MWS - Latest News

Latest News

Croft Jaguar XK Challenge 17th/18th June 2006

Event Report by John Roberts

The Wet and the Dry of it!!

It was quite a drive to Croft-on-Tees, North Yorkshire from Surrey on Thursday June the 15th and none of us had been or raced there before and we wondered what was in store for us.

Thanks goodness that many of us travelled up for Friday’s Test Sessions as, this circuit was very “Testing” indeed. It is a very technical track and not many positive camber corners to help us. Luckily, temperatures were cooler than Brands two weeks earlier but not a lot, and racing a “Tin-Top” helps you to lose weight in 20 minutes, even if it’s mainly liquids.

Saturday dawned and, a very bright and sunny day greeted us for qualifying and our first race of the weekend. Spectators were in abundance and with their customary northern friendliness that accompanied them.

Qualifying went quite well with a 3rd in Class qualifying time followed closely by my now friendly but very competitive chum Chris Keith-Lucas (CKL) only one tenth of a second behind.

In the afternoon, it was getting hotter and, still with a few niggles and worries about my engine temperatures I pulled up alongside CKL on the grid. The Red Lights went out and off we set into the first tight right-hander and chicane called Clervaux (was I back at Spa you ask?), but I had the inside line and uncomfortably got in front. It was a race of changes. I led, then Chris got past, then I pulled ahead, then I took a slower line going through “Chicane” and CKL took full advantage and we powered down to Tower Bend side-by-side, only to be out-braked by Chris as he got the inside line. I came home 4th in class and Chris won the beloved “Pot”.

Sunday was completely different. It started raining at about 11am and it was on and off for most of the day. I kept my “Dry” tyres on until 40 minutes before the race. It was still raining, so I changed to “Wets”, put a spare wheel in the boot, filled her with “Go Juice”, softened the rear suspension and prayed for good luck.

The start lights had failed and we started with the National Flag (very Grand National). With CKL and I side by side, he had the inside line this time around. As you can imagine, he shut the door on me at Clervaux BUT it was wet and, I have been called the Rainmeister (Shumi, eat your heart out) and I managed to get past Chris, then overtook Sir John Chisholm in his very fast but lightweight XK120 Roadster, then set off after Graham Bull in his XK150. It was the last lap and on the last bend/ hairpin, I got inside him and put the power down very quickly, only he managed to find more traction and beat me by a Radiator Grille to the line.

Wow, what a race that was. My windscreen was completely steamed up and I couldn’t reach it to wipe it. Thank goodness I tested on Friday and felt that I knew where the Braking Points and Turn Points were. This was pure blind-flying!

The Jaguar Enthusiasts Club (JEC) Competition Secretary said that that was the most exciting XK race he had seen in eight years. Yes, and I finished 3rd in Class and 5th in the race and it was my turn to come home with the spoils (The POT!).

We are racing at Snetterton, near Norwich, Norfolk on the 1st July if you would like to come along. We would love to see you there. Come and talk to us about wheels et al.

John

Photo of John passing Chris courtesy of Ian Hardy Motorsport Photography

Links to additional race photos: