Double header's have become part of the fabric of British motorsport - two races over the weekend, more track time, better value for money etc. The Mini Se7en Racing Club took it a step further this Bank Holiday weekend. It was a double header with a difference, two races OK, but at two tracks!

It all started at Brands on Saturday afternoon with 15 minutes to qualify. It's a 55 second lap, so lots of laps! Brands is my local, and having instructed at the race school there since 1987 (!) I think I know the place quite well. I love the flow of Brands - it demands aggression and serious use (abuse?) of the curbs. I'd won both Miglia races there in 2005, so I was expecting a strong showing. Plenty had been done to the car. The engine had been back to Richard Longman, where improvements were found in the ignition set up, carburettor and cylinder head. Immediately on track the car felt great, and my first lap put me provisionally on the front row. However from there things got tough!

Exiting Clearways there was a sudden change of atmosphere in the cockpit, literally. The screen had blown in at the top and bottom. Fortunately it wedged between the dashboard and the rear view mirror, so it didn't end up in my lap, but the effect on the car was obvious. On the pitboard Andy was showing my grid position and I began to drop down the order as my rivals speeded up. With the last few minutes left I was down to 6th! The car felt heavy and slow, and in effect I was towing a parachute! My final lap was in fact my best of the session, and I would start from 5th on the grid.

I was half a second off the pace and sure it was all down to the increased drag. The race was a twice started event, it did me a favour because my first getaway was poor. Better second time I consolidated 5th place before setting about making some progress. The pace was back alright and in close formation the field was tightly bunched - an epic race was taking shape. Then oil went down, lots of it at Graham Hill Bend and that part of the track became treacherous. I managed a decisive manoeuvre into Graham Hill to grab 4th place down the inside. The car was strong and despite the difficulty in finding room to pass, everyone was having a go. The oil helped me secure another place down the inside along Cooper Straight, a move that was only completed through Surtees! So, up to third but running out of time!

The race was shortened from 14 to 10 laps because of the stoppage, and I had to be content with the last podium place. Andy Hack took his first ever win in the ex-Lewis Miglia, and James Hall finished second in the Peter Baldwin machine, to take the lead in the championship. After the briefest celebration we loaded up and headed for the West Country! Already there and having set up base camp for us were the Gunn family. We arrived in day light, put up the awning, looked over the car, and settled down for a curry! On Monday morning the overnight rain had cleared and we were all looking forward to a classis Combe Bank Holiday meeting. The crowd is always large, and the place is a joy to race at. Determined to qualify better than at Brands I really got my head down and went for it.

There were no timing monitors in the pitlane, and I pushed as hard as I could. In parc ferme came confirmation that we had qualified on pole - boy was I pleased with that! Less than a tenth of a second off the six year old lap record, and half a second clear of the next car I could not have been more delighted. This time I made a good getaway and lead into the first corner, and out of it! Indeed I held the lead for the whole of the first lap, before the fun really started.

Passing at Combe is easier than Brands and on the second lap place trading began. Kelly Rogers and I fought for the full ten lap distance. The battle was hard and fair. I planned my final lap carefully as we got nearer the end of the race. Rogers held the lead and we had both seen each others strengths and weaknesses. I intended to perform my last lap move only once so as to keep it under wraps! Across the line to start the last lap I was right where I needed to be, tucked up in the tow of Rogers who continued to lead. I bobbed out taking the outside line as we crested the brow at Avon Rise at 120mph! Deep into the braking area I was ahead but still with lots to do as I was still on the outside. We rounded Quarry Corner side by side and exiting I was 3/4 of a car length up, I began to move across hoping to have made enough progress to claim the inside line for the next corner. I was 6 inches short, and Kelly held on - just.

That was the last realistic chance and we duly swept across the line in that order. Hot on my heels was Andy Hack fresh from his win at Brands. 3/10ths of a second covered the three cars! That result takes me to the head of the championship table. It's a good feeling, but winning will be better still. Spa next for a conventional double header!

Can't wait!

Bill Sollis 8.5.06