Driving Mirror Sep-Oct 2016

These are the people, sorry.

Sep-Oct 2016 1

Officers and Committee Members CHAIRMAN

Matt Nichols ..........................07989 601774

VICE CHAIRMAN

Pete Hart ................................0117 9372611

TREASURER

Vickie Tubb ............................

COMPETITION SECRETARY

Paul Parker .............................01275 843478

SECRETARY

Paul Hemmings .....................0117 9566045

MEMBERSHIP SECRETARY

Zoë Tooth .............................01454 329231 49 Bowling Road, Chipping Sodbury BRISTOL BS37 6EP

MAGAZINE EDITOR PRESS & PUBLICITY

Scott Boulton ........................01454 852959 Kate Boulton .........................01454 852959 159 Long croft, Yate, BRISTOL BS37 7YN

SOCIAL SECRETARY

Andy Laurence ......................07825 953858

WEBMASTER & PRESIDENT

Allen Harris ...........................07970 198718

AWARDS SECRETARY

Dave Greenslade ..................07966 540842

LEAD MARSHAL

Mike Cole...............................07980 416075

CMSG REPRESENTATIVE

Mark Benstock ......................01454 311712

ASWMC REPRESENTATIVE

Mark Chater

CHILD PROTECTION OFFICER Richard Marsh .......................(after 6pm) 07786 068830 COMMITTEE

Chris Dymock.......................(after 6pm) 0117 9394265 Chris Buckley ........................07946 482169 Ady Taylor .............................07957 545432 Mark Tooth ...........................01454 329231

www.bristolmc.org.uk 2

_____________In_This_Issue______________ Page 4.

Chairman’s Chat Matt’s latest thoughts and insights.

Page 6.

Llandow Track Day Thoughts and photos from our 2nd track day at Llandow Circuit.

Page 8.

HSCC 70s Roadsport Season 2 Matt Nichols tells us about his 2nd season racing his TVR 3000M.

Page 13. Membership Renewal Form

Page 15. The Only Way Is Up Read about Andrew Bisping’s year in the WAMC sprint and hillclimb championship.

Page 20. Drive By Chris gets an unexpected call into the boss’s office.

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Chairman’s Chat

“We Are One” by Kiss

F

ollowing our extremely busy period over the summer September has provided a comparatively quiet time in terms of events.

However, although the volume did undoubtedly drop off the quality remained reassuringly high.

Not that the track was full very often. Driving standards were also once again extremely high and so we will definitely be organising another one of these events next year. We’ll also get the date in the diary much sooner to give more of you an opportunity to book time off work.

Take Wiscombe Park for instance, an event that Oh and did I mention there was cake. Thanks was once again oversubscribed both days (the to everyone who came along, top people all of popularity of this hill really is something to you. admire). It was also in safe hands with our clerking team of Paul Parker and Tony Streeting Looking ahead and depending on when you taking care of proceedings on Saturday. We read this edition of Driving Mirror we will soon were very well represented competitor wise be venturing into the world of car trials with with Dan Trotman (Lotus Elise), Trevor both the Fedden and Allen taking place in McMaster (Toyota MR2), Sandy Smith (Mazda November. The Fedden requiring the usual MX5), Terry Baker (Toyota Starlet), Ian Barnes ground work preparation beforehand as well as (Mazda MX5), Anthony Shearman (Ford Focus), Cat Clark (Locost 7), Luke Trotman (Mallock MK18B), Chris and Ross Stone (Porsche 911), Andrew Hurle (Sylva Pheonix) and finally Dave Greenslade and Simon Clemow (Force PT) all battling within their respective classes. Most making a full weekend of it. Very well done to everyone involved, including you if you made the trip down to view or help out in any way.

Step forwards three and half weeks and twenty intrepid owners along with a varied selection of cars plus additional drivers ventured over the bridge to take part in our second annual midweek Llandow Track Day. What a great day out as well. Following a humorous briefing that also managed to make clear what would and would not be tolerated out on track, proceedings soon moved past two groups of cars to an open pit lane arrangement. This really is every circuit driver’s dream because lap after lap can be enjoyed for up to ten cars at a time where as one comes in another is able to go straight out.

help on the day. Both are rated highly amongst the sporting and classic trialling communities as we always manage to set up and run two superb events. One being particular specialised with cars that appear to defy gravity, the other covering over 70 miles, north and south of Bristol, with quite frankly cars that survive a lot of abuse. As always anything you can do to assist is massively appreciated.

Time to time it is in my nature to reflect on where the club is and although faced with

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Club Nights

challenges of securing venues, keeping dates firm and any usual on the day concerns, I have to say we appear to be in very good shape.

What I think I take most comfort from is that our membership remains strong with new folk joining each month, normally with a plan or ambition to compete. But the thing is if that plan doesn’t quite work out then it’s still OK to be a BMC member as there is plenty more on offer. Like the recent Llandow Track day for example being deliberately designed for anyone

1st November Club Night 6th December EGM and Christmas Buffet 3rd January Club Night Clio Cup. In parallel the search for new potential venues for all of our core disciplines (AutoSOLO, Hillclimb, Sprint and Trials) continues on an almost ongoing basis as we challenge ourselves in providing excellent value even if that means having to overcome environmental (we’re not welcome everywhere) and other issues.

What a great way to spend your birthday.

Happy Birthday Mark

I’ve reviewed other clubs and what they provide and it doesn’t take long when you look at larger clubs to realise that yes they are bigger, but equally operate on a national or even international basis, charge a lot more for with a DVLA licence, as opposed to MSA membership and have full time (employed) competition licence, to ensure no one was administration teams. We on the other hand unnecessarily excluded. maintain a strong membership and lay on good quality events from a dedicated and enthusiastic Our club nights also remain a great way to talk team of volunteers. Look around at our peers, car blah-blah with like-minded individuals. In plus those much smaller, and you uncover a lack October we saw two new members attend of any real structure, just one or two events ahead of competing in the Allen Trial for the per year and absence of a regular club magazine first time, welcome on board Paul Bracey and or newsletter. No BMC peeps we as a club are David German. As well as Rob Thompson who in a really great place and I am very pleased you made the effort to come along for the first time are involved, keep up the good work. after taking part in the Llandow Track day the week before. Great stuff.

In Driving Mirror this month you will find out how my 2nd season in the HSCC went, the As a club we are not standing still either and Llandow track day and Andrew Bisping tells us constantly looking for new ways to develop. about his year in the WAMC championship.

Two years ago we launched the Bristol MX5 Championship with no less than fifteen cars entered at the Great Western Sprint this year.

It doesn’t end there and we now have plans to introduce a second similar series, the Bristol

Matt Nichols

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Llandow Track Day

A

s usual it was a great day out with the club.

“Immortals�

by Fall Out Boy

Everything was great although the weather wasn't what we wanted at times, it was good to get some wet track time in.

After the initial drivers meeting and a few jokes from John the head Marshall. We All I can say is had a blast and more started with 15minute session times, but after please, other tracks maybe? proving we weren't a bunch of petrol headed loons we were given open pit lane status.

Phil Oliver

Photos by Ady Taylor

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I

have clearly been watching too many programmes like Fast’n’Loud as I decided to introduce some false jeopardy to the few days before the BMC track day. The car went to Bath Street Motors in Staple Hill for a new more aggressive alignment setup on the Monday. Then Andy let me use his garage on the Tuesday to do a long overdue oil change, first time for me so took longer than it should and thanks Andy for the use of the garage! I also thought I needed some new brake pads so they were ordered on Monday to arrive Tuesday. I forgot to add delivery instructions for the pads so I then had to pick them up Wednesday morning when the depot in Fishponds opened at 0700 and decided to do the pads at the circuit. The front ones are a relatively simple job and those were the ones I thought needed changing.

to the motorway. Got to LLandow in reasonable time, signed on, jacked up the car, got the wheels off, checked the pads and realised I didn’t need to change them (thanks Alex and Phil).

The weather was better than expected, it only properly rained for about 30 mins in the afternoon. Track manners were generally good and my setup seem to be working well, the turn in is sharper and the car feels better to me. During the rain I also discovered that I can drive in the rain with the top down and, if it is not too heavy, as long as I stay over 30mph I don’t get wet, which is a result! I knocked it on the head at about 1600 having run out of energy. Overall it was a great day, as much track time as you wanted, good people, good fun and cake, plus I didn't need the coat.

James Hurford

Woke up Wednesday, having packed the night before, went to the post office, got the pads. Realised I had forgotten my coat so went back home, grabbed coat, then headed

Photos by Phil Oliver

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HSCC 70s Roadsport Season 2

“Shut Up And Drive”

By Rhianna

A

fter experiencing the baptism of fire that The first round at Combe in April soon was last year’s introduction to circuit arrived, but not as quickly as the Great racing that included exposure to new circuits, Western Sprint one month earlier which packed grids and other cars determined to get in the way. 2016 was always going to feel different and better still the opening round was at Castle Combe.

I had gone over the car during the winter and replaced gearbox seals and gaskets, fitted a new oil pump and clutch cable, fixed the gear lever, modified the sump and moved the Accusump from the scrutineer disliked cockpit location to the boot. I also included a handy in-line valve located by the gear lever.

The thing is except for the rolling road session before the last round of the previous season (lifting the car from 179bhp to 201bhp) I hadn’t actually added any performance. Mainly because funds ended up being diverted to buying a new Bell helmet and HANS device, the latter mandatory for this year. I did swap from Ferodo DS2500 front brake pads to EBC Yellow Stuff which felt better, but then only lasted two events per set rather than a whole season. I’m currently on set number three.

itself was only one week after getting the car MOT’d. A useful shakedown none the less.

Confidence was high because this was to be my first time circuit racing on a circuit I was familiar with and so the first time the true performance of the car could be properly judged. Last year I was on such a steep learning curve that it was easy to see massive gains being possible after each event when playing the video back.

On the day itself, ably supported by Julian Rainbow and Mrs N, the first indication things were going well was during the wet practice when I was overtaking the same cars that routinely overtook me elsewhere the previous year. They looked completely lost and I knew exactly how they felt (this championship doesn’t normally go to Combe). Qualifying in the end 8th from twenty-eight was a good start, especially as it put me ahead of last year’s champion, at least

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until Folly anyway. As the afternoon approached the rain eased, track dried and we were on for a great race. I made a decent getaway and was in fifth place going into Quarry running with people I only ever saw in the paddock. It was pretty much now just a case of run rabbit run, I did and finished seventh. BWY 458S could officially be classed as a top ten car, third in class as well, a great season opener.

another new experience, and despite trying hard in the end 17th from the thirty who finished and 5th in class was the final result.

The car did appear to be a handful and so I actually left feeling quite pleased with 17th, especially after overtaking another TVR 3000M that spun immediately in front as we battled for position.

With other commitments I missed rounds during June and July including a full Brands Hatch and Cadwell Park to re-join the boys Matt at Silverstone and one girl at Croft. Do you know that if you leave home on a Friday morning at 10:30am you arrive by 5:00pm, just as long as you don’t stop? I’d changed road car as well from the last time and unfortunately the new in-car Sat-Nav wasn’t aware of rather permanent looking local road closures and also where the entrance was. So we headed If Combe increased morale, then the next instead towards a nearby farm. Gotta love a round at the Silverstone International Trophy Sat-Nav. on the full GP circuit was about to dampen The impressive Croft Nostalgia event last spirits a bit. A dry test day on the Friday year, which included a Vulcan Bomber fly-by (booked as it was my first time driving this no-less, had shown much promise and so I format) and assisted by Julian Rainbow once was really looking forwards to the two again revealed that although disconnecting the rounds here. We were also mixed in with the front anti-roll bar had the desired affect at 50/60s equivalent championship, Historic our May Llandow sprint in scraping a class Roadsports, so had a packed grid to boot. As win. It was a disaster here at high speed had been the case in 2015 it was blue skies causing far too much oversteer. Anti-roll bar and sunshine all the way which previously duly reconnected and things were much caused the car to run hot. In preparation better thank you. beforehand I enlisted the help of Allard in However, that was in the dry, but the Gloucester who felt the alloy race rad was following day in the wet the car understeered plenty big enough but needed boxing in to everywhere and qualifying saw us back in the force air through it rather than escape middle of the pack in 18th from thirty-four, around the outside. A job they did very well. hints of 2015 again maybe. The race wasn’t Game on. any less challenging and after the rolling start,

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Being chased at Croft, credit: Charlie Wooding

the very near miss. Starting this time 12th (Race 1 finishing position) I went into the first right hand corner outside an Elan from the other lot. Right hand corner number two and still side by side said Elan to my right attempted to push on but the sudden burst of acceleration, whilst still on relatively cold tyres, caused the car to slide sideways, albeit safely towards the infield. Momentarily everything seemed fine but then suddenly the rear of the car gripped, bit and catapulted the Elan sharp left back towards me.

Feeling confident I qualified just outside the top ten on Saturday morning and again made Matt’s near miss with an Elan a decent start in Race 1, a benefit in part of the rather leggy 3.31 LSD diff that means as others reach for 2nd gear our baby boy keeps on going strong in first, all good stuff. The 970kg, and that’s before adding fuel or me sitting in, is still way above the 600-700kg Lotus’s that tend to dominate the front of the grid. Still it is lighter than, but not as powerful as, the 911s and 240Z’s also upfront and so it goes on. Needless to say there is a great mix I’ve watched the video back countless times of cars competing out on track together. and have no idea how he missed. All I know is It would appear overall our TVR is well suited I turned left and left again to avoid the to Croft’s long home straight and fast flowing impending collision before turning right back ‘Jim Clark’ curves with plenty of time spent in towards the racing line. A quick check in the 4th gear which is where the torquey Ford mirror confirmed no one behind, the spin had Essex V6 does its best work. I held my own, caused mayhem by all accounts, and with no battled with everyone around me to finish red flags being held out I once again adopted 12th overall or 8th in our championship and my tried and tested run rabbit run approach 3rd in class. I also chatted to some of the to the line. Hanging on in the end to finish same people who had spectated last year, 10th overall, 6th in the 70s Roadsports and went out for a meal in Darlington with ten 2nd in class which yielded my first class others overnight and it has to be said had a award. Progress indeed. jolly good time.

Next up was the new to me Oulton Park Next day on the Sunday I was about to Gold Cup, another fantastic event, their experience another aspect of circuit racing, biggest outside Touring Cars in fact, with a

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test session Saturday AM, practice Sat PM and race late Sunday PM, quite a drawn out affair.

The weekend remained dry but OMG this is a tricky circuit to learn, a real roller coaster ride of dips, hills, blind crests and banked curves. Once again we had use of the longest layout and with so much to take in I struggled during my first time here. I think it must be an age thing. The test session helped but when it came to practice all I managed was a lowly 20th out of twenty-two, a bit gutting.

Not being the best company overnight, I’m sure Mrs N will vouch for that, I pulled my socks up for the race on Sunday and really went for it. Another good start immediately got me up the order and I had some cracking battles in the first few laps with all sorts of cars including a Triumph Spitfire, GT6, and Renault Alpine A310, all before catching and settling in behind another, and different to the one at Silverstone, 3000M. I went 5 secs a lap faster than on the Saturday and left with a real appetite to return again after crossing the line 15th overall. The video did however reveal more understeer costing time out of tighter corners despite fitting softer front springs, 375lbs down from 417lbs.

Credit: Charlie Wooding

The intervening Llandow track day in September provided a great opportunity to test out one thing and discover another.

Before the event I lowered the front of the car by around 8mm (rear previously raised by about the same amount) giving a nose down stance to help with front end grip. It seemed to work but I was about to uncover the real issue: Me. Yes, whilst driving around the circuit scrubbing in a brand new set of wet tyres the comically low grip levels revealed much sooner and at a slower pace what the car was trying to do. I had already measured the tightness of the LSD at 72lbs-ft which seemed about right, so knew most likely it wasn’t that. But driving at a slower speed on a set of Uniroyal Rain Masters there was understeer from apex to corner exit.

I then had a Eureka moment by putting the power on earlier encouraging the rear to slide out, obvious to many reading this I’m sure, but a revelation to me that corrected everything instantaneously. I had all this time been waiting for the front to grip and tail go light before re-applying power mid-corner, a front wheel drive habit brought across from my Mѐgane and Type R days. It even worked well in the 4WD Subaru Impreza WRX I ran beforehand. But in this pure bred rear wheel drive race car powering early causes the car to pivot around its axis to both lighten the steering and tighten the nose. A really nice feeling and it only took me two and half years to discover it.

It is still very easy to overdo things and definitely requires a degree of nerve especially in the wet. Worth it though as around Llandow, according to Harry’s Lap Timer App

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anyway, it saved a whole second with most benefit being realised at Gluepot in carrying greater speed back onto the home straight.

So no need to spend any money on the car (Mrs N) to make it go faster, just lose some weight (anyway) and grow a pair. Simples.

class. I’ll take that.

If season 1 provided a massive learning curve at every round and a definite appreciation of the standard of cars and drivers out there.

Season 2 felt different, a pattern was beginning to emerge. The cars and drivers at The final round was back at Silverstone, but the front were still very much the cars and this time on the relatively short National drivers at the front. However, our TVR had circuit, which proved tricky last year in not definite strengths. Its leggy gearing suits making full use of the tall gearing. Still armed longer faster tracks, faring less well on tighter with new driving skills and a revised approach layouts. Llandow being the most extreme I duly set off with great gusto. However just case when 4th gear isn’t actually required at before we went out it rained to leave slippery all. The car clearly also needs to be driven in conditions at different point of the track and a particular way although still requiring so, as you do, whilst still on cold tyres I caution in the wet. decided to show one of the other 3000M’s What also stands out is our M Series TVR the way by overtaking him on the green flag always makes great starts gaining places at (first) lap of practice. every round, important as I begin to What he witnessed next possibly didn’t appreciate just how key that is along with impress him at all as I lost the rear at the your first lap performance. As someone who entrance of Copse and remained sideways came from sprints, qualifying is still a mystery until the exit somehow still pointing to me, as that remains the weakest link. forwards. Oversteer is OK, but there are Thanks for reading, that was Season 2 and so limits. The next corner I repeated it all again it’ll be interesting to see what we can do next impressing no-one, least of all me, to dent year in Season 3. confidence and in the end qualify just 25th from thirty-two. Rubbish. The race through was dry and so I went for it at the start, made places, hung on to the main pack for a while and then successfully held off two others for 25 minutes. The result 16th overall and 6th in

Matt Nichols

Date 29th October 1st November 13th November 27th November 6th December

Event Supercar Saturday Club Night Roy Fedden Sporting Trial Allen Classic Trial EGM and Buffet 12

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The Only Way Is Up (unless it’s a Sprint, not a Hillclimb)

T

he seeds of my 2016 season were sown on Epynt in June last year with the discovery that the WAMC Sprint and Hillclimb Championship, previously unknown to me, included the ‘Welsh Weekend’ of the Llandow, Llys Y Fran events in May and July, the Epynt double header and a range of events in England.

“The Only Way Is Up”

By Yazz

alongside Go Motorsport, Band and personal commitments?

It also had a class structure favouring Roxie, my Renaultsport Clio, through its inclusion of a Standard Production Class. This is essentially for cars free of modification, bar safety items, running on list 1A tyres. As a modern performance hatchback with just under 200bhp she should be reasonably handy in that class.

Roxie at our Chepstow AutoSOLO last year

Scoring was best nine rounds from nineteen, spread pretty evenly across Hillclimbs and Sprints so there were a good number to look Now I’ve known Roxie since new; she was at. Scoring is based on Target Times, with the my Company Car. At the time of ordering target being the previous best time by a her I said I’d never spend my own money on Championship Competitor in class. Matching such a car, doubting her prospective that would score 20 points, with 0.1 points reliability, but she ran well for those initial less for every 0.1 seconds slower. A bonus of three years. For the first time ever in dealing up to one point can be secured by beating the with a lease company their answer to the Target Time, using that same principle, so question ‘How much do you want for the car best score is 21 points. Looking at the last at the end of her lease?’ was met with a few seasons the top few competitors had favourable answer. In fact the answer worked scored an average of over 20 points per for immediate profitable resale, or as a round, so I’d need a good season to have any competition car to succeed the trusty old chance of doing well.

Mighty Rover. So the piggy banks were shaken and the money found to buy her.

The spread of events also highlighted regional class variations. In WAMC, ACSMC and A few early AutoSOLO and Speed events Midlands events there’s a Standard went quite well, so a little casually I sent off Production class, while in ASWMC it’s not my registration for the Championship and included and on the day of those events I’d be started to plan a Calendar. What would fit in class A3 against cars up to 2600cc and on

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List 1B tyres, although retaining the normal Championship scoring methodology. I know it would be difficult to rewind current class structures now, but given a clean sheet of paper it would be great to have greater uniformity across the regions. It would also make explaining the sport to potential newcomers much easier too.

So in late March it was time to start my season. After a day spent looking after the startline at the Great Western Sprint on the Saturday, it was time to drive at my most local event, Hullavington, the next day. Sadly after just two seasons with a track licence this would be the final event there ahead of planned MOD selloff. There were four Clios in class and after a day of close competition I pipped fellow BMC member Rob Thomson by just 0.36 seconds for the class win. There wasn’t a Target Time for this venue, so I scored the standard 19.8 points for this scenario.

Next up were four events in two weekends, starting with our BMC Llandow event under ACSMC classes. Finishing in the top half of class A3 was good, although the target time came from a Ford Focus RS, so I was a little adrift of that which held back my points score. Rob Thomson kept me on my toes again, but I finished around a second clear of him.

Llys y Fran on the Sunday began with a smiling face striding towards me across the paddock saying ‘Hello, you must be Andrew’.

It was Gary Morgan running a Peugeot 206 GTi in the Standard Production Class along with fellow Merthyr Tydfil resident Lyndon Evans in his Clio 197. A season full of banter with my championship class rivals had begun.

A class win on the day and my first 21 point maximum made for a good day.

The following weekend took me to only my third ever Hillclimb venue and first in England, Wiscombe Park in Devon. I’ve spectated there and attended Marshal’s training reported in Driving Mirror, but never driven it. A B&B was in order and after heavy traffic on the way down on Friday afternoon a walk up the hill was possible before dusk. Oh my word, this is a serious hill. Armed with a copy

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of some hill notes from Phil Tucker it was time to try and make sense of it. The slightly downhill start and turn across the meadow looked fine, before the slight kink where the car goes light over Bunny’s Leap. That would need approaching on exactly the right line or a big accident would follow. Then the part which the brain didn’t want to compute.

Brake into blind right turn through gate posts with huge tree on the outside. The softer looking rhododendrons actually conceal a stone wall, so falling off really wasn’t an option and Phil said The Gate was key to carrying speed through the woods. Mmmm.

It’s then up through a winding semi-blind section to Sawbench Hairpin and then the straight up to the final corner, the steep Martini Hairpin. Don’t brake until the wooden barrier on the right Phil said. But that’s only just before the hairpin. More Mmmm.

Photo by Alison Bisping Returning on Saturday morning the course was very slippery under the trees, so I gave myself plenty of judicious reminders to take things steady and maximise learning. A walk up the hill to watch other people take their

final practice runs also showed me the variety of lines taken at the exit of The Gate. In the afternoon I gradually built-up bravery and speed to maintain full throttle into Bunny’s Leap and trust my brain to carry more speed through The Gate. It didn’t matter how many times I told myself the course would be in exactly the same place as it was last time, the brain doesn’t want to believe what the eyes can’t see! And I couldn’t see through that bend. At the end of the day I was 0.35 seconds ahead of Lyndon to be top of the class-within-a class. Meeting-up with my class rivals in Sidmouth for an evening meal rounded-out an excellent day.

Chatting over breakfast the next morning with the B&B landlord revealed his son as a stage rally competitor who’d had a large impact with a concrete block at a southern venue. The car was seriously damaged, but his son was convinced that wearing an FHR had saved him from a broken neck. It was a reminder that the decisions we make within the governance of our sport reach beyond the immediate ‘motor sport family’. He was one grateful and relieved Dad. Sunday was a slightly quicker version of Saturday really, getting a little faster to pick-up my second 21 point maximum of the season. So as soon as mid May I had five scoring rounds completed, over half the number of rounds for a full set of nine, although there was no results table available just yet.

The Wiscombe weekend also gave a plan for dealing with a scheduling clash. Until this point, competing on Epynt over the second

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weekend in June had seemed impossible. The night of 11th June coincided with a Big Band concert to commemorate the Queen’s 90th birthday in the grounds of The Manor House, Keevil and I was committed to playing my drums there. I could try blaming the Band’s Event Coordinator for this clash, but I didn’t want to look in the mirror, and couldn't really blame the Queen.

Ways Bridge up the new road and turns onto the start of Burma Road.

The Epynt Hillclimb needed more entries and conversations with David, the event Secretary brought out a constructive suggestion. Maybe, with the consent of the Clerk of the Course, I could compete on Saturday and then drive straight off the top of the hill along the rest of the length of Burma Epynt is such an awesome and fascinating Road to join the public roads back to place I wanted to be there too, especially as I Wiltshire for my concert, set-up, play, had a double class win in 2015 on debut. I’ve breakdown my kit and drive back again for loved visiting Epynt since Welsh Rallies of the Sunday morning. Well my kit could stay at the early 80s. Its hillsides swoop and dip with bottom of the hill in the paddock, I could put awesome bends on smooth tarmac like a gia pair of shorts in the glovebox, remove numant tube of toothpaste swirled over the top bers and timing strut from the car and be and then smoothed with a damp finger to away; this was the essence of a plan! provide a perfect road surface.

Would it work, would I be sent to The To be fair a work colleague, ex army, didn’t Tower if I missed the Queen’s Birthday see it in quite the same way having spent Concert, would I keep the car in one piece cold, wet days and nights on multi-day and get some decent results too? I’ll tell you, exercises there in its other guise as the but not until part two in the next issue of Sennybridge Training Area. Epynt has a fas- Driving Mirror. cinating but sad social history after the forced resettlement and dispersal of its occupants, 54 families across 40,000 acres of farming land during World War 2. For those familiar with rallying, the hillclimb goes from Four

Andrew Bisping

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Supercar Saturday, 29th of October

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Drive By “Chris, can we have a word, please?”

I

would hazard a guess that we’ve all experienced moments of dread at some time in our lives, and that certain sentences delivered by the right people - strike with an icy grip despite us knowing there is no apparent or logical reason for any fear; it’s just fear of the unknown.

But, on the spur of the moment, we’re never a hundred percent sure of course, hence the apprehension, and we’re all aware of moments when a few, outwardly innocent words have a totally disproportionate impact – “hello sir, I’d like to discuss the manner of your driving” being one such phrase that usually doesn’t bode well for the recipient and unlikely ending up as just a discussion…

Mind you, sometimes the reason for dread is not unfounded and the motion picture industry has given us some real gems to contemplate. A couple of phrases that I find utterly chilling because we’re already aware of the outcome to the story being portrayed, are in some older films that I’ve watched again recently.

“I’m In Love With My Car”

by Queen

hear from the second officer “Ja, but this storm is not the Romans, this storm is the SS”…

In Aliens, the highly militaristic sequel to Ridley Scott’s original sci-fi horror film, the reconnaissance team sent to check out the loss of contact with the colonists on planet LV-426 end up losing their first engagement with the Aliens. Discovering a single colonist survivor, a little girl named Newt, they then also lose their transport ship, stranding them on the planet. After making their way back to the control building and securing it against further attack, Ridley (Sigourney Weaver’s character from the original film) is comforting Newt and tells her they are there to protect her and that they are soldiers, to which Newt’s whispered response is “it won’t make any difference”…

See what I mean, chilling stuff because we already know of the history involved.

Anyhow, back to my opening comment, which fortunately came from two of my Directors and not a bunch of genocidal racists or someone giving me the heads up on just how deep in the poop I’ve landed myself.

At the beginning of Schindler’s List there is a scene set in a restaurant in recently occupied Poland, where Oskar Schindler has invited the relevant local Nazi leadership to an evening of free alcohol and food in order to generate contacts for orders for his new enamelware business.

So despite knowing for sure that my work was just fine and that there were no problems about to darken my less-thanmeteoric career, it was still with a level of trepidation that I made my way to my Managing Director’s office. A feeling not helped any by “close the door” as soon as I stepped inside.

During the dinner sequence two military officers are discussing the Jews, and in response to a suggestion by the first officer that the Jews will be compliant to any edict issued by the new conquerors as “that’s how they’ve survived anti-Semitic storms throughout history since Roman times”, we

As their next comment began with “nothing to worry about…” I imagine my face must have been a picture, as I’m hopeless at looking at ease walking through the ‘nothing to declare’ channel at airports, let alone being summoned to the boss’ office on a Friday afternoon.

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And at this stage of my Drive By insanity, I will now backtrack quickly to last month’s saga regarding the demise of Tiddles the SType and my subsequent purchase of Flo the X-Type.

woes.

Flo the X-Type, whilst not in the same league as Tiddles for overall quality and comfort (there’s only so much you can do with a 2002 vintage, Ford Mondeo), was turning out to be quite a reasonable purchase and perfectly adequate for my commuting for what was very little outlay.

agree with that comment, bless her patient heart…

So my Director’s request to join them exactly a week after my purchasing Flo could only be about a work related matter and, as my work’s usually pretty much on the button, would no doubt involve me adding to my never-decreasing workload and need me to be providing some last minute cost plan or suchlike by the end of the day, oh joy…

Focus and Mondeo, Vauxhall Astra and Insignia, and Skoda’s Yeti, Superb and Octavia (they do an Octavia VRS diesel, you know.

He says, desperately trying to inject a modicum of interest to the subject).

It transpired my work ethic hadn’t gone unnoticed and that “we’ve decided to take away the pressure of you running a private car and offer you a company car” Wow, now My accident, which damaged Tiddles beyond that did come as a surprise as my role within reasonable repair, happened on my the company has never traditionally had a homeward commute on a Wednesday night company car, or car allowance, as part of the in the middle of April, and my emergency package, so this was a first. “Have a think expediency purchase of Flo the X-Type was over the weekend about what you’d like, let signed and sealed by 8.30AM on the Friday us have your choice next week and we’ll get morning of the same week as I have a 30 mile it ordered for you” Blimey, game on! round trip every day for work - a journey Which, as you can imagine, made for a very that takes public transport a life-wilting hour interesting weekend indeed. Well, for me, I’m and half in each direction to accomplish. not entirely sure Lynnette would necessarily

I decided to make a full list of possibilities for consideration, ranging from wish list long shots at the top of the page to some more pragmatic selections. The company imposed requirements across any choice would be With my claim for uninsured losses now that the car would need to be a four or five being pursued with the MIB (Motor Insurance door and be powered by Satan’s favourite Bureau) via a specialist solicitor, life very automotive tipple, ‘Diseasel’, oh well. rapidly returned to my usual level of wageAfter a Saturday spent perusing the Interweb, slave routine, and I have to admit to enjoying my first Head-V-Heart list was gaining ground Flo’s 2.1 V6 soundtrack on every journey, and contained choices ranging from the even if it ultimately lacked the punch of Mercedes C class, BMW 3 series and new Tiddles extra litre of engine capacity and near Jaguar XE at the top of the tree (as they are one hundred horsepower of additional all available with highly efficient 2 litre diesel muscle. engines), to the slightly more likely Ford

What actually followed was the reason for my comment in my previous article about a twist in the tale to my recent automotive

With Volkswagen’s CC and Golf also added, together with Renault’s new Kadjar (well, I will be moving house a couple of times in the coming year and it’s a big wagon for the money), my list was complete.

The Sunday morning saw me at the local

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Renault dealership on a Kadjar fact-finding confirmed that the car being provided would mission as, although it was unlikely to be a be in Mazda’s rather fab metallic ‘Soul Red’, particularly dynamic drive, my rarely indulged result! head-led pragmatism saw this as a cost effective and useful vehicle for the chores of commuting and lugging around the lifetime-to -collect contents of a couple of houses. The Kadjar’s surprisingly good, by the way, and would be a perfectly useful car for everything you would ever need a car for.

List duly submitted on the Monday morning, it was the end of the week before my Operations Director confirmed my top of the page headliners would be considered to be a little beyond my perceived position in the company, but that everything else listed would be no problem. Not to them maybe, but I just couldn’t generate any real interest in anything on the list but the Kadjar, so I bought myself another weekend before submitting my final choice so I could reconsider all the options. And I’m glad I did.

So what’s it like? Brilliant is the best oneword answer; with a twin-turbo, 2.2 litre diesel engine providing 175bhp and a rather interesting 310 lbs/feet of torque, all coupled to the slickest six speed manual gearbox I’ve By chance, visiting the local retail park on the ever used, it can really get a shufty on when Saturday morning with Lynnette, as we were you’re in the mood (0 – 60mph is quoted as Sat in Flo the X-Type discussing where we 7.8 seconds, and the mid-range acceleration is were heading next, the van parked in front of addictive) and is usually knocking on the door us moved out and across the car park a bright red saloon took my eye – hmm, that’s of 50 mpg for my daily commute. a new Mazda Six, and quite a looker. I With my Six being the top-spec version available, it comes with a full leather interior, wonder… supremely comfortable sports seats, electric As soon as we returned home, more everything, enough connectivity for any Interweb interrogation revealed the Mazda teenager, a fighter pilot-pleasing head-up Six to be highly regarded by all the display that rises from the top of the automotive magazines and considered to be dashboard on start-up, keyless locking and an absolutely cracking drive and positioned ignition and a truly perfect stop/start somewhere between the default choices of functionality (not to be confused with the Mondeo or Insignia and my original list soul destroying version that was inadvertently headliners. Further searching revealed the top of the range 175 Sport-Nav model was of invented by Fiat in the 1970s…). a similar list price and would not incur much of a tax penalty over my other potentials; heart rules again and job done!

I appreciate the aesthetics of a car are purely subjective, but I think the Six is something of a looker and far more interesting than its rivals - the rather unresolved Mondeo and blobby Insignia - with the Soul Red paintwork on the very coupe-like body shape, coupled

My choice was signed off by the powers-tobe the following week and they subsequently

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with 19 inch dark alloys, making it stand out in the crowd in the corporate carpark. An opinion that the lads in my local car wash seem to wholeheartedly agree with given their obvious keenness to be the one to clean it every time I rock up. The Six also seems to draw strangers to comment and one that I’ve had recently is that the front end looks like the latest Ford Mustang and yet another was that the Six also has a passing resemblance to Maserati’s latest Ghibli?

an awesome, standard-fit 13 speaker Bose sound system to sort out that particular issue.

So, the nickname for my new beastie is?

Using my usual parameters for my car’s nicknames, given the colour and cold start aural signature, it’s going to be… ‘The Scarlett Rattler’.

And what happened to Flo the X-Type? A happy ending, as I sold her to my friend Steve in a mates-rates deal as he was looking for Downsides? Well, the steering is a little over something to replace his Ford Ka – and he’s assisted, although the feedback is spot-on and loving his new acquisition. the chassis, whilst being very firm, is a fine blend of sportiness with comfort. As Mazda Finally, another life lesson heads-up from have taken the route to using clever your author so you can avoid the same engineering technology to lighten their cars stressful situation with your partner. (the Six is typically a useful 200kg or more, It turns out you can’t put a large collection of lighter than its equivalent rivals), a lack of her treasured vintage china into a dishwasher soundproofing probably accounts for hearing and expect it to remain intact. And who the agricultural diesel rattle on cold start-up knew you also shouldn’t put vintage china (the engine is actually very smooth and quiet into microwave ovens for the same reason… at anything above tickover) and reasonably intrusive road noise that’s apparent when driving on anything other than perfect tarmac. Thankfully, the Sport-Nav version has

Chris Dymock.

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OFFICERS & COMMITTEE MEMBERS’ EMAIL Pete Hart Paul Hemmings Chris Dymock Richard Marsh Paul Parker Mark Benstock Vickie Tubb Matt Nichols Mark Tooth ZoÍ Tooth Allen Harris Andy Laurence Dave Greenslade Kate Boulton Mark Chater Ady Taylor Mike Cole Scott Boulton Chris Buckley

peter.j.hart@btinternet.com paul@phemmings.freeserve.co.uk chris.dymock@intoheat.co.uk r_marshy22@yahoo.co.uk britishsprint@paulparker.f9.co.uk benstock.mark@yahoo.co.uk vickie.tubb@hotmail.co.uk matt@classiccarsdriven.com mark.tooth@tiscali.co.uk membership@bristolmc.org.uk allen@harris-bristol.com andy@andylaurence.co.uk davegreenslade@zoho.com kate-boulton@virginmedia.com mark@chater.demon.co.uk ady_tayloruk@yahoo.com cole.mike@btinternet.com scott_boulton@btinternet.com cbuckley@slb.com 24