Back in the reality of amateur motorsport, we had to redrill the front brake calliper bolts with our Time-sert kit. The constant tightening of the steel bolts weakens the threads in the aluminium hubs until they pull through and won't tighten. The inserts are steel - so better than new.
Our fire extinguisher nozzle on the drivers side also went through the dashboard which is not permitted, so we re-mounted it on an aluminium angle bracket to ensure we comply with scrutineering.
We also upgraded the in-car entertainment with a 7" screen and new Go Pro 4K cameras, which are now controlled by the RaceChrono lap timing software system.
Heading over to the circuit on Friday evening, we bagsied as space in the paddock before everyone else got there first, and managed a quick drink in the diner with some of the other drivers.
We qualified P4 in class, which was a great effort given each driver only got a couple of hot laps in the 20 minute session, due to the long 3 mile lap. Our fastest lap just a few tenths off our best ever. (2m11.9s.) Any more laps and we'd have been melting, as the temperature was rising rapidly, even mid morning.
The car felt light on the front end and was under-steering on corner exits, so we softened the front suspension a click for race 1, and deliberately tried to be slower into the corners, hooking up the apex kerb and fast out.
Saturday Race 1:
Race one was very hot, and very delayed due to oil laid on the track. When it eventually got going we lost a couple of places in the opening corners, and then has some missed gear shifts under the bridge which gave another place up.
Our tyres are nearing a year old, having done over 20 sessions and were were struggling around the long high-g-force Coram corner from the start. As the race progressed, we drop off the group of cars in front struggling with lighting up the rear tyres out of the corners.
The main drama of the race was the photo finish between two SP1 Cayman's, which the race directors decided happened 0.2s after the race time expired, so took the official result from the previous lap. In the spirit of our non-championship series the drivers agreed the result on the road should stand for the trophies.
Post race, and after a discussion with Steve @ SCP, he would fit us a new set of Yokohama AO52's on Sunday morning, before race 2.
Sunday Race 2:
When the lights went out, three separate Cayman's has trouble getting off the line and remarkably everyone avoided them. We stayed in position and knew they'd be back past us soon enough.
Cement dust all around turns 2 & 3 was pretty unhelpful and missing a gear out of the 2nd hairpin (it took 3 attempts to find 3rd ) allowed two cars to pass us. We got one back the next lap holding the outside line bravely around the first corner.
We were then held up by a recovering Cayman, but held off strong pressure from the Boxster behind to finish P4 in class, improving our lap times into the 2m12s range.
Sunday Race 3:
The 40 minute pit stop race strategy was to go hard off the line and make up as many places as possible. Then pit early (undercut) getting clear track in an attempt to get onto the class podium.
We gained 2 places around the first sector taking the outside line around the hairpin as it concertina'd on the inside line. Several Cayman's took each other off on the first lap and we were up from 13th to 8th on track, but still P4 in the Boxster SP2 class.
A smart move inside at Oggies gained another, and we tried desperately to push harder to hold the 987 Boxsters in front, but the tyres and brakes were overheating from the abuse and we lost the place back going wide with an snap oversteer moment.
The safety car came out for a stranded 924 and we came around just as the pit window opened. We were 4th car into the pits, with some either too early, electing to continue or not knowing the rules well enough to take advantage.
We executed the stop perfectly, and got out in front of two cars - now 3rd on track. Still under Safety car - we drove just under race pace to catch the safety car train back up, just as the lights went off and we went green again.
We couldn't keep pace with the Cayman and 987 Boxster ahead, but weren't really under any pressure from behind. Just after the 21 mins a big accident when the car in front went straight on at turn one bought the SC boards back out. Unfortunately the race finished without going green, but we were confident of our pace had it.
We finished P3 overall and first in SP2, the first time for several years (since 2023 Brands Hatch). The series organisers voted us driver (and team) of the weekend which was a lovely bonus.
It was Satey-Car assisted and you could argue we got lucky, but we've been on the wrong end of those situations in the past and you have to be there, have a plan and make the right calls to take advantage. Which we did! Roll on Brands Hatch in a few weeks time.
