My co-drivers: Bob & Nige (ignore the rubbish red car in front)
So I had a word with a couple of friends, and on a sunny Monday morning we met up (at a ridiculously early hour) at the famous motor racing circuit. This event was organized by Motor Sport Vision and was allegedly a "novice" day, but aside from ourselves it was difficult to find anyone else who wasn't pretty experienced - most of the other cars had roll cages welded in etc.
Some of the competition!
Anyway, we were allocated four 20 minute track sessions during the day, and we rotated driving / passengering / watching between the 3 of us. I had a short lesson half-way through: Unfortunately it was cut short unexpectedly, when the car in front went off at Druids and left oil on the road!
I have to admit I was utter rubbish at driving. I think it was partly because having built the car myself, there was always a lingering anxiety at the back of my mind that I had forgotten to tighten up the suspension or something! The instructor was getting pretty shirty with me at one stage...
Brake! Turn! Accelerate! etc. etc.
It wasn't until I was sitting in the passenger seat with my mates driving, that I realised what the car was really capable of! I've never been so scared in my life... Bob & Nige were a million times faster than me around the track. In fact, Nige was black-flagged for overtaking an Aston DB9 on the inside at Druids!
Bob at the wheel
Who do you think you are? Nigel Mansell?
I have to admit that since this event, my driving has definitely been cranked up several notches; I learned a hell of a lot in a relatively short time! But I think I need to go back for some more instruction, to really push this amazing little car to the edge of the envelope.
What a great day. Several well-earned beverages in the Thistle hotel bar afterwards.
