Qualifying. An early start to get to Combe wasn't too bad once I was up and on the road. Two and a half hours later I arrived at the circuit where Adam and Mat with two friends were already waiting. Other than roll the car out of the trailer and get the car scrutinised there wasn't much to do, but wait for qualifying which soon arrived we sailed through no problems so first hurdle over. This would be the first outing since modifying the sump, adding a bigger oil pressure light, adjustable rear spring platforms and a brake bias knob on the dash. So I was keen to find out if the sump extension and other mods had made much difference.

So you can imagine my disappointment to be only third in class, David in the 400 on pole for the class and Chris in his 330 GTO in second. It has to be said that the modifications to the sump appeared to be working as I was running what would be the correct oil capacity all be it an inch lower from the crank, so the four hinges similar to a 330 were doing there job, this would allow me to still run an extra litre and still be away from the crank scroll which caused so much oil loss at Brands. I decided to add one turn to the rear brake bias, and not just because I wanted to use the new knob and apart from refuel we waited for our 12-lap race to begin.

The Race. I decided not to add any more oil as it seemed good without. On the grid David was ahead on my left, Chris along side on my right and a 308 ahead (along side David) and slightly to my right, it all seemed very close. Red lights ON red lights OUT and yet again a great start, beating Chris off the line from his jump start and passing David and the 308 before Avon Rise. As I headed towards Quarry it was mayhem ahead tyre smoke and absolutely no space, so insantly I decided to take to the grass, rejoined well after the apex and promptly loosing more places than I'd made.

It didn't take to long to get on the tail of the 308 now behind my two rivals, I was held up for a while but the good news was we were both making ground on the other two. By the time I had passed the 308 I was also on the tail of David who had dropped behind Chris, I had good speed out of Old Paddock and made a manover on David he made a slight move as though he was defending but by now I was along side and into Tower, all had to do was keep my nose ahead actually not easy under braking with my lack of modern tyre design. I was ahead and soon found I was hard on the heels of Chris, it was one of those times when I knew I was going to take him it was just a case of when ! Hard on his heels and heading down into Camp then a whisp of smoke wofted into the cockpit. I thought not to worry it's happened before just a bit of oil out of the rear of the crank finding its way onto the exhaust, then as I passed the pits a cloud of smoke and I knew I couldn't continue for fear of a potental oil fire. It would turn out to be the correct decision, as I slowed reliqishing second place waving David and the others past, I decided to pull off at the Marshals post at Quarry and as I turned in at a much reduced speed the car spun without any warning and pulled in behind the security of said marshals post.

Oil over the left rear was the cause and the cause of the oil? Not a leak from the crank but a split oil pipe, 20 pence and three inches of rubber hose up to the bypass filter, which ironically I'd only just changed, that's motor racing for you. My spirits were lifted when the results revealed not only a fastest lap but also a new lap record for Group 1.