After the Germany meeting it was back to work, plus a few days sleep to catch up on!
The boys (Ern and Ben) started stripping the truck down again to prepare for the Thruxton meeting. Roger the painter set about making a start on all the repairs required to the bodywork. More filler and purple paint needed, (mumbled away to himself) "I only mended all this the other day!"
I settled back down to life in the office, generally trying to catch up on the huge pile of paperwork that had built up in my absence.

Reflections on the German meeting as a whole, the points standing, the weekend, and how the season looked…

The current leading racer Stuart Oliver, with his factory backed `M.A.N.' looked as though he was just going to romp through the year again with the Max points at each meeting, barring any non finishes. Nigel Fry is very fast again this year and is going to be difficult to beat on a regular basis, with the old man Clarkey (Roy) going faster than ever! So once again I think it will be between us three to battle it out for 2nd place!

Germany did not go well for us, with 2x4th places but under the circumstances I`m glad we got two finishes and some points. Nigel a 2nd and a 3rd, Roy a 3rd and a 2nd with Dyson bringing up the rear. The end result was disappointing that we now trailed Nigel by three points in 3rd position. In the championship standings our lap times in Germany were also disappointing with Stuart some five seconds a lap quicker and Nigel two seconds, with Roy within half a second a lap. We were not competitive enough on times over the weekend, therefore a lot of work needs to be done on the truck to bring our times down if second place is going to be achieved this year.

Three to five seconds a lap, not a lot you may think - but these days it's like eternity! So how can we find these magical seconds?
Power? No - the Detroit still out grunts anything down the straight.
Weight? Yes - she weighs in a staggering 6,200kgs, against Stuart and Nigel running at 5,800kgs.
Brakes? Yes - later more efficient braking makes quicker times. My brakes are crap, by the end of race none whatsoever!
So the verdict is …the truck goes on an emergency diet and sheds any excess and unnecessary parts, without compromising the strength for missile impacts on other competitors. Improve the braking considerably so at least I can stop the bloody thing at the corners! I've got self adjusters, variable pressure balances for the front and rear, the widest shoes and drums available with the highest force brake chambers to push, with of course quick reaction and quick release valves.

But how about this then…
Stopping 6 tons at 100mph is a force of 600tons being put onto 4 wheels with 9" brake shoes that are designed to run on a standard 40 ton rig for 50,000 miles a year or so. So why do my linings last about 15 minutes before they burn up, catch fire, break off or run out the bottom of the wheel like molten red laver, even with 20 gallons of water dumped on them to cool them!

We've got to start with the lining material so Ernie's on a mission to find a more compatible brake lining material that will take the strain, but I fear it does not exist. Explaining and showing what happens to a standard lining in 10 minutes on the track is similar to receiving an incoming fireball, its hard to get across to your average person on the counter down at the motor factors.

Meanwhile Ben got out the gas torch to cut off and cut holes in as much metal as possible. Three weeks to go before Thruxton and the pressures on me to be more competitive at the next meeting!

Its now two days to go before loading up and setting off again. The truck is slowly going back together with the improvements we have made. Ernie is adamant he has found a better lining material, much tougher. With the increased water capacity on board, more pressure and fine nozzles to penetrate the spray of water right into the heat sources. "That should do it boss, she'll stop on a sixpence now!" Yeah, yeah," I thought!
Roger's just about finished painting and lacquering the silver side guards, purple on the bonnet and generally cleaning wheels etc, so she looks good!

Ben has shed about 200kgs with his angle grinder, cutters and gas torch, so improvements it must be but we'll wait and see about the lap times when we get there! But will it do the business? Thruxton is the fastest circuit in Europe, with the longest flat out sections of any circuit we visit, with the least amount of stopping power needed. One main braking point is at the end of the 100mph straight down to the chicane, with one other hard braking point at the complex, so basically a flat out lap with only two major braking points.

I like Thruxton very much and usually do well here because you need to be able to slide the truck in and out of 100mph corners and keep the boot in. 6 tons of truck at 100mph to within a couple of inches on the track - this place shows if you have what I call truck control (bottle). Many have found out that if you get it wrong you're doomed to a big off, never to return that day! Ccan't wait to get there!

Its now 7pm on Friday night and I'm just paying my workers and finishing off the outgoing freight for Friday nights trunk drivers, Ben and Ernie left with the Kenworth and the racer at 4pm, to get a decent place in the paddock, couple up the water and electric before they get used up, unload and get in position before it gets dark.

Can I go yet, I ask, yes I've finished work its 7.30pm. Jane and Jess have arrived, so it's time to go! "Bye work, I'll be back Monday", I say to myself and we're off, Jane holding on and Jess has fallen asleep after a couple of minutes, its full speed to Thruxton -V8-350hp-Merc for fastest possible time to the track. No coppers anywhere and a good run gets us to Thruxton at 8.45pm.

Ben and Ern have got it all set up ready for the weekend. Ben's gone off chasing girls and Ern's settled down in the chair with a large brandy and coke plus a cigar.

Up with the lark at 7.00am on Saturday morning, over to sign on at 8.00am, scrutineering by 9.00am with no faults. 1st practice timed section 10.00am and out we go to get the feel of things and to begin the track time.
On the 2nd lap exiting the chicane the offside rear leaf spring broke in half with a bang after using the inner kerbs in my usual fashion as a launch pad to exit the bend as quick as possible - dropping the rear of the truck like a stone on the track. "Great" I thought, into the pits we go with one lap under my belt. We had one spare spring leaf with us, so loosened the u/bolts and slid the new leaf under. The temper and profile of this leaf was not like the original, so I knew this would drastically affect the rear handling, creating a serious imbalance and fighting effect between the rear offside and nearside suspension - never mind, just have to manage!

The 2nd timed session at 11.00 was going better. I managed to get a couple of quick laps in and she was going well, the back end was a bit all over the place but who cares it would have to just follow the front. I started pushing quicker on the fast sections up to the ton, through understeer and oversteer to flat out mode. Unbeknown to me my front nearside shock absorber had developed a leak on a seal, letting all the hot hydraulic oil out onto my front nearside tyre and instead of making the fast right-hander at church curve at 100mph went straight off into the field, "brilliant"!!
Braking wouldn't bring the speed down across the field, towards the tyre wall we went dead straight - steering right had no effect, direct impact into the tyres at about 90mph looked inevitable - a last chance blast on the gas brought the back end round just in time to miss the tyres by about a foot. I couldn't then see the track again and the direction I was supposed to be going in.

I rejoined the circuit, but the big off had now seriously damaged the shocker with erratic wheel wobble and savage vibration up through the steering. Into the pits we went again to retire from the session. Out of the 20 or so laps available to practice I had completed 5 with semi quick. "Could it get any worse?" I thought as I returned to my pit.

Yes, it could and I was to find out later.

Times checked we still got 3rd on the grid-not too bad. Up with the bonnet and yes, it was confirmed the nearside front shocker was now useless! Now bearing in mind these shocks have given me 2 years good service, but are a bit special, and very expensive. We hadn't got a spare complete unit, only a seal kit.
What could we do? I cannot go back out without damping on the front suspension.

A team decision was made to put the knackered one on the back to go with the knackered spring and bring a good rear shocker up to the front. Good plan, but we all knew that the rear shocks are rated and set to work with a load of around 1 ton per wheel, but the load required for the front is 2 tons (100% overload).

It was decided it was all we could do and if I kept off the kerbs it could last to the end of the weekend.
One practice session left for the Anglo French race to test shocks and generally set up for the 1st championship race at 4.00pm. Between dry, wet, could be either weather conditions that ensued during Saturday. Out we go again!

All started ok and I actually managed to do a complete session, but towards the end the front end handling began to deteriorate. Back to the pit we went, Ern looking worried. Up with the Bonnet and sure enough the underrated shocker had failed.

"Who have I upset?" I thought to myself, to deserve this torture! Anyway don't loose your head everyone is trying there best. You may have gathered I get very frustrated when it does not go well!!

What now, we thought? Now we've got 2 out of 4 shocks u/s. The race is in two and a half hours. Load up and go home? Give up? Not likely! So around the paddock I go on the hunt for shock absorbers. No one has got anything like them spare. The hope diminishes - then I spy under the front of John Newells sparkling brand new truck, a pair of bright red adjustable shocks, just what I need. Seeing him break down in an earlier session and being towed in by a wrecker truck I wondered…

My merciless streak came into play, "hi John" I said "all ok?" With his chin on the floor he explained his engine had blown and he was out for the rest of the weekend, just what I wanted to hear. But could I pull it off with my usual charm! "Bit of a blow then John" I said, "I wondered if I could buy, borrow, anything actually, your gleaming red shock absorbers off the front of your broken down truck?" I cringed, for the guy was gutted about his engine failure. "Well if it helps you Steve sure, my mechanic will take them off, yours take yours off and we'll get you out there this afternoon!"

What a lifesaver, and a genuine good o'l boy Johnny is, cheers John!

Were ready just in time! Brand new shocks on the front, 2 sort of things on the back, stuff the back I thought, fronts good! However, different new fronts - how would they react? Would they need to be harder, softer or what? Johns Man set them to how John has them, but his driving styles so different to mine and Johns truck is very different on axle weights.

Anyway no time to test, track dry, 3rd on the grid. We'll see!

Stuart in pole, Nigel 2nd (outside), me 3rd up behind Stuart and Roy by the side of me. Onto the rolling lap we go, I'm weaving, warming up the brakes, testing the positive front turn in, wondering how she would handle speed! No time to wonder, were at the chicane, single file through and then quickly paired up again. Approaching the lights in formation, speed around 40mph. Lights still on red, "come on, Come on" I'm holding 1100 horse power that wants to go. Speed still steady, Stuart setting the pace, lights eventually go green and its go go go…stay up with Stuart to try and block out Nigel into 1st right hander - speed rising all the time up one gear, then half gear accelerating, "come on Stuart" I'm saying to myself, I've got to stop Nigel coming in between us. Up to about 90mph and I'm 3 inches off Stuarts rear crossmember, he brakes early, I gently hit him up rear, just what I didn't want to happen, I brake, turn in, desperately trying to keep Nigel out!

Where's Roy, I think, there he is, trying to get me up inside. We are three abreast, up to the complex, up to 100mph, Stuart gets there first. I'm still managing to keep Nigel out for the next right-hander, I brake a bit earlier this time, that was what Nigel needed, he cut between us, and slotted into second. I kick myself for letting it happen, check the mirrors for Clarkey who's all over the back of me, we're coming onto the fast section so it's flat out - would the shocks cope? No time to test, straight up to full speed sawing at the wheel. Stuart although cautious at the start has now started to pull out a lead, Nigel always fast on this section following but cannot match Stuarts pace.

Good!! Clarkey falling back a bit on me now on the fast section, now I can concentrate on going forward without being a rear gunner. Down the straight to the chicane she wants to go faster, can't hold it on 100 - don't go over and get disqualified!

Nigel goes deep into the braking point but gets away with it, and as though on rails, through the chicane he goes - makes it look easy! I brake late as usual, go in deep, too fast I think down a gear, trying to take 6 ton truck down from 100 to 35mph in a few yards, one back brake locks up and I arrive sideways! Boot it, I exit sideways with the rear end of the truck all over the place, accelerate, accelerate, onto another lap. I was unable to gain any ground on Nigel, let alone Stuart with my rear end handling problem on the slow corners. But frantic to catch up I go off on lap 6, then rejoin, miss a gear and Clarkey gets me - I finish 4th!
Not happy at all with my performance.

The truck goes into parc ferme for 20 mins, to cool down and I walk back to the trailer for a sit down to kick myself-hard! Ernie's keeping his head down, worrying about what went wrong. After a while of personal mind space, the truck returns and the days pressure over, I explain that it was down to the driver - too anxious to go forward and generally arsed it up! Ernie and Ben look relieved.

We discuss how the truck is working, and I in my enthusiasm describe it as a shed on wheels!

Five hours of work commences up to 10.00pm, firming up the rear suspension, lowering the tyre pressures, softening up the front re lining the brakes and a total check over. I was hoping for a miracle to get me through tomorrow.

It was raining heavily Sunday morning with the race in two and a half hours time. Would it be a dry or wet day?
We still had not found a dry set up - let alone change it to a wet set up, I'm past caring!!

We invited guests on Sunday, various local friends and clients of Cherwell come and have a good day out at the race meeting with their mate Steve. Jane supplied the sandwiches and cakes with friendly spirit.
They started to arrive at 9.30 ish, asking how it was going, I tried to make decent conversation and smile but felt like saying "it's a bloody disaster!" Let me go home!

Now 10.00am time to go, "you can do it", I say to myself, get out there and show all these people what you can do. Will the driver hold up, I'm on a mission and you will be driven hard, to destruction I tell her, to give her the will!

Third on the grid again, this time I'll hang back a bit from Stuart I think, and get a slingshot of speed into the first corner and carry it through to the complex. My plan works, push, push, push. Stuart and I arrive at the complex as if glued together, Nigel has no where to go, he tries a cut in, we hit, "try that again" I think "and you're going to get it!" I said to myself.

Nigel's still blocked out, off the racing line, exiting the complex he tries another sling shot in from the other side, this time to part Stuart and me still stuck nose to tail, on the ragged edge. "Get out" I shout, just letting the back drift out a bit, that should do it, I thought waiting for the bang. Out onto the fast section, go, go, go, check the mirror, Nigels gone, "yes,yes,yes," I shout. Now Stuart is my target, push, push, push, she's working well, water brakes on, head down and go for it. Down the straight, get the slipstream - its working, pull out at the last minute and go down the right side. Stuart's wise to it, blocks the line, I try down the other side on the wrong line, madness, don't care; I'm on it baby and want to win! - We arrive at the chicane together, two go in only one comes out, he wont give an inch nor will I, but he's on the line - he just goes ahead. Then I'm going too fast, brake to try to bring the speed down, I cant stop, we hit, my front crash bar has hooked into his rear crash bar and were locked together. Time for a push I feel and floor it, Stuart's struggling to keep his Man straight with a little help from me behind, eventually we unlock and it's a race to the corner.

I've got him and I'm on my way, maximum points-go, go, go! Then what happens? I changed down at the complex and couldn't believe it as the gear lever broke off and fell on the floor. Stuart's by and gone in a second and I'm left with a sharp one inch metal stub instead of the nice eight inch long plastic covered top including my switch for my gear splits which lay on the floor two feet out of my grasp!

Can I finish this race? I frantically try to get a gear, yes it goes in - just! It's hard work though, keep going but what about the split button, is it in high or low? Can I do 100mph or only 85mph on to the fast section? Yes 100mph! I struggled but was coping. Roy was catching me up through the slower sections but I was leaving him on the fast section. Second would do, the gear stub put a hole through my glove and was now penetrating the skin!" Keep going ignore the pain" I say to myself. I would have too if an air pipe hadn't decided to detach itself from a fifty pence pipe joiner, and over the course of half a lap I lost all my air bringing on the brakes and making the clutch pedal solid. 1100hp must be able to keep these wheels turning I went past the pit entrance stopping voluntarily not even an option, but ground to a halt on the start-finish straight just twenty yards from the line on lap six. They said if I had crossed the line and been on lap seven I would have completed 70% of the race and been classified! No finish - no points!

With Nigel out I really needed the points in this race to leap frog back to second place. Ah well, that's racing, you cant' plan for the unexpected, it just goes from bad to worse, down again in the points.
The truck mod's made before this meeting definately worked, we were back on the pace, with better brakes butwe were let down this weekend by other components that couldn't take the strain.

Back home we go gutted, to prepare for the next round - Zolder, Belgium-in September. Playing catch up again, the battle continues!!!!!!

......Nurburgring Meeting Report......

......Zolder Meeting Report......