“Qualifying: I really enjoyed it and love those slippery conditions when you’re chasing the grip and trying to push the limits and not make a mistake. I’d done a lap and realised I needed a setup change, but pushed for another, hoping to improve. I eventually decided to pit and my crew made adjustments and off I went for a one-lap dash and immediately knew it was an improvement. Not using a pit board, it was only in Parc Ferme when I knew I was on pole. 

“Race 1: a good start, but not knowing what conditions were like and being side-by-side with my mirror being folded in, I wasn’t braking until I was in 2^nd place. In hindsight, that was slightly too late and turned into Old Hall and all hell broke loose! With unrivalled skill and a bucket full of luck, I held it and continued, still in first place! Head down and trying to guess the track conditions, it was good, fun racing and I just tried to stay clear of 2^nd and not slide off as Old Hall and Druids were very slippery still. The safety car disrupted the race and with a last-lap green flag, it was just a matter of not getting off-line or braking too late until the chequered flag.

“Race 2: with a belting start, I took the racing line into Old Hall and reigned my ambition in this time with no slide. The car felt more comfortable back on its regular settings and with 3^rd attacking 2^nd, I kept a reasonable gap and was happy with how the race was going. Until Lodge Corner, that is. I’d turned in as I’d always done but the offside track rod decided it wasn’t playing anymore. The car turned me hard left and I finished at the bottom of Deer Leap in the barrier. A shame to end the season like this, especially when the marshals said I had it in the bag and was long gone. 

“Thanks to 91´«Ã½ Racing for the help with the RP-X pads this year – they definitely made a difference, so much so that three drivers have swapped or are going to change to them!â€�

Images: Malc Brunt

“We were back out again in the 91´«Ã½ Racing-supported Fiesta ST Challenge car, equipped with RP-X pads for a triple header at Croft Circuit.

“With testing on the Friday going well and going over 1.2 seconds quicker than last year, I was looking forward to qualifying and the races.

“With times swapping between myself and the eventual pole sitter, I finished qualifying in 2nd, but still on the front row.”

“During Race 1, a good start got me in the lead but running side-by-side through the chicane I dropped to second and a safety car disrupted the race, meaning I finished 2nd.

“Race 2 was much better; with another brilliant start, I got my head down and tried to make a break from the pack. Holding the lead for the entire race and taking another 1st place for the year.

“Race 3 was 20 minutes long and was epic – going side-by-side off the start, the race-long battle ended with me in a close 2nd place but with the fastest lap and a large gap to 3rd place while still racing hard. The RP-X pads were still as good as ever.

“The brakes are still performing brilliantly as they have all year. We go into the final round in a few weeks’ time, so watch this space…�

“After missing a round at Snetterton and doing the Anglesey round in my XR3i, I was back out at Donington Park last weekend in the Fiesta ST.

“After a hectic qualifying session, it ended up with the top eight cars separated by .450 of a second, with me finishing in fifth. Very hot weather and tricky track conditions had everyone in a mixed-up grid looking for ways to get their cars to handle.

“Race 1 and a cracking start saw me battling for second at the first corner and side-by-side down the Craner Curves saw me finally get through to second place. A few laps later, I made a late-braking manoeuvre into Redgate and through for the lead. After pulling away for a few laps, I was comfortable to the chequered flag for my third victory of the season.

“Race 2 saw me get a good start and run to the first corner – it was side-by-side again till the Old Hairpin. A good run onto the start/finish line and a late dive into Redgate saw me back in first again. I was head-down and trying to break away, but with track temps of 40°C+ and an air temp of 33°C, it was tyre conservation that was required. Thankfully, no extra effort was needed from the RP-X pads, as they hadn’t changed from the first lap of qualifying to the last lap of the race. Crossing the line just ahead of Chris Grimes means I’ve taken a double-double this year so far.�

“It was the first race of the season at Oulton Park on Saturday, 9 April.

“Qualifying went really well with perfect conditions, and I put two laps together that were both quick enough for pole. I finished just over four tenths of a second ahead of second pleace – that’s the fastest that any of the ST cars have done at Oulton, with a time of 2.03.243.

“Race 1 and a perfect start got me to the first corner ahead of second place and it was head down and go as hard as I could. I led for the whole race and managed to take fastest lap and, more importantly for me, the lap record.

“Race 2 and more of the same. Great start and away we went trying to stay ahead and take the double win. I was never beaten in all 18 laps we raced. Needless to say, the brakes were perfect with no noticeable difference from morning qualifying to the last lap of the day.�

Thanks to Peter Hamilton for the images.

“I first used EBC’s RP-X compound at Snetterton, after performing the Friday test day on some old pads from another manufacturer. I changed for them for the second session to a new set of RP-X and I’m so glad I did.

“Immediately, I could feel a difference and not just because they were new but also because of how good the initial bite was and how good the pedal felt. I like a hard pedal and a pad that gives very good bite on initial application and good pedal modulation.

“After reading the well written bedding-in procedure, I felt confident enough to attack the braking areas. I could brake later and later as the session wore on and knew I’d made the right choice changing over to EBC pads.

“There was no fade, and they still gave incredible braking feel towards the end of the session and season. I used the car in qualifying the next day and from cold they still worked brilliantly.

“The pads have done three races and qualifying at Snetterton and Cadwell Park, and two races and qualifying at Oulton Park and Donington respectively, and still have life left in them. I’ve noticed even pad wear and they’re not massively aggressive with the discs. There isn’t as much brake dust as previously and they are a quiet pad.

“This season has been the first time in my new, self-built Fiesta ST150, having previously raced an XR3i in the same series. Going into this year’s season, I had no real plan other than to have some fun and enjoy time away with friends.

“Having won the first four of five races, however, it then got a little more serious. Having to learn the car on test days at the four new circuits that we raced at (Croft, Knockhill, Snetterton and Cadwell Park), it was a steep learning car given the very competitive nature at the front of the grid with some of the best club drivers around. Sometimes after qualifying, the top five or six drivers were separated by tenths of a second, meaning you need to be on your A-game every time out in the car.

“Having had podiums at every meeting and still leading the championship, we went to Oulton Park (my home circuit being only 5 miles away). Testing on the Friday looked promising with the times dropping as the afternoon went on – it looked competitive for the races.”

“Four cars off the line going into Old Hall was as good as it gets in club races and the amount of overtaking and position changes made for great races.

“A 3^rd and 2^nd meant that for the first time all year I was five points behind, with three of us still in with a chance for both the overall and class championship.

“Going to the last race of the season at Donington Park – a circuit I love – was going to be entertaining to say the least. Qualifying put me in 3^rd and my rivals in 2^nd and 5^th.

“Having made good starts all year, another one saw me up to second for half a lap, before the cold rear tyres and a touch of bravado saw me run wide and down to 3^rd.

“Three-quarters of the way into the race, I finally managed to pass Micheal Blackburn to take 2^nd and a front-row start for race two. The points had shrunk to just four now. As the race came around, it was a similar story with a good start, where I took the lead at the first corner.

“A quick safety car stint and then run to the flag and another win and fastest lap put me two points in front, taking both the ST Class D and overall title to add to the three previous class wins in my Class B Escort XR3i.

“A truly fantastic season and such a competitive series – to come out on top is a brilliant feeling. Hopefully with the help of 91´«Ã½, I can achieve similar results to this year moving forward.â€�

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