An important Meeting for us as it is our closest home track, and we always invite a lot of our employees, customers, friends and families to come and watch the racing. Also it was the first Anglo/French Challenge of the year, and so we would be racing against the French Nationals for the first of a three round series. And, a busy Meeting for me, as I had arranged a Concours Truck Show, with some 40 shiny Trucks in four classes, to add to the attraction of the Race Meeting. All of which had to be parked up (straight), judged, and prizes awarded, throughout the weekend.

With the help of my secretary Elsie, with the Show Trucks, and Jane to feed and talk to our guests, all went well, and hopefully, the Show Trucks will be the start of something big, to bring back the crowds for Truck Racing in the future.

In contrast to Pembrey, being tight and twisty, Thruxton is wide and fast - so it would be interesting if we had any advantage over Stuart or Ross on this type of circuit. Saturday's race was on a wet track, although it wasn't raining at the time of the race. I was 3rd on the grid. A good start saw me down the side of Ross into the complex, but I was on the outside. Wrong line for the corner! Ross didn't see me there and we collided, he spun off, I got through into 2nd and started chasing Stuart hard. I had the edge on the fast sections but he could brake so late into the corners and seemed to get better traction out of the corners. I was giving him a good run for his money though anyhow, and every bit of advantage he took out of me on the corners, I took out of him on the fast sections. We were nose to tail for 4 laps, he got it a bit wrong at the chicane on the 4th lap, went wide, cut back across in front of me, and I hit him hard, straight up his rear cross-member, sorry Stuart - no brakes!!

On lap 5 a dry line had developed on the track, and I started struggling to keep up with him as the lap times got quicker. And worse - Ross had started to catch me up! Three laps to go. My brakes and tyres were starting to go off, the engine water temperatures were right up causing the power to go down slightly as well - not good. Stuart got further into the distance; Ross caught and passed me into the chicane on the last lap. So 3rd it was then! A disappointing end to a Race that started so well.

Sunday's race was dry. Suddenly, from nowhere, my clutch started slipping just as the lights went green, so I couldn't use full power and had to nurse her to the end. But still got another 3rd place.

I was fuming!! But - That's racing!!

We adjusted the clutch for the Anglo/French race and came home in 3rd place, and guess what - Stuart 1st and Ross 2nd - They called us Oliver's Army on the telly, which I suppose, was about right. We beat the French in both of the Anglo/French races at Thruxton, with the rest of the Brits battling with them right back to the 16th place!