Pembrey, Wales - November 2002

After getting back from Donnington, I was ready to start work by 10.30am Monday morning.

Sometimes I wonder, when I've put it all in place on Saturday morning, ready for the following week, how so much can either change or go wrong by 10.30am Monday morning! But if you're in the logistics business I'm sure it's no different for you!

So----- Number one customer's problems first please! One at a time please and slowly!! 11.30am saw all the pressing problems sorted out for the day.

I saw Ben sneak in at around 11am, and at about 12 noon, after about six coffees, I had a walk over to the workshop to see the boy to recap on the weekend. The final rounds of the Championship were this coming weekend at Pembrey. What did we need to do this week in preparation?

She looked a right mess! Bonnet twisted, not fitting and broken. Rear wheel and tyre smashed, with the axle looking out of line. Offside guard, rear wing, water tanks, brackets etc., etc., all bent, and she's very, very dirty.

Ben said, "At least the engine is on song now Dad!"

Ben, Gary and Roger the painter worked hard all week to get her looking much, much
Better by Friday night. Sometimes working until 11pm.

As well as the cosmetics we had brake shoes, wheels, tyres and engine oil to change. Turbo and various engine and moving parts to check, and the clutch to adjust. A wash from top to bottom, so you could see your face in the diff bowl and engine sump took place under floodlights around 9pm on the Friday night.

We loaded up for Pembrey on Saturday morning and stocked up with parts used at the last Meeting, filled the transporter lockers with the tools necessary for the one day Meeting on Sunday. (Another 1 x day of qualifying + two Races)

Ben is looking very stressed and tired. With all the work that he's done this week to prepare, he's well aware that if the slightest thing goes wrong on Sunday, I won't be happy! Could an air pipe blow off? A wire come off? Something small like that, that he's not checked that would put me out of the Race!

The way the Championship was at this time, was - Stuart leading, Ross 2nd - With me in 3rd. I couldn't win enough points to get a higher position, even if both of them failed to finish, but I had three other competitors, who could take my 3rd place, if I failed to finish! So - we'd better go and defend 3rd!

When, Jane, Jess and Kylie turned up around 1pm, and put the last few things into the trailer, I don't think that any of us really wanted to go, as the busy year we'd had was starting to take its toll. But, you know when you've just got to do something; you just go and do it! Don't you!

We left around 2pm on Saturday for Pembrey, Wales UK For Rounds 11 and 12
On 10th November 2002

Ben's straight to sleep before we've done five miles! Cuddling up to Kylie in the sleeper compartment! Jess is sat in the passenger seat, with Jane and Elsie, my secretary, following in the car.

I don't think we spoke until we'd done an hour's driving. With 2 ½ to go, I looked over to Jess and said, " How are we going to get on then girl?" she said," Another two 3rds I expect Dad, but watch out for Dave Jenkins, as he wants your 3rd place." I said," don't worry darling, even if he beats me in the Race, he can't beat me in the Championship." She replied, "Yes…" then paused "But if he takes you out in Race 1, he could beat you Dad!" I can always rely on Jess to tell me the facts and not beat about the bush!!

Pembrey, Wales UK Rounds 11 and 12
On 10th November 2002

We arrived at about 6.30pm Saturday evening, unloaded and pitted up. At 9pm we were all sat having dinner at a restaurant five miles down the road. While we were doing this, I was hoping that no one was tampering with my truck at the pit! I asked Ben if we were all ready for the morning, and he replied with a very positive "Yeah!! Loads of power Dad, give 'em something to surprise them all at the last meeting!" He's awake now of course, after three and a half-hours sleep on the way down!

Next morning we'd scrutineered by 8.30am and out on the Track by 9.30am to qualify. Although it wasn't raining - it hadn't stopped in Wales for a whole week, night and day before now, so the Track was waterlogged with two sections being pumped out by two fire engines, delaying the start of the Session. Guess what! Stuart, Pole - Ross 2nd and me in 3rd. Matt Summerfield 4th and Dave Jenkins 5th. Right behind me on the grid! I thought about what Jess had said, as what she had forecasted, started to come true, as if she had mystic powers! And, me seeing six single magpies on the way down yesterday didn't help!

I saw Dave a few times before the start of the Race, walking around the Pits, and he kept grinning at me! I think Jess had got it 'spot on!' So - I tried to figure out the solution, but had to try and think, when the lights turned to Green, what Dave would do? Because, as sure as eggs are eggs he was going to take me out by, or at the first turn! And, with the grass being like a bog, there would not be a hope of rejoining the circuit to complete the Race distance. So - tactical racing had to come into play.

With Matt by the side of me, who is relatively inexperienced at the front of the grid, I tried to decide what Ross and Matt would do first. I thought I knew what Stuart would do (go round the first corner first) But WHAT would happen after him? The first corner is a hairpin, so its up to about 90mph on the start, and then brake hard, down two gears to around 25-30mph to make the corner. Usually three can go in, but only one comes out in the lead, it's that tight.

The lights changed to Green and it started to pan out. I did a slow start, letting Matt go, moved over to the left, which was enough for Dave to go past on the right side. I didn't hurry to the corner because I could sense something was going to happen….

Ross tried to race Stuart to the corner, on the outside, which of course he didn't pull off, and then had to brake heavily - Matt hit Ross very hard from behind, pushing him wide, at the same time. Dave hit Stuart from behind, pushing him wide as well, and Dave got through and came out the first corner in the lead. I passed the two front runners in the first corner, as they were facing the wrong way, stuck to each other! - Going nowhere - trying to select a forward gear! Dave's off into the distance with me trying to catch him. I don't know what happened to Matt, but I think he ended up 100 yds past the corner, stuck in the mud! A bit of learning curve for the lad. It's not just speed you need to win a Race, or a Championship.

All I had to do was finish with two x 5th places to maintain my position in the Championship, which I thought was easily achievable, barring the unexpected this weekend. So, although I didn't want to look slow, I wasn't racing for 3rd. Then here I am, in 2nd with the two guys I've been trying to beat all year, behind me, stopped still! Nice one! What next? Dave's in front, can't take me out from that position, so I'd better get on with it because it will only be a matter of time before Stuart and Ross are breathing down my neck!

I didn't try to catch Dave, just be gentle on my machine and stay on the Track to get a finish. I knew all my team would be praying with their fingers crossed for me to finish the Race, so that was what I was trying to do.

Sure enough after 6 Laps came Stuart, who almost took my mirrors off as he went by like a man possessed and in his charge to the front. I could see Ross in the mirror coming up as well, but thought I would try and hold him up a bit, because a step on the podium would be nice, but without putting myself at risk, and I trusted Ross not to give me a shove from behind.

Although he tried, he couldn't find a way past me, and I took the chequered flag in 3rd place, with Dave 2nd and Stuart, of course 1st.

8 more Points, and a Trophy? Dave had got one Point up on me in that Race, but was still 6 Points behind. I had to finish 5th or higher to be sure of 3rd in the Championship. 1st and 2nd had been confirmed, and could not be altered, whatever happened in this coming Race, but 3rd place was still wide open, and would be decided only after this last race of the year.

About an hour before the start of Race 2, I'm in the Pit Lane giving rides around the circuit to a few punters or friends, to give them the feel of six and a quarter tons at 100mph from the passenger seat of my Race Truck. One - out lap. One - fast lap, one -in-lap, trying to give them an adrenaline rush without scaring them! Four rides I gave, watching as Ben tried to strap in big, bigger and still bigger people, adjusting and pulling the belts, plonking a helmet on their heads, all in the fastest possible time, in our 20 minute lunchtime window!

I wish I hadn't done those hospitality rides though, because 20 minutes before the start of Race 2, I'd developed two different banging noises while going through the bends during the rides, and had asked Ben to check them out back at the pit. She'd obviously been overloaded, as one of my cab mountings had sheared off the chassis, and the steering box was moving around on its 6bolt fixing to the chassis as well! Not good news for my superstitious mind to take in, I'm afraid!!

I had visions of losing the steering at high speed, hitting the barrier and my cab coming off with me inside, going down the Track! But of course I couldn't tell anyone or the officials wouldn't let me out on the circuit. And especially not my wife who worries enough as it is, even when all is ok!

I nearly called it a day there and then on self-preservation rules. Ben assured me that he could tighten the bolts to the steering box in the time available, but could not do
anything about the cab mounting. "What do you want me to do Dad?" he asked. I set Jess, Kylie and Jane on getting the rest of the normal jobs done, ie diesel, water, cleaning the windscreen etc., while I adjusted my brakes and instructed Ben to get some help and tighten them bolts. Just as I'd finished asking people to do all this we had the first call - "Race Trucks for Race 2 to the forming up area now please!"

With all the normal preparation completed I got in the cab and strapped myself in. I couldn't go anywhere yet though, as the bonnet was still up and a big wrench with 3ft piece of scaffold tube on the end of it was being pulled clockwise by two blokes trying to tighten the 12mm bolts to the steering box. As I sat there waiting I hoped that no other Truck would hit me in the door hard at the first corner, as that would be enough to knock the cab off!

All of a sudden the wrench flew out from under the Truck, the bonnet was shut and secured. At the same time I started the engine, and put my gloves on. Ben opened my door and shouted " Two bolts went up a bit, one stripped and two are ceased! Be careful Dad!!"

As I moved forward from my Pit, the paddock man got on his radio to hold the start of the Race, which was due to start in 30seconds time! I bet those 'on time' drivers were cursing me for keeping them waiting on the grid!

I drove slowly round to the grid and was ushered up the middle of the forming up pack to take my 3rd place grid slot.

Stuart was in Pole - David 2nd and Ross by the side of me in 4th, with the 'high speed rammer' Matt behind me!!

No time to even put the handbrake on for within a few seconds we're moving to start the Rolling Lap. A pull left and then right on the steering to feel what it's like…It seems better, no banging and positive. But for how many Laps? I kept thinking to myself - Don't mix it with them, let them go! Finish 4th or 5th .LET THEM GO! If you're a racer though it's hard to listen to reason, when the red mist comes down over your visor!

The lights change to Green, and we're off. The fast three race to the first corner. I held back just a bit, and keep a tight inside line. All three collide at the first corner! Stuart is sideways - Dave is off on the right, and Ross is off on the left, all desperately trying to come out of the turn in the lead! I turn in and collect Ross with my near side front wheel and wing, then I collect Stuart with my offside rear wheel. Dave shoots across the Track in front of me! Here I am trying to keep out of trouble and I'm right in the thick of it! At Turn 1, and approaching Turn 2, Ross is on my left side. Stuart on my right. We're three abreast approaching the turn with Dave half on the grass trying to overtake all of us!

I was in a sandwich and was being rubbed from both sides as they got just ahead of me, under braking for Turn3, with Dave nudging Ross from behind! Ross and Stuart are going too quick, and go wide over the grass on the exit of Turn 3, letting Dave take the lead, leaving Ross 2nd and Stuart 3rd, followed by me in 4th. On the approach to Turn 5 (a fast curve) Stuart is all over the back of Ross, trying to find a way past him, and just catches his offside front bumper on Ross' near side rear corner. In a split second Stuart's gone, two wheels on the grass, to four wheels on the very wet grass doing around 90mph heading in the wrong direction towards the 4ft high dirt banking 100 yards away! At Turn 6 we had a Red flag displayed, and the Race was stopped. This was due to the severity of Stuart's impact with the tyres and dirt bank, and the ambulance being automatically dispatched onto the Track by Race Control, rushing to see if he was ok. Stuart was ok, but the Truck was half way up the 4ft high dirt bank looking skywards!!!

It took some fifteen minutes to get the Truck off the dirt, without doing any more damage to it, and he rolled back onto the starting grid covered in mud, and grass and with a lot of body panels damaged or missing!

We were still under a Red flag situation, so it was only when Stuart re-formed on the grid that Ben, or Stuart's mechanic Robby, were allowed on the grid to check the Trucks over on safety grounds before the restart. My mirrors had been knocked round, the bonnet had come unlocked, my near side front wheel trim bent in, and my rear offside mudguard was bent up! Ben sorted these few things out, as best he could while Robbie pulled a few more lumps of body panels and tufts of grass from Stuart's Truck!

Meanwhile, Dave was walking around the grid, looking menacing, with his hands on his hips! Ross was just sat in his cab, patiently and quietly waiting…

A few minutes later the 2-Minute Board was displayed and the grid cleared of pedestrians and before the 1 Minute Board was down.. We were on our way to do it all again!

We all flew down to the first corner, four fast Trucks a few inches apart, and being trailed by the others. But this time without any 'coming togethers!' Ross lost it and spun, Stuart lost it as well, but did get half way around the corner before he was facing the wrong way! and Dave got into the lead again, with me in 2nd

First corner over. On with the water brakes. Keep your nose clean, and try and finish, 4th shall we say? Don't overdo it! 4th would be ok for us! Try telling that to Stuart or Ross although they'd guaranteed their Championship positions before the Race had even started! They both still wanted to win and did not want to be beaten by me, or especially Dave! 4th's are no good for them! So, they've recovered, and are on a charge behind me, picking off 6th, 5th , 4th , 3rd place competitors in a very 'Let me go past or else,' attitude! The other competitors all played the easy life game, driving left or right as soon as they were behind them!

I was quite a way up the road and Dave even further, driving like a man whose pants were on fire! He very much wants to beat Stuart you see! So he can 'mouth off' to him afterwards! But Stuart and Ross both new that I wouldn't be easy to pass. Although they didn't know it, I really wanted them to overtake me so I could just finish in one piece! So, I thought I'd play them each up a bit when they got in my rear view mirror, but no too much or Dave would win!

Lap 3, I first spied them in the mirror…..

Lap 5, Stuart's here first, Ross about two corners behind him. 'Hello Champion!' I thought 'you'll have to put that whole Truck down the side of me before I'll let you go! Be positive now though Stuart, as I wouldn't like to take you off by accident.' He hung around the back of me for two corners, waiting for me to move over, but I didn't you see! He was getting frustrated I could tell, and Ross was catching him up, giving him a bit of hassle from the rear now as well! My wicked streak started to take over! Into the 100mph curve and Stuart is still waiting for me to give him room on the Racing line. So instead I chopped him! Ross was sideways under braking, trying not to hit the rear of Stuart's Truck on 100mph as Stuart jumped on the brakes! And me? I was laughing my head off!!

I'm sure I could have held them if I really wanted to, to the end. Down the Main Straight and I'm in the middle of the Track, waiting to see which side Stuart would dive down, on the run down to Turn 1 'Come on!' I said to myself 'you've got a factory, loads of power engine, come on! Take me!!' It didn't do him any good in a straight line though because my engine is now quicker than his, and I knew it! Well - we were on 100mph by now, and he still couldn't decide which side to attack me from. So I decided for him, I pulled over to the right, leaving him the only option of the long way round the outside, so I could see how good he was! I had to brake now on my useless drum brakes and watch him drive by me, then stop on a sixpence and take Turn 1. Stuart got there too fast, and went wide. I went back into 2nd place, but where was Ross? Stuart chopped Ross on the exit of Turn 1, to have another crack at me, and keep Ross behind him!

But Stuart had to wait until the straight again on Lap 7, before he could bring on the challenge once more. This time he was concentrating on getting it right, and hung back off me into the last, fast Turn. He did this corner very quick, getting a textbook run at me down the straight. He knew he simply had to out-brake me, and get the line into Turn 1. Get the entry speed right, and that would be it! I made him go the long way round again, but this time he got it spot on and left me for dead on the exit to Turn 1!

So- One down, and one to go. Ross! We're now on Lap 8, two laps still to go. One Lap later Stuart has caught Dave and eat him for breakfast and is now in the lead! Ross was really hassling me, but I was trying to ignore his advances and play blocker. I pulled it off! Stuart 1st. Dave 2nd. Me 3rd Ross down in 5th after an 'off' on the last lap! (Not happy at all!)

8 Points and 3rd place in the Championship, and that's that for another year! And I'm still in one piece!! The Truck's well beat up again. Ben is ecstatic with all my other Team members just relieved it's all over!

Home we go! Very, very happy!!