Rockingham Stages – 4th and 5th December 2015

Terry Pressdee and Mark Broadbent (APMCC)

For the first time this year nothing went to plan and resulting in retirement before the end of day one and an early trip home.
The forecast was changing all the time so i opted for a full set of soft slicks, inters and wets. But by saturday morning it was looking dry for all saturday and most of sunday.
I know my expectations were high aiming for a top ten finish but after seeing the competition and the top ten all with sequential boxes I said to Mark ” 15th would be good “. We were both ready for it sitting on the start line. And were off, there was a bit of road before we entered the circuit and the tyres were cold with some understeer I was happy. Onto the track and which was very open judging the apex on the bends was difficult and more often than not I went in too hard with more and more understeer. Even thou I used the soft slicks they were really warm at the end of the stage but I soon worked out my suspension was way too soft and not being able to adjust was a disadvantage. So, strike 1 was the suspension, strike 2 was the softs were too soft and defiantly not going to last 6 stages on the 1st day. Strike 3 not bringing the hard slicks.. Mark had a look at the results and we were 30th. well below my hopes. Stage 2 was the same dropping another position and on the way to stage 3 I noticed a vibration on the braking. it soon cleared once we got into it but dropped another position. Stage 4 on the start line I held the clutch too long and it stalled. My interior mirror dropped and I didn’t see the Subaru car behind me. I tried to speed up but ended up locking the wheels into a chicane after the fastest part of the circuit. letting a Renault Clio past too I then new this event wasn’t suited for my car as it left me stood still. That was the end of stage 4. I fitted the lights and was going to swap fronts to rear. When I noticed what the vibration was. A cracked nearside front disc and no spares, strike 4. I went to all the Scooby’s which were all on bigger brakes and discs and all but one was on 4 pots like me and he didn’t have any. Strike 5 Bigger brakes on open wide circuits. Well by now both Mark and I was wondering what to do. We agreed to take the next 2 stages at a steady pace and just try the night stages with the lights fitted and then hope another Scooby would be doing the Sunday stages or put something on social media. On stage 5 it ended. Half way through the vibration changed after a long straight into a square left when the front offside dropped to the ground. As I looked to slow down and get off track I saw my wheel go past. It turned out the wheel shattered and were running on the front disc. We put the spare in a mere 26 minutes, strike 6 carry a impact gun to lift the jack and drove out of stage and packed up to come home. Not one to hang about, the car is all washed. Discs and pads on order. Front wing straightened and ready for some paint. Shame I wont be out again till April.
Big thanks to Mark Broadbent in the hot seat for this year which resulted in some fantastic results

Words from Terry Pressdee