Castle Combe Race

26 May

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: