JEC 2 Driver Non Championship Race 1 - Anglesey 2^nd June 2007:

Limited entry for this race, but still hotly-contested. And, to throw a spanner in the works, it’s a 30 minute, 2-driver race. Which means somewhere around half distance you have to come into the pits and change driver. This is an interesting concept, and presents a unique opportunity for some drivers who have no second driver.

The second driver in each car is not usually quite as quick as the first. It’s just how it is, it’s not his car, he’s not as used to it, and if he bins it he buys it. Understandable you might be a bit cautious. Those without a second driver however simply simulate a driver change, by turning off the engine, getting out, shutting the door, getting in, strapping in and going. They’ve got an advantage though, because it’s still their own car, and even if they’re a bit dulled by 30 full minutes in the hot seat they’re also wired on adrenaline.

An electric start from Steve Davis launched him into a never-contested first spot from Chris Palmer. Ray Ingham lost out to Stewert Lydall, whose snarling cat ate half the turf from the first corner in the dash to turn one, and nosed past Harrison into the tight left hander.

Harrison then lost out to Ingham on the back straight, the V12 simply snorting past on sheer grunt. Roger Webster batted the saloons off his heels into 6th spot.

Harrison hadn’t given up on Ingham, however, the straight sixes clearly faster through the tighter parts of the track, but outbraking himself into the hairpin put himself down into sixth behind Webster with a tyre-smoking spin that stalled the car. Charging after Webster Harrison would repeat this fancy move 2 laps later, Webster doing well to miss the green XJS that appeared out of nowhere in a cloud of Welsh soil and road cones.

Lydall was still haring after the Palmer car, but the tyre disparity was too much to overcome, the handling of the 6 on sticky rubber more than outweighing the 12’s power advantage on road tyres.

By now Brian George had had enough of the cones on the exit to the hairpin and manfully swatted 7 of the 8 out of the way. Harrison helpfully collected the eighth later, and another at the left hander out of Rocket for luck, can’t have the marshalls bored now can we?

Half distance and Steve Davis has enough of a lead to stop for tea and scones, but would lose a lot of time in the driver change to much slicker stops, fortunately by drivers far too far behind for it to matter, in fact gaining 4 seconds on the chasing Palmer in second.

The same story down the field too, Harrison slipping in and out of his Jag faster than a punter in a Dutch brothel and gaining half a minute over the unfortunate Webster, who was caught up in belt-related difficulties and having to be rescued by bystanders.

Lyddall lost time in the driver change, belt problems again costing nearly a full minute on most other drivers in the hand off. Sadly matters were about to get much worse, with the gearbox expiring on lap 22 to retire the car 5 from the finish. Chris Palmer was also to retire, handing second to Russell/Ingham.

Davis/Doyle took the win by nearly a full lap from second spot, no doubt whilst writing rude words on the window for something to entertain them.

The time gained in the driver change and “same driver” advantage saw Harrison chasing down Ingham/Russell in the closing stages, but without enough laps left to press the advantage Ingham sensibly calmly cruised to second place, Harrison a delighted third, Webster 4th from Bradford/Gannon and George/Woods in 5th and 6th.

Small field, but the lengthy race saw some of the 30-minuters practically fall out of the cars, and there were a number of repairs needed. Several Jags in the Future Classics race also found problems, mostly brakes, but Gail Hill suffering diff problems on her V12.

Covcat’s Chris Boon to the rescue, a 7-hour round trip to base and by daybreak a full field again, gearbox for Lydall and assorted brake bits for nearly everyone else. The Hill V12 would be changed for the Boon 6 cylinder for the 2-driver challenge rather than risk the diff seizing at an inopportune moment, locking that solid in the middle of the 120mph Church would not be pretty, the sea is a bit close, but that change aside a full grid for second Jag race.