O/T pickups at pembrey

[jeffmr2]

Anyone got a timetable for this weekend at pembrey and how many pickups will be expected to run there? Its only 40 mile from where i live and ive never been there so i'm thinking about having a look.Thanks

[Chigley]

Here's the timetable:

Pembrey timetable (http://www.barc.net/competitors/race_timetables/hq0742-05.php)

I don't know how many PuT's are running but BTRA trucks and 2CV's do it for me. See you there?

[jeffmr2]

Thanks for the link,yeah i will be there.Are you flagwaving or spectating?

[darknessrock]

Could someone please post the results? Can't get them on mst or pickupracing website :(

[darknessrock]

It's ok, on MST now... Bad luck Gav. :(

[racing59]

Please don't say that Tony Mumford had another grenade engine......

[Pickup55]

Please don't say that Tony Mumford had another grenade engine......

Not exactly a grenade engine but might as well have been

The whole bottom end was brand new and felt quite strong

I was leading the race and pulling away, but after a few laps it didnt feel right down the two straights and so I was slowly reeled in

Then it started to be hesitant and slightly miss, and by about lap 10 it started to tighthen up and the temp was rising and so I pulled it in

Shame as I honestly felt with the lead I had I could win, but you never know

I think the head gasket has gone, and the engine has pressurised as there is oil in the top of the inlet manifold and the cam cover, and so oil was probably leaking onto the plugs ? also a fair bit of water/anti freeze all round the engine and in the cab - don't really know as I am not a mechanic

Will be trying to make Brands but there is only so much you can do without a crew (although thanks to Briggsy's crew for helping out again)

[Chigley]

A report from the "Beirut war zone" to follow.

[briggs'mechanic]

Tony sorry to hear about the engine, if you are at Brands though i'll be on hand to help again if needed!

Sean

[Chigley]

The weekend was brilliant and the PuT gained many, many supporters from S Wales and many comments about when are "they" coming back.

Sign on and post allocation was interesting as I was put on the first corner, Hatchets (Post 1), a tight right hand hairpin. Always good for some action on the first couple of laps of any race. After a interesting first day the only blight being a 2 hour 2CV race we learnt that the PuT had been given a half hour untimed session that wasn't on the programme. This was a bonus as we needed to wake up before going back to digs, tents, boozers ..............

Having spent all day singing the praises of PuT and how clean, respectful of each other and how close the racing was all hell broke loose. Considering that the PuT haven't been to Pembrey for 6? years and it isn't on the TOCA DVD some exploratory laps were expected. Phil White promptly displayed that he had a brake balance problem (page 43 of the drivers book of excuses) and created a impenetrable smoke screen each time he visited the hairpin. Pete Stephens and Dave Briggs demonstrated the art of avoiding being overtaken by going straight on at the hairpin and performing a double twist and body swerve to confuse those who thought the track went right. A subtle variation of bump drafting around corners was displayed to the amazement and consternation of a "virgin PuT observer". Drivers excuse 21 was invoked for overtaking under yellows with the classic " he let me through at the last moment" a better excuse next time please Mr Dance. This session unsettled a few of the local marshals as the thought was, if this is what happens when they are unfamiliar with the circuit God help us tomorrow in the races.

Sunday qualifying was uneventful (ish) unless your name was Gav who lost his clutch, that I believe went looking for the diff bearing that tried to escape in small pieces during the untimed practise Saturday evening.

Race 1 lap 1. This had Post 1 nervous as the speed and closeness could only produce one result ... carnage... the outcome; amazement at how the bl**dy hell did they all get round there intact, without even resorting to rallycrossing. Lap 2 was the same with maybe a hint of rubbing. Then it got interesting and our "virgin" observer lost track trying to record the number of times front and rear bumpers became deformed but no one lost momentum, position or control. I was in stitches of laughter at the bewilderment and open mouthed amazement at the disbelief of how tight yet "clean (ish)" the racing was. This changed to indignation when KJW "assisted" Gav to the side of the track when his engine seized, as she said later "well he wouldn't get out of the way", Richard G also incurred the wrath of the pen with a superb pass down the inside and exit out of the hairpin, only forgetting that whoever he had passed was still alongside him, a simple error! Congratulations to Tony M for a great drive before cruel luck hit him, Roge for his best showing for ages and all the rest for some great racing and superb entertainment.

Race 2 was eagerly anticipated and our observer now realising what the motto "if you ain't rubbin you ain't racing" meant and settled down to enjoy himself. The rolling start was again causing nervous attacks as the field thumped down to the hairpin then, apparently all as one, braked together and unflustered promptly went round the hairpin without incident 2x2 totally nose to tail, in fact a PuT truck 2 wide and 9 truck lengths long. A tad of outbraking and using the truck in front to assist the retardation making sure that the contact was "fair" by not spinning him out caused a few raised eye brows. A reasonable amount of car control was displayed by demonstrating the PuT's rallying characteristics and the obligatory bump drafting into and around the corner. Anthony H was even sociable even to drop in and have a chat with the lads when his engine decided it was time to go home. He declined the offer of becoming a flag marshal though, he's definitely observer material though from his close scrutiny of the behaviour and finesse of what was happening on track.

Some fantastic entertainment guys well done and also to the team members for getting everyone over the maladies that occurred and back on track. Particular praise must go to Wilky who raced with a face so swollen and eyes almost closed from the beating he received on Friday night I was uprised he could get a helmet on. To come down and race with those injuries was above and beyond heroism.

Finally I glad to tell you something good came out of the RS weekend at Rockingham. When the wife of a bloke I was chatting to in the pub after the rugby heard that KJW was racing at the weekend she immediately told her hubby "we're going to Pembrey" that girl's bl**dy good and I'm now a big fan.

Sorry if it's a bit long but it was brilliant to hear and see so many people realise just how good the PuT's are and want them back in a hurry as they had provided the best entertainment at Pembrey for ages.

Ian
:)

[Yung]

Yeah.......... I was thinking....... These Pembrey Officials may be don't know much about Pickup Truck racing cause I keep seeing the black and white flag and Briggs had a drive through which is the FIRST ever drive though i've seen for pickups. Its normal for pickups to rub and bump each other....... that's what makes it good entertainment and a pleasure to be part of. :)

[Nick Brad]

Some fantastic entertainment guys well done and also to the team members for getting everyone over the maladies that occurred and back on track. Particular praise must go to Wilky who raced with a face so swollen and eyes almost closed from the beating he received on Friday night I was uprised he could get a helmet on. To come down and race with those injuries was above and beyond heroism.

What's this? I hope that this isn't an incident that happened at the track, I get on well with the whole team and no one's said anything to me about it.

[pickup]

What's this? I hope that this isn't an incident that happened at the track, I get on well with the whole team and no one's said anything to me about it.

No something that happened Friday night outside a pub presumably somewhere local to him.

[darknessrock]

Great write-up chigley. ever thought of a job with MSN??

[Nick Brad]

The instant messaging giant?

[deadsquirrel]

No something that happened Friday night outside a pub presumably somewhere local to him.
Motorsport News said outside a kebab shop in Manchester.

Methinks if he'd been on the usual racing driver diet of nuts and berries, this could all have been avoided ;)

In all seriousness it shows how any one of us could be in the wrong place at the wrong time and get a pasting. Sad state of affairs. Hope he's better soon.