The Blackpool Track

Last Friday I ventured to the recently re-opened facility at Blackpool. Avid readers may recall that the Ribble Club used to be at this venue but unfortunately due to complex and messy circumstances had to exit stage left. Since leaving the torch has been passed to two old club members:

Danny Holmes and

Damien Holmes

They decided to start their own track facility up where Ribble left off and in about a week they: flattened the bumpy floor; bought and laid carpet; bought, made and laid track markings; bought and installed all the AMB timing equipment; made and installed pit tables and opened their doors to the public! Very impressive guys!

So, with all this work put into the new re-vamped venue it only seemed fair that I pay them a visit. Especially after the glowing recommendation it received from Andy Murray when he visited the previous week. I must say, despite some issues with my car (which we'll get onto later) I was very impressed. Not only was the turnaround time astonishing, but the quality to which it had been achieved was indisputable. On top of all of that, I grew very fond of the layout during the course of the evening!

The track area has been made a little wider and longer compared to Ribble, which has done wonders for making the infield feel less cramped and restricting.

Andy and I ceremonially resumed our Ribble pit places... well, I did, I think Andy just came along and sat next to me to be polite!

and we were joined by the Whur family on our pit table

My evening wasn't spectacular if I'm honest. I struggled with low grip all night again, as I had done at MMCC on the Monday night. The diff wasn't perfect, but it wasn't broken either so it couldn't be that.

Anyway, after three rounds of qualifying, two things happened. I qualified 2nd in the touring car B final, and at the end of the qualifying 3 my insert made a break for freedom out of one of my rear tires!

This fitted the hypothesis I was formulating in my head that my tires had 'gone' and were to blame for my grip woes of the past week or so. To be fair they are some heavily loved first gen. Sorex 32s from my 2009 outdoor season so they've served their time for sure. I popped some 3rd gen. 32s from the recent Cotswolds national on for the finals and was greeted with some delicious grip! As a result I was able to win my final, despite rolling the car twice when I got a bit keen with some apexes.

All in all a good evening, and I shall be back to Blackpool again no doubt. I'm hoping to somehow split my time between Ribble and Blackpool as they are currently both running on Friday nights.