Race report 2006: Silkeborg Hillclimb

Finally the Spitfire was in battle again, and this time with a decent result. Saturday 26th August saw Gjern as the venue for the 4th race in the hillclimb championship. just wednesday the Spitfire emerged from a quite thorough technical upgrade, and the hillclimb was primarily meant as a test to see if everything would work. And I changed wheels Thursday and afterwards drove the car home, I found out that engagement of overdrive burned out the fuse - the same fuse that would power the fuel pump. Normally I don't use the overdrive during racing, but it was nonetheless not ideal.

Perfect collection area at the Jysk Automobilmuseum - the turn out of cars was large and varied, as it has been all year in the hillclimb championship

Towards Gjern that early morning the car went fine, but in the first timed training the engine had a problem: Halfways in the 1700 meter course the engine started missing again, just as at Padborg Park. First time was a 1.12, and I cursed myself that I had not looked the electrics over more thoroughly. But worse would come, as the engine simply died on me on the return route to the starting point. And there I was, in the middle of the silent forest! Luckily a fellow club Triumph-member stopped his TR5 to give me a ride back, as well as advice towards the possible reasons. Back at the car I scratched my head - and deciced to try the old Bosch coil instead of the nearly new Lucas Sport. And hey presto! The engine started as if nothing was ever wrong. Quite strange, but although it didn't show when driving on the street the Lucas coil apparantly couldn't deliver enough power for continous revving to 7000 rpm. Now I was quite suspicious of the stability of the car, but made a belated run for the second training session, and although cautious posted a 1:08. Hm, mayby I really show go for it?

We might be talking of Lucas versus Bosch-coils...

As I was lined up for start I decided that I was here for a real test, and that if the Spitfire couldn't stand this, it wouldn't stand a circuit race either - so I went for it. I had a poor start, as the engine still couldn't hold the wheelspin. I now used all 7000 rpm again, but I couldn't remember the route properly, so took the cautious approach - but was happy with the 1:03,1. The engine ran well, and I only detected a slight amount of pinking and retarded the ignition slightly at the next stop.

I don't think I've ever lost contact with the tarmac in the Spitfire before - but just that happened at a hilltop after the first corner

In the second run I used more revs in the start, but still couldn't hold it spinning. I slowed too much for the jump, but was faster towards the chikane, and more importantly faster out of it. The timing showed 1:01,7, and I felt that there was more to come. Third run was the best, as a brutal clutch treatment held the start, and I was so much quicker out of the woods, that I went for fourth gear towards the chikane. I braked too late, but still passed it OK, and then used 7500 in second gear going uphill in order to cover the wider gap beween second and third. The time was 0:59,9, which really pleased me.

So: Although the car was fast enough there are still electrical gremlins - so back to the garage!

Race report 2006: DM 3 and 4

A very early Saturday morning June 17 I drove towards Padborg Park - the car was loaded with spares, tires and a hint of optimism: Friday evenig I collected the car from the rolling road of Kurt Mejer, and the latest session showed 90 horsepower. Still not as expected, but much better than Ring Djursland. I hoped the weekend would give decent results, even though there suddenly were 3 Porsches in our division A2. It started badly, as the engine lost water - small dripping turned out to be from a core plug. My technical advisor from the Danish Triumph Automobil Klub looked closely, and we chose to carry on - with an eye on the temperature gauge. Furthermore a front brake caliper was sweating a little, and I had to keep an eye on this as well, while setting a decent qualifying time. Although I thought the session went well the times were disappointing: My best was actually half a second slower than my previous best in 2004. But I was held up by a slower car on lap 3, and felt confident for Sunday. And I did shave another second off - but most others did as well, so mygrid position was about the same. I realized that I once again was no threat for the Midget - more than 2 second separated us. Before the Sunday race 1 my tech crew adjusted the rear brakes, as they tended to lock up under braking at the end of the straight.

Unfortunately I blew the start, again because of too low revs, and I came away very badly.

On the other hand I handled the traffic quite well, and soon was behind a Lotus Cortina - which was of course ver much faster than the Spitfire on the straights. But in the curves the Spitfire was much faster, and since I did not brake for the chicane I was able to pull alongside him twice out towards the looooong lefthander. After two halthearted attempts I breathed deeply and went for the inside though here - and nice and easy drifted the Spitfire past the Cortina, which used all the tarmac and a bit more. That was a nice feeling, and as I entered the straight with good speed, the Cortina couldn't even fight back. It didn't last though, as the engine started missing 2 laps later. It kept running, but unsure of the reason for the rough engine I stopped pushing it, and lost places the rest of the race.

Then my tech team went under the bonnet: The Webers were dripping badly, and their manifuld nuts were tightened. Ignition was checked and the coil changed, valve play was too loose. The 12 liter tank was filled, and suddenly Race 2 was on: The engine actually went better, and I was hoping the best.

This time I hold the engine at 5000 revs for the start, but the same happened - it only spun the wheels shorthly and then overdosed on petrol and had no power - the rest of the grid flew past, and I tried to take up the fight. But heading for the chikane the engine missed again, and coming out of the chikane it almost died. I realized that would not work for the whole race, and pitted. Even though the tech crew checked away nothing definitive came up, and the laps were ticking away. I stayed in the pits until the race was flagged off, but I drove half a lap around afterwards, and there the engine responded as usual - very strange, and my first ever DNF (Did Not Finish).

As if that wasn't enough the technical inspector found my ride height too low - and on the way home the differential screamed like nothing I've ever heard before. At least the weather was nice and sunny for open motoring. Strangely the Spitfire went perfectly well on the 200 kilometer drive back home.

On the other hand my newly rebuilt close ratio gearbox was perfect for Padborg Park, the weight 697 kilos was not as far from the minimum of 675 as I had feared - and when the engine wasn't missing, it went sort of allright. Under the circumstances my lap times were OK, but must of course improve dramatically to threaten the Midget.

Race report 2006: DM 1 and 2 photos

The Austin and the Spitfire had the closest race during the weekend, which was of course something of an consolation.

Race report 2006: DM heat 1 og 2

Saturday may 27th I packed the Spitfire and headed for Ring Djursland. The car went fine, but after the hassle I wasn't my usual optimistic self. First qualifying was an eye opener, as the time of 1:13,7 was 2 seconds slower than my previous best - and 6,5 seconds slower tha the rival MG Midget. it was a catastrophe, and quite clearly something was not right with the car. The engine sounded OK, but didn't pull as it should, and less than 4000 rpmnothing happened. It revved to 7000, but still not much happened. I was devestated - that time was far, far too slow. Qualifying too was only marginally better with 1:13,2.

Later saturday we raced Heat 1, and I started dead last. The conditions were with me, as it drizzled and the track was wet and trecherous. Unfortunately I flogged the start, as the engine didn't have enough revs, and almost died. I the first corner I managed to get by a Frogeye and an Alfa Giulia, but this didn't last. And on lap 5 the engine suddenly missed on a cylinder, and I pitted, jumped out of the car, pulled the bonnet up and found one plug lead loose. I rejoined several laps down, and only drove to finish. During the race my best lap was 1:16,9, 3,5 seconds after the quick Midget. Rain is good!

Race 2 was Sunday, and I went for maximum attack. At the start I used more revs, and came away OK - but last, close to an Austin A40. Lap 2 I came close and passed, and built up a lead over the next 4 laps. I drove quite determined, and used all the car had - which wasn't much. The exit out of curves was essential, as my ability to accelerate down the straight was near nil. As I was lapped by an Elan, I had to drive off the line which killed my speed, and suddenly the Austin was there, overtaking me on the straight. I took the Spitfire by the neck, and the next 5 laps a the Spitfire and the Austin were separated by tenths of seconds. I had several attempts, but couldn't pass. Very good fight, and at the flag we were separated by half a second. That duel saved my weekend.

And unless many other I left the track with an undamaged car: The wet weekend took its toll. On the drive home it was quite clear, that the engine lacked power, and it didn't work at street-revs at all. With only 14 days to the next race I was desparate - I had to get closer to the Midget.

English blog revived

I actually haven't posted news to the English version of my blog since may 2006. But lately I have really written quite frequently on the Danish version, and I have once again mustered the courage to try to maintain the blog in English. So here we go - to resume I have decided to translate the race reports, and from there on post largely the same news to the English and Danish blogs. So, what can you expect? Well, since 2006 I have a wider scope on topics posted - although the blog is still called "News from TriumphRacing", and TriumphRacing is still racing a Triumph Spitfire, the content will also feature my other cars (a Triumph 2.5PI and a GT6) and not least other topics related to the motoring world. Watch this space.