Castle Combe Race
Castle Combe Race Report – Round 2
This was our first race of the season after missing Round 1 due to university commitments. Upon arriving at Castle Combe, I made several updates to ensure the driver's comfort and the vehicle's readiness. The headrest was modified to accommodate Ollie's helmet and posture better. I also carried out a complete brake system bleed and adjustment in preparation for qualifying.
Qualifying was Ollie's first experience on track with other cars in the same class. He took a conservative approach to get a feel for both the car and the circuit. Despite this, he secured P11 out of 23 competitors — a solid result that highlighted the car's potential.
Race 1 – Incident at Quarry Corner
Before Race 1, I performed a complete pre-race preparation checklist:
Tyre pressures
Torque checks
Witness marks on all critical bolts
Fueled
Battery Charged
Brakes Bled and adjusted
Ollie got off to a strong start but unfortunately ran wide on the first lap at Quarry Corner and made contact with the barrier. Thankfully, he was uninjured, but the car suffered front-end damage due to overextension.
I immediately began diagnosing and repairing the car. The front bodywork showed cosmetic damage, but the underlying structure was intact. I then disassembled the rear suspension, including the drum, axle tube, and linkage, to inspect for damage. Fortunately, the rear axle was undamaged and not bent. I reassembled the rear, rebuilt the front suspension, and re-bled and adjusted the brakes ahead of Race 2.
Race 2 – Recovery Drive & Second Incident
Due to the Race 1 DNF, Ollie started Race 2 from the back of the grid in the 23rd. The weather conditions deteriorated throughout the day, culminating in heavy rain at the start of the race.
Despite the conditions, Ollie delivered a strong performance, climbing to 14th by Lap 4. However, on the final lap, he had another off at Quarry Corner. This time, the incident was more severe — the throttle cable stuck open, leading to an over-revving engine. Again, Ollie was unharmed, but the car sustained more damage.
Damage assessment after Race 2 revealed:
Damaged front-left wheel bearing
Potentially bent front beam
Bent lower control arm
Additional bodywork damage
Repairs are already underway to have the car race-ready for Anglesey on July 5–6.
Anglesey Test Day
It all begins with an idea.
This test day was highly productive and a valuable learning experience. The track had newly introduced a full-day open pitlane format, allowing drivers without race licenses to participate. We took advantage of this by rotating drivers to assess the car under different conditions and driving styles. This helped us identify areas for further development, including optimizing rear brake binding, fuel loads, toe/camber/caster settings, and tyre pressures.
The open pitlane format meant there were no time constraints, allowing us to fine-tune the car without rushing. I also had the opportunity to drive Lightning, which gave me firsthand insight into Oliver’s frustrations. Previously, my lack of track experience in this car made it difficult to assess reported issues. For example, a soft brake pedal over a stint was initially misdiagnosed as air in the brake system or an inherent characteristic of the car. However, after experiencing the issue myself, we identified the real cause—uneven rear brake shoe engagement. Adjusting the shoes to clamp evenly on the rear drum resolved the issue, resulting in a firmer, more responsive pedal.
Brands Hatch Test Day
Pre-Season Testing
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