Pembrey Circuit 

15th April

Not having raced at Pembrey since 2009 I was really looking forward to coming back, I have always done quite well there and it was the location of my first ever class win (in an MR2).

Arriving on a rather wet Saturday afternoon, we were able to set up on the concrete part of the paddock, which is actually the end of the old RAF Pembrey runway.

The weather cleared up in the late afternoon and by evening it had mostly dried, I took the opportunity to cycle the track to reacquaint myself with the corners.

The Nippon Challenge were out to qualify on the Sunday morning after the MR2's, after a few laps the tyres had warmed up and I was happy with the handling. I was happy to have qualified 1st in class and 10th overall, I was only 2/10ths  behind Jason Langan in his #96 Suzuki Swift.

Race 1

A made a reasonable start, I was under pressure from Jon Winter (#46 Hyundai Coupe) & Tim Hartland (#33 MR2) until I got some heat in my tyres and I was able to pull away. While I was defending my position it had allowed Jason to pull away chasing James Janicki (#19 Skyline). 

Slowly I was beginning to catch them until I ran out of talent (& track) at the hairpin dropping me back away from them.

I was happy to cross the line 1st in class & 9th overall, some 19 seconds ahead of 10th place Karen Phillips (#14 Impreza), setting fastest lap for the class of 1:10.4

Race 2

A better start as I managed to pass Jason exiting the hairpin, this was short lived as I fluffed the exit onto the back straight, Jason passed me off line just before the right hand kink, this unsettled his car on the exit and caused a extended spin, luckily he did not make contact with the barrier and was able to continue.

After that it was quite a lonely race for me, again finishing 1st in class and 7th overall

Race 3

A reasonable start, Karen Phillips (#14 Impreza) passed me with ease looking like her problems were behind her. I was keeping up on the twisty bits with Jon Winter chasing me down all the time. On lap 2 taking the fast right hander on to the S/F straight just behind #14 it looses power, I manage to narrowly avoid as I pass. With nothing catch able ahead I maintained consistent laps times and finished 1st in class and 6th overall.

Brands Hatch 

24th March

Arriving at Brands Hatch on the Friday afternoon, we were soon set up and enjoying the good weather.

Saturday morning the Nippon Challenge was to be first out to qualify, this year I am running the the new Federal FZ201 tyre, having only had chance of a short try on these I have found them slow to warm up, especially on the Mirage being only 980kg (inc me).

Out for qualifying, a few steady laps to get some heat into the tyres, I had plenty of space around me, I was just getting into a flying lap when the red flags came out for a car in the gravel, when we went back out to complete the qualifying there was lots of traffic either lapping or being lapped to hinder a good lap.  I did the best I could given the lack of space. A disappointing 4th in class and 14th overall was the result.

Race One

The Nippon Challenge race was the fist race of the day, just before the lunch break.

Knowing the FZ201 were slow to warm I got as much heat into them during the green flag lap as I could. Even at moderately low revs the fronts still spun up on launch, added to a slower launching car in front compromised me into Paddock Hill bend

I had dropped a few places to the MR2's & Hyundai Coupe's, once we were a lap in the tyres were improving and I began to make my way through the field. The handling though much improved still requires further development.

 I managed to keep reasonably close to Jason Lanagan in his super quick Suzuki Swift and Ross Stoner in his Celica.

At the end of the race I had worked my way up to 1st in class and 7th overall, taking fastest lap in class along with a new personnel best of 58.601.

Race 2

A slightly better start in race 2, though defending the inside into Paddock Hill saw a couple of MR2'2 go round the outside. 

I passed Jason Lanagan coming out of Graham Hill and soon caught Gary Lawrence in one of the MR2's. Though I had the straight line speed, the better handling MR2's (and Gary's defending) meant I was outclassed into the corners. I finally had a good run out of Clearways and passed Garry and was soon up upon Dave Hemingway, a good run out of Clearways had me passed him as the Mitsubishi GTO came passed and began braking for Paddock Hill before I was completely passed Dave, this unsettled the car and Dave came back through, finally getting passed Dave out of Clearways (again). 

A couple of laps later Jason Lanagan came through making me look like I was going backwards.

This then left me a couple of seconds off Jason & Ross and apart from lapping slower cars it was a pretty lonely race from then on.

Finished 1st in class and 6th overall.

A great weekends racing and only 3 weeks until we head to Pembrey, lets hope the FZ201's fare better on Pembrey's abrasive track.

Mitsubishi colt mirage cyborg r rs racing in the UK Nippon Challenge & CSCC Tin Tops. powered by the 4G92 MIVEC engine, similar weight and performance to the Honda Civic Vtec

pembrey, Snetterton, Brands Hatch, Oulton Park, Anglesey, Donington, Mallory Park & Cadwell