A few ungrades for Brands Hatch

Following a reasonable run at Snetterton I felt it was time to look at suspension options, The set up I've always run up until now was a spax RSX kit with inboard rear springs. I've always felt there was better options out there but stuck with them for the first year.

One option was to rebuild the spax as they'd done 2 years racing, however after chatting to a few people in the paddock I was offered a set of Gaz Gold full coilovers.

Also added a new set of Pagid discs (kept the Pagid RS29 pads) as the old one's had terrible vibration at Snetterton, and new front wheel bearings.

The first test will be on the Brands Hatch GP circuit this weekend so fingers crossed there's some improvement over the old set up, otherwise I'll have to find another excuse for not moving up the field.

Snetterton 300 - 7th April 2013 - PBMW rounds 1 & 2

After what seamed like the longest, coldest winter in memory it was time for the first 2 rounds of the 2013 Production BMW championship,which took place on the 7th April on the Snetterton 300 circuit.

It doesn't seam right that one of the biggest worries going in to the first rounds was to be the very real chance of snow making an appearance at Snetterton.  Thankfully the Sun cam out for us which made for a much more pleasant trip.

We spend Friday testing the car were a number of respectable sub 2:30m laps were put so went into qualifying feeling positive. However I got stuck it a bit of traffic and despite trying to drop back and leave a gap I was unable to repeat the times of Friday. Ended up qualifying 24th out of 33 with a time of 2:31.498.

After a slightly disappointing start there were further issues when existing the first corner all I could see was smoke where another competitor had spun, unfortunately being in the middle of the track I had little choice but to brake whilst cars on the outside could pass. Managed to pick up a place over all and had a great battle with Kevin Hodgin

Started Race 2 in 23rd a much less eventful race mostly spent chasing and eventually passing Rob Cooper for 19th with a much more positive best lap of 2:29.724 which whilst sill a far way off of the front runners was 0.8s faster than last year.

Now just need to get the car ready for rounds 3 and 4 on the Brands Hatch Grand Prix circuit. we were having a lot of vibration under breaking so new discs have been ordered and hopefully will have new coilovers and all of the geometry looked at in time for Brands.

2013 and time for a bit of colour & test day

With the 2013 season rapidly approaching it was time to add a little color to the car before heading off for a test day at Snetterton on the 300 circuit.  Also please to have picked up some welcome sponsorship from parc ferme surveyors which will inject some welcome support for the 2013 season.

The test day started off with a light dusting of snow which made for an interesting first run of the year. A damp morning gave the opportunity to try the car on a damp circuit for the  first time.

By the afternoon the track had dried and some sensible laps put in to get used to driving the car again.

Car all seams to be running well, with just a few tweaks required before the first race of the season at Snetterton in a few weeks.

Snetterton 300 - 1st July 2012 - PBMW rounds 7 & 8

Having competed in the Project 8 races the day before I went into qualifying fairly confident, a few clear laps gave me a best lap of 2:30:508 and 21st out of 34 on the grid for the first race. Slightly disappointed after better qualifying in the previous round at Silverstone, however looking at the times 15th on the grid was within a second.

The first race didn't exactly go to plan, a fairly awful start (might have tried to pull away in third) left me in a position where I was hit by a spinning car before I'd even got to the start line.

Having got through the first couple of corners I thought I'd got away with it and would be able to continue in the race, however at the first left hander it was very apparent that the front wing was fouling the wheel and I'd have to retire. A little hammering the front and rear arches straight enough and far enough away from the wheels to be safe for race 2.

Retiring from race 1 meant I'd have to start race 2 from the back of the grid, not wanting a repeat of race 1 I opted for a conservative run through the first 2 corners, the second corner is a very tight hairpin and a common place for a little contact. Having made it through the first couple of corners I then got on with the job of trying to make up as many places as possible in the 15minute race. Finished in 24th which was quite respectable having started from the back of the grid.

Now just need to sort out a new front wing before Oulton Park on the 21st July

Snetterton 300 - 30th June Project 8 racing saloons

Normally the car is run in Project 8 racing saloons by a friend but as he had other work commitments I took the opportunity for some extra track time. The PBMW cars have there own class within the project 8 Racing Saloons series.

A total of 9 entrants made up this class so I was please to qualify 4th of 9 in class F and 20th/27 overall.

A couple of enjoyable races but frustrating at time when racing with cars that were faster on the straight but slower through the bends, maybe a little more race craft is required on my part. Finished 5th and 6th in class F after a couple of close races.

Silverstone National - 12/13th May 2012 - PBMW rounds 5 &6

It was back to Silverstone for rounds 5 and 6 of the production BMW championship this time on the much shorter National circuit.

As there was only one new corner to learn over the previous rounds on the GP circuit I opted not to test on the Friday, Qualifying took place on a sunny Saturday afternoon, Struggled through qualifying with a very spongy brake pedal and a couple of spins so was happy to have qualified 15th out of 31 which was the furthest up the grid all year.

Sunday morning arrived and with freshly bled brakes we lined up on the for race 1. Managed to get a clean get away and within a few laps was running on my own with the cars of Andy Mac and Brian Jones fighting a few seconds behind and 4 or 5 other cars involved in a close battle a few seconds in front. Despite trying to catch the guys in front I never quite got there making for an uneventful race 1. Finished 15th on the road but was promoted to 14th after another competitor finished under weight.

Started race 2 in the same order as finishing race 1 so 14th on the grid. Another reasonable get away but unfortunately overtaken by Brian Jones.

Had a much more eventful race 2 trying to catch and pass Brian whilst also desperately defending my own position from the ever present cars of Andy Mac and Steve Turtill. This lasted the entire 15 minute race and I was quite content to finish 15th and relieved to finally see the chequered flag. The 4 of us crossed the line within 1.5s. Another great race and most importantly no dents, missing paint or falling out with other competitors

The racing bug has really bitten as the Friday before Silverstone I also picked up a 3.0 BMW E36 M3, looking to build the car to run in the Project 8 racing salons or CTCRC pre '93 touring car series towards the end of 2013.

Silverstone GP - 14/15th April 2012 - PBMW round 3

Rounds three and four of the PBMW championship took place on the Silverstone GP circuit as one of the support races for the Formula 2 event. Having never driven at Silverstone I opted to take part in testing on the 13th

Having run in the test day on the 13th I went into qualifying positive, Qualifying was to take just 15 minutes which isn't many laps of the full GP circuit when you only have 130bhp. Qualified 19th out of 41 competitors in class, on a grid which was to be shared with the faster project 8 racing saloons.

Another positive came when the lights went green and we were off as unlike the 2 previous rounds at brands hatch I made a reasonable start holding on to the pack though the first series of corners, avoiding a substantial accident at Becketts and heading out onto the hanger straight in one piece.

The good luck was a little short lived when on the third lap I turned into the Stowe corner at the end of the Hanger straight and spun.

Given the speed at which the car broke away I was slightly concerned that there was a puncher or other issue with the car.

Getting back on the circuit found be back towards the back of the field with some quite bad wheel wobble, still a little concerned about any potential issues with the car I opted to drive at 90% and bring the car home. Finished 30th.

As the Project 8 and PBMW grids had been combined I didn't run in the second race but the car ran in the hands of Ben. following having the front wheels rebalanced and suspension checked it ran well.