This year we were to test on the Thursday before the race instead of the usual Friday thus extending our visit to Spa. However we would not be idle on Friday as Cor had entered us in the Belcar Championship as well to give us some more time on track. This I sorely needed, as Spa is one place where confidence is vital.
Contrary to our expectations the day was dry and rapidly became sunny as well. The first session was due at 11.40 a.m. and Cor went out first. He had recently raced in a 24 hour event at Spa so he was straight in to his stride although we were not really going for times as yet. Working on set up he dipped under the 2 min 30 secs for this wonderful 4.35 mile circuit. With several adjustments to make the time slipped by fast but I managed about 4 laps at the end of the session also in the 2 min 29 sec area.
The second session was at 5.00 p.m. and Cor went out first again. Still working on a handling imbalance he exited Eau Rouge and as he went over the crest at Raidillon the rear bodywork came adrift sending him into a lurid series of five 360 degree spins at 230 km/h (155 mph!). Something was smiling on us as he avoided contact with the barriers and some of the tail section was even recoverable. However, that was the end of the session so yet again I was short of laps.
Spa has 3 particularly spectacular parts in a GT car. The first and possibly most famous is Eau Rouge which Villeneuve in Formula One attempts flat out every year with varying success! We can not go flat out through there as we have around double the weight and less than half the downforce. But we do turn in flat out at maximum revs in 5th gear, around 160 mph, then brake briefly before getting hard back on the power to get a good run up the Kemel Straight.
At the far end of the Kemel Straight we arrive at the 3rd gear Les Combes at over 290 km/h (over 180 mph) and stay off the brakes until the 100 meter marker. This really concentrates the mind especially when you consider that we were covering about 260 feet per second at that point.
The next "test" is at the famous Blanchimont corner where we take the left kink flat out in 6th gear followed by a short brake before turning in to Blanchimont still in 6th gear, exiting at around 160 mph. This place is definitely not for the faint hearted!
Friday weather was even better with a warm sun. We were only allowed to use one of the Belcar (Belgian GT championship) qualifying sessions so we chose the Friday one to avoid any conflict with the British GT sessions on Saturday. But first there was a 45 minute free practice session.
Cor started with some new settings to try and after a few laps and the inevitable red flags I was ready to go. With 92 cars out on track it was extremely busy but I still managed to find the odd free patch of tarmac. We were also testing a full power shift mechanism. This enables us to change gear without lifting off the throttle. As we do not use the clutch on the way up the gearbox anyway it makes gear changing very simple and very fast at around 30 milliseconds. However, bad luck struck again on the second lap the dashboard flashed up an oil pressure warning. I quickly scrolled through the dash pages and saw that we had lost all oil pressure. I switched off the engine immediately hoping that I was quick enough to save it from damage. You do not want to know how much these engines cost! I parked up on the grass between Pouhon and Des Fagnes feeling less than confident about our position.
Once back in the garage the team set to work and soon discovered that the oil pump was jammed. Once dismantled the reason became clear. A sump pick up pipe screw had come loose and set off around the oil system entering the oil pump and jamming it. This in turn had stripped the teeth off the pump belt.
I was due to meet some guests for supper that evening and so set off to prepare still not knowing if we had a damaged engine or not. Tense moments! Later Cor came back to the hotel with a glum face and when questioned said we had to replace 3 pistons. Of course he was pulling a fast one and the real news was that I had switched the engine off in time and it was perfect. A new oil pump was arriving from Amsterdam and it would be fitted by the time we arrived in the morning.
Next morning I woke at 6.00 a.m. with a splitting head ache. I promise it was not from the previous evening's excellent meal and company. To add to all the problems we were suffering I had picked up a lurgy and could not shift my headache. The first qualifying session was at 11.15 a.m. with the first 10 minutes for GT cars only. Cor set off to warm up the tyres before giving it his all. His best lap put us second but 7 tenths of a second behind the Lister. At least we were on the front row of the grid and the second session scheduled for 5.15p.m. with the sun hot was expected to be slower.
And so it turned out but not before yet more dramas. I went out after Cor and after a couple of laps the engine cut dead. Re setting the master switch it fired up but we obviously had an electrical gremlin somewhere. It transpired to be the full power shift so we were forced to abandon it ruing the loss of around 7 tenths of a second a lap.
The second session went by virtually unchanged and with red flags and disruptions I only managed a couple of laps keeping my recent nickname of "two laps Lockie" intact!
The Belcar race was scheduled for an 11.35 a.m. start and I duly lined up coincidentally in second spot. This would give me a start practice with a few more laps to follow. The lights went green, the Viper alongside me made an excellent start and I slotted in behind. I was really enjoying myself working on lines and bravery! After 20 minutes I pitted and Cor set off but was soon back with a suspected sensor failure. We decided to park the car rather than risk anything else so retired from the race.
And so to my second start of the day. I was still feeling rough but the concentration soon takes care of that. The lights went green again and I accelerated away to find we had a bad misfire. I exited Eau Rouge in 3rd and cars started to drag past me on the run up Kemel straight. I could not believe what was happening but tried my best to hang on. On the second lap running up to Les Combes I nearly lost 5th place but by staying off the brakes until I thought I was going to crash I managed to make a place up to fourth. By then the Listers and the TVR had disappeared up the road to the tune of around 7 or 8 seconds and I gave chase vainly. The misfire cleared on the second lap but I was still struggling with poor handling. Strange after feeling comfortable in the Belcar race.
For the second race in a row we were helped by an incident. A coming together saw the pace car come out which allowed me to close right up with my championship rival, now in 3rd place. We circulated for 3 laps while I saved fuel. This was also excellent as we expected to be marginal on fuel anyway.
The restart came and I was right on the Listers tail out of Eau Rouge. But despite the misfire having gone we were still down on power and the Lister just drove away from me up the Kemel Straight to the tune of 5 or 6 cars lengths. I pulled some back with later braking but it was not enough. I felt my championship chances slipping but hung on as best I could waiting for the pit window.
I got the signal and from only 1 or 2 seconds behind the Lister I peeled off into the Pits. Andy Curtis, my right hand man at the races, had out done the Lister team on tactics and called me in with a margin of only 7 seconds to work with. Nice call!
Cor set off and was soon in 3rd place 6 seconds behind the Lister. Leading was a second white Lister, not registered for points, so we were in effect running second. However we needed to beat the black Lister to claw back some points so second would not do. Further Cor was slowly sliding back and soon the gap was up to 13 seconds. Worse the black Lister was now in the lead. And shortly after more bad news as Cor reported that the gearstick had broken off in his hand leaving him with a short stump to change with just as I had had at Donington. Again I felt my championship chances ebbing away. But it is never over until it is over. How true! Some laps later Cor radioed to say that the Lister was out. He did not tell us which Lister was out and a frantic flicking of stations ensued to see if we could catch a glimpse from the circuit cameras. We did not have to wait long as the white car came by. Could our luck have changed? Could we get to the finish with our fuel? Cor was slowing so could he hold off the 2 cars coming up behind? I swear I aged 10 years through this one!
Well, we made it! The white Lister won but scored no points giving us a maximum 15 and the championship lead by 11 points. With 15 on offer for the last race we are certainly not secure but we can not now lose second in the championship, as the Lotus is 25 points behind. We will approach the last race in the same manner as all the others and enjoy the thrill of the final showdown.
I can not wait for the final round - 6/7/8th October at Silverstone on the Grand Prix circuit. Thanks again to all those who have made it possible.
Many thanks for this report to Melindi and Calum - You can follow Calum's activities in 2000 on his website, but you'll hear how he's doing right here!