Today was my first sprint, (ever!) at North Weald in Essex. Conditions dry and sunny spells but a biting cold wind that just blows through your nomex race suit as if it wasnt there.
First up was my first meeting with the scrutineers, something I had been worrying about, but, as it would happen, it coincided with the obligitory drivers briefing so I left Ricky, my 12 year old son, in charge of the car while I attended the briefing, on returning, somewhat anxious, I found the car had passed and the only advice given was for a label to show where the door opening levers were as it is not obvious from the outside.
Got 3 practice runs in the morning and 3 timed runs after lunch, could have had at least another run but had to call it a day, mothers day after all.
Must admit that the track was poorly laid out, the wind put paid to a lot of the cones and lack of time precluded a full walk around beforehand. On my first run I was just face with a massive wide expanse of concrete and no idea where I should be aiming for. A convoy run before the event started would have been appreciated as it wasnt just us first timers having problems.
The hairpin bends, 4 of them, were just a single cone marker bollard with an arrow pointing to the correct side, there is no official line and and tons of space to get it wrong. more like an auto test then a sprint course and very different to anything I have done before. It was impossible to work out where the finish was after the final turn and,on my first run,I had assumed I had finished when passing a marshalls post and lifted off, poodling across the line and losing at least 5 secs in the process. (even after my last run of the day I was still unsure of the route to the finish.) next run was far better but selected 4th instead of second at one point. 3rd run would be my best of the day and 15 secs or so better than my first attempt.
After lunch things went astray somewhat and what I thought was a tidy lap turned out a second down on my best morning time. Next run I half spun and my final disaster after playing with tyre pressures- which transformed the car throught the first chicane- caught me out at the first hairpin when the increased entry speed meant I had no chance of slowing and did a full 360+ and killed the engine which took a lifetime to re- start. (why is that, after a spin engines are so difficult to re start despite always starting first time normally?)
All in all I think I enjoyed the day....car attracted a lot of attention and although being well off the pace I think I learned a lot. It was after all the first time I had driven it in anger.
I have the first championship round on the 16th also at North Weald and will be glad of this shakedown event, at least i should now know which direction to go.
Thanks to Borough 19 Motor club and all the marshalls for a good day.
. Still working on her but I wont have had enough flying hours to drive her to the best of my ability without perhaps having a mishap. 
