I am not sure why, but I don't really enjoy Brands Hatch. It is a quite technically difficult circuit to set fast lap times on. It is most definitely one of those circuits that 'be slow to go fast' applies to.

You can not hustle or hurry it. I am speaking from the point of view of having to use treaded tyres that don't give a tremendous amount of grip. And probably a circuit where 'loose is fast' applies... but I am still building confidence.

So – having built the gear/diff assemblies in to a new casing to replace the aerated one from Silverstone (one third of my new 3-piece centre main cap was ejected through it), a steel 4-bolt centre main cap fitted to the block, and a replacement crankshaft fitted (the Silverstone explosion one was perfect aside from a 0.016” bend in it – straightenable according to my local engineering shop.... but I wasn't taking any chances) all reinstalled in the car and fired up for basic checks, all was in order for the trip south. I had considered doing a suspension geometry check/re-set-up but time became an issue with a still burgeoning workload. It will get done after Brands before we go to Thruxton. A mightily fast circuit where everything needs to be perfect in the suspension department.

Having messed about with thermostat blanking devices of one sort or another over the past few years – the last ones being simply large flat washers with variously sized holes drilled in them – I decide to go back to running a thermostat. Something I would now be re-recommending to all my engine customers. Mainly for two reasons. One, modern unleaded or super-unleaded fuels appear to need engine coolant temperatures of 85-90 degrees C to get best performance from – that's why modern engines run at more elevated temperatures than those of some 15 or more years back, nothing to do with improving cabin heater performance! And two, completely erratic climate conditions we are now experiencing. The Brands race was set to be a fair test of whether the cooling system would cope as very hot and heavy conditions were predicted. And they were not incorrect!

Having stopped off on the trip down for dinner with very good friends, we arrived at the circuit around 22:30 Friday night, quickly unloaded the car in a very vacant-looking paddock, and hit the hay. Saturday morning dawned very, very bright and sunny. An expanse of clear blue skies (excepting all the busy jet vapour trails) great my eyes as I emerged from the van. Lovely. Qualifying was at 09:50, so not too much hurrying around to sign on, get scrutineered, sort fuel levels, set tyre pressures, torque wheel nuts, and check oil and coolant levels. But as usual, before you knew it, it was time to get suited and booted and get over to the collecting area. We were qualifying session 3. The first two sessions had been stopped by red flags, and several cars in each session had liberally lubricated the track surface with the contents of their engine fluids. To say it was slippery would be an understatement once we hit the track. So much so that one of our brave boys managed to loose it on said oil, just sliding it in to the kitty litter at the bottom of the hill that is the fearsome Paddock Hill Bend. Red flags out, back to the pit lane and wait. We were then told we'd get 3 more minutes on track. I did think of not bothering as I couldn't see how I was going to get a faster lap time, but decided I'd paid my money, what the hell. Back out on to the circuit, some more slithering and sliding, and that was it. Qualifying over. Now, back to what I was saying in the opening paragraph. Because it was so damned slippery, and wanting to avoid the stupidity I fell in to at Silverstone, I drove very, well, laid back. Braking very early, careful and positive down-changes, waiting along time to get on the loud pedal – all of which resulted in a mere 3 tenths of a second off Steve's best, and both only very marginally off the lap record! Despite all the surface lubrication! Which was added to by two of our championship compatriots. Lesson learnt then. And Steve and I qualified 10th and 11th out of 17. The vast majority of which were serious engined/horse-powered cars. Very satisfying. More so for Steve as he had completed another full qualifying session with the engine running perfectly. Qualifying continued and every last one was red flagged for cars loosing it on the slippery surface and ending up in dangerous places.

Back in the paddock, with the engine still hot I re-set the valve clearances and checked/re-set the ignition timing, retarding it two degrees because of the hot weather. Sorted re-fuelling and after the cooling system had cooled sufficiently, checked the coolant level. The coolant temperature gauge showed a steady 80 degrees C – so the 82 degree thermostat was doing it's job, and the cooling system coped easily. No coolant loss – so that was fine. By the way, another couple of benefits of running a thermostat is that the engine warms up much quicker, and makes sure there is a healthy amount of coolant pushed out the heater tap take off point. All leading to a more balanced water jacket temperature around the engine. Also negates pratting about blanking sections of the cooling system off in cooler weather. Food ingested, and a heap of water, off to watch some of the other qualifying and then the first race before once again clambering in to battle gear. This was going to be a very sweaty affair as the temperature had climbed considerably and it was very close. Threatening thunderstorms type thing. Twenty minute race coming up – around 18 or 19 laps.

Usual drill – red lights on, off, and a not brilliant start, but not as bad as some others. Starting on the inside of the track, I determined to stay there. The outside line around Paddock first time round is not a good place to be. Unfortunately once again I made the incorrect choice as I got boxed in and stuck behind a line of cars hugging the inside line all the way up to Druids hair-pin. So the second part of my plan of sticking close to Steve went out the window. Having negotiated Druids, there was several cars between me and him and the ensuing Whacky-Racers style gaggles of cars that is the first lap of most races meant I struggled to catch up with him again as I was busy fending off some and trying to over-take others. A couple of laps in and I'd got past several road blocks and ended up out on my own, with Steve in  a similar situation around 100 yards ahead. I have obviously upped my game in terms of driving ability as our laps times were within tenths of a second of each other – consequently I wasn't catching him. And we weren't catching the Mk1 Lotus Cortina in front of him either. However, a threat was looming in my rear view mirror. There was a Hillman Avenger catching me. He'd been skittled early on and was making his way up through the field. I was determined to make me the end of his progress. By now the tyres had given of their best. The engine was still absolutely singing, so the only place he was able to make up ground on me was Clearways where I just couldn't get the car turned fast enough to get on the power soon enough. The last few laps was a real fight. I purposely held him up in every corner I could because my little Clubby really hauls and I could pull away from him. Driving so defensively, Steve was easing away from he. I realised he knew what was going on as all of a sudden he was coming back towards me, having eased off. Anyway. I had my mirrors full of bright yellow Avenger, so that was my job – keep him behind. Hard on the brakes at ever corner, chug round just to keep him behind then nail it and the little engine responded in lion-hearted fashion every time. It was just Clearways.... Then another ingredient was added in to the mix. The race leader was fast coming up behind – a Triumph Dolomite being piloted by the immensely capable Nigel Garrett. Coming through Clearways I saw the first blue flag being waved. Crap. Can't pull over or back off now, that damned Avenger will come through. Hugged the inside of the track up to and around Paddock. Another waved blue flag. Damn – I've got to let him past before I get flagged again at Druids... but if I do that, Avenger-man is going to follow him through. Made all the worse by us already hugging the inside line. I could just step out left in front of the leader, he really wouldn't be impressed with that, so I rrsigned myself to both he and Avenger-man coming past me around the outside at Druids, which meant Avenger-man would have the inside line down in to the bend at the bottom of the hill. ARRGGHHH!!! They both swept passed, I took the fastest line possible through that bottom bend in order to out-drag the Avenger along Graham Hill Bend in to Clearways the try and fend him off there again. All to no avail. I just couldn't get the power down soon enough to then out-drag him to the line. It was damned close though.... a mere tenths of a second. So I finished 9th instead of 8th. Very hot and very sweaty. The car was all still in one piece though, the engine singing along. Coolant temp a rock steady 80 degrees C. And Steve saw his second chequered flag in as many races – so he was all smiles and a happy bunny.