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Silverstone Jaguar XK Challenge 20th May 2006

Event Report by John Roberts

Pole Position!! – But could I repeat it in the race?

Surprise, surprise!! Back to good old rain soaked England. The water companies must be really rain-dancing at the moment in an effort to maintain reservoir levels. Don’t get me wrong, we need the water desperately, but not necessarily on “Race Day”!!

However, I quite like rain on race-day as it is a great leveler when it comes to race car performance and, more especially for racing drivers. So the questions were:

1. What tyres should I use?
2. What tyre pressures?
3. Shall I adjust the schockers for wet conditions and by how much?
4. Should I throw a spare wheel in the boot to add extra weight to compensate for oversteer in slippery conditions?

Well, the answer was yes to most of the above. So when we were called to the Assembly Area for the official qualifying practice, we all wondered whether we had the right set-up. I got to the Assembly Area early as I didn’t want to be hampered by cars in front of me doing pirouettes around Copse Corner, Becketts, Brooklands and Luffield.

The Green Flag was waved and off we went, and one or two cars went past, but I settled into a rhythm of my own, to try and set the best time I could. I have to say that most of each lap I was sideways trying to manoeuvre around each corner. Even Tiff Needell would have been proud of my “Skid Pan” approach to racing! However, I did put the hammer down coming out of Luffield and Woodcote and did a Three Sixty Degree turn, but ended up in the right direction.

Can you imagine how I felt when I went to collect my qualifying times from Race Control: I WAS IN POLE POSITION!! What a proud day!

The race was a different matter. The weather was hesitant and I couldn’t answer any of the above questions with any accuracy. It was strange but a picture of Michael Fish sprang to mind and memories of 1987.

Oh well, I had pumped up the tyres, removed the spare wheel, disconnected the demister et al and I was then totally committed. Of course, it rained once we were in the Assembly Area. That’s life, but sitting at the front of the grid was a real buzz. The Red lights came on and then they went off, signaling me to “Floor it”. I did and got a lot of wheel spin and two cars past. We hit Copse Corner and one of those Gentlemen, spun in front of me and two more cars went past.

Then the “red mist” descended and I did everything I could. I clawed my way back to 3rd in the race and 3rd in Class, but on the last lap an open class lightweight XK Roadster had caught me and I was overtaken on the Club Straight. Although, I missed the so-called Podium position I did end the race 3rd in Class.

It was a great race and with surprisingly few accidents, just a few Offs. So all in all, I can’t wait for the next race to be wet HA HA!!

I will be racing at the HSCC Event at Brands Hatch on the 3rd/4th June. It should be a great event spread over Saturday and Sunday and our race will be first up with 9 am Qualifying and probably about 1 pm for the Race! Try and join us if you can.

John