Seems cicumstances are against me, yet again!

[karl]

I just had a phone call from my race engineer/ partner in crime Adam.

He informed me that the date of the 6th has been moved to the 7th. I can not always able to keep track of the website - good job He does. We were all arranged to spectate on sat/ tommorow. Can not make the sunday.

Shame, I wanted to see one mono race round before signing up for a race as a first timer in a single seater.

Silverstone is the next mono round which I might make an apperience but I fear the bad weather may draw in after that, so I supect I will not get the car out to race this year for the first time -after having all the upgrades completed. Will plan to do some testing. Hopefully do a full championship next year.

Whats the chances of Rockingham being a circuit in the championship nxt year?

Karl

[Shakeyfinch]

Silverstone is the next mono round which I might make an apperience but I fear the bad weather may draw in after that, so I supect I will not get the car out to race this year for the first time -after having all the upgrades completed. Will plan to do some testing. Hopefully do a full championship next year.

Karl

I know the English summer doesn't have the best of reputations but i'm hopeful the bad weather doesn't draw in on August 2nd! Croft at the end of September could be a really good weekend to get some miles in your new machine - good circuit allied with perhaps smaller grids than the more centrally located races. Double header too so plenty of track time.

It's a long enough winter as it is without having a shiny new machine unraced in the garage!

MH

[ofarc]

looks like bad weather at Donny anyway

[phuston]

As this week demonstrates, date has very little to do with the English weather, the end of season October meeting at Snetterton, has provided excellent weather for racing for the last two seasons. In 2008, this meeting provided some of the best conditions for racing and spectating for the whole season.

On occasion, I set up a video camera to record a race to assist with writing race reports, the camera work is not exciting, but if you are interested in seeing how fast Monoposto cars circulate, the information is there and I can provide a DVD if you are interested. But someone will probably tell me that this infringes the circuit's copyright, but there are probably ways round this.

All circuits are considered when the club choses its race programme. The availability of meetings, the timing of meetings, and the cost of meetings are major criteria in chosing the programme. Rockingham was used for our 50th anniversary meeting in 2008, but did not satisfy at least one of the above criteria for this season.

[Emma Cliffe]

Just chatting to Andrew, it's only for commercial use where copyright becomes an issue and then only really at Mallory, where they are trying desperatly to sell their own on-board footage and photos. It's Mallory that gives Andrew the problem with being unable to sell photos. Anything for personal and private use will be fine, as the use of video would be on this occasion.

The weather is the weather, and whilst I accept no-one wants to risk running a car that's new to them and unfamiliar in wet conditions, it's all still a learning experience. She says, as a non-driver

Snetterton is normally good at the end of the season, it's the start of the season at Snett that can be dubious weather-wise, what with dodging hail storms and the like.

My concern with weather this weekend is where we'll end up pitching tents. I was anticipating pitching (in a fashion) in the paddock, but with rain and more than a very light breeze forecast, we may have to hike to find some grass. Guess I'll find out in a few hours...

Tristan came and stood on the pit wall for the Mono 1800 etc practice last year at Mallory and was amazed at how quickly it appeared they went past. When we told him that he went past us as quickly, he seemed very surprised. A static point video may not be as enlightening as you might hope, but it is still worth looking at so that you develop some empathy for your pit wall team, getting rubber and dust in their eyes, being too slow at getting a board out, and other stuff that us "timekeepers" deal with

[andrewcliffe]

You didn't miss much. Actually you didn't miss anything as the day was abandoned before any single seater ventured on track due to flooding at the hairpin and the new tunnel.

Racing stopped at around 10am and they abandoned the day at 2pm, but by then the programme was 4hrs behind schedule.

[captiv8ted]

Karl,

Like your good self, I had to cancel the Donnington meet after they moved it to Sunday evening - harumph and the like. Living in Plymouth, it would mean by the time we were packed up and gone, I'd have been lucky to get back home much before 3am. Not funny when you're in work at 7!

Silverstone is a good target to aim for, but don't forget the non championship event at Mallory on the 5th July. I've been toying with the idea of doing that one as I couldn't go today. And having now been to Mallory, I won't waste valuable qualifying time learning the circuit! If you are wish to see mono in action, have a look at Tristan's websites.

http://www.reynard883.com/

http://www.dallara398.com/

Under the gallery pages there are some ace videos from this and last year's races. They take an age to download, but they're well worth a look.

From my limited experience, (I only started last year and have done a grand total of 5 races), I would say get a test day under your belt and then to hell with the weather. You can never guarantee it's going to be nice and dry anyway, so get out there and enjoy yourself. Racing in the wet is an inevitablility and it's 99% as much fun as in the dry - more sometimes! The only bummer with the rain is when you're not racing, doing your stuff in the paddock.

I can't stress enough - jump right in! When you do, you'll be saying to yourself "Why did I wait so long?!?!"

A friend of mine has a race prepped Golf that he's hoping to enter in the tin tops series or similar, but he keeps delaying it. I say the same thing to him. He just won't know how right I am until he does it!

As for the Mono club, I asked a few questions on here prior to starting and received some useful advice. When I got to my first race (Snetterton), a suprising amount of people came over to welcome me and offer top tips to make the weekend a success. And it was mission accomoplished - I didn't break anything and I didn't come last! (2nd to last, but good enough for me!)

Get on the grid soonest- you'll love it!

Nick

[tristancliffe]

I totally agree with Nick (captiV8ed) -he speaks wise words. Both he and debuted with a wet day. Mine was a soaking qualifying at Combe, whilst Nick had snow in practice and a very wet race on slicks. Yet it was our first ever race meeting, and our first in single seaters. You just cope with the challenge.

You only go as fast as you press on the loud pedal, and everyone has to start somewhere. Get a test day under your belt (no point turning up at a race meeting to find you can't reach the pedals or your wheels are pointing in the wrong direction), and then enter a race. You WILL realise how wrong you've been in waiting, as Nick says.

What car have you got?

[karl]

Thanks for the update, Sorry to all those who made the effort to get to Donnington - glad I didn't miss much.

I used to have a road legal westfiled that I was going to race but it didn't seem hardy enough dispite being new at the time, It was about 400kg and had a 1000cc bike engine, (geared to do about 120, it was quite lively.) I had it on a track at what turned out to be a (un official)testing day, then realised it needed setting up, I did all the mods. When I looked at racing it, it seemed like an up hill struggle, with this car. Previously riding bikes (not very well) this car never really did it for me.

Tristan

So I bought an ex mono Jedi, (which has been a bit of a disaster, as I went overboard whilst improving it, I moved my own goal posts)

Because of the cost of the work, it seemed sensible to go that bit further whilst the car was stripped - Not so sure now / perhaps should have kept things simple. The car is still not top spec/ would have made sense to leave it mk4 or put the dry sump engine in.

it is a mk6 2003 fuel injected r1 ( should fall into the mono 1000) class Jedi championship spec.

I was advised by the previous owner to do a bit in mono before doing the factory championship. Thats why I want to make it to watch a mono race / to see the differences. I quite like the idea of mixed grids. I would like to have a look round some of the other cars, being an engineer with a curious nature.

The Jedi choice was simple, the factory is very close, they have offered good support and advise, being around bikes previously, I have more experts for bike engines around me than cars. I wouldnt really know where to start or who to trust with a race car engine.

I am interest in the 2ltr mono cars (although I believe the Jedi's are pretty quick compared with other classes?) It's all quite new so excuse the ignorance.

Karl

I know Adam (my happy helper) reads my posts (Adam Silverstone make a note in your diary!) " no we really will go Adam"

[broadside]

Dont just go to Silverstone - ENTER IT!! I did my first race there last year, its not too big a circuit to learn and there's plenty of room and run off, ideal for a first time out. Theres also a couple of test sessions there before our race, if you dont book one your car will never be ready! Do we need to have a word with Adam..................?

Graham P

[samier]

I agree with Broadside, just book it, you wont be in as bad shape as I was at Mallory Park lol.. once you enter there is no going back! Just do it and if you get stuck there will be plenty of people to help you.