Castle Combe - with Max Hart
Castle Combe Circuit - we will definitely remember this track for all time to come...the place where I got my 1st win!
Getting to know the track in testing on Thursday was unusual, but there definitely was lots to learn. The distance on the track was 3km, fast paced, with some great chicanes. Throughout the 4 testing sessions we steadily progressed quicker and quicker as I gained confidence. Having 4x15 minute testing sessions was definitely better than the 2 half hour session format we usually see, as I got an opportunity to get out and debrief on how or where I could improve.
On Friday we decided to tweak a few things on the car after testing to help improve our overall speed as the track is fiercely fast.
After a great nights sleep, I was ready for qualifying and Race 1 on Saturday. It was going to be a busy weekend as we had a triple header, the first of the year!
I got stuck in a bit of traffic during qualifying and wasn’t able to get a clear lap to put in a better time, so we had to be content with P5 on grid for Race 1. A quick shot of caffeine thanks to Little Dragons supplements, I was ready to roll for Race 1.
After the formation lap, I was lined up in my grid position and ready to go, the five lights went out and my car had a bit of a problem meaning I couldn’t continue to compete in this race. To say I was disappointed would be the understatement of the year, but just before turn one I pulled in a watched the race go by without me. Race 2 wasn’t much better, starting from the back of the grid, I was really hoping to work my way through the grid, but on the formation lap disaster struck again and my car stuck in first gear. This appeared to be an issue caused by the trouble in Race 1, so I pulled into the pits for help from the boss, and in no time he had the problem fixed and we got out to rejoin the race. This was important, as I could put in some fast laps and our fastest lap from Race 2 would decide our grid position for Race 3.
Having put those gremlins to bed, we were now in a fighting 5th position on the grid for the final race of the weekend.
We lined up on the grid and I was determined to recover something from what was a tough weekend so far. After a red flag start caused by a fault in the lights, we restarted and off the line I managed to jump to 4th, I took a dive into turn one up the inside for P3 and on lap 2, coming up to Bobby Chicane I managed to snatch P2 up the inside after a great run out of Tower. I steadily caught up to the leader and into turn one I gained the lead. The adrenaline was really pumping by this stage, after the issues in Race 1 and 2, the car was really on form!
I enjoyed some exciting racing for the remainder of the race, with the lead exchanging hands a number of times but then coming to the last chicane we caught some back marker traffic, and I swerved to miss a back marker that spun and took the lead on the last corner for the final time.
I actually saw the checkered flag but didn’t realize it was for me until I saw my dad and Paul having fits in the pits. Thankful for the engine noises so my own screams of joy were drowned out! What a feeling...many thanks so much to Leastone Racing for an awesome car and weekend of dedication and hard work, to my sponsors Selco Hygiene Supplies, Adapt Paper, Finol Oils and of course Little Dragon Supplements.
