EAST FORTUNE 18/19 JULY

EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 1

 

Everyone took Friday off and we headed down the road early hoping to get a pitch in the paddock. We were quite looking forward to the weekend after a successful Knockhill the week before. Traffic was bad and there was a long delay at Bankfoot road works. We arrived about half five and the paddock was already quite busy. Just as we jumped out of the truck the rain started. It forgot to stop and was at times torrential.

 

Carol got us all fed and watered and we set about putting the awning up before the high winds started. It seems easier every time and we put it up and checked over the sidecar in no time. We also got a chance to catch up with the Irish boys who were over for the Euro round.

 

The rain finally eased off in the morning and we set about the usual procedure of signing on and scrutineering. It would be a busy weekend with extra practice, qualifying and races for the European Championship. We didn’t go out for the first sidecar un timed practice as it was still soaking wet but we went out for the next to make sure everything was working ok. It was still quite wet on the top straight to railway but Kerr put in what felt like quick laps for a wet track. Next up was qualifying for the European round. Kerr was feeling a bit of pump up in his hand already but you wouldn’t have thought so given the pace set. The session was cut short as one outfit took out a tyre wall. We got out again after the next solo session for a few more laps. We qualified 7^th with a 1m 14s – delighted.

 

Next session would be qualifying for the Melville club races. There was no Scottish Championship this weekend but the club races were for the Tom Dickie Trophies. Kerr went out behind Scott Lawrie and passenger Leon Fitzpatrick. He held it pinned and was hot on his heels the whole way. The rear tyre had been changed from wet to intermediate as there was a very dry line forming and we didn’t want to melt the new rear wet only bought and fitted at Knockhill the previous weekend. It was a good choice as we qualified second with prime position on the middle of the front row. Really delighted.

 

Racing wouldn’t start till after lunch and the weather was drying up – could we get away with slicks? Slicks it was for the first race. We couldn’t believe we had such a good position on the grid. We also got an excellent start and stuck to the back of Scott and Leon like glue. The pace was very hot and Jen fluffed a couple of lefts but still Kerr kept it pinned. It nearly came unstuck in the last lap as the brake pulled into the bar. Kerr tried again – nothing! A split second decision on what to do and he decided that flinging it sideways into the hairpin would probably scrub off most speed. It worked to an extent but with a bit too much speed the sidecar kept going and spun round. Kerr drove straight on to the grass on the inside of the hairpin hit the throttle and spun another 360 to face the track, back on without a moment to spare through the final chicane and across the line to keep second place.

 

Jen was knackered, the brakes were shot, but it was a good result and a second a lap quicker than usual.

 

On further investigation we discovered that the seal had gone in the master cylinder at the brake lever. The initial thought was that the ‘O’ ring was worn. We checked our own ‘O’ ring box but they were too thin. Checked every other box of seals in the paddock – literally! No luck. After some more thought as to why the fluid was going black we discovered that the main piston seal was perished. No one would have an AP Lockheed seal kit – that was asking too much. The weekend was over and much to our disappointment no Euro races. The sidecar was cleaned on Saturday night but no-one noticed problem number two till Stewart arrived on Sunday morning and pointed out that the front fairing bracket was broken.

 

We had breakfast and packed up while watching the Melville race carried over from Saturday and the Euro practice. We moved the lorry out of the circuit at the end of lunchtime and turned her round to get a bird’s eye view of railway for the 22 lap Euro race. That done we headed for home. Kerr has already been shopping for a new master cylinder and seal kit. Fairing bracket repair is scheduled for tomorrow morning!

 

Next stop back to East Fortune on 15/16 August.