The 2020 Sports Special championship saw Oulton Park hosting the last round, the weather conditions have been very mixed thought the weekend, and qualifying and race one had taken place in wet condition, Race two saw blue sky’s and the sun peeping out so everyone was hoping for a drying race, Dave was starting 12th Overall on the grid and 5th in class.
As the cars rolled out onto the formation lap the clouds rolled in and it very quickly became apparent that this was a circuit of two halves, one being blue sky’s and sunny and coming out of the hairpin the ominous dark sky’s could be seen! Towards the end of the formulation lap the rain started to come down.
Dave made an initial good start but had to take avoiding action to miss a slow starting Steve Wells #74, this pushed Dave wide off the start line and 5 places where lost, coming out of cascades Colin Benham #18 had a spin which ultimately bought out the safety car, yet another first for Dave.
Going into the hairpin for he first time Dave was able to make up one place then crossing the line the safety car took over, the rain continued to come down and the conditions getting more and more slippery.
Following the restart after the safety car came in Dave picked up his pace and got on the back of Warren Vassey #46 and then finding his pace got onto the back of Marcus Roskill #62.
Dave had an advantage over Marcus through deer’s leap, over the start finish straight and down into the hairpin, from here Marcus was able to balance and keep the gap, on the penultimate Lap Dave got a good run through cascades and started go for the inside line into the hairpin Marcus was having no one of this and closed the door.
Moving onto the last lap Dave again got a run coming over the start finish line and was able to close up this time looking at the outside line at the hairpin, it was in the next 30 seconds that Dave learned a valuable racing lesson-
1) Don’t get to heady and go off line to try and upset some one
And
2) If you do be gentle on the throttle.
It was at the chicane where being offline going into the chicane lead to a very small spin and the end of the battle with Marcus.
Dave finished then race 13th Overall and 5th in class with many first- first wet race, first time at Oulton Park and first safety car.
So the first year of racing has come to a close in the Championship Dave finished 14th Overall and 8th in class of a 8 round season and having missed 2 rounds at Silverstone earlier is not a bad result.
Work now starts for the 2021 season with some minor changes to the car including cams and a trip to the mapper for a bit more power.
The 2021 Sports Specials season kicks off in April at Silverstone before moving onto Donnington Park, Anglesey, Cadwell Park, Brands Hatch Indy and finishing off at Snetterton so for Dave this means out of the 6 tracks 5 will be al new venues to him. See you all in 2021 and stay safe.
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