First Podium Finish

Round 8 – Castle Combe

Weather – Dry
Qualification – 3th – 01:24.352
Finishing Place – 3th
My Fastest Lap time – 1:23.856
Classic Lap Record - Castle Combe – 1:23.330

Some children may be wondering what teachers get up to in the school holidays.

I go motor racing and competed in Round 8 of the Caterham Graduate Classic Championship at Castle Combe, Wiltshire. I qualified in 3^rd position, this was my second best qualifying of the season. After my pole position at Brands Hatch. Having not driven the circuit before the weekend of racing I was excited to learn the circuit quickly and get on the leaders pace. I do have to confess that I had some help this weekend as on Friday I had some tuition from Anthony Wilds. This enabled me to learn the circuit faster. It was my first visit to Castle Combe.

During the green flag lap, second placed driver, James Russell pulled off the circuit with a mechanical failure and was unable to continue. Resulting in a space on the front row.

Amanda didn’t have the best of starts and lost a place to Paul Hawker. There was cerement dust down at Quarry corner collecting an oil spill from the previous session. We were told that 25% of all motor circuit racing accidents happen at Quarry. I took the first few laps quite cautiously through there. James Carvey got a good run on me coming out of Old Paddock Bend and over took into Tower Corner. On to the second lap, Trevor Harber got a good tow behind me through Folly and over took into Avon Rise and into Quarry while on the cerement dust. I was down to 5^th.

I stayed in 5^th until lap 10. I wasn’t worried as I knew I had quite a bit of speed round the circuit. The racing this season has been so so close, the lead and positions are always changing. I’m learning all the time and thought it best to be tactical. I was pretty cautious at the beginning of the race and thought I’d let the others battle it out.

I caught back up with the leading pack. I over took Paul on the exit of Quarry after he had taken the tighter defensive line and therefore I had the lead into the next chicane. The rest of the lap and the next I used to catch up the 1.5 second deficit to Trevor who was lying in the third. I pulled off the same move on Trevor as I did to Paul 2 laps previous. I was happily up to 3^rd. Throughout the latter stages of the race the marshals had a black flag out for a Sigma driver but at the time I was worried it was for me but I couldn't think why! Thankfully it wasn’t and I achieved my first podium and the car is in one piece.

So I guess now its time to set more goals! Having achieved more than I ever imaged at the start of the season.
Fastest Lap – Silverstone
Pole Position – Brands Hatch
Podium – Castle Combe

Next goal - a win before the end of the season. There are 4 races at 2 race meetings left, Pembrey and Rockingham. With Pembrey the only circuit I have raced at before this year.

Championship Standing (With dropped scores)
1. John Parker – 206
2. Rowan Williams – 204
3. Graeme Smith – 198
4. Paul Hawker – 193
5. James Russell – 190
6. Stu Thompson – 179
7. Trevor Harber – 170
8. Amanda Black – 168
9. Pete Cannard – 158
10. Shelia Marshall - 153