The previous year ('07) ended with a bitter blow, the team were heading towards the Class win in the DMN. The final round was at Brands Hatch in Kent.
Andy was leading with just 2 races to go. All he had to do was finish both races and he would get 1st place. He was leading in race 1 when disarster struck, the car smoking and causing Andy to spin. He came diving into the pits and the team jumped on the car....
The bonnet off, eyes and hands all over the engine looking for the oil leak. There was no obvious leaks and with one eye on the clock counting down, Andy was asked if the gauges where ok, he gave the thumbs up and with 1 minute still on the clock the bonnet was re-fastened and Andy was pushed away. We needed to get him out on track before the leader of the race came round to take the chequered flag. As Andy was leaving the pits and re-joining the track, Rod Birley came along the straight to take the win.
Andy went round the track with Rod flying up behind him, as Rod overtook him, Andy was forced to follow him into the pits as the race had ended, we waved Andy on to cross the finish line across the pitlane...
Results came out and Andy was given a DNF (did not finish). We went to see the Clerk of the Course, the boss, and informed him that Andy took the flag in the pitlane, they agreed that he did, but then came up with 80% rule. Andy must do 80% of his class leaders race distance to be classified, he did 75%.... we were sunk.
During the night, we realised that in the confusion, and also due to the fact we don't do pitstops, the transponders that pick up laps from the cars didnt pick up on Andy puling into the pit. They hadnt counted the one lap, which meant he had done over 80%. Unfortunatly the race results can only be changed up to 30minutes after the race, the words 'we was robbed' sunk in.
Race 2, and Andy was starting from the back of the grid, to win the Class Championship he had to pass all the other cars, and win his class in the race. He almost done it, he was on the tail of the class leader when the flag dropped, his words as he climb out of the car...............
"sorry boys... I tried"
Summed it up, we had tried, but thats racing, we had lost it by 4 points , 309 to 305.
So........ Onto this year, and some new cars to play with in Class D for 2008.
Another 2 Escorts, both coming from Sprints, and according to paddock gossip may give us a run. The real worry was a certain Richard Brent, he had come close to winning the overall championship before in his ultra quick Peugeot 205 before, and this year he was in Andys Class, Richard is an extremly good driver, and spends his days instructing at Castle Coombe... We knew Richard was the man to beat.
The first few races proved this, Richard winning every time out, Andy getting 2'nds. This leaving the team discussing what we could do about Richard, we allready had the engine maxed out, we couldnt get any more time from the chassis. Remember Andy's car runs a 1800cc Crossflow up against the 2000cc 8 valve engines and 1600cc 16valve engines, so he is giving away a lot of horsepower and torque to the other cars. In an ideal world with money growing on trees, we would have tried a 2000cc pinto or 1600cc BDA in the car, to see which one could be the mighty crossflow. An old engine in an old car battling with newer cars like the Puegeot and Novas and also with the more powerfull Mk1 and 2 Escorts in the class, and beating all but Brent'ies Pug.
We headed to Richards home track, Castle Combe.... Castle Gloom as I always call it, a power circuit, but one that also favours a good driver and good chassis. Richard won the class, no surprise there, but Andy took 2 2nd places. After the race i was talking to Richard and said jokingly we are going to arch Andy's car ... he replied " don't you dare"
I'd been wanting to arch Andys car since I got involved with it, it was something that I always felt Andy needed, he controled the car so well on the skinny rubber, i knew he would be better with wider rubber.
Andy had always said, if I got him the wheels, we could arch the car. Remember, Andy and his family funds his racing, the entries, fuel and major running costs all come from them. The sponsors help with what they can, but the majority of the money is frfom the Pipe Family.
It was while i was thinking where could we get a set of wheels from that I had an idea, someone had mentioned it had been two years since Turbosport.co.uk members had helped with the " OVERHAULING " project.
So I asked on the forum if the members would like to chip in to help Andy try and beat that damm Richard Brent.
And wow!!!! what a response from the members. Within a short time, we had the money for the wheels. The Turbosport.co.uk members really came up trumps, and shows that even though we are all miles apart we all can come together. Well done to all of you.
Andy will be putting all the names of the people who chipped in and drawing some names out to join in for some laps at a trackday next year, we couldnt do it this year as Andys dry sump tanks sits where you would be sitting.
A few words from Andy now ...........................
Can i say a big thank you to everyones support throughout the year from the people who donated to the wheel fund to the people who come to support at the races. It just goes to show that not all car forums are nicky picky because you like certain wheels or body kits. I have been a member for more years than i care to remember, and the help (financially and technically) that members give to other members make Turbosport the place to be. I am in the process of sourcing another drysump tank, so it clears a space for another seat to be fitted, and the people who donated will be put into a hat and the 3 winners will be treated tp passenger rides at a trackday sometime in the summer. Many Thanks Andy Pipe After the wheels and tyres were bought and the car was arched we headed to Brands again. Two solid 2nd places and reports from Andy that the cars got more grip, hes braking later everywhere, and feeling more and more is to come from her. Saying his still extending the car, while keeping it safe and on the circuit. After Brands it was 2 rounds at the teams bogey track, Lydden Hill in Kent. A track that favours the front wheel drive chassis's. What was worse, the races where wets, so the new wheels and tyres where in the van. We had been lucky with wet races, a gap of 18 months between them, but there lay a problem, we had some old cut slicks with a rally compound as 'wets' and as we later found out unless its a monsoon, they give no grip whatsoever. An embarassing time for us all as Andy got lapped by the whole field. So lets forget Lydden and move onto the final round at Brands Hatch.
The weather didnt look good, but all Andy had to do to secure 2nd place in class was score 2 points. In qualifiying Andy pootled around on those damm wets to get a grid slot, a moment at Surtees telling him its damm slippery and he came in after 8 laps, needing just 3 to qualify.
As the race on saturday loomed closer and closer the weather got worse and worse. The rain was coming down in buckets as they set off, only for spinners and a car on its roof to bring out the pace car, counting the cars past the pits it was a releif to see Andy still there, after a few laps they all set of again, the rain coming down even harder. Another incident and the pace cars was out again, moments ticking by as we tried to see Andys car in the gloom, he came past us and gave us the thumbs up and it was this point that we realised he'd gained quite a few places. The race continued and Andy got 16th place from a start place of 29th. He had done it, he had the points and could relax . After the race he said the worse the rain got the better the tyres where, to the point he was driving around the outside of people.
The next day was a fun day, and the weather wasnt bad either, unfortunatly Andys gearbox let us down, so he pulled off to save maybe buzzing the engine with a missed gear.
So that was it, the 2008 DMN championship was over, Richard Brent getting first overall and first in Class D, with Andy getting second in Class D and 8th overall in the Championship.
The final results ...
http://www.rodbirley.com/2008_Points.htm Thanks to everyone involved with the Championship its been a great year and we're looking forward to next year.
And thanks to you guys reading this, your all part of the team too
some photos from snappyracers.com of Andy
http://www.snappyracers.com/album/Br.../IMG_0753.html http://www.snappyracers.com/album/Br.../IMG_0749.html theres lots more pictures on snappy's site
Gary
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