Blog

From the archives, a shot of Dennis Ashmore heading a gaggle of XJS through the final corner of Lydden Hill in Kent.

The car ended up a few inches shorter. The guy who spun ahead of me ended up with a car a few feet shorter!

Jaguar Car Club Race Meeting
Classic Jaguar World XJS Challenge (Dennis)
JCC Jaguar Challenge (Adam)

• Rain, rain and more rain.
• Dennis gets his first podium and trophy.
• Mad race for Dennis, who was one of the few drivers to keep it on the black stuff
• New tyres tried. Inconclusive due to the weather.
• Protests!
• Adam is denied a race chance.
• Adam only gets five laps.
• Adam 7th fastest overall in qualifying.
• Adam annoyed, especially as the following day brought sunshine.
• First race meeting attended by Aunty Val and Derek.

Scrutineering
The usual checks. Although extra care was taken in checking the lights. A good idea as the weather looked a bit dodgy at this stage. We both managed to sign on, get scrutineered and have our first timers briefing all within the allotted time.

“Get the three laps in” so that we could start the race was the advice of the RAC Steward and this was certainly the advice that we followed! It was the first time out in the wet proper for me and I had no desire to find out how slippery the grass was! Due to delays my session was shortened to only 10 minutes. Only enough time for four or five laps in these conditions. Not much preparation for the race considering that I had never driven in anger in in the wet before or at Cadwell!

I went out of the pits just behind an Ultima and also a Elise and just in front of a Saloon. I was happy with this as I thought that the Lotus and Ultima would disappear leaving me with a clear track. The Saloon behind was driven by one of the J.A.Garage drivers Nick Gwiuitt. He had already been out in the wet in Cadwell park earlier and races a lot so I thought that he would be a good person to judge my speed against and also see the lines with. As it turns out I never saw hardly anyone again! I never saw Gwinutt after leaving the assembly area and was only passed by three of the quick modified cars. The Lotus was holding me up at first! I decided to back of so that I could have some room, but found I soon caught him up. I eventually went past him on one of the straights. It was very slippery out there and I had a small moment when I braked to late for the Mountain section. This caused me to lock up and run wide, but was not a great problem. In the end I was 7th fastest overall ahead of some far more experienced drivers, which pleased me!

Unfortunately the Race was cancelled.

Dennis finished third in class and got a trophy.

MG Club Race Meeting
Classic Jaguar World XJS Challenge

Adam I had to miss Rockingham as I was in Linz presenting a paper on Quantum Dots.

“Dennis Ashmore was unfortunate to suffer a BIG spin exiting the chicane” – JEC report.
This was followed by a great comeback drive taking the chicane faster and faster.

Practice resulted in fastest in class. Everything was looking good for the race. I was particularly please with compliments that I received from fellow drivers – encouraging the new boy. I even managed to keep up with some of the modified cars.

My good start was spoilt by grabbing fifth instead of third half way round the lap. This dropped me to third in class. I had a good battle against Jim Shea and Nick Gwinutt. Shea was blocking in an extremely effective manner. He was quicker in a straight line, but I was much much better under braking for the hairpin. On one lap I had an attempt, but he squeezed me and I got out of it. A lap later I completed the move despite a small amount of contact while we where in the corner. I then easily pulled away after this. In my chase of Nick Gwinuut, we both had a moment when we found a car half way across the track in the final complex. Nick said that he had a slight contact with this car, but I managed to avoid it by a few inches. I had a few attempts to get past Nick into the chicane and also the quick first corner. He was always able to hold me of on the straight due to his superior power, but I could get alongside him under braking for the first corner. Each time he was just able to turn in normally and keep the position. Good racing. I had a great attempt into the hairpin which resulted in a half spin and I lost out. It felt as if he had tagged my rear half, but This was later denied! Although it wouldn’t have been surprising if he did as we were so close. A couple of laps from the end I had a go around the outside while we were being lapped. This was, shall we say, optimistic and I ended up on the bad cambered part of the track. Keen not to lose the back end like I did in Saturday’s race I let the car run wide onto the grass. I completed half the corner on the grass and rejoined without losing a place. In the last couple of laps I caught the class leader again, but it was too late for any more overtaking attempts. On the slowing down lap signals of congratulations and respect were exchanged between Nick and I. The battle had been extremely enjoyable and the marshals applauded our efforts.

“That is never on” – Dennis describes Adam attempted overtaking around the outside.
“You camped at Brands, in March” – fellow competitors at dinner.
“Bangor is not on the map” – Mum