There was no 750mc Roadsports event planned for September, leaving a bit of a lengthy gap between successive races. However, a fellow driver recommended the Donington round of the British Racing and Sports Car Club (BRSCC) Clubsport Trophy on 26th September which I duly entered. This runs in a similar format to Roadsports with minor differences such as the inclusion of the driver and gear in the total weight of the car and the pit stop being 2 minutes from pit entry to exit.
On arrival at the circuit it was impressive to find an official assigned to parking duties. Space in the paddock is always at a premium and unless teams are considerate in how much area they occupy it can leave some competitors with nowhere to go. In addition the race organiser came along to personally say hello and see if there were any questions or problems that needed addressing.
I managed to catch up with a driver whom I used to race against in the MR2 Championship. He was out in a Toyota Celica (son of the MR2) and put in some very impressive lap times. The car was in the same class (Class C) as my MR2 and whilst in the past I was able to beat him in the MR2 Championship, I was some 4 seconds a lap slower in our current cars. Food for thought.
Having not driven the GP circuit for several years, I didn’t expect to be particularly fast but ended up with a respectable qualifying time, 3rd out of 5 Class C cars and 19th out of a total of 40 cars. However, the front 2 Class C cars were over 4 seconds a lap quicker and the 4th placed car was 1 second a lap slower. Given this and notwithstanding any unexpected events, a 3rd place looked promising.
Unlike the 750mc Roadsports rolling start to the race, the Clubsport Trophy was a standing start. Usually the MR2 has an advantage due to the mid-engine, rear wheel drive configuration, but in the event I did not manage to gain a single place off the start; in fact I lost a few to some incredibly quick starters behind me. It was like being back in the MR2 Championship with MX5s darting into every available space. One look at the dents and scrapes on these cars was enough evidence to prove that their drivers were quite accustomed and prepared to get their elbows out; I was not interested in risking damage for the sake of holding a few places. Even the Class C car behind me managed to sneak past and I was down 6 places by the end of the first lap. Pleasingly though, I managed to avoid any damage but not everyone was able to do so. A safety car had to be deployed just prior to the time the pit window opened as a consequence of two cars that had come together at the Esses and were beached in the gravel trap.
However, patience paid off and I eventually managed to regain and hold onto 3rd in Class, making my way back up the order, eventually finishing 14th overall and setting a new pb in the process. At last, after a lean 2 years I thought I was going to be awarded some silverware. Alas, unbeknown to me for this year only, the BRSCC had decided not to award a trophy for 2nd and 3rd places in the respective classes! I have to admit it was a disappointment; the trophy isn’t an expensive item but it is a tangible momento that represents the effort that has gone into preparing for and racing in these events.
Despite this it was an encouraging result but also a challenge to consider whether my driving is the limitation to getting up to the pace of the front runners or whether it is the car. I have some plans on how to find out the answer but more about that another day.
Thanks to Jonathan Elsey, Motorsport Photography, for the excellent photographs.