HSCC Superprix - Brands Hatch GP Circuit.

A couple of weekends ago we were entered for the Guards Trophy 40 minute race at the HSCC Superprix. This is a two driver event giving P and I both a go in the car. Well, me a go in P's car really. Thing is I have had a nasty virus for about 5 weeks and I was not at all fit. But Brands GP is an awesome circuit for the Diva. Especially as we have splashed out for some new M section tyres. Let me explain.

Starting from the pit straight you brake late and hard-ish and down to third for Paddock and turn in blind to find the apex. By the time you get to the apex you should be just about flat on the floor in third. The car then hurtles down into the dip, bottoms out on the skid block and rushes up to Druids before braking very late and into second. Round Druids and then down into Graham Hill Bend another second gear corner but not at all flowing. Out alond bottom straight and into third and then down into second for a late brake and turn in into Surtees. The car screams up here and you snatch third before you exit and blat off into Pilgrims Drop. The car pulls strongly and into top and rush up Hawthorn Hill towards Hawthorn Bend. Now comes the good bit.

From the entry into Hawthorns right until the exit from Clearways the Diva is as quick as pretty well anything. It is astonishing. And I was determined to do this race, ill or not, just so as I could do this section.

Up Hawthorn Hill I brake at about the 50m board and snick down into third for Hawthorns. Turn and get back on the power aiming for apex on the right. The Diva tracks round and drifts out niceky on the exit to the left on the Derek Miner Straight. Snatch top and brake and back into third for a relatively early turn in to Westfield, with the whole car over the kerb on the apex, flat in third. Down into Dingle Dell, snatching top as you rush up to Dingle Dell corner, which is blind. Brake, down to third, back on the power and turn in and across the kerb on the inside and the car flies over and off to the left. Haul back to the right for Stirlings staying in third, brake and turn in relatively early, back on the pwoer, and aim to get the whole car off on the kerb on the apex to the left. It gives slight shrug and then tracks round and screams off towards Clearways. Grab top, then get ready to brake and change down for a latish turn in and down to third. Back on the power and track round out onto the pit straight and into top.

This latter sequence is just absolutely brilliant in the Diva. I could hold off pretty well everything, Lotus 23's and so forth and stay with Chevron B6/B8's. Considering that the Diva is classified as a GT Car, not a sport racer and has only 1150cc (Lotus 23 has a 1600 CC twin cam and Chevron a 2 ltr BMW) this is astonishing and very very satisfying. I confess to yelling the big yahoo everytime I went through here.

Either you understand this or you do not. If oyu do you'll love it. If you don't - oh well.

Trouble is, I want to go back there. Now.

Result? The car broke. This is so rare with the Diva that it was very sad. Small electrical failure. And the first time since, I cannot actually remember.

Pre Season, Calendar etc

This year the season does not really get underway until May. The organisers have realised that there is a credit crunch and have concentrated the meetings and tried to reduce costs.

We race in historics. We race mainly with two organisations, the HSCC and the Masters Series. Broadly we like decent length, that is 60 minutes plus, races with a driver change. This allows us both a go and consequently reduces the costs per head.

My oppo has a nice collection of cars and this year we'll be running the Diva again. Unless you have ever raced one you cannot have any idea just how magic they are. I've driven quite a few small sports cars and for sheer handling, roadholding and braking joy there is not much that can equal the Diva.

Very soon I shall have to collect the car from P and give it a good pre-season fettle. P doesn't really like working on the cars, I do. I find it very therapeutic as it is totally different to my day job and it is the least I can do as a small thankyou to P for letting me co-drive his pride and joy. Plus if it's been well fettled it should do a meeting without problems.

So there we have it. Licences have been renewed. Race kit checked. Plans discussed. Budgets decided. All we have to do now is to get on with it and do it.

Warning. Motor racing can seriously damage your wealth.

What's This?

I will be diarying my exploits as a middle aged racer. I can assure you that motor sport is not something you wnat to get hooked on. It is the most bonkers way to have fun as it is expensive, very exhausting, grubby, often cold and wet and always somewhere remote and windy.

But I love it.