Qualifying
The track was unusually slippery and it was difficult to judge how well we were doing but a lot of others seemed to be losing control and the first few minutes of quali were a right off so I pitted to check tyre pressures. I couple of small changes and back out. The second flying lap we were on pole! This lasted for about 5 laps when Mike Jenvey put in a quick one so second it would be.
Race
Fabulous sunshine for race day so I was really looking forward to the race. It was going to be close at the front with the top 4 separated by less than a second.
Red lights out and I was challenging Mike Jenvey for the lead on the way into Druids although on the outside of the track. A quick check in the mirrors and there was a gap to third so I slotted in behind Mike and concentrated on driving a clean rest of the lap to try and maximise the gap to third.
For the first 4 or 5 laps I had a great battle with Mike and was able to challenge but he had great drive out of Clearways and managed to pull a gap going into Paddock each time. At this point the yellow flags came out at both Paddock and Druids and Mike did the right thing by slowing through the yellow flags. The chasing pack did not however and this reduced the gap to third to less than a second and the cars loomed large in the rear view mirror.
As the flags went back in the race proper was back on and I tried a lunge round the outside at Druids which meant that Neil Burroughs got up the inside. We both ran side by side down the hill and through Graham Hill bend only millimetres apart. This allowed Rob Oldershaw to get a great run through and I found myself in the middle of a Gunn sandwich with a car pining me on both sides. I lifted off and they both got by so it was head down and try and chase again. Soon after the cockpit was filled with a thick black smoke every time I went round a left hand bend although I couldn’t work out what it was as there was no damage to the car.
I continued to chase hard until the engine made a strange noise with a couple of laps to go and sadly exploded. It seems from the data that we had a small oil leak which resulted in surge round a number of the faster corners.
Thanks to Clive and Cindy at MCR Race Cars for a great season and to Alan Lusty and all at Systems ADI Group for their continued support. Thanks to Dad, Scott and Ken for providing the vital trackside and pitlane support.
Patrick Sherrington – Brands Hatch Indy 16th Oct
Patrick Sherrington – Silverstone GP Circuit, 1st October
Qualifying We had fitted some new rear anti roll bars but with no time to test it would have to be qualifying to try them out. For this race we would run with the Sports 2000 Championship Pinto engined cars which meant a massive 50 car grid but also some fairly heavy traffic with significant speed differences. The new anti roll bars worked well and one past the traffic I set a good time with my first flying lap which was just behind Mike Jenvey. I pitted for some set up changes and the car felt improved in the quick corners but traffic meant I couldn’t improve and Rob Oldershaw sneaked into 2nd place by the now familiar 2 hundredths of a second!
Race Fabulous sunshine for the race day at Silverstone GP Circuit so I was really looking forward to the race. It was going to be close at the front with the top 4 separated by less than a second.
Red lights out and I was challenging Rob Oldershaw for second on the way into Copse although on the outside of the track. Craig Mitchell was also up my inside and challenging hard. A slight tap as he lost down force in the wake of my car but no harm done
and we all raced down into Maggots / Beckets. Oldershaw was challenging Mike Jenvey for the lead through the complex of corners and their fight allowed me to get a great run at them onto the Hanger straight.
I exited with a lot more speed drafted Oldershaw and swept round the outside into 2nd as we entered Stowe however he kept coming down the inside and I had to move out wide to avoid the inevitable contact so it was back into third but just behind the leaders. Oldershaw had a great run at Mike through Abbey and Farm and then dived down the inside into the loop. Mike was wide at the tight left hander as a result so I cheekily dived up his inside and into second again. Mike got a better exit though and we ran side by side through the kink at Aintree and onto the back straight. Mike edged into the lead and then drafted Oldershaw and moved back into the lead again as we thundered down into the braking zone at Brooklands.
Mike and Oldershaw both went for the inside. Mike braked early and Oldershaw went back into the lead and I ran down the outside of both of them and past Mike and nearly into the back of Oldershaw so back into second again. Oldershaw pulled
out a couple of car lengths running down the start finish straight and I concentrated on keeping up whilst keeping a watching brief on Mike Jenvey in the rear view mirror. It stayed this way for a lap but on the start of lap 3 both Mike and I ran wide at Copse and a loose bit of Astroturf nearly stopped the car dead and ripped off most of the front splitter. This reduced my top speed and gave me heavy understeer. I was a sitting duck on the Hanger straight and Mike swept by so back into third. To make matters worst Craig Mitchell was still there in the Lola and got me out of Copse on lap 6.
The remainder of the race was spent trying to keep the speed up whilst contending with every increasing understeer as the front tyres went off and a 4th place was a good result considering the damage to the splitter.
Once again we have made a step forward with the car and I am really looking forward to Brands Hatch for the last race of the season for the Sports 2000 Championship.
Patrick Sherrington – Oulton Park 3rd September
Qualifying A days testing the day before mean’t that the car was well dialled in for qualifying and I was soon down to some decent times with Dad showing the P1 board for the first few laps. Mike Jenvey then got going and seized the pole position slot by a decent margin. Seeing him in the mirrors I decided to see if I could get a tow for a lap but he went into the pits and I followed him in also to check tyre pressures. I went to exit the pits for one last try for pole but the rear drive shaft bolts decided to go on strike and after showering the pit lane with shrapnel I coasted to a stop. This allowed Craig Mitchell to sneak the 2nd grid slot by 2 1/100ths of a second so into 3rd but on the right side of the grid.
Race Yet again the weather decided to play tricks and it began to drizzle whilst we were preparing for the race. The race beforehand slowed by 20 seconds a lap indicating it was indeed slippery. The weather forecast suggested it would dry but the sky and ever increasing drops of rain suggested otherwise. I went for wets as did most of the rest of the front of the grid with Mike Jenvey
opting for slicks. It was therefore either going to be win or nothing.
Red lights out and Craig Mitchell had a bad start and I was straight into second and on the tail of Mikes Gunn. The track wasn’t as slippery as I had hoped for and I knew I would need to make a move quickly if I was going to make the most of my wets tyres. I tried a lunge at cascades and got alongside but didn’t have enough momentum to make it through. I was clearly quicker at Shell Oils and the 2 chicanes but there was no way past and Mike was suitably rapid down the straights to keep me at bay.
Things soon began to change however and by lap 3 the balance had swung. Mike clearly had found grip in the slicks and I could feel the wets starting to go off. I then had to go into survival mode and be as gentle as possible on the tyres which was destroying my lap times. This led to a frustrating race as those further back that had chosen slicks began to come past. A number of times I
questioned continuing fearing that the tyres would fail as I could hear the chunks of rubber flying off at every bend. This was confirmed by Craig Mitchell who had parked his Lola at the chicane and advised after the race that swathes of rubber was flying off the car every time I came by! I managed to salvage an 8th place which wasn’t too bad and with Rob Oldershaw not finishing and Paul Tickner also having a bad race championship wise it wasn’t too bad.
Roll on Silverstone!
Patrick Sherrington Castle Combe 14th August
Sherrington and Jenvey, Castle combe S2000 Endurance
For the endurance race I was to be joined in the car by fellow frontrunner Mike Jenvey who was interest to see how much the car has changed since we last ran together in 2009. With the weather finally improving we were hoping for a strong result.
Qualifying Mike went out first in order to reacquaint him with the car and was soon putting in some strong times. Mike Turner and John Owen were also running strongly in their MCR S2 and Seb Bamsey and Eddie Waring were also up in the top 5 despite this being their first ever car race!
Mike handed over and advised the car was under steering a little due to a broken roll bar link (we later found out) and I set out to try and get pole in the dying minutes. The final 2 laps were good enough and into the 1.07s with the final lap putting us on pole from Peter Williams and David Pittard in Peter’s trusty MCR.
Race It was decided that I would take the start and we also took the decision to start on full tanks meaning we wouldn’t have to risk refuelling at the half way point. Thankfully I managed to see the red start lights in time as they were neatly hidden behind the mirror. Got a great start and blasted into the lead. Craig Mitchell was in close attendance for the first lap but as the race moved on I began to build a gap.
I managed to stretch the gap to about 13 seconds until losing 5 seconds on just one lap thanks to Louis Jones defending his line as I came round to lap him.
I handed the car over to Mike at the halfway point and he set about getting back the lead as Craig Mitchell had stayed out on his stint and therefore taken the front running slot at the changeover. Mike was busy chasing him down with a hard charging David Pittard (although a lap down) right behind him when disaster struck as the rear upright cried enough and we were out.
A shame because the win was on but well done to Craig Mitchell who took a well deserved in the Lola and with Peter Williams and David Pittard in the MCR third. A special mention to Seb Bamsey and Eddie Waring who were 4th overall in their MCR S2 not a bad start for your first ever race.
Patrick Sherrington at Donnington Park – 16th/17th July
Qualifying 16th, 17th July. We were really keen to get the championship bid back on track at Donington and very hopeful of good results having had good pace at Spa. Qualifying was dry and we soon were down to some good times and at the front. As the session wore on we dropped to 4th so I pitted for some adjustments and claimed 3rd from Rick Johnson in the dying moments of the session.
Race 1 Race 1 was a wet track but drying so we were all hoping the choice of wet tyres would be right. Got a good start and was able to challenge Mike Jenvey on the run down to Redgate who sensibly defended the inside so I got into his wheel tracks to fend off Oldershaw who was on the outside. Mike seemed to be struggling as we exited Redgate Oldershaw powered into the lead and I squeezed up past Mike going down the hill toward Craner Curves, however Rick Johnson was also starting well and got past down into the Old Hairpin so across the line on the first lap a strong 3rd.
For the first 3 laps I didn’t have the pace of the leaders and dropped some 5 seconds off the lead. As we moved into lap 5 the tables turned and I was a second quicker than anyone and dived up the inside of Rick at theMelbournehairpin much to the delight of the supporters from ADI who were positioned right at the hairpin. Once into second I set about catching Rob Oldershaw and by lap 10 was right behind him.
Some backmarkers presented an ideal opportunity as we approached the corner onto the back straight Rob was held up and I launched the car down his inside, got on the power as early as I dared and let the car slide right to the outside of the track but into the lead. Once ahead I was at least a second quicker at that stage of the race than anyone and powered into a 9 second lead with 5mins to go. Surely this would be the first championship round race win for the car?
It was then the bush in the steering mount under the dash decided it was going to pop out which meant the wheel was flopping about all over the place! Could I hold on? I decided to keep going but the wheel issue was costing me 2 seconds a lap and Mike Jenvey was now setting his fastest times and reeling me in. Thankfully I held on for the remaining 3 laps and crossed the line 3 seconds ahead for the win.
FANTASTIC!!!!! Congratulations to Clive and Cindy at MCR, the team Dad, Ken and Scott and thanks to all the supporters from ADI who braved the weather and got to watch a great race.
Race 2 We started on pole thanks to the previous days race win and were hopeful of picking up more big points in race 2. The weather again proved tricky and having been dry for most of the day the rain started to come down but only just enough for wets.
It was very slippery off the line and I tried a 1500rpm start which worked well and held the lead into the first corner. Rob Oldershaw started very well and was right behind me going down the Craner Curves. As he challenged down the inside for the old hairpin I decided to let him go as I was struggling for grip and an off at the Old Hairpin would be disaster. Oldershaw went through into the lead and I concentrated on widening the gap to Mike Jenvey in 3rd. This worked well until lap 5 when Mike seemed to just find more grip and he caught me the next lap. It stayed this way for 3 laps and I had noticed that the officials had the black and orange flag out of a number of cars. I checked to see if my number was there but it wasn’t so safe to carry on.
Mike got past on lap 10 so down into third but then I noticed the black flag with his number on. It turned out that unfortunately for him he hadn’t switched his rain light on and he was disqualified for ignoring the black and orange flag.
This promoted me into second which I maintained until the finish so another fine haul of points!
Donnington Test Day
Following the superb looking bodywork upgrade over the winter we were keen to make the most of the new modifications so it was off to Donington Park for a test day to try various set up changes.
MCR were delighted to be able to host former Williams and Toyota F1 aero guru Frank Dernie, who as well as suggesting a few tweeks kept us all entertained with a wealth of F1 tales of years gone by.
The weather was not kind so running was limited but conversations with Frank Dernie resulted in some interesting changes to the aero balance which saw the car lapping under the current lap record so with 3 rounds at the Donington circuit this year we are hopeful of recovering ground in the championship but time will tell.
Patrick Sherrington European Race – 11th/12th June
We were really looking forward to Spa with the car recently run up on the rolling road showing further improvements from the new exhaust it would be interesting to see how it performed compared to last year.
Due to delays on the ferry I had to jump straight from arriving at the circuit into the car for the first practice session on the Thursday. The car was instantly quick and faster than last year within 2 laps, so far so good. A couple of set up changes and we were soon lapping inside the current lap record and 3 seconds quicker than last year!
Sadly it was not to last as a mixture of a mild over rev and the previous overheating the engine blew on the fastest part of the circuit and with Clive Hayes in the new sister car splitting his oil radiator and therefore also blowing his engine it meant that both cars were out and our racing weekend was effectively over. Mixed emotions indeed as the car has really taken a step forward and we would have been on pole by 2 seconds in the qualifying that took place on the Friday.
We were joined by the guys from title sponsor ADI Group on the Friday who had made the trip from the UK to support. It was great to see everyone make the trip and what we missed out on the track we made up with a couple of great nights out in the local bars!
This did leave time to work with the other MCR team drivers to share data and discuss potential improvements. Both Mike Turner and John Owen in their newly acquired MCR S2 found some great speed with both lapping quicker than in their previous machines. Peter Williams in his newly rebodied car also showed some serious pace in the atrocious conditions in race 1.
Well done to Craig Mitchell in race 2 who peddled the ex Mike Turner Lola round to a fine second leading the experienced Ric Johnson for the majority of the race.
Can’t wait for Donington….
Patrick Sherrington – Round 2 – Cadwell Park 7th May
Lights out again, got a good start and had to avoid Rob as he pulled out to overtake Rick on the outside. Neither gave way and the both banged into each other both cars on the edge of spinning as I looked for a way by.
Oldershaw squeezed by into first with Rick Johnson hot on his heels and me in close attendance in 3rd. It remain the way for 8 laps with Rick getting ever closer to Rob Oldershaw, almost too close at the Mountain as minor contact again had me thinking a race win might come without having to pass either of them! Lap 9 save Oldershaw take a large amount of kerb at Park corner which then cause a suspension failure at Mansfield and both Rick and I made it past. I was close behind Rick and the Van Dieman seemed to be having engine trouble as the odd puff of back some filled my visor at the hairpin. 2 laps later I was
lining Rick up for an attack into the mountain corner and just caught the edge of the kerb at Mansfield with my right rear which caused the push rod to bend and we were out.
A frustrating end to the race but great news is that we are right on the pace and but for an inch of kerb could have won
Patrick Sherrington – Round 1 – Snetterton 24th/25th April
- New shape bodywork for 2011 MCR Race Cars
We knew we would be up against it having had overheating and misfire problems in testing but hoped that all would be fixed having made some hasty mods to the air intake on the side of the car. This seems to have worked but the incurable misfire reappeared and we qualified down in 11th place due to having no straight-line speed. Still if we could fix the misfire I was confident we could make up ground in the race.
A change of ECU seemed to have fixed the misfire and I lined up on the very crowded grid. Red lights out and got a good start but the way ahead was blocked. Managed to move to the inside for the first corner and the up to the hair pin picking off a couple of cars along the way. Round the outside of the Ray into the next left hander and I could see the leaders just ahead. This was more like it!
