Birkett 2012

Six Sigma Grads finish 5th out of 67 in the Handicap 6 hr team relay.

Birkett 2012

Currently getting ready for the Birkett 6 hour relay race. A race that started in 1951. That’s a long 6 hours I hear you cry! Ha Ha.

THE TEAM: 6 Sigma Graduates

Team Manager – Martyn Lewis 
Members: Ian Anderson
Amanda Black
Andrew Hayter
Dan Siviter
Ian Dyble
Andrew McMillan
Garage – 7c

All driving Caterham Graduate Sigma Spec cars and competing in Class A – Roadg oing (Capable of passing an MOT) cars up to 1600cc & bike engines up to 1000cc

The ‘Birkett’ is a unique event in the world of motor racing and was originally conceived back in 1951 to give cars of differing performance the opportunity to compete on ‘equal’ terms in a long-distance race; the concept obviously worked and it has proved to be one of the most popular events in the UK.

The event is based upon a free relay system for teams of up to 6 cars. Working on information provided and many years of experience, the handicappers decide upon which team they consider will complete the most laps within the 6 hours - this is the ‘Scratch’ team. The remainder of the teams are given credit laps according to their estimated performance in comparison to the Scratch team and these credit laps are added to those actually completed. Should the Safety Car be used, then the credit laps are proportionally adjusted. The results of the race can be affected by the tactics of the Team Manager just as easily as by the performance and reliability of the cars. If one car in a team is significantly faster than the others, the handicappers may assume that that car will attempt to do more than its fair share of the racing; in that case there may be a limit placed upon the number of laps which that particular car is permitted to complete. If that car does more than its permitted laps, the team faces disqualification from the handicap results, or can opt out of the handicap and simply race for the overall win. During the length of the race, cars will break down out on the circuit. The Team Manager has to decide by how long a car can be ‘missing’ before sending out a replacement. If the ‘missing’ car has simply spun and rejoined the race, no laps are scored whilst two cars from the same team are racing. Results are issued at 60 minute intervals to show the current placing's both on handicap and actual.

Last year the Ecurie Classic Graduates won class A. Can I be in a Sigma team to do it again in 2012?

Spa 2012

A weekend that no Caterham Graduate racer will ever forget. Firstly because, it’s an amazing opportunity to be able to race at the worlds best, most famous, iconic racing circuit and secondly, the poor weather conditions. I know that Spa is famous for having its own weather climate and that it could be raining at one part of the circuit and dry at the other, but no Caterham Graduate was quite prepared for what challenges were lying ahead of us.

Practice
With only 2 x 30 minute practice sessions to learn the circuit the challenge was on. Friday’s session was damp and I soon learnt how and why Eau Rouge has been the scene of some famous and nasty accidents. Luckily I survived (just) to tell the tale.

Thankfully second practice was dry and this was a much more enjoyable experience.

Qualifying
Qualifying was dry and even this session was not uneventful. Still learning the circuit but having fun at the same time, I managed to get an amazing tow from ‘Caterham Grad Super’ driver Barry White up Eau Rouge and down the Kemmel Straight.

Unfortunately a couple of corners later the car began to splutter. Thinking the worst ‘Oh, no I’ve stressed out the engine too much’ I slowed down and entered the pits to get McMillan to look at the car. They quickly got to work and couldn’t find anything too serious and let me back out with only enough time for a couple of laps. The chequered flag seemed to come out quickly. I had no idea where I had qualified as most of the session I was sat in the pits.

Back in the paddock the car went back to McMillan and they retuned the carburettors. After talking with Andy Mac about the problem he also kindly cleaned the fuel filters. While cleaning the filters he found a massive clump of fluff and dirt. No wonder the engine was spluttering, the fuel couldn’t get in past the clogged up fuel filters! To then find out I had qualified 3rd in class and the fastest classic driver that had never driven the circuit before, it was a great relief. The car was ready for racing.

Race 1
An hour before the race the clouds started to become greyer. The main question on everyone’s lips was “What will the weather do?”. Many people were getting on their phones for an up to date weather forecast. The real thought was “It doesn’t really matter what the weather man says – this is Spa – It is more than likely to rain”. With the weather still dry we were getting close to being called for assembly. Decision time. Dry tyres or wet tyres. I looked at Graeme Smith and copied the rain master and went for wets. I get to the assembly area and it starts spitting. We get to the grid and it starts raining. We start our green flag lap and its now heavy rain. We grid up for the race start and its now monsoon weather. F1 drivers get paid a lot of money NOT to race in these conditions. It was utter madness.

This was my first wet race and what a place to have it! It was the most frightful experience of my life. 65 Caterhams starting on the same grid and I am unable to see more than 3 metres in front of me! Driving only with the guidance of the rain light and brake lights in front of you.

YYou could only just see the marshals post to the side of the circuit. At this point I had one goal - to finish. I was a pansy!

I didn’t push the car, I had to bring it home and I had to finish. I could not afford any damage. Somehow I achieved this and I managed to finish 10th out of 11. My worst result in racing but an achievement to finish! Unfortunately many cars did not and there were some very sad and battered Caterhams at the end of it.

Race 2
With race suit, helmet and gloves, dried out from race 1, the weather looked like we might be lucky enough to have a dry Race 2 and it was.

Starting from P3 again in class but towards the back of the Caterham Grad’s grid the dry start was still pretty hairy. So many cars piling into La Source. The first lap went ok, however there was a bad accident at the front that brought out the red flags and the race was stopped. During the first lap I had felt a small vibration in the steering and was concerned that I hadn’t felt this before. Thinking the worst (again) I thought that a wheel was going to fly off. When the red flags came out I decided to go into the pits to get it checked. Given the all clear, I waited at the end of the pit lane for the restart. I was going to be dead last and the weekend was turning into a nightmare. The race was restarted behind the safety car. The safety car was in after one lap and the battle was on! I managed to gain one place at La Source, but by this time the next cars were already some way ahead of me. Head down I managed to catch up with the next pack.

I get past the next two and manage to get behind the 6 way queue for 4th. I then had an amazing battle on my hands. Some awesome slipstreaming saw me go from the back of the pack to the front. The video really is worth a watch.

On the last lap I was in 4th and made a mistake going into Pouhon and I ran wide. Two cars past me. Doh! By Stavelot I was lucky enough to be in their tow and managed to pass both of them again at Blanchimont. Keeping a tight defensive line into Bus Stop I managed to cross the line and finished 4th. What a great race.

Spa

On the day that Sauber announce that their team principles will be Monisha Kaltenborn, I’m off to Spa. How great will it be to have a female F1 boss. About time really.
The weather forecast for the weekend is changeable, but I suppose it wouldn’t be right to go to Spa without some rain. We will see. Watch this space.
If you cant wait for me to post the results they should be found here:
http://www.racspa.be/2012/rf2012/liveresults.aspx?page=newsresultats

Next Round Spa

Tigger is ready for Spa.

2 races remain this season with the Classic Championship already won by David Pearson. However all is still to play for with the remaining positions. Any of the following 6 drivers can still come second. Current totals in the Classic Championship:

Amanda Black – 175
Justin Cox – 173
Graeme Smith – 167
James Russell – 160
Stu Thompson – 158
Andrew Outterside – 157

Great Press Coverage After Oulton

Autosport

Skegness Standard

Motors TV Blog

Oulton Park Race Video

Another Win at Oulton Park

Qualified – P2 – 2:06.337
Results – WIN + Fastest Lap and New Lap Record 2:05.336

I arrived Friday morning for testing at a wet and soggy Oulton Park. Having only ever completed 4 laps for my ARDS testing in Aug 2010 and completing a 25 minute track day session, I was pretty much having to learn the circuit again. Feeling very disappointed that it was raining I took testing in the wet slowly. Luckily after lunch the track did dry up and we managed 1 dry session before it rained again for the final session. Leaving Oulton on Friday night I was not feeling particularly confident and there was only myself and 1 other driver on the grid that had never raced there before.

Saturday morning come and the sun was shining and the smile on my face was beaming. Having had very limited running in the wet, I decided to get behind an experienced racer Andrew Outterside for qualifying. We had a great battle and Graeme Smith the 3 time champion also entered the fight. I could not believe that I had qualified 2nd with a time that was faster than the current lap record. That made it 5 races in succession that I had started on the front row.

The weather remained sunny and bright for the race. I managed to have one of my best starts of the season and seemed pretty even with Justin Cox from pole position. Suddenly out of nowhere came a very fast starting James Russell from the 3rd row. James, Justin and myself battle around for the first lap. I managed to get past James on the inside of Island bend and continued to work hard to catch up with Justin. I lined up Justin on the inside of Druids. Getting a faster run out of the corner, Justin slipstreamed past me into Lodge Corner. This time I got a faster exit and past him on the pit straight. With the first lap completed, myself, Justin and Graeme continued to swap places. On lap 4 I got into the lead and managed to work hard to pull out a gap from second place. Putting in qualifying style laps I managed to achieve a new lap record on lap 5 to extend my lead. Every lap after that was under the old lap record and I managed to go faster still on lap 8, posting a new club record of 2:05.336 beating the previous record by 1.3 seconds and achieving this without a tow. A race win was recorded with an 8 second lead.

Classic Caterham Podium – Graeme Smith (2nd), Amanda Black (1st), Justin Cox (3rd)

Having put the car on the trailer to go home, a friend on mine noticed that the rear right brake cylinder was leaking. The decision was made to change it ready for Spa. Many thanks to Mike, Michelle and James for their help.

TSL Timesheet

Race Video to follow. Watch this space!

Oulton Park Timetable

http://www.barc.net/images/stories/NW_1204_OP2209_3.pdf

Only 1 car this weekend. Tigger is coming out to play.

09:30 – 09:50 Qualifying
13:45 – Race 1

Roo at Cadwell

Some Press Coverage this week

Autosport

Motors TV Blog

Skegness Standard

First Sigma Race

Amanda Black first Sigma Race – Cadwell Park – September 2012

Qual – P2
Finished – P2 + Fastest Lap and First Sigma record for Cadwell Park.

Not my best moment

First outing in the Sigma and this happens. Not my proudest moment. Could not believe it. I had to go to the medical centre but Roo drove away and was amazingly back on the grid a few hours later to achieve Fastest Lap and P2!

Cadwell Race Weekend

WOW! What a weekend. Having decided to race 2 different Caterhams in 4 races at 1 track over 1 weekend the challenge was on. I was racing a Classic Caterham and a Sigma Caterham in the Graduate Caterham Racing Series. I am finishing my 2nd season in the Classic Caterham and the Sigma Caterham I have only driven twice before the race weekend. Friday testing was a busy day and used it to practice jumping in and out of both cars. By the end of the day I felt on the pace with the Classic but still had some time to find in the Sigma to be competitive at the front.

It was misty start to Saturday morning and dew was on the car. The first task of the day was to qualify for the first time in my Sigma Graduate car. Qualifying was going well and I managed to post a time faster than in testing. I also managed to over take some Super graduates which was very satisfying as they have an extra 5bhp. Unfortunately my qualifying session finished early. I ran wide at Charlies 2, the grass was damp because of the dew and I spun and hit the tyre wall pretty hard. I was ok, the car had part of the tyre wall on it and I thought that was game over. I could not believe I had crashed on my first ever outing in a new car! I was taken to the medical centre for a routine check up but worried I didn’t have the time as I was meant to be out in the Classic car shortly! Amazingly the car was drivable and returned to the paddock with only the slightly bit of damage. A new wing mirror, bonnet dent bashed out, tracking realigned and a bit of duck tape to tape the wings back up and it was ready to race again! Amazingly, I later found out that I had qualified 2nd for the first Sigma race and had qualified on Pole by 0.001 for the second race! So glad the car was ready to go again.

Next up was the Classic qualifying session. Luckily this session ran a lot more smoothly. I felt on the pace but didn’t get a clear lap but must have got a good tow. I achieved a double pole position with a time 0.6 seconds faster than the current lap record and 0.6 faster than any other Cadwell pole position in a Classic. Effective performing the fastest lap ever at Cadwell Park in a Classic Caterham! Amazing and very pleased.

Saturday afternoon and it was time for the first Sigma race. Having never done a race start in a Sigma and not having the time to practice I was pretty nervous. The Sigmas were sharing a grid with the Super Class. As they were faster they started on the lights and the Sigmas went on the Union Jack flag. Unfortunately I got a poor start and dropped to 3rd by the first corner. With plenty of time left I was not concerned. On lap 2 the lead Sigma pack caught up to the back of the Super race. During this time the race leader, Ian Anderson ran off the circuit trying to over take the slower car. So I was up to 2nd. On the next lap I had overtaken and was in the lead. I remained in the lead for the next 2 laps until Ian Anderson over took me. The remaining 8 laps were a battle between Ian and myself for the race win because we had dropped everyone else. On the final lap and approaching the final corner Ian missed a gear and I was too close to react. As I was accelerating I smashed into the back of him. Ian carried on but unfortunately I had broken my radiator and was leaking coolant. I turned into the final corner and spun on my own coolant. Stopping just shy of the banking and steam coming up through the bonnet I managed to get the car into gear and crawled over the line. Luckily I had a quite a large gap to 3rd and remained 2nd. I immediately had to pull over at the side of the circuit as I had coolant leaking everywhere. I could not believe I had been out in a new car twice and it was returning to the Paddock with second recovery and marshals assistance! Luckily I had a friend, Martyn Lewis helping the mechanics side of running 2 cars. Without him I’m sure the car would not have been back out to race. A new nose cone, radiator, fan and coolant and it was ready for Sunday’s race! I was delighted to find out later that I had achieved the fastest lap in the race and that even included the faster ‘Super’ Gradaute cars and was a new club record.

Next up was the Classic race. First Pole of the weekend and 3rd in a row in the club. I was very excited about the Classic race. I knew I had the pace to be right at the front and this was the focus of the weekend. I was pushing for big Championship points and feeling confident after my first race win at Thruxton last time out. I didn’t get the best of starts. In fact I dropped to 4th but somehow by the 3rd corner at Park I was on the inside taking the lead. There was an accident behind me which allowed me to create a 4 second lead by the end of the first lap. I got my head down, concentrating hard to drive well and pull out a bigger lead. The rest of the race for me was quite uneventful. Kept it on the track and built an 8 second gap to take the chequered flag. Two wins back to back in a very competitive racing series. Very Happy.

Sunday morning I was back out in a repaired black Sigma Graduate taking Pole position in the class. I had a cracking start this time and remained in the lead for a lap and a half until Ian Anderson overtook me round the outside of Mansfield. I was in 2nd but we had already dropped 3rd. On the next lap going into Charlies the red flags had come out. A car had gone off at the mountain. On count back I was grided back on Pole but because it was not a restart we were directly behind the Supers and now going on the lights. This worried me as the cars directly in front were Supers but a lot slower. I had a great start but failed to select second, once I had it I noticed a stalled Super car to my right but I managed to avoid it. Going up through Coppice I had the lead only to find more red flags. Some of the Sigma drivers behind me had unfortunately not seen the stalled Super on the grid and went into the back of it. We were all directed back into the pits without a completed race and told that they might be able to fit the race in at the end of the day. It was a very big anti climax.

However, focus had to be shifted to the last Classic race where I was on Pole position again. 2nd place driver Andrew Outterside got a better start than me and beat me into the first corner, I was also over taken by Justin Cox. Down the back straight I got an amazing tow and managed to over take both cars. Unfortunately arriving at Park with more speed after a tow and probably still wearing my Sigma head I out braked myself and ran wide onto the grass. Dropping down to 4th. The top 8 cars were having a great battle for the lead. With 2 laps to go I was in 6th place and time was running out to get to the front. I managed to take two positions and going into the final lap got a good run to bravely overtake previous Classic Champion, Graeme Smith round the outside at Coppice. I had managed to get up to the 3rd. The battle was close for the remainder of the lap. Going down into Mansfield I tried a late breaking move for 2nd place round the outside. We were both sliding round the corner and I thought I was going to lose it and spin but somehow I managed to get round. I was very happy to cross the line in 3rd. A hard fight and very satisfying race. I also had another fastest lap! It was great to be able to breath again whilst on the cooling down lap and also to be able to wave to friends and family that had come to support me. It was exhausting. I parked in the paddock to have confirmation that the Super/Sigma race will be re-run at the end of the day. Being shattered I could not believe I would be going out again!

Having to wait until 5:30 made it a very long day’s racing, but I was still excited to get back out in the new car. I had a good start from Pole but second place driver, Ian Anderson (And now crowned 2012 Sigma Champion) beat me into the first corner. We had a great close battle for 4 laps until he had a mechanical failure and had to retire. I happily took the lead and remained so until the chequered flag, achieving the fastest lap of the race on the last lap. Amazingly, I had won a race in a new car during it’s first weekend outing and in front of local friends and family.

Weekend Summary

2 Cars
4 Races
3 Pole Positions (2 Classic Championship, 1 Sigma Championship)
2 Race wins (1 Classic, 1 Sigma)
1 2nd place (Sigma)
1 3rd place (Classic)
3 Fastest Laps
1 Lap record

Classic Caterham – Race 2

See Roo and Tigger race at Cadwell!

http://www.barc.net/images/stories/HQ_1232_CP080909.pdf

Times I should be on track:
Saturday: Qualifying in Black Sigma Caterham #191 - 09:25 - 09:40
Qualifying in Orange Classic Caterham #76 - 11:-0 - 11:20
Racing in #191 - 12:00
Racing in #76 - 16:15

Sunday: Racing in #191 - 10:50
Racing in #76 - 15:00
Times are give or take approx 20 mins.

Tigger

Roo

Proud to introduce

I am proud to introduce Tigger’s new best friend Roo, who will be joining the family very shortly. Roo had his first run at Cadwell Park yesterday.

This evening Roo has become Race Number 191 in the Caterham Sigma Championship, of which the car will be competing in during 2013. It will also be forming part of a Graduate Sigma Racing team for this years Birkett race at Silverstone in October.

So it will be a black car for black next season!

Promotional Video

Race Win Press Coverage

Press coverage of my Thruxton Race Win

Motors TV
Skegness Standard

Thruxton Race 1

Unfortunately my video only record the first 8 minutes of race 1 and nothing of race 2 – typical!

1st classic graduates race win at Thruxton

Tigger rebuilt and its racing time at Thruxton, Hampshire for Rounds 9 & 10 of the Caterham graduates racing series Championship.

Wow what a turn around. People talk about the highs and lows of Motorsport but this really has been a roller-coaster ride. With the car rebuilt after driving into the pitwall at Anglesey during practise at the last round to getting back out in the car at Thruxton. I did my ARDS for the first time at Thruxton before it lapsed so I had only completed about 3 laps before the weekend and that was back in November 2005!

I had 2x25 min practise sessions on Friday to learn the circuit and get back up to speed.

I had an amazing qualifying session and managed to secure double pole position. Being 0.7 seconds faster than 2nd place and setting both times quicker than the clubs lap record. (unfortunately its not another lap record to add to my name as they need to completed during the race)

Race 1 was a scramble in the top pack. Changing positions every lap. I managed to get to the lead in lap 3 but with the slipstream effect at Thruxton I could not hold it. It was a great typical caterham battle, positions changing all the time and great slipstreaming. I finished 7th as all the front pack drivers cross the line tightly together. It was a great race.

Race two I starting from pole again, I got a better start but dropped to 3rd by the first corner. With tows and slipstreaming by the end of lap 1 I had dropped to 6th. On the next lap I used the slipstream advantage to go from 6th to first!. The lead changed for the next handful of laps. On lap 8 I got to the front with the main aim of trying to break the tow. Qualifying laps where needed, head down and on a charge I managed to pull a gap, braking the tow and completed the next 7 laps in the lead, to win my first Classic race.

The season has been very up and down. A double podium and a lap record at the start of the season. And A visit into the pit wall at Anglesey. It has however been an amazing turn around and come back with a double pole and a race win. Roll on the next round at Cadwell.

Big thank you to all supports and believers including Skegness Grammar School, Signs of the times, McMillian Motorsport (Kevin for rebuilding my car), mum & dad.

Tigger at Thruxton

Tigger is currently at Thruxton ready and raring to go. We had two 25 minute practice sessions yesterday's to quickly get up to speed. So today is 1 x 15min qual and 2 x 20 min race. But more importantly the sun is out and shining :-)

Thruxton countdown

Car and trailer packed for Thruxton. Tigger making his own way there!

Tigger Update: On the mends

Tigger after Arch’s long front surgery

Tigger back at McMillian’s workshop

Next step – The paint shop

Week today – testing at Thruxton

2 weeks and counting.

2 weeks and counting until Thruxton. Tigger is back from Arch + a new long front. (you'll never guess, but the A5 was closed when my mother was returning Tigger to McMM. She has not had much luck with these journey's! This time she stopped on a roundabout to look at the map and a lovely police came to the rescue. I swear she should have asked for his number!) So tigger is waiting for the fabulous guys at McMM to rebuild him. It feels like ages since I've seen the red lights go off. Can't wait roll on Thruxton.

The next chapter–Tigger’s journey to the Bones Hospital.

Ok, so the blog has been a bit poor since I decided to drive into the pit wall in Anglesey. Mainly because I am still truly gutted. It was completely my fault and one of course I will learn from. Motor Racing is an expensive sport without having to pay for additional repair bills. Anyway, to try and get the repair bill a little smaller I have managed to twist my mothers arm to pick Tigger up from McMM and drive it to Arch in Huntingdon (School holidays are not for another 2 weeks, otherwise I would have been able to do it to). In fact, it didn’t take much twisting but my mother hasn’t done much trailering on her own, so it was bound to be an exciting experience.

Ok, so today's mission by my mother was to drive from her home in Grantham with an empty trailer to McMillan Motorsport in Hinkley to collect Tigger and take it down to Arch Motors in Huntingdon.  All was going well until turning left onto the road where McMillan are based to find that the road was closed with local access only.  Because McMillan were very close by she thought that she would be able to gain local access but soon realised after turning left that it was access to just a short row of houses only.  She managed to just about turn round with the trailer (About 100 point turns) but was blocking the road (This is a very impressive feat, my mother has only recently starting towing, done very little on her own and I don’t think before today she has reserve it in a straight line, let alone completing a turn in the road).  A local resident got out of her car and asked if she could help and said that she was driving that way and would show her an alternative route.  However the new way my mother was shown ended up being another dead end. Unfortunately this time it was up a narrow residential street with cars parked either side.  My mother did not have McMillan's number so she had to call Arch to ask them to call McMillan to come out and rescue her!  To cut a long story short McMillan came to the rescue and Rodney finally arrived to save the day (Mums new knight in shining armour – or mine, who knows what would have happened without him! Im surprised she is still speaking to me!). Rodney reversed the trailer back up the road and guided her to the McMillan workshop. A dismantled and very poorly Tigger was put on the trailer and she then drove down to Arch Motors, delivered the car safely and then drove home! A round trip of four and a half hours!  She has to return next week to collect the car and take it back to McMillan to complete the rebuild (Let hope the road isn’t still closed).  Arch Motors are based opposite Hotel Chocolat that has a factory shop selling discounted chocolate.  I think she deserves a big box! I might even splash out and get the none discounted ones – I think she deserves it. Don’t you?

Hello Anglesey Pit Wall, Goodbye Race Weekend

https://vimeo.com/44294858

Amanda’s Lap Record on Motors TV Blog

Amanda’s Lap Record at Rockingham Speedway now appears on the Motors TV Blog. Click Here to view it. Happy reading.

LAP RECORD HOLDER

Amanda Black Classic Graduate Caterham lap record holder at Rockingham Speedway – International Sports Car – 1:38.396 May 2012

McMillian Motorsport Caterham Graduates Lap Records

Rockingham–Race 5 & 6

Qualifying – Wet – P8 & P7
Race 1 – DNF + Fastest Lap
Race 2 – 7th + Fastest Lap

Tigger coming back on the flat loader after the end of Race 1. Snapped lower right wishbone after setting the fastest ever lap round Rockingham Speedway in a Classic Caterham – Smashing the old record by 0.8 seconds!

Luckily the car was repairable for race 2. Thanks to Stuart Higgins for lending me a lower right wishbone and McMillian Motorsport for fitting it. Started P7. Had a rubbish start and failed to select 2nd. Dropped to P11 and spent the rest of the 20 minutes battling with the others. Finished P7. What an exciting race. P2 –> P8 all battling at every single corner! Achieved fastest lap again.

Although a DNF and 7th position was disappointing - the season to date is going well. Highlight summary after 6 races.

1 x 2nd place,
1 x 3rd place,
3 x fastest laps
1 x fastest lap record

Draft Rockingham Timetable–19-20 May 2012

http://www.barc.net/images/stories/pdfs/timetables/HQ1213_RK192005_V4.pdf

Precision Artwork by Stuart Black

www.stuartblack.com