Production BMW 2017 - Cadwell Park Race Meet

P

pHilli0

Active member
 Bedford
Gents,

Wanted to share the fun that Production BMW Championship 2017 was over the weekend up at Cadwell Park.

It was my debut race so I was very nervous. Somehow I managed to hold it together enough and qualified 13th for race 1, 12th for race 2 out of 26. Result! I finished both races in 14th place, after some pretty hairy moments, and a few scraps, I was up to 11th for a short time.
I have the pace to push the top 10, best lap was a 1:48:888, which could have been a mid 1:47 if I had not messed up the hairpin and lost a second, gutted. The GPS data was invaluable for identifying slow points around the circuit.

I do need to develop some racecraft, I wasn't defensive enough at the right times and made a small errors and I got rightfully punished. I had some experienced drivers around me; by the end of Race 2 Rob Manger, who does development for Ferrari, and long time PBMW racer, was practically in my boot lol. I held him off to the end and we had a chat in parc ferme.

Overall a fantastic experience, the car was awesome, and I had more fun than I have in a long long time. 2017 champion Matt Swaffer won, and did a blistering 1:46:4.

The vid is below. Got a tyre on the grass around 5:46 and had to catch it, then had a big drama in the Ss at 16:36. Cadwell is a tricky SOB haha.

Production BMW 2017 - Cadwell Park - Race 2 FULL in car footage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HhiXIo4IBY

Full posting on my blog
http://www.phillynchracing.com/index.php/2017/04/24/pbmw-2017-cadwell-park-race-meet/
 
Well done Phil, a brilliant result in a field of near identical drivers, most of whom have far more experience than you. One of the first things I did when I got home from Thruxton last night was check the results on TSL. :thumbsup: I'm going to watch both videos in full this evening but having briefly watched parts of race 1 I don't think you should be too hard on yourself about not being defensive. Sometimes, (not always) by taking a defensive line it just makes you slower into the next corner(s) so you get knobbled anyway! Worst case it puts you on a dirty line or puts you into a position where contact could occur.
That's not to say you should be passive, just choose your battles and don't make the mistakes in the first place (I'm still working on that one!).
Well done again, I'm looking forward to joining you at Brands next month, sadly on a circuit I've only covered about ten laps in someone elses car (excuses already). :)
 
Brave guy, racing at Cadwell :D My local track, had a couple of track days there, it's definitely more suited to bikes. If you race there again, let me know so I can pop over and see :thumbsup:
 
Fishy Dave said:
Well done Phil, a brilliant result in a field of near identical drivers, most of whom have far more experience than you. One of the first things I did when I got home from Thruxton last night was check the results on TSL. :thumbsup: I'm going to watch both videos in full this evening but having briefly watched parts of race 1 I don't think you should be too hard on yourself about not being defensive. Sometimes, (not always) by taking a defensive line it just makes you slower into the next corner(s) so you get knobbled anyway! Worst case it puts you on a dirty line or puts you into a position where contact could occur.
That's not to say you should be passive, just choose your battles and don't make the mistakes in the first place (I'm still working on that one!).
Well done again, I'm looking forward to joining you at Brands next month, sadly on a circuit I've only covered about ten laps in someone elses car (excuses already). :)
Click to expand...

Thanks Dave for the kind words :) I did learn a bit about defensive driving for the last 3 laps of race 2. As you say it comprises your exit speeds and overall is a hard thing to balance. I am really up for Brands GP. I am secretly ambitious for a Top 10 (10th?) qualification. That would be mega. Be great to finally meet.

When do you and Tom do your race?
 
markeg said:
Brave guy, racing at Cadwell :D My local track, had a couple of track days there, it's definitely more suited to bikes. If you race there again, let me know so I can pop over and see :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Yea it is a narrow circuit! Unfortunately no plans to return for a while but if it ever happens I'll shout.
 
Some good footage of you towards the end of this clip, 5 mins 25ish :D :thumbsup:

[youtube]0NSH0nlQRCM[/youtube]
 
Fishy Dave said:
Some good footage of you towards the end of this clip, 5 mins 25ish :D :thumbsup:

[youtube]0NSH0nlQRCM[/youtube]
Click to expand...

Yea perfect footage :) Shame I couldn't do the hairpin lol, Mark just drove past me. I actually smiled when I saw him pass so easily.
I was having some trouble keeping the rear under control I think the tyres had gone off at that point. I had new fronts but started the day on used rears and stupidly forgot to change them for race 2.
 
Fishy Dave said:
Oh, and here too, near the start, nice overtake.
[youtube]1a1QtQ9ohNk[/youtube]
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Was pleased to get the jump on him, but I messed up my approach to the right hander and was gutted when they went past again, I don't know why I didn't defend my inside line better, its just experience I think and didn't want to cut someones bonnet off. That is a take away for Brands, be more aggressive if there is a potential gap.
Later on though I got them both back as they went wide there so I was jumping from 12th to 14th back to 12th then eventually back to 14th after another small mistake. He He :)
 
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