Fighting 5th… (Race report for Tin Top race at Castle Combe 04/10/2008)

Pat Buss finished in 5th place overall and 4th in class despite a distinct power dissadvantage to the competing cars!

In fact Pat almost never made the start of the race at all! Ten minutes into the morning quaifying session, just as the track was beginning to dry out Pat lost 5th gear and was forced to drive the remainder of the session missing top gear (not ideal on a circuit with such a long flat out section). After qualifying it was all hands to the pumps and after sourcing a replacement gearbox from the very helpfull “Volksmania” who are luckily based just down the road from the circuit. The gearbox was changed by Saxon Motorsport in under two hours and Pat was ready for the afternoon race.

Pat was particularly happy to have qualified 8th on the grid ahead of some much more powerfull cars especially considering the problems already detailed!

The skies were threatening as the cars lined up on the grid for the 40 minute mini-enduro. Indeed Pat was hoping for rain as that would level the playing field a little by negating the power advantage held by cars built to the more open regualtions of this championship. As it was the race started dry with only a light shower making an appearance about two thirds of the way through the race.

Pat got an excellent start and up into Quarry corner for the first time he was challenging the leaders, by lap three however Pat had slipped back a little but was still holding 6th position! Once the the more modified cars got in to their stride however, no matter how hard Pat defended he was fighing a losing battle against cars such as a Honda Civic Type R, Porsche 944, Triumph TR7 V8 and even a Jaguar XJS V12! Indeed Pat had a great battle over the first 15 minutes of the race, with his car being quicker through the corners but his competitors faster down the straights. Positions were swapped merrily between them with not a hint of contact depsite their very close proximity to each other at times!

As fun as the battle was, as soon as the pit window opened 15 minutes in to the race Pat took the wise desision to come in to the pits and change drivers to himself!!! This decision, combined with a very quck pitstop and fast outlaps proved crucial to the out come of the race as it enabled him to jump several cars and put him back into 6th place overall. That was later to become 5th as the Triumph TR7 V8 that Pat had been following closely in the closing stages spun exiting Quarry with only a couple of laps until the flag!

All in all this was a very sucessfull race for Pat and given the pace of his car. Barring any problems for the other cars 5th was the best that he could have achieved!

Roll on next season and more success for Pat Buss…