Update 17 - Racing at Goodwood



We were hoping to get the Race Engine back in the car for this event but we are waiting for some final parts to arrive. The rest is sorted, initial build complete and final build underway, the install date has now been set.

So we were still racing with the interim engine, which tbh is proving to be quite competitive in it's own right.

The rain was torrential on the way down - Goodwood is not great to drive in the wet and it was Bad - Very Bad. One of our crew came down in his 4/4 and we were quite concerned by the shear volume of water on the road - literally rivers both sides and crossing the road on the hills. Luckily the rain stopped as we pulled in to the pits and fortunately the day dried up and in the end was nice and sunny - shorts weather.

There were a couple of adventures in the pits, helping out other competitors - as it happens in our class as well, a broken alternator bracket on one car causing the water pump belt to come off.. so no racing until that was sorted and the second being a snapped throttle cable - luckily we carry a spare so were once again able to get things going.

Due to an incident earlier in the year Goodwood sprints now start at the exit to the pit lane rather than 4 abreast across the track.. this has the net result of shortening the track and rubbishing out existing target times. So no extra point available... and afternoon times would be based on morning practice.

During the morning practice, we continued to struggle with the launch on this Engine, 1st Ratio - Fly/clutch combo. Without the Raw power of the Race engine, it's a fine line between the perfect catapult launch and bogging down. We also found that we were getting round the track "A LOT" faster than last year, Goodwood is a quick track on any day, however the approach speeds into the corners were a lot higher.

Over lunch, target times were calculated and set.

In the afternoon, all times came tumbling down, Missprint having a particularly close race with another Class 7 competitor Paul Bryan. Brian Lee pushed his car hard on his last run getting onto the grass following the chicane - a display of commitment and easily recovered. Mike Hughes's newly Zetec'd Rutherford Lightweight shows continual development and speed on the track - must have been the full display of support from his whole family as they had come along to watch. Clive Hall missed out on improving on his great time from last year in his well prepared Class 3 4/4 x-flow - but none the less put in a great showing at his perennially strong venue.

Mike and Jill Smith from ThamesMog dropped in with a chocolate cake to celebrate Mike's birthday - so a small party in the pits concluded the day.

In the end I managed to come in first, leading the field by 5.5 seconds and 7.5 seconds faster than my morning run. Chalking up another 10 points for me and Missprint battling hard to secure 2nd.

Next up... Curborough, the club sprint next month.