My last of the season - already arranged to drop the engine off on Monday and swap the rear panels next week. Big tidy-up for the car.

Really looking forward to Cadwell because it's a circuit I know well - only the second one like that this season which means I shouldn't still be learning the circuit throughout quali. Hoping the car holds together because the engine is tired, as is the clutch and the tyres possibly only have one (dry) race weekend left in them.

Good luck.

If Cadwell was closer, I'd be there! It's such an epic track. Instead, going to Silverstone (booo!) for the BTCC for stepson major's 18th...

Good luck MRS - look forward to hearing about it/seeing the vids.

Thanks both. Hopefully I'll have videos this time

Great race - bloody hard work.

Qualified 7th. Finished 5th overall - 2nd in class behind the BMW.

Got a reasonable start but out-dragged by the 2.4 litre TR4 #12 car. He seemed intent on sharing paint (or, at least, tyre rubber) with the BMW. He also nearly caught me out a couple of times by braking in places I wasn't expecting. I got alongside him towards the bottom of the Mountain once (taking advantage of his early braking) but couldn't make it stick.

We were first to pit with Andy predicting the pit window. It didn't go as well as usual - Andy trying to help but not realising his hand was stopping me seeing what I was doing. I got out onto some pretty clear track. I was slightly disappointed, though, to have the TR4 emerge from the pits just in front of me. More racing with him and more TR4 and BMW interaction. Finally managed to get past the TR under braking into the hairpin. The spent the rest of the race chasing the BMW - keeping him in sight. He currently has 20-30bhp on me and independent rear suspension so it's always going to be tough. Ian, the BMW driver, who I get on well with is a quick driver and now drives solo rather than as a pair (and he was the quicker of the two).

In other news, Tim Parsons is taming his no-expense-spared Giulia and was within 0.6s of my quickest lap though finished 27s behind me. I've been giving him some pointers on Alfa set-up. I think it's going to be close next year which is great. There could be as many as 7 Giulias next year judging by the people that have been talking to me. Andy, a novice Giulia driver, said we should buy a Giulia Cup (for fun).

Dropped the engine with Dave Ashford yesterday. The bell housing has a crack in it and I'd picked up an engine vibration. I think it definitely needs some TLC. We also talked some more about the new motor Dave's looking to build for me. Then I dragged the rest of the car back to Scotland where I'll be starting the winter rebuild with a big clean today then chopping off the rear panels and popping new ones on. It definitely needs the work.

Sounds another epic weekend - most likely better than our Sunday at BTCC! (The Silverstone National circuit is really not my favourite - either for viewing or overtaking opportunities. Not to mention it is a pig-ugly setting - not a patch on Cadwell)

Are you going for a straight rebuild, MRS, or will you be in search of more power/greater flexibility?
Will you fettle the chassis whilst rebuilding the body? Is there scope for suspension improvements, etc?

I'm having my current engine just overhauled and getting a whole new one built too. I have a few plans to uprate the chassis too. Various other small jobs happening: things like new rear wheel bearings to resolve the classic pad knock-back that Alfas suffer at the rear which leads to a horribly long brake pedal.

I'm cleaning the engine bay today which hasn't been done for about 5 years because that's how long this race engine has been in there - fantastic reliability.

Shame it's happening up in Scotland, or I'd come and make tea and get in your way!

Part 1 of the race https://youtu.be/jQfTK7gn7mI

Made good progress on cleaning/dismantling yesterday. It's not too bad under all the crap. I'm going to do what I've been meaning to for the last few years and simplify the wiring: get rid of all the redundant stuff and re-route it so that it all stays cleaner. I'll solder up those (usually crimped) connectors that take the strain of engine movement. I've also been pulling off all the bits that are redundant like the speedo, horn etc. I've been looking forward to this opportunity for a while.

Good stuff, I liked the overtake attempt before the mountain, very fair from both of you. I watched the second half of your race from the assembly area, you caught up slightly with the Mini and BMW when they caught traffic only for them to open the gap again once past, you were consistently about 4 seconds back and couldn't quite catch up. Exciting to watch, looking forward to more next season, really pleased you joined us this season Richard.

Yup - it's a difficult circuit to pass so back markers can make a significant difference. My tyres are also very tired and, frankly, so was I - I think it's one of the hardest work circuits we've done and it was pretty humid: I was drinking plenty.

I've had a fab time, Dave, so thanks so much for suggesting it. Very well run and very very friendly. Perfect. Planning next season already

Part 2 https://youtu.be/y7pzdkmmS0A

Great watch again Richard and a cracking circuit.
I think I would have been absolutely exhausted with the level of concentration required!

Hope all your race prep for next year goes well.

Thanks, Brilly

The lap that starts at around 14:25 on the second video is my fastest but you can see the rear tyres are starting to cry "enough!" and the next lap, which would have been about as quick, I lose the rear a bit into the bottom of The Mountain.

That section, in particular, is pretty physical: throw the car left then right then over the rise, drag it hard right to get a good line through Hall Bends, then jump on the brakes for the Hairpin, quick squirt then Barn.

It's a fabulous circuit - my favourite because it's technical and demanding but flows really well - much better than, say, Brands Indy. I've not yet done Oulton which is the one circuit I'm really missing from my UK collection. I've still not raced at either Combe or Rockingham but have done track days at both. I've not been to Croft at all. But I have done Knockhill (lots) which many haven't. I think the CSCC should do a second foreign jaunt (or 3rd if you count Wales) and do that incredible little circuit.

Yes I could see Rich, your tyres where beginning to let go as the race wore on!!!
I have only ever driven Brands Indy on a track day and can see Cadwell is much the greater challenge (except perhaps for getting Paddock Hill bend spot on)?
As drivers in different classes, you all have to place a lot of trust in each other, yet based on your 2nd video, you clearly had to be pretty ruthless if you wanted to get past people!
I certainly think you did well to stay calm with the TR.
Once passed, did he stick with you or had he been really holding you up?
I was a bit confused about the pit stop?
Did you basically have to get out and then back in the car or was it an actual driver swap?

Unfortunately I cocked up with the rear-facing camera: it was new and I set it to slo-mo by mistake. But, yes, the TR went backwards at a rate of knots. In fact, you can see how much he was holding me up by how quickly I catch him when I get held up by the back markers.

Yes - as a rule the slower guys are pretty good though there are one or two who are less good (the blue MGB has only just got rid of his novice cross and I'm still very wary of him). I get to know them because of I've passed them lots this season. I try to keep a bit in hand in case it doesn't work out - in 65+ races, I've not hit anyone so I don't want to start now.

The pit stop is exactly as you think - stop, turn off engine, get out, close door, get back in again and set off. We made a mess of it this time but then we didn't stick to the routine.

The problem with Brands Indy is that it isn't very satisfying. Paddock Hill Bend is a challenge but not in a good way. And the other end of the circuit is just a long, tedious, corner where you just have to be patient until you can get on the power. I like corners you can throw the car into like the bottom of the Mountain or Coppice at Cadwell. Copse at Silverstone is like that as is Duffus at Knockhill.

Thanks for the explanation re the pit stop.

65+ races and no bumps - that's might impressive - long may it continue.

Can new drivers enter individual races or do they have to sign up to the whole series?
Presumably there are strict rules on entry requirements - I presume I can find these on a CSCC website?

There's a "taster" class in our series so it's possible to give it a try.

The regs are pretty simple: control tyres, same engine type, same type of fuelling/induction, silhouette as per original car - that's about it. They're on the site.

Something I did discover is that I was running on the ragged edge as far as fuel was concerned. I thought it hadn't used much during quali but there must have been more in it at the start than I'd realised. At Donny, I used 0.6 litre/min and, after Cadwell quali, this figure seemed to be an improbable 0.43. Fortunately I decided to go conservative because the tank was pretty much dry - giving a number of 0.58 litres/min. Close shave anyway

Turns out that be been running with a bent inlet valve. No idea how long for but it has to be a bit perkier with proper compression. I did notice that I was 2 secs a lap slower than last time I raced at Cadwell but had mostly put that down to the taller tyres - those and the engine, tyres, and rear wheel bearings being more tired than was ideal.

Looks like you'll be "on it" next season Spider!

I hope so. I'm certainly going to prepare the car well for next season - it was definitely sub-optimal this season. There's a whole load of things I want to do to lighten the car, improve the suspension (including re-valving the dampers so I actually have some adjustment range), and generally get the thing into tip-top condition which, frankly, it wasn't.

What will also be great next season is that I will have raced at most of the circuits - many of which were a voyage of discovery this year. And even circuits I knew I had to relearn because of the taller tyres altering gear-changes quite a bit. I've also learned how to push the tyres and changed my driving style a bit.