Well, we have been treated to a few meetings after all the rubbish this year has thrown at us, so me and Phoebe decided to do Lynn and have a blast out.
Work and stock cars has been really busy this year, so luckily the lads all mucked in and got stuff ready for us all.
Phoebe was working Saturday morning so we couldn’t leave till 12, so still plenty of time to get there, no problem until someone decided to block the M62. Chaos all the way, taking us 2 hours longer than normal and unfortunately missing the drivers briefing, but still in time for racing.
A separate meeting with BSCDA chairman Peter Falding to explain to me and Phoebe all the new procedures we are having to do following the unfortunate incident at Birmingham last year. Luckily we we’re both in time to take part in the minute silence on track for a great friend and true gentlemen to the sport, Colin North from Teng Tools. A very well organised and put together farewell richly deserved.
My first heat and the car felt good, and was making good progress to the front until a cough and a splutter and the smell of burning wire ended my race.
All the main wiring loom wrecked, me and the lads worked as hard as we could to get some power back into the engine. Holding the gate for just one minute, we managed to get it fired up.
A good heat win confirmed the shale shifter was back to its old self and the driver wasn’t too far behind either… !
Final time, and with no Harris or Newson due to engine failures, it was down to rest of us to put a show on. Had a brilliant first few laps quickly getting through the reds and blues and into about 8th place until the yellows came out.
Unfortunately these were for Phoebe, who was running in a superb third until bit of a tangle, then a big off as she tried setting off to stay on lead lap in front of leader Ricky Wilson, only for the carb to over fuel making the car stall and contact was unavoidable.
She is fine now, just bit bruised and cheesed off as she’s got to sit Skeg out on medical advice.
Sat on the yellows, seemingly running about eighth place, so still lots of work to do so no relaxing. Just about to get underway on the roller and I hear the steward of the meeting on our headphones telling five of the cars in front of me to unlap themselves and go to the back of the field…!
Obviously a new rule which I thought the drivers were not in favour of, but as I found out afterwards, the promotors are insisting a trial period, so from running eighth car on the yellows I’m now sat in 3rd place.
How easy was that! I’ve just passed 5 cars and not moved a wheel. As a result, just 2 more yellow tops to pass and I’m leading before halfway. If only all races were made this easy!
So just a nice steady drive to the flag now, no heroics and hopefully no disasters as I still had plenty of back markers to handle, and Paul Hines and Finn were pushing me to keep me alert.
All was fine until I felt the car start going bit loose on entry to the corners, and as I had nursed my tyres so they weren’t too hot, this could only mean one thing – a slow puncture!
As the lap boards came out we got slower and slower, trying my best to keep the tyre on the rim. Luckily the chequered flag came to my rescue before the tyre had completely deflated.
After a full season in 2019 with no final wins, the first meeting back in 2020 and we’re on victory lane.
A quick turn around and out for the National. Bit of fun starting with the lap handicap, no pressure, no expectation, just me, probably the oldest driver on the track, and 16 laps of the King’s Lynn watered shale. There’s nothing like backing my shale car into the dry cushion which sometimes involves a bit of steel plate rattling and even passing some cars round the outside. A truly awesome driving experience, which if you could ever reproduce on a games console would sell millions!
No yellow flags this time, but still an amazing fifth place, just missing a fast Mark Woodhull on a last bend dive for fourth and rattling into the plate, just to remind me stock cars is a contact sport and if you wake up Monday without neck ache you just didn’t try hard enoug.
So looking forward to our next meeting, again back at King’s Lynn in few weeks. The tarmac car is nowhere near ready, and we’ve got a full week of work at Bensons this week including Saturday, so no Skegvegas for us this weekend.
Cheers for reading; will try to keep everyone updated.
Frankie
