I rather like the Claydon course and the local club usually comes up with some fun event to make it an enjoyable weekend. The weather was brilliant, dry and sunny with just a little wind (at times) down the water straight to keep me down on the seat. Claydon has a natural viewing area in front of the house  that looks down on the course, so is a spectator friendly place. They had some close racing to watch. The map "nicked"  from the HCGB web site (see links) shows the kidney shaped layout but doesn't indicate how bumpy some parts of the course are, particularly the 90 degree left which had the craft bucking all over the show. Very heavy on the knees.

Because of the bumps we had concentrated on increasing lift for this round of the championship. Our craft for the weekend had a new lift engine drive arrangement. Previously the lift fan was directly driven from the Rotax 253 crankshaft. We had to run the engine well below its optimum to keep the fan blade tip speed within regulations. Ken at K & M products made a new engine frame and geared drive that enabled us to raise the engine revs 1500rpm and pitch up the blades a lot. This has resulted in significant gains in air flow and coupled with a deflector plate installed in the hull to improve air flow to the front segments has changed handling noticeably.

I was told by some spectators that the craft's speed over the bumpiest sections was one of the fastest, certainly we had neither heavy floor strikes or skirt problems. The (cheap) drive belts for the geared drive were not up to the task. Three races, maximum. The cost per race is not an issue, but having to dismantle the lift engine at least once a day is!. For the next meeting we will try better quality ones before reappraising the situation.

Race 1

Despite being on Pole Position I didn't have a good first lap. Robin got rather airborne from the outside of the grid in the sharp left hander from the dummy grid to the main course, recovering he veered across the track and landed in front of me. I had to back off, this let Daniel (racing this weekend as number12, Team Pintail) and Tony Goldney through. Luke got past me on the water. Conrad (racing as number 22 having swapped the Team Pintail driving with Daniel this weekend) snuck through on the inside of the land transition. That was it for me and the race. I spent the rest of the time chasing the pack as hard as I could. I am a few seconds a lap down on the pack of Pintails and Robins Meteor.

This is a power issue, we do seem to be down on power compared to Daniels similarly engined craft. Conrad has swapped his Rotax 809 three cylinder for the lighter two cylinder (but less powerful) Rotax 779 It will be interesting to see which engine setup Conrad will eventually take to the World Championship. Certainly the lighter two cylinder setup with Conrad driving was the combination for the weekend.

Tony Goldney had a good scrap keeping Luke and Conrad at bay for most of the race but they eventually got past, in the meantime Robin extended his lead whilst Daniel retired.

Race 2

It was Tony Goldney's turn to go airborne in the run down to the first hairpin bend. This allowed Sean O'Gallagher to get past me although he went wide at the next corner and I was able to regain position. At the end of the first lap Conrad was well away in front, Robin next, with Luke chasing then Tony, myself and Daniel snapping at my heels.

I caught air off  the craft in front halfway down the finishing straight which slowed me sufficiently to allow Daniel past. I got past Tony by tucking inside on the exit from the apex of the hairpin corner. Robin, Luke and  Daniel had a really good scrap for the second spot. Luke lost out to Daniel when he spun on the straight after catching air from Robin's thrust. A few laps later Tony Goldney caught air off Sean at exactly the same spot with the craft going all the way up and then barrel rolling. With Tony out of the craft and his machine upside down on the racing line the marshals stopped the race.

Fun Race - The Le Mans Open

The final race of the Saturday is usually an Open Race which Ken normally competes in. For this event the organisers had arranged a Fun Race that did not count to the Open championship. Instead the usual grid start was replaced by a "Le Mans" style run across the track, start up the engines and then get away as quickly as possible. Oh, and one other thing, a passenger!

Ken very kindly let me drive this race. Rachael Gifford (who usually pilots an F25) was the passenger. We spent a little time working out the start procedure, which paid off, as we were away second from the start and first on the re-run.

The first race was stopped on the first lap when Jonathan Spedding and passenger Sue Folland in the Meteor number 1 went for a swim at the end of the water straight.

We got a great start on the re-run but I gave up the lead when I ploughed in at the same spot as Jonathan and Sue. Luckily the nose came back up and it wasn't our turn for a swim! Next time round I was more careful on the water but this let Luke with his mother Sally as passenger through.

As we found out at Gang Warily, when I took some V.I.P's for a few laps, the performance of an F1 craft with a passenger is hardly affected at all. The Le Mans Open lap times were barely a few seconds slower than normal. A fun race which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Race 3

I got a good start from the outside of the grid, second behind Robin Brickles in the Meteor. Conrad had lift engine problems and sledged his way down to the hairpin before getting the lift going. When the craft was fully up, he managed to drive through the field and the "pecking" order of the weekend of Conrad, Robin, Luke, Daniel and then myself was established.

Race 4

I think I prefer the outside of the front row the grid. I had another good start and came out of the hairpin in second position having got past Luke. Eventually Robin got past but I managed to keep Luke at bay until I came out of the water rather aggressively and had the craft right up on its side. Recovering this allowed Luke back through. Daniel was next to hunt me down, passing on the water. On the next lap Daniel did the same on leaving the water and allowed me back into contention.

In the meantime Luke had closed on Robin and nearly flipped it in a last lap attempt to overtake him on the water.

Rachael and I had fun in the Le Mans Open.. here we get our start strategy sorted out. With racing gear and life jackets on, there is not a lot of room.

I preferred being on the outside of the grid as you could get the inside line in the hairpin.

The combination of bumpy straights and thrust air from other craft could launch you at any time.

How much!?! No Officer I wasn't speeding... Honest!!

We were second only to Team Meteor in the noise tests. Terry and Tony take note.