Brands Hatch 3rd & 4th July 2010 -
Race Progress Report from Andy Shepherd

If I could only race once a year, this annual 'Super Prix' would be the meeting I'd choose. The track is the best in the UK from a driver's point of view, and for the spectator it's second to none.
With all of the short circuit in view from the Paddock Bend grand stand and almost always great July weather, it's no wonder racers from all over Europe make the trek here, too. This makes for a fascinating paddock full of machinery from the last 50 years or so, and including
F1 cars from both the pre-aerofoil and be-winged eras, each with their own race.

The Lotus 23 was booked into Peter Baldwin's rolling road dyno the Wednesday before, just to ensure the engine was set up perfectly following its 'DNF's at Oulton and Brands last season - and also to check that the gearbox was fine, having seized at the dyno test in November... Lifting off the throttle after the second power run - this time with a Wilsher's Garage mechanic standing on the rear chassis to keep the light and powerful car in contact with the rollers - a tap on my shoulder directed my attention to the water catch tank, which was full and erupting with boiling water through its breather holes! The cylinder head repair had evidently failed, meaning the 23's Guards Trophy race entry had to be canceled...

Sitting on the M25 for an hour or so approaching the Queen Elizabeth Bridge on Friday afternoon, the Seven S2 was tucked up in the two-car trailer all on its own - but anticipation was still high, the little blue car having proved many times in recent years to be a force to be reckoned with on the old GP circuit. Once offloaded at the circuit it sailed through the early evening scrutineering , so I gave it a celebratory wash after checking oil, water, fuel and tyre pressures.
'Blue Streak' had been virtually ignored since Cadwell Park in April, all efforts having been initially focused on my S4 Seven, being campaigned this season by Hugh Powell, and then on trying to get the
23 race-ready.

With 38 other cars vying for a grid position in the 15 minutes of qualifying it seemed a particularly good idea to get out on track at the front of the field in the hope of a clear lap or two untroubled by slower cars. James Patterson was experiencing the GP circuit for the first time, his Morgan Plus 8 having won every race so far this year, so in the collection area he said he hoped I'd be able to show him around... On my out lap tyres and brakes were carefully warmed, the two or three cars ahead of me were passed, and Clearways was approached with a calm but concentrated eye to maximising exit speed onto the straight leading to the start-finish line and the first timed lap.

Although it had been twelve months since I'd completed a lap on this awesome piece of tarmac it was bit like putting on a particularly comfy pair of old shoes, the car, the track and me all fitting together in a well-rounded combination of curves, up, down, left and right. Paddock Bend can be taken quite fast in the S2 on either the classic wide entry line, turning in late at the old service road on the left, or else on the late-braking 'hug-the-inside-apex' line that is so good for overtaking. Then the swoop down the hill and up the other side towards the Druids Hairpin and a wide, deep qualifying entry, rather than the tight defensive line demanded by race conditions. A short run downhill to the tight left at Graham Hill, where hitting the apex always seems a challenge, the tendency to understeer past it prompted by the lightened front end of the car as the track falls away. Avoiding the fierce exit kerb on the right it's then a quick blast before Surtees, possibly the most crucial corner on the circuit - the uphill 135 degree third gear left hander that leads onto the longest straight. I like to go deep on the right hand kerb at the entry, braking and turning at the same time enabling a late inner apex clipping point allowing an early dollop of power to the back wheels.

Picking a braking point for the very fast right hander at Hawthorns isn't easy - I probably err on the side of dabbing a little early, but at least that means the car can be settled again on a steadily opening throttle, in top, as I turn in. Carrying speed here doesn't save a lot of time, since more brakes are needed for Westfield a couple of seconds later, but it is hellishly satisfying! And it can help in race conditions to give a half opportunity to overtake at the entry to Westfield. This latter right hand corner is another that drops away, enhancing acceleration briefly before the uphill approach to the blind crest concealing Sheene curve. It's all about commitment, really, this track - you don't want to depart from the black stuff, but confidence in your car can be handsomely rewarded in lap time. And even though Stirling's seems innocuous, a little left hander before returning to the 'stadium' section, it is significantly banked and has a welcoming flat apex kerb that can be used to open the curve a bit and so add to cornering speed before the crucial run to Clearways. Another overtaking opportunity presents itself here, thanks to the Seven's handling and grip; as at Paddock, there's a choice of traditional wide entry or a deep brake-and-turn at the apex kerb itself. Then it's on the power and a delightful four-wheel drift onto the pit straight as the reverse camber of the bend's exit drags the car towards the grass and the ghoulish grandstands. The shortest route to the start-finish line is apparently tangential to the curving pit lane so this is the path to take.

To the right of the line is the Race Control building, bearing a large digital display board showing the numbers of the four leading cars at any time; since I haven't installed an on-board lap timer on the Seven this can give a little reassurance, and on my next lap I'm relieved to see that '69' is up there. After qualifying it transpires that my first flying lap was my fastest, a 1m49.5s, with all my subsequent laps taking 1m50s; passing slower cars cost me a little, but at only a second, not as much as my rivals. However, some of them stumbled on a clear lap towards the end of the session leaving me in 4th, on the outside of the second row of the grid for the race.

When the red lights blink off I make a good start and slip past the Ginetta G4 of Justin Murphy before turning in for Paddock, but Dave Randall's similar mount nips through into third, behind Julian Dodd's pole-sitting TVR Griffith and Paul Tooms' Lotus Elan. I fumble a gear change at Druids when it transpires I'm still in top on a defensive line, unable to hear my own engine amid the noise of those around me, allowing Justin to squeeze past on the squirt to Graham Hill. It stays very tight at the front with the first six cars bracketed by under three seconds as we cross the line at the end of the lap, Justin's tenure of fourth being short-lived as my tight late braking line regains the place from his G4 at Paddock. Meanwhile, James Patterson's Plus 8 has powered up from tenth on the grid and, getting past Justin, the Morgan appears in my mirrors, anxious to gain the lesson in the GP circuit lines that I'd avoided sharing with him in qualifying! He posts a 1m49.1s on lap two as he closes to little more than a second away from the leading four, flashing across the line just 1.3 seconds apart as the 'SC' board and yellow flags appear at the marshal's posts. Momentarily distracted, and wondering where the safety car is, I nearly ram the back of Dave's Ginetta as Paul and Julian anchor up at the front - somewhat excessively, in my view. The safety car is awaiting us on Cooper Straight and as we snake around Surtees behind it the triggers for its deployment become clear. First poor Jonathan Stringer's Seven S2 is visible, somewhat bent, against the barrier on the left - apparently he had exited Surtees rather better than Dave Kirby's TR6 - who may have missed a gear at the same time - the contact causing the Seven to spear off into the Armco barrier at quite a steep angle. Jonathan was unhurt by the impact, while the stronger
TR6 suffered only heavy black tyre marks to its rear... Further round the circuit a smart MG Midget 'Lenham Le Mans Coupe' had also spun off into the gravel trap, at Clearways, so removing these two vehicles costs us six and a half minutes for two slow laps before the race resumes.

Julian Dodd either misjudged his TVR's accelerative ability - or else Paul Tooms thought he could get him disqualified by lifting before the start line - because Julian took the restart in the lead as he crossed the line, closely followed by Paul and Dave, with me and James just a little bit further behind. This turned out to be a fortuitous gap, when Dave thrust his G4 up the inside of Paul's Elan at Surtees, only for Paul to 'slam the door' and the two to collide... Dave ended up spinning on the right, the Elan to the left, but I was wary of Paul lurching backwards on to the tarmac as I approached; he didn't, so I went through the gap between them with the Morgan not far behind. For the rest of the lap James seemed to hold station and watch, Julian's TVR, my Seven and the Morgan all clocking 1m49s, but the Morgan fractionally quicker as he closed the gap to four tenths of a second.

As we approached Hawthorns my second place was threatened by James, but I stayed left, confident that I could brake later and take the corner faster than the Plus 8 as he pulled alongside me - and so it proved. After Westfield I again stayed left on the approach to Sheene curve, attacking the corner being my best defence, so only after Stirling's could James get past, but by taking my tight line at Clearways I retook second and crossed the line at the end of lap six just three tenths ahead, two seconds off the lead. The three of us this time all posted 1m48s, but with the intervals between us shrinking as we drew away from the rest of the field.

On lap seven James got past me on the run to Hawthorns and made it stick, pulling out a seven tenths gap, but now he was in front, without me to lead him, and leaving me with no need to defend... I pulled out all the stops, clocking the fastest lap of the race with a 1m47s and retaking second place as I dived inside him at Westfield, though only two tenths in front at the line - this was great fun! On lap 9 I again succumbed to the Morgan's power on the run to Hawthorns, but any hopes of regaining second place by repeating my earlier moves were dashed as the chequered flag was waved - a lap early. With a full race schedule and a six pm curfew the organisers were trying to build a bit of time in reserve. Could the S2 have got past the Plus 8 again?
I don't know, but it would have been fun trying! Even so, and despite the time lost behind the safety car, we'd had a super time. And it was good to find that James Patterson was someone I could trust in a dice
- no weaving, blocking or silly moves. 'Trouble is, I've now taught him the GP circuit!

Andy Shepherd