11.5 sec 130MPH MK Indy takes 2nd Place at Brighton Speed Trails 3/9/22
I’d been watching the weather for days and was prepared to withdraw if it was to be wet! Anyway, the weather cleared and looked to be a good days forecast. Given that information I decided to drive to the event in the Indy so packed lightly and set off on the half hour drive down to Brighton nice and early.
Arriving early at Brighton is always good as space is tight on Maderia Drive too. I found myself in Class 5 which was Roadgoing Series and Specialist Cars. In the class there were about 7 Caterhams, a Fury, Cobra, Marcos and a few others to a total of 14 in the class.
Still running on the R888R Tyres, 205/60r13 at back which I set to 14psi and the 185/60 fronts I went 32psi as there are no corners! Softened out suspension a touch too.
Format for the day is short with 1 Practice and 2 Timed Runs that count Seemed to take ages getting around to my class but when called I still get really nervous at Brighton even though it’s a straight line, fluffing the start being the biggest worry followed by a false neutral.. put that out of the mind… Your are allowed a short tyre warm up too, so select full boost and generate a little heat if you like…
I’m up, full boost selected and my start procedure will be the same as all year as I know it’ll work and be 2.2sec 64ft or something, just almost creep forward a touch and then into 2nd and bang off… Green light and she is away, into 3rd blindingly quick and in a straight line, hold and into 4th, holding and then 5th with little wheelspin and held 5th to finish which seemed a long way down the road but happy I did not fluff it but also nervous that I had set my self an aim of a sub 12s run!! Up into the holding area and check my time and final speed… I did 2.21sec 64ft, 11.67sec ¼ at final speed of 118mph! so happy to be under 12s and was in 2nd place to a 620S by 0.1 sec and then over 1 sec to 3rd place…
Really happy with that but know there is more there and would want to be in 6th over the finish really, I held gears too long as well but it will come.
T1 arrived and off we go again. Same start procedure and off into her stride, just trying to get an official banker in… felt myself holding 2,3,4th gears too long then short to 5th and 6th and nail it. ¼ mile time 11.61 at near on 130mph! and into 1st place by 0.2secs over the 620S. Felt better and really surprised to be at 130mph and only 0.06 quicker.
All the play for in T2… Same start procedure and into 2nd, 3rd which I held too long again and same for 4th and 5th but did hit 6th … 2.25 64ft, 125mph and 11.53 sec ¼… just pipped into 2nd place to the 620S by 0.04sec that did a 2.12 6ft, 123mph and 11.49 ¼. A little disappointed to have not grabbed 1st place but happy to be at 11.5sec ¼ and on road tyres having held gears too long too I think there is time to have and a high 10s run will be in her grasp next year. Think came 18th or 20th out of 130 cars so not too shabby….
Simon
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