The Pickup Truck Racing was at Brands Hatch for the last race meeting of the 2008 season. It was freezing Friday night and thoughts of snow were coming to my mind like the first race of the season back in March. Start the season snowing and end in snow.
Saturday morning and the temperature was warming up so no chance of snow so we had rain instead. We had a full team with Michael Russell and Chris Stubbs returning and so while Chris Millett and Michael was working on the setup, me and Chris Stubbs was doing our usual checkups before the trucks went out for Qualifying. We went out on wet tyres as the track was still wet and Richard ended up 13th fastest with a 59.311. Tech Inspection was after qualifying and we failed the Sound Test as the exhaust was emitting too high decibels although we passed it in Pembrey two weeks ago and nothing was altered. Me and Chris Stubbs again done our usual checkups after qualifying and Chris Millett and Michael worked on repacking the exhaust to pass the Sound retest the next day.
Sunday morning and it was foggy but the track was wet from the overnight rain. Due to the fog our first race was delayed. We passed the Sound retest and waited for the fog to dissipate. The track was still wet and so we went out to Race 1 with wet tyres on.
Sunday Race 1 and Richard would start in 7th place with Neil Tressler (#37) ahead of him and Chris Dawkins (#10) behind. Antony Hawkins (#98) who is ahead of us in the overall championship was alongside Richard for the start. Richard finished the race in 15th place behind the #98 pickup truck with his fastest lap as 57.595 seconds. Richard was going well until near the end where the wet tyres started to go “off”. Pete Stevens (#4) got wide at Paddock Hill Bend and picked up some gravel and on the same lap he spun after Surtees corner. After the race Michael found a small leak on the left rear corner and it was found that the leak was coming from the half-shaft. After close inspection there weren’t any signs of wear on the half-shaft and so he refitted it with a change to the O-ring.
Sunday Race 2 and it was sunny and dry track so full slick tyres were on the pickup truck. We started 4th and he finished 13th with the fastest lap as 54.435. Nic Grindrod (#22) came into the pits before the first lap and retired from the race with a problem. Michael Smith (#93) had a problem with his door and so he borrowed the door from Nic Grindrod (#22) and then continued racing.
We finished the season in 11th place in the Overall Championship with 2780 points. Only 40 points ahead of Julian Arnold (#3) who finished in 12th and 133 points behind Antony Hawkins (#98) who finished 10th in the Overall Championship.
Many thanks again for the team of Michael Smith (#93). Without their help I think we wouldn’t get to sleep at all at some race meetings with the problems we sometimes receive.
Congratulations to Gavin Seager (#54) for winning both races and also sweeping the 2008 season with 4410 points in the Overall Championship. Well done to Richard Novell (#24) for finishing 11th which is so much better than last year. 2008 was a season of improving and learning and so things look good for the future. Hope you all enjoyed the racing this year and those with withdrawal symptoms can search for videos of the pickup trucks on YouTube.
Hope to see you all in 2009.
Yung.
Mechanic.
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