Silverstone 24 Hours 2006

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

1648 Full works BMW Red Bull Z4 – awesome

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

1649 Prosport 3000 detuned down to 200 bhp

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

1658 paddock FULL of big trucks

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

1674 problem solving the broken rocker bolt.

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Spoke to Malc briefly earlier this evening and they apparently had another rocker break today with another dropped valve - managed just one lap!-

Anyway, a fresh engine from Germany also arrived today, and was installed in 37 mins - 'crate-to-fireup!' - not bad being as they were not hurrying.....

Malc informs me they will be attempting to qualify in the dark this evening - so fingers crossed....

Time is now 00:05 Sat morning so I'll text the PR chap - 'Angus' to see if there is an update... and let you all know asap....

[Malcolm]

Just about to set off now for my BIG day!

I forgot to say that the Team name is BLS Automotive, Car#34 and we are in pit garage 10A.

I think the live weblinks are working as night qualy came up ok to me. Grid position is based on day qualy. We did one lap at 11 minutes!!!!! School report says "will do better". That is why we are last on grid. Can only go up the field!

[Ron Earp]

Ow! I checked the update site listed below and something must have gone amiss. They are 467 laps down from the leader, not good. I'm assuming something has broken and they are laid up in the pits, or out of the race. Hate to hear that, Paul, any updates? Any you fellows have any info? Sorry to see this as it looks dire.

R

[Paul Thompson 'Hooligan']

Unfortunately, after travelling from the Brighton Speed Trials to Silverstone to help 'report on the event live' - The Team Malc was driving in chose to officially retire about 20mins before Steve and I arrived.

More 'Technical difficulties' but I'll let Malc complete the thread as he knows more details...

I'm late on here today as I did'nt get home till 3am.....

[Mark Worthington]

Damn...but that's racing, I guess.

[Malcolm]

Sorry guys to disappoint but it was a typical "welcome to the world of endurance racing" type thing.

As you kow we were suffering engine problems with the rockers so switched to a spare engine before the race. Definately sounded better and drove well too. But during night qualy we lost the gears as said above but the replacement box had different ratios. This meant to different driving and asking to be allowed to use more rpm which was granted. The overall engine limit was 7500. The tell tales said no one went over 7400 but even so we dropped a valve which snapped in half and got rammed half way up the inlet manifold. It took out the cylinder. No proper spare engine. The other spare engine had not been planned on really being used and it was not sensible to put it in as it had a different wiring loom and was an unknown quantity. More there for parts than as a whole. We had to retire even though I would have been happy to drive anything the team gave to me.

However overall I think I had driven well. John and Alistair never got a drive in the race. I managed to post the teams quickest time (2 mins 10.89) from the whole event but suspect that it may not have been if others got their drive. But we started 52 on the grid and after 2 hours when she blew we were up to 21st. I had come 18th out of 45 in the warm up earlier in the day. I was pleased with my driving and beleive the team thought I had been just fine as a non professional.

There are so many stories to tell from this adventure! I learnt a huge amount and had a great time. Many freinds both from the forum and elsewhere turned up to support which was fab and I made new freinds within the team.

I definately would drive this car again and be with this team again if asked. The only issues were in the engine and box department. I am sure they will be sorted and the car running again soon.

For my first race in the UK, it was good.

A big thank is due to Wendy for letting me go play, and also to my sponsors, Menzies Chartered Accountants, Cobb Construction and Brackenwood Windows and Conservatories. Rob Bromfield and Roy Snook helped me out too and it was great for Paul Thompson and Keith Baker to lend their services. A big thank you is due to John Clonis for letting me drive his cars and to the other drivers, David Streather and Alistair Mackinnon for teaching me the ropes. The mechanic guys were brilliant, so again thanks to Keiran, Andy, Chris, and Will. Other major players and helpers were Tom as team manager, David (sort of assistant!!!), Angus our PR man, Paul, Kevin, Matt the refueling guys, and Colin on the Stack gear. Also to Steve Miller for putting up with me doing my thing on his holiday! Thanks to one and all.

Keith took some pictures and I have one of the guilty valve being sent to me. I will try and post some more info soon. If anyone has any questions that are not covered above, do ask and I will try and answer if I know the answer!

Thanks for following this thread, sorry it ended early. You know, I think I am still as tired as I would have been if we had raced all through the night!

[Brian Magee]

Hi Malcolm

Sorry things didn't go your way but it's good to see you haven't been put off. Better luck next time. As the song says 'things can only get better'.

Brian.

[Malcolm]

This link should take you to the final results page. We are way down the bottom this time! Next time.....

http://www.msttiming.com/result.asp?...verstonegp.gif

[Ron Earp]

Don't beat me.........

....but where did the M3 you were going to go with end up?

[Malcolm]

Didn't get the drivers needed so withdrew from the 24 hr, so I got further than that! I think they entered one of the support races instead. The boss of that team, Dom Evans, was a nice guy, hope he makes it next time. I think they might have had some engine gripes too but not sure.

[Malcolm]

A postscript to this story. Today I received an email from the car owner

"The Germans admitted fault today. They still blaming each other (camshaft supplier, Thomas etc …) but not us. Both engines had the same problem. The valves were just touching. Two of them are broken and 22 are bent. "

Hey ho!

[Keith Hardy]

So you get your dosh back, right?

[Malcolm]

Some costs are irrecoverable such as wages and entry fees etc but some consumables didn't get used. I am more keen to keep driving than to get more money back and I have been invited to do other driving with the team which is the best thing for everyone. The team have been offered a free race in a full on race GT3 Porsche by the engine builders but I bet it is in mainland Europe and my UK race licence will not be enough to let me take part. We shall see.

One story I did not put in above was about a moment just before night qualifying on Friday.

As you may recall we had swapped engines having failed miserably in day time qualifying so were on the back of the grid whatever. We all HAD to complete 4 laps each or we were out of the race. It was as simple as that.

So twilight is turning to darkness and there is a big buzz in the pits. Our spirits had lifted as the new engine fitted sounded quite sweet and had run ok in the morning warmup. There are people everywhere and the commentators are building up the atmosphere.

John is in the car, up on the air jacks with mechanics fussing over it, checking this, checking that. Alistair, David and I are suited up and pacing about. It is the same up and down the pit lane.

The cars form a queue at pit exit but our car is held back to wait until the rest are on circuit. I wander over to talk to Steve and as I get to him the commentator says in a very clipped British accent

"Welcome to the Britcar Silverstone 24 Hours night time qualifying session. For two hours the cars will lap the circuit putting finishing touches to the lights and set up....."

Steve and I look at each other and together we just go

Badoom


Badoom


Badoom


We are in the film Le Mans at the start where the heartbeat is pounding! The excitmemt, the noise, the smells, it is all there for us. It is a truly surreal moment and one I will never forget!


Ok so it all goes a bit pear shaped after that but it was a really cool moment!