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Here is my video of the great day.

Don't forget Del, he who laughs last laughs longest

This is the final race of the year for me, mainly due to lack of time, family commitments, holidays and a depleted bank balance. So off to Donnington Park I went with my friend Mark. This was a race meeting with the CSCC rather than the WSSCC. The format being 30 minutes practice/qualification and a 40 minute race with mandatory 60 second pit-stop. I was in the ‘Magnificent Sevens’ Group 1, which is for cars up to 185 bhp. Group 2 is for cars above 185 bhp. I was really looking forward to this one having been at Donny for trackdays in the past. I even started weight training to build up my lower arm strength for this 40 minute race. I knew from the Forum that another WSCC member was racing. Lee Morey or ‘Iowlee’, albeit he was in Group 2. We stayed at a pub with rooms near to the track, which wins the award for the most sticky tables in the Midlands... At least the bathroom was clean. This turned out to be an important fact. Marks snoring was quite frankly, unbelievably loud. I have always managed to avoid sharing a room with mark as I knew this and I forgot to pack my ear plugs. Damn. This meant at 2.30am and not having slept, I took matters into my own hands and moved the matress from my bed into the bathroom. This along with earplugs made of toilet tissue helped, but I didn’t really sleep until about 3.30am. Up at 6.45am, it was not the best preparation I was hoping for. Still nothing a gallon of strong tea, Lucozade and adrenaline could not sort out. Scrutinering was a non-event and only took a matter of minutes. Looking at the entries prior to the day, I was very concerned that I would be off the pace with a field almost exclusively of seasoned racers driving Caterhams. I knew I had lapped Donnington Park earlier in the year at a trackday in the low 1.22s and this didn’t bode well given the times of the entrants who were there the previous year. So out I went for the 30 minutes practice and quali, determined to not come last. We were qualifying with the Group 2 cars as well so it was busy. Some cars in Group 2 have 2.3 duratec’s and full pit crews, so it was an exercise of watching your mirrors whilst setting a time that I would be happy with. Lee followed me round for a few laps then overtook me, only to have a bit of a moment and end up running thought the gravel at McCleans – no damage done thankfully and he carried on (we both had a laugh about that one). I managed to set my best time on my penultimate lap, before I got the dreaded fuel surge again and had to come in 2 minutes before the end of the session. Lesson learnt. I posted a 1.21.5 which was good for 5th. I was more than happy with that. Lee managed a 1.19.9 which was a great time considering he had not even been to Donny before. So now we had a near 6-hour wait until my race. I managed to fill some of the time by helping Lee out with his race (Group 2). I offered to time his pit stop and give him some water. Mark was going to take his tyre pressures. The race turned out to be quite eventful. Lee pitted early as agreed but it was clear he had a problem. His front wheel arch had come loose and was rubbing against his tyre. We spend a very frantic 2 minutes trying to get a spanner and tighten up the nut. It was a blind panic as there was not a tool box/mechanic to be seen – blooming typical. We watched Lee go round for a few laps only for him to then start frantically pointing at his front arch again. Turns out it was his other arch rubbing this time. We prepare for another pit stop which the race commentator picked-up on but Lee decided to stay out. Having given me the thumbs up we monitored it from the pits for the rest of the race. Towards the end of the race Lee had another moment going straight on at the chicane, hitting the raised kerb and taking off skyward (the airport is next door Lee!). The floor was looking a little second hand but all was good. We also had more drama as one of the leading Caterhams managed to break his propshaft. The carbon firbre propshaft with CV joint still attached (well who doesn’t have a CF propshaft on their car?) came to a rest in the middle of the start/finish straight, being collected by one car which lost it’s rear arch as a result. Luckily no one was hurt. The safety car was called out and the Marshals grabbed it. So after a nervous wait, it was finally time for my race (Group 1). We were caller earlier than scheduled so Lee kindly stayed on, delaying his long drive home to help with my pit stop. I got a good start from the rolling grid. This was despite the 6th place Caterham being in front of me prior to the lights going out. At one point the grid was so messy I thought the start would be aborted. I held position in fifth despite grabbing some oversteer into Redgate and again at Craners (not something I want to repeat). Annoyingly I fluffed a gear change and didn't defend well going onto the back straight and lost two places as a result. It was that close running. My pain was made worse when I just could not find third coming out of the Foggy esses. This reined my speed along the start/finish straight. Fortunately, the two cars that overtook me continued to battle and I began to reduce the gap. One caterham span having lost the back end at McCleans and I managed to get clear of him for the rest of the race. Then at the next corner, the Westfiled of the Mowbray father/son team had a coming together with a Caterham and with bodywork all other the track, both retired from the race. This was a shame for the only other Westfield in the race. They were both quick too. Surprisingly, the safety car was not called out. I soon caught the car in front and we traded places for about 6 laps. This was sevens racing at its best with very equally matched machinery and plenty of drafting on the straights. The racing was hard fought, very close at times but clean and fair. I lost one of my front wings going down Craner Curves at some point was well. Shame really as it was CF. At about 23 minutes I pitted. This went as well as could have been expected. We know from the race organisers that the minimum time you can do a pit stop is 76 seconds and I managed 79. That helped a lot - thanks Lee and Mark!. The lap after pitting was ‘exciting’ to say the least with tyres not quite up to temperature. Pitting late meant the pit lane was virtually clear and there was no traffic in the pit lane or on the track as I left. This allowed me to put in 8 consecutive laps (after the pit exit lap) in the 1.22’s with a 1.21 on my penultimate lap. That Lucozade during the pit stop really did the trick! With about 6 laps to go Mark put out the pit board. This was really helpful. The pit board said ‘Mike 14’ (my race number) ‘30’ and ‘P3’. I though great I only have 10 minutes to go as I must admit I was very worried about my fuel level (I finished with virtually no fuel but with no fuel surge either).The following pit boards said the same but this time with ‘35’ and ‘37’ and I prayed that the safety car would not come out. I know this was the time remaining/counting down but refused to believe I was in third – ‘P3’. We had not agreed to put positions on the pit board. With two laps to go I saw a Caterham approaching fast and I could just not keep him behind me. Had I just lost out on my first podium? Again, I could see cars in my mirrors on the straights and I really dug deep to keep my concentration until the chequered flag came out. I was so relieved. I went round on my cool down lap, thanking the Marshals on the way. When I came into the pits I was pointed towards the winners section, I still didn’t believe it until Mark confirmed it – I was third and took my first podium! I was over the moon. What a result, even if I was a little lucky. I was interviewed by the race commentator, but quite frankly I didn’t know what to say! Interview practice was not on my training schedule! What a race and one I won’t forget in a hurry that’s for sure. Thankfully I remembered to collect my upgrade card and with my previous 4 races plus marshalling, I now have the 6 I need to upgrade to National A next year. I ceremoniously ripped my yellow cross off the back of the car. What a great journey this season has been. It’s been such an experience and I have enjoyed every moment. I cannot wait until next year now. Thanks for reading. Mike - No. 14. (My internet at home will finally be working next week so i'll try to sort some video)

Not a problem! It was a pretty late decision / entry... The pack I got through has my name on the list, maybe a revision.

Here's a video from Sunday, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iGSRvWIctw Sorry about the cobles.

I've got an umbrella you can borrow John... :D

I hope to be there around 7:30 assuming no mechanical gremlins (it's the first motorway drive since I got her). My first time at this meet ... so please be gentle :-)

Good to know.thanks Adam!no more off topic from me..

https://youtu.be/YU1tYWkxbKU

What does it spell???

bazzer , will you please get your missus to cover up , I'm finding it very difficult to read any of your posts

Better drive out of slow corners especially (doesn't want to spin up the inside rear wheel), more likely to slide and more consistent when it does, can induce more corner entry understeer depending on the type of LSD. Also, David and Maurici... thanks a lot for the kind words. Some people like to upgrade their pride and joy and that's fine, but you are both right in saying that some driver training will make the most difference - and, it will be useful in any subsequent vehicle, not just the one you have now! Adding 30bhp or some new dampers might gain you 1-2s a lap, but I bet I could find most Westfield owners 5s within half a day of instruction...

https://youtu.be/v0YQZNkwbek

That sounds just great Robin - well done!

I've been there twice in May, last year and the year before.. weather was fine. Tbh though I've visited Knockhill probably eight times, and consider myself lucky to have seen not much more than a little drizzle on a couple of occasions. I think I'm definitely overdue a soaking, hence trying to watch the weather with this one.

Hi Q, I've just had a brake hose made by Earls Hoses at Silverstone https://www. earls.co.uk/ they produced it in 20 minutes from me phoning them and reasonable price. Cheers Gary

How about a hairy dinner plate spider (official taxonomic name) building a web across a down lighter. Huge spider shadow projected across the wall! Made me jump. Very quickly evicted.

Hmm might have a look into this

Great vid that Geoff, I'm all emotional now. On my journey to get to the meet point we saw this. Funny things in Yorkshire, better be carefully in the future https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPcUIDSJ9Ak14RmHj8sn-1ItqRZTqhAFJZn_uIKvtMy3Rw8M_b09esH5uCLoTmpDw/photo/AF1QipOR0RqK3MStX_vzKJYkO8aRULG1quwXRtga9EVr?key=Z3ZraXV3ZU1YZE8talA0ejlXc21aalpZSDdjTXRB

Brilliant

Just the inter - very dry in the end which was lucky!

The Eastern leg of the Coast to Coast went very well, much better than the rained off West leg the day before. The day started well with Richard, Marcus and new boy Simon, in his newly built and registered FW, meeting at my house for a run down the back way to the Fox and Grapes for a 10:30 start. It started to rain as we set off, but had stopped before we got to the pub, where Geoffrey and Frank were waiting for us. Craig and his mate soon arrived and Chris turned up just before we were to set off. But then Marcus got a text from Terry, "I'll be there at 10:45, wait for me." We did, and set off about 11:00. We headed down the A64 towards the York Ring Road, but first the obligatory stop, Geoff for fuel, the rest for a wee. I had intended to go the A19 up to Thirsk and up Sutton Bank, but doing a trial run on Friday, I missed the turn off but found a road to Helmsley at the next roundabout, it turned out to be a better road taking us through a few small villages and on to Helmsley. It was then on to the A170 and on to Kirby Moorside and Pickering. Heading over the North Yorkshire Moors, the weather started to close in a little, the road was damp with a bit of spray, but no rain, although it did get a bit cold. Before we got to the Blue Bank and into Sleights, we could see Whitby bathed in sunshine, well it looked brighter over the Abbey. So a steady drive through the town, over the bridge and up to the Abbey car park where we were met by Rob, waiting patiently by the roadside. A hours parking paid for, and a walk down to the town for Fish and Chips, after a visit to the toilet. After probably the most expensive Fish and Chips I've not sat down to eat we were off again. A quick top up and down the coastal road to Scarborough. We got behind a couple of cars taking it steady, so I had chance to see the 8 Westfields snaking behind me, it did look good. Straight through Scarborough along Marine Drive and the Seafront, some admiring glances and lots of people taking photos, must start charging, and on to Filey. I was tempted to go around Olivers Mount, but thought it was hard enough trying to keep 9 cars together on the road so what would it be like on a race track! We did loose Frank here, but I knew he was going. On to Filey, a small town that closes at 6:00 (I'm not joking) where we parked on The Brigg for a photo opportunity. We tried to get the Nissan in the distance to move, he was spoiling our shot, but no matter how much Geoff asked him, he wouldn't budge. It was now 4:00, so after another toilet visit we made our way home, Geoff left us and we carried on to Bridlington and along the A166 to Stamford Bridge. Now this is when I started to get a bit panicky. My oil pressure started to drop, down to 20psi at 50mph and nearly zero as we went down Garrowby Hill. The engine felt and sounded good, So I decided to carry on. Hitting the A64, and we all went our separate ways. I carried on with Simon behind me and pulled off the A64 at Tadcaster and home. I found my oil problem, no oil. I've had a leak from the rocker cover gasket for a while, but must have got worse over the days run. I made a new gasket tonight, think I got it sealed, just need some oil now. A big thanks to Richard, Marcus, Simon, Frank, Geoffrey, Craig, Chris, and Terry and Caroline.

I bet you never thought you would see a fairy on the back of a Westfield did you?

What a great event! We got to do the International Circuit in the end too - going round the banking was a great experience. One other Westfield, and I counted 7 or 8 seven-type cars which was nice. The car exceeded my expectations and the new R888R's were sensational

Had a great run down and back and a cracking day there A long day and just short of 300 miles Worth every minute Thanks for arranging

You should always keep a glass of water by your bedside. On a night when you are asleep, the spiders come and drink out the tear ducts in the corners of your eyes. You know when they have been as you have dried spider saliva in the corners of your eyes.

That reminds me, I've got one of those (similar)! Perfect for the job Cheers! Here's what I've bought myself for my birthday