Alfa Championship - Cadwell May 6th/7th

[BS25]

I'll be racing the 33 at Cadwell next weekend - here's the provisional timetable:-

http://brscc.co.uk/assets/timetable---c ... sion-1.pdf

[Marlow Sud]

Very best of luck Bryan.
Hope you have a great time. Will be watching your progress on TSL.
Brgds
Simon

[KevJTD]

at a wedding Saturday, but sunday morning i'll probably have a ride over guys.
not bought a season ticket for cadwell this year but worth the admission money for another BLS win

[Marlow Sud]

I have been watching this video for some top Cadwell tips.
After some shameless blocking, god shines at 18:18. The culprit gets taken out and Bryan goes on to win!

https://youtu.be/4d9XA484s9o

Brgds,
Simon

[KevJTD]

I can remember that frustrating race well Simon, sure Bryan can too! Chris Snowdon came through the field well taking some risks, kind of inevitable that it may end in tears, certainly was a very wide lead car for some time...

[Marlow Sud]

Seems a great track for Suds as races are at relatively low average speeds from what I have read. The Sprint went really well at Cadwell for my first ever race. Tim is a bit of a demon at Cadwell in his Sprint with a 1:51 I think!

Brgds,
Simon

[BS25]

That was a frustrating weekend being blocked by slower cars - in free space I was 0.5 seconds a lap quicker than anyone else - but, I got two clear laps all weekend!

It's a Nurburgring/Monaco mix - the latter because it's so narrow and difficult to overtake! Qualifying is key or you run the risk of being bottled up behind someone much slower than you at the places you are quick.

Not a great entry for our race - but there's a 156 turbo to compete with! The aim of the weekend - beyond two good finishes - is a sub 1.40 lap - current best being in the video above at 1.40.05.....

[Kegsti66]

Watching it again I realise both the 147 GTAs were PITA throughout the race.
It fascinates me how the two boxer motors can still upset the bigger engine cars.
Good luck for the weekend.

[Marlow Sud]

Had to look that one up Keith!
Good luck for the weekend Bryan. 1:40.05 is seriously quick. Faster than Tiff Needell in a 911 Carreras S.
http://fastestlaps.com/tracks/cadwell-park-full-circuit

Brgds,
Simon

[Veesix75]

I think you lapped quicker than me in the red sprint Simon.

As Bryan said, good qualifying and a good start to get in front of the bigger engined cars.

Managed that last year qualified 6th, great start but a very lonely race as I couldnt keep up with the front runners.

Previous year, got stuck behind the P6 v8 rover in pre 83 and it took to the end to pass him. Just too much grunt on the straights.

1:49's has to be the target for both of us......however I'm losing confidence in the brakes currently so I'll probably struggle to better 1.51.

[Marlow Sud]

Looks like Bryan was way out in front of anyone else today when qualifying with. 1:42.
Didn't drive in the first race today? But on the grid tomorrow in third position?

Brgds,
Simon

[Marlow Sud]

If we can stay with Stuart Caie in his Triplex 3 litre Capri we will be on very good form Tim.
My brakes are pretty awesome
Ordered some serious windscreen glue today to stick the gear knob on as I don't want that coming off again. That messed-up me passing the Orange 2 litre Escort on the last lap at Rockingham. No excuses at Cadwell! Oh I will have new Toyo 888 tyres scrubbed in when I practice on Friday
Watching Bryan's Cadwell video to get my eye in!
Brgds
Simon

[BS25]

Front hub sheared going into the Mountain whilst leading on the first lap - thankfully I stayed on the grey stuff and parked up. Lots of effort from the team will see us start at the back tomorrow having changed the hub. Shrew has some photos of the now two piece hub - I'll see if he can post them up tomorrow.

[Marlow Sud]

Sorry to hear that Bryan. Glad you and the 33 all in one piece.
Good luck for tomorrow.
Would like to see the pit crews pics!
All the best,
Simon

[Kegsti66]

As Simon has said, sorry to hear of your incident Bryan, and pleased to hear no serious damage done to cars and drivers.
Hope all goes well tomorrow.

[Marlow Sud]

Hi Bryan,

Just checked the results and again you are way faster than the rest but 1 lap short of finishing - damn.
Hope nothing serious.

All the best,
Simon

[BS25]

Hi Simon, I had a good run through to the lead from starting at the back of the grid - without having to push hard at all. The someone dropped a lot of oil from Mansfield to the Hall Bends so everyones laptimes dropped off. Last lap and I got a box of neutrals and rolled to a halt 2 corners from home A shame but an odd weekend - in 24 years I've never retired from the lead - now I've done it twice in a weekend! With yesterdays lap 1 retirement and todays traffic then oil I never got to push for a laptime - so way off bettering my previous fastest. Next time.

[Kegsti66]

Sorry to hear the outcome of your weekend Bryan.
Hope the gearbox problem is a linkage issue and nothing too serious.

[Marlow Sud]

That is a shame Bryan. Sorry to hear that. Bet you will have the gearbox fixed in no time ready to fight another day.

All the best,
Simon

[Johnboy]

Hopefully that's all your bad luck for the rest of season

[PETROLHEAD]

Hi everyone

apologies for the late addition, but been stupid busy!


As Bryan says, a frustrating weekend, but thankfully a real rarity for anything BLS prepared to have issues such as this. but even the mighty 33 has to have a bad day every now and then, and possibly show her age once in a while. It was afterall the hub that failed in the first race, 99% an unmodified and standard part, but sadly 30 years old, unknown original mileage, and the stress's of stiffer suspension and masses more grip than a road car could ever create, its actually a really good record that it hasn't happened previously, and we were incredibly lucky that the final separation of the hub parts occured the moment the car came to a compete standstill

As for the race 2 gearbox issue, well, until Tom has inspected, stripped, analysed etc, the jury is out, except to say that no amount of lever stirring could summon any gear, so unless the selector mech's are completely separated, it would at this point seem more likely to be an internal problem i fear

[BS25]

Thanks for posting the photos Shrew - just to clarify that the gap between the door and wing in the second photo is much greater than usual as the wheel/tyre pushed it out! Having said that, TVR would have been happy with that as a gap!

[Marlow Sud]

Thanks for sharing that guys. Thank heavens it finally failed at low speed. Poor little hub under intense pressure finally gave up its life but not until it had brought the car home safely - it was only 30!

All the best,
Simon

[Kegsti66]

Wow !! now that is a break.
Hope the gearbox issue isn't too bad.
Good luck.

[BS25]

Turned out to be a weekend of major failures, offside output shaft twisted and broken. It was a specially made one though most likely failed as a result of the hub failure on the same side a day earlier. Everything else is intact. Here's the obligatory broken parts photo:-

[PETROLHEAD]

Looks like the splines just holding out shifted the torque down to the break, not what i expected but i'm pleased nothing else has broken along with it.

Anymore custom ones around Bryan

[BS25]

Sadly not, quite a long lead time so will revert to standard shafts for the meantime. The LSD looked ok but we will send that off for a service/rebuild.

[PETROLHEAD]

If youd rather continue with the custom ones bryan, i have an engineering contact that specialise in gear cutting. He might be able to reproduce them for you?

[BS25]

Thanks - I've just e-mailed you about this