Loton Park 2009
Saturday 12th September – National B Meeting
The day started foggy, but the sun soon burnt it away to produce a perfect mid September day. It stayed sunny all day and the Drivers Domain UK team were in for a surprise. Following the poor times in August, Rob managed a 65.19 to start, then this dropped to 64.46 and finally a 64.27. This concluded practice. The first timed run was void (well the times said 58.18 – which a world class rally driver would not get – so we had a re-run) On this run Rob got a 64.01…getting better, but still wanted to finish 2009 in the 63′s. It happened! The final run netted a 63.97! Not as good as last year, but considering the major roll in April, and the fact our tyres are way past their best, this is a great result, and proved a successful and encouraging end to the rather short/odd 2009 season!
Tyre pressures were 26 front and 24 rear - measured from total cold.
Please come back and visit the site over the winter as have plans – including turning the wheels gold (in colour!) and having a carbon dash!
In 2010 we hope to hit the 61′s barrier…
The first time at Loton Park since Robs major roll in April…good news it stayed hot all day – almost too hot at times. Bad news is that Rob only managed to get into the 66′s. We feel the tyres are past their sell by date. And with semi-slick tyres this indeed can be the truth. Once the original sticky compound is gone, the tyres fail. Little else to report except for a classic Porsche 911 with a failing handbrake rolling over the paddock and hitting a Ford Escort competition car! It could have been alot worse if people were near! The first time of the day was 70.41 sec and the rest were in the 66′s/67′s. Some 5 seconds off what we should be getting.
Sunday 23rd August - National B Meeting
As above – the tyres let the team down badly! Rob managed a 67.98 and then a 67.87. The timed runs netted a 78.41 (wet) and then a 70.41 (damp). We feel the poor times were down to the tyres as metioned and also Rob getting back into the driving – not easy after rolling a car! However, we know, times will move on, the car will get better, and before too long once again we will be back on top form!! The ups and downs of motorsport – from first hand experience!
12th April & 13th April – National A Easter Meeting.
The first meeting of 2009 ended in disaster for the team. Although the car and driver showed promise on the Sunday, a roll on Easter Monday put pay to the car for the next few months. We hope to be back for July or August meeting. The car is by no means wrecked thanks to the roll cage. However, these things happen and we have things in place should/when the worst happen (a collection of lots of paper with the queens face on typically!) The problem we felt was that we had swopped our Yokohamma tyres around, with the harder, more worn out ones on the back – still legal. We did not estimate how dangerous the car had become with a slippy backend until it was too late! The ultra light backend and hard tyres + fast track use is not advised. We have learnt lots from this experience!
