Shattered and deflated

Race report…

Feeling like my front right wheel and tyre… Shattered and deflated.

Qualifying: 
After no testing, I was happy enough with 6^th with the view to improve on that race by race.

Race 1: 
Started 6^th, finished 6^th and another good clean battle with my teammate John. Glad I managed to successfully defend against him at the hairpin and for the rest of the race but it cost us both precious time on catching the front running pack.

Race 2: 

Had a flying start off the line but that’s the only good thing I have to say about the race as unfortunately yet again wrong place wrong time for me and I ended up a passenger on the outside of 3 abreast at Duffus taking a hit from ex-teammate Mark Geraghty. I tried to keep the car going as long as I could not wanting to get a row from the team for coming in the pits but in hindsight I wish I’d made the decision to pull in sooner. It’s always a tough call to make in the heat of the moment; I’ve made the wrong choice by coming in the pits before so I was cautious not to make the same mistake. Anyway, made it to the pits after a lap or two hobbling round the track, new wheel on front right and I managed to finish the race, albeit in last but better than a DNF. Looking at my wheel after the race, the edges of my wheel were broken off and the tyre was completely shredded!

Race 3: 
Starting 3^rd last with Geraghty and Dalgiesh behind me. Another good start off the line for me but being at the rear end of the grid can be tough trying to fight your way through the mayhem. I had a mid-race incident with Craig Blake where I was carrying considerably more speed than him into the hairpin, not expecting this difference in pace I unfortunately went into the rear quarter of his car. I held my hands up and apologised for this after the race. I was hoping for a better comeback from the back of the grid, I finished 8^th just managing to pass Taelor on the last lap but my 16^th to 8^th doesn’t quite compare to the 18^th to 2^nd result that Robbie Dalgliesh managed! 

Super proud of my team Minimax Motorsport for all their hard work before and during race weekend and of my teammates for some amazing driving! Minimax are getting stronger and stronger. Taelor drove superbly in race 3 and she was not easy to pass, so happy for her getting her well-deserved first ever top ten result! Also a huge congrats to my teammate Michael for his brilliant results in his new car (SHELLEY not Me-Shell ;)) and I’m gutted for John who should’ve won race three if his tyre didn’t fail him. Here’s to our luck changing for Rockingham John! Bring on the away round where I always tend to do better… :)

A huge thanks as ever to my team, sponsors, supporters and Knockhill staff and marshalls. Always grateful.

RAM Tubulars Scotland Ltd
Nexus24
Whitehaul Ltd
Sightmast Enterprises
Ajmal Steel
TSL Pitmedden Ltd/Technical Services Aberdeen Ltd