I am delighted to announce that in addition to Dave Billington, I will be engineering and mentoring two additional drivers for this year’s North West Formula Championship. Ian Ellis and Will Alterman have agreed to run with us this year. This is great news and is due in no small part to the tremendous progress that Dave Billington has made over the past few seasons. Our two new drivers are both Reynard mounted ( a chassis I know very well …
At last Dave Billington’s Van Diemen Formula Ford is back together and complete! Now just awaiting its final set up, Dave’s car is basically ready to go. Engine was collected from Neil Bold and refitted with greatful assistance from my nephew Tom. Cat is looking really good and I can’t wait to get Dave back out on track which will be, hopefully, at Anglesey circuit on Monday 31st March for a pre-season shakedown. Pictures taken are of the car awaiting …
Friday 14th March and another first for me: I was asked if I would be Chief Instructor for the day! Wow! A great opportunity if a little scary! I began the day with hosting the briefing for all the drivers in the Chequers restaurant. That completed, I was stationed in the Race Control building for the remainder of the day,coordinating with the Tower to ensure the smooth running of the day. I was also responsible for monitoring driving standards and …
A few days later and I was, again, working for the Race School but this time at my “home” circuit of Oulton Park. Once more, I was teamed up with my “old” friend the Aston Martin Vantage for the day. A bright, sunny day and we were very busy with lots of keen and enthusiastic customers. the picture shown is my road car getting “friendly” with my Aston!
Saturday 8th March and I was over at Three Sisters Circuit near Wigan for one of the Race School’s Supercar experience days. A busy day saw me hopping out of one their Aston Martin Vantage’s into their Porsche Turbo. Lots of very keen drivers, no scary moments so I call that a successful day! pictures show the two cars that I was alternating between.
A damp, cold at Oulton saw me in charge of the JPLM ride car. Despite the conditions, we were kept busy all day and had great fun entertaining the customers. Especially as I was working with Dave Murphy ( a fellow Formula Ford racer ). We have a great rapport with the customers and its great to take the opportunity to wind each other up! I was glad to be able to drive the car in such testing conditions with …
Friday 28th February and I was at Oulton for one of Track Action’s trackdays. Fellow instructor, Steve Hewson, had contacted me a few days before to ask if I could help out on the day. Track Action is one of the few trackday companies who offer free of charge coaching to all of their customers on a first come first served basis. I was kept busy all day and in a host of vastly different machinery ranging from a Subaru …
This day’s trackday was a whole new experience for me: I was given the task of being the ARDS host for the day. This meant that I was responsible for the entire day for all people attending for their ARDS competition licence test. Apart from signing the drivers in, I had to brief them and set up the written part of the ARDS test. I don’t know who was the more nervous, me or the candidates! Once the written part …
Another Friday and another trackday at Oulton Park. The Cheshire circuit was continuing its busy start to the year with another capacity entry at the picturesque Cheshire venue. A very cold, damp start soon gave way to perfect conditions later in the day. A few more ARDS licence tests undertaken, so most of my track time was spent assessing new drivers. Another good day spent with the team at Oulton, great bunch of instructors and a brilliant day all round. …
Two days after being at Oulton, I was down at Donington for BookaTrack’s first trackday of the year. A full entry was greated by dry if a little cold conditions. A busy day for me in one of BookaTrack’s fleet of R300 Caterhams. A great day, met lots of enthusiastic drivers. No major dramas apart from one visit to the gravel trap at Redgate!