder to protect from heat, some more suspension set up & she’s ready to rock for Silverstone R2 which is a monster power citcuit.
Last one - my new trick - A Rolling Burnout waving to the crowds for the finale, Kazama stylie
Keep your eyes peeled for the Action on Motors TV in the next two weeks www.motorstv.com
More pictures here:
http://doristars.com/v-web/gallery/EDC1
http://www.pbase.com/danfreeman/edc_final_1
Next Event - Swedish Tour Car Championships Demo event 20th April & I’m using the Soarer
Media News
Redline Magazine - will be featuring my car alongside BonBon’s mad Chaser in the coming month
Autotrader Magazine - Will be featuring my car end of April
Plus of course news from the event on masse.
Thanks to all who’ve helped me get this far with the car, I’m really pleased with her & some minor fettling will have here ready for Round 2
