Sunday 13/10/19

[Deleted]

Well, while you're enjoying  Suzuka i shall be off to a doubtless wet and windy Brands for the end of the BTCC season with Team Toyota.

Salute, buon divertimento

[Jamie]

I expect that will be a great day out Joe, its always good to visit Brands isn't it...

I've lost touch of the BTCC a bit this season.... who's in the frame for the championship?

Its also the Bathurst 1000 this weekend so we have an embarrassment of touring car riches to choose from!

[René]

That doesn't sound too bad either, Joe! Spending a day at the 1:1 track instead of the 1:32 track is always good .

Were you invited by the Toyota team?

[mikael]

Joe, enjoy! Hope it will be a good race.

[Deleted]

Hi Guys

It seems like it is mainly down to Turkington, Cammish and Jordan.
I have to admit i haven't been following it super closely.

I've been invited by one of my friends (with whom i had many many enjoyable races) who sponsors Tom Ingram/'Team Toyota GB with Ginsters' (that seems to be the full name and indeed the catering is laying on Ginsters snacks during the afternoon... after the roast beef and yorkies lunch). So i'm very pleased with Tom's success recently at Silverstone.

I should be on the grid before the race and in the pits so that will be enjoyable too i think.

I will also take some time to wander up to south bank or have a look at the shops too.

It seems like my friend may be in the Ginetta race... i hope so. We were meant to do GTs together last year but it didn't materialise, i don't really expect it to now, and i haven't raced for 6 years so... maybe it is time it was over for me, it is after all why i have focussed on the slot cars since. He also has ambitions which i suspect i'm too old for now.

I'll let you know how it goes, its been too long since i was at a race.

[Deleted]

Well the day started wet but ended bright, the hospitality at the Toyota hospitality centre was very good. The races ultimately were very disappointing for Tom so i didn't pester him much this year. If i return i may see if i can pester Mark Blundell too.

The shops and stalls were rather disappointing compared with memory, maybe i remember more or maybe it's just becoming a bit more homogenised.

My friend was very happy with his runs in the Ginetta GT4 races and he showed improvement throughout so i think that has to be something with which one can be satisfied. I understand that he will do GT cup next year. It was something we had talked about doing last year, so i'm very jealous not to be a part of it , though deep down i think its probably for the best, I'm older, another couple of years out of the game and the fear of wrecking someone else's car, especially such an expensive one would definitely play on my mind. It's a long way from scraping through a season on a single set of Matador tyres under a garden gazebo.

I also took the opportunity to walk around Druids, Southbank, Surtees, and up towards Hawthorn as research for my slot car track. It's kind of nice to see that my recollections from inside the car tally pretty well with the view from the other side of the barriers.

[René]

Nice to read you and your friend had a good time at Brands, Joe.

And cool you did some visual research for your slot track!