Oulton brings more bad luck
After the triple non finish at Snetterton Alan Taylor and his Robertshaw Racing team went to Oulton Park hoping to turn the table and get some results. Last year Oulton was very good for Taylor who, scored his best ever finish of 10th place in the Elf Renault Clio Cup heat so natuarally his confidence was running high.
Free Practice and Qualifying were far from straigh forward. Like all the tracks apart from Thruxton Alan had never driven a BTCC car round oulton so it was like learning the track over again. The first session was bedding new brake pads in and seeing where Alan could push and where he couldn't. Ultimately there were a couple of spins but nothin too major. The second session was a little more tricky. the car had started to develop brake problems and this was causing alan to run wide at a couple of the corners thus damaging his splitter which after Snetterton was the only one he had! "I have a very long brake pedal at the moment so that means that I am not getting a lot of response from the brakes and its causing me to go off."
Qualifying started well for Alan who was setting some good lap times and generally the car was behaving itself. After a quick visit to the pits to cross the tyres over Alan started a flying lap. On the approach to Hislops the brakes failed and sent the Whitley Bay drive hurtling across the grass ripping off the front bumper. "i couldnt stop and had no option but to go across the grass!" Tthis put Alan out for the rest of the session and meant he would qualify last on the grid.
Race day was very hot and humid so keeping the drivers cool was a must and the also the crew. The teams water supply was going as fast as it was being put in the fridge with over 100 bottles being consumed on the race day alone.
With 30,000 fans flocking to the circuit the autograph session was a fantastic sight and Alan was loving signing the autographs for the fans.
Race 1 started well considering where alan was on the grid he had no view of the lights so had to go when the cars in front went hoping that they had not jumped the start. End of lap 1 Alan was running well in 21st place but then on the approach to Lodge he suddenly slowed. A warning light came on saying the car was over heating so Alan dived in to the pits and the team jumped straight on it to fix the problem. One of th cooling ducts had been blocked so the team cleared it and sent Alan back out 2 laps down. For the rest of the race Alan was trying to make up the time he lost but it was to no avail. He finished the race 21st and recorded his first finish since race 1 at Thruxton. A relieved Alan said " Was that a chequered flag I saw? I had forgotten what one had looked like. Seriously i am pleased to have got the car home but the brakes are still an issue but we will be fine for the next race."
Race 2 Saw Alan make a good start but was instantly being hit by the fast starting MG of Jason Hughes which caused the rear bumper to come off on the run out of the first corner. As the race progress Alan was enjoying a great battle with Martyn Bell for 15th place and the pair were closing on the SEAT Toledo of Chris Stockton who was struggling with his passenger door. On lap 6 diasaster struck for Alan. On the approach to Cascades the brake pedal went straight to the floor. This forced Taylor to run wide and off the circuit ripping off the front Bumper and out of the race. " I am annoyed that the brakes have let me down again as the car was running well and I was enjoying a great battle with Martyn."
Race 3 was the last chance for Alan to get a decent finish after the set back in races 1 and 2. As the lights went out Alan made a cautious start and let the SEAT Leon of Darren Turner through at Old Hall. On the run down to Hislops there was carnage. Tom Chilton got sqeezed on the grass and t-boned Steven Kane and this also delayed Plato and forced Alan's team mate Harry Vaulkhard across the grass. Alan was able to pick through the melee and inherit 7 place rising to 13th just behind the Chevrolet of Vaulkhard. After a short safety car period the race restared and Collard dived through passed taylor at the first corner dropping the Robertshaw Racing driver to 14th. This was ok as the car was running very well and able to stay ahead of Onslow-Cole in the Vectra who had been delayed on the first lap. Lap 6 with Tom closing fast Alan let the VXR driver through but in doing so he got on the marbles and spun in to the tyre wall damaging the back of the car and the exhaust. Alan quickly rejoined and pitted to have the car checked. The team were ready to send the car out when the scruteneer came and stopped Alan because the exhaust had been too damaged all the baffles had come out making it too loud. "It was my mistake. Tom was closing on me and I thought let him through then follow behind him but i went a bit to wide and off she went. The car is ok just light damage and will be fine for Scotland."
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