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Saxmax Championship Round 5 - 16th July 2006 - Pembrey
After yesterday’s good performance, I was keen to follow it up
with another good result in today’s race meeting. With the
temperature at its highest, it wasn’t going to be an easy task to
fulfil. My Timed Practice could be pretty much summed up as a
disaster as I was unable to get the one quick lap. The problem
occurred when I came across a slower car straight away in the
session and to get some clear track I had to drop back wasting 2 of
my flying laps. After getting a quick lap in, I had caught the car
up again so I tried to overtake him in Hatchets Hairpin. The move
itself was successful, but after running slightly wide on the exit,
the car swept across the racing line and contact occurred between
us. Because of this I had to go into the pit lane where some of my
bodywork had been damaged and my right front wheel had been knocked
out of line. I managed to get back out on the track for a couple of
more laps, but the damage had been done. The
incident itself could have been avoided and it was my fault for
expecting the car to take the inside line rather than the racing
line that I was on, even though I had nowhere else to go on the
track but to keep my line. Because of this I was left down in 17th
on the grid and a lot of work to do in the race. After a few repairs
and tracking the front wheels, I was ready to compete again.
Off the start line I got a good start but by
the first corner I had lost out. The car in the early stages of the
race was performing well and I worked my way up through the midfield
and was able to pull off an extremely difficult move into the second
turn. Unfortunately, I then came across 2 cars that decided to
resort to continuous contact through all corners for 2 consecutive
laps and it was inevitable an incident was going to happen. When
coming through Honda Curve, one of the cars pushed the other
sideways and we were all out of shape coming onto the pit straight.
I managed to brake to avoid the other cars, but it caused my wheels
to lock up and I spun. This left me in last position and for the
rest of the race with an over steering car I managed to salvage a
few positions, crossing the line in 16th.
It was unlucky that I was in the wrong place at
the wrong time, but my qualifying position had put me there. The
only consolation for me was that the 2 drivers causing me to spin
both did not finish the race and that I had carried out come really
good overtaking moves during the course of the weekend. Overall the
weekend has been mixed as yesterday went superbly, while today luck
just wasn’t on my side, but contact and incidents are bound to
happen, as after all, it is motor sport.
Amy Scarisbrick
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