trackdayweapons

So, arrive full of confidence, ready to thrash through the rally. Car is now handling well, and we’re good to go. Through scrutineering and wait for stage one.

Stage 1, off we go, car feeling good and it’s a racetrack so nothing is difficult. A third of the way through the oil pressure warning flicks up on the Pi, oh great, look at reading and we’re about 20psi too low. Having put in another weeks worth of toil on the car and it still seems to be firing well we carry on regardless.

Out of the stage and the engine’s dumped about half a litre of oil. Pressure readings varying from 0psi to 40psi. Change sensors, decide “fuck it” afterall, it’s only a standardish engine, and head out for stage 2. Stuart (codriver) decides to take coat with him such is his faith in the engine…

Out to Stage 2, going well, catching and passing a few of the cars ahead but engine sounding progressively more tappety. Screw it, flat out anyway.

On the exit of the stage, sounding more and more like a deisel. So, do we grenade the engine properly or salvage it? Stupid question, I pack my coat into the car, Stuart straps on the fogs and we head out onto stage. Good start to the stage, pass the car ahead on the first lap (30s), coming into the hairpin left by the pits and the car squirms a little, it’s pretty obvious it’s on oil, er, it’s own oil… at that point the smoke in the cockpit becomes apparent. Ah. Uh-oh. Off to the side of the circuit when it’s safe, engine off, flashlight and the engine bay is nicely coated with it’s own oil. Great. Coats on, wait to limp back to the pits…

And engine is dead, car was sold in the next week to a nice bloke who’ll be dropping in a 1600 and doing 20 rounds in it in 2007 and so the search begins for a replacement car…