Flying through Round 1 with the flu

The season got off to a flying start at the end off March, With the Agbo Stages at Weston Park. The championship for 2016 is all-tarmac following the ruling last year with the cars having to run at the back of the field.
 
There had been 20 Minis entered for the all new-look championship, but sadly two failed to start with less than a week to go. 

This year I have obtained support from Mini Sport and JB Joinery on my campaign for championship honours. Mini Sport is also providing 'on-event' assistance for all the Minis with a van full of spares for the cars to take advantage of.
 
With the event being oversubcribed and 32 historic cars, I was seeded first Mini at car 29 and also first up to 1400cc car in the modern field of cars.
 
The car has remained in the same state as it finished the Rally GB, 8-port 1293cc, straight-cut gearbox, 4.1 final drive on a Salisbury limited slip differential set to over 100ft/lb.
 
I had to fit a new co-driver's seat as the date had run out on the old one, (they only last five years). We had also changed our helmets and intercom due to the dates again running out.
The evening before the event I picked up some sickness bug and spent the evening with my head down the toilet, managing to have about three hours sleep.
 
The morning arrived and I was feeling very poorly but headed for Weston Park undecided if I would be capable of driving.
 

Rob Eastwood from Mini Sport had set up our service area which looked very professional with a gazebo and service van in place.
 
The time arrived for us to start the first stage, with the new helmets fitted, Anton counted me down 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, at this time the start marshal still had timecard, he pushed the card through the window and I dropped the clutch.
 
We set a good time but had dropped about 4-5 seconds at the start. Peter Horsbough and Adrian Kermode had also set fast times and were within seconds, with the other Minis just behind.
 
The next stage went without any problems and we managed to set a time 3-seconds quicker than Adrian and 6-seconds from Peter. This put us into a small lead. More suprising was that we were 2nd in the upto 1400cc class against all the modern cars. 

The stages continued throughout the day - there was never more than 2 or 3 seconds between us. Paul Price was setting some quick times as was Jim Brindle. At halfway we were leading followed by Adrian, Jim, Peter then Paul, but it was very close.
 
I still felt unwell and had not had anything to eat or drink, only water. I decided to try and get to sleep for a a while to see if this made me feel any better. I was woken up with Anton telling me we were ready to go again.
 
On the next stage Jim went off into a tree damaging the front of the car, but thankfully no-one was hurt.
 
Peter dropped a little time having hit one of the bails marking the route, and dropped a little time too.
 
With two stages to go we were 10 seconds in front of Adrian, and drove the last stages trying not to make any mistakes.
 
At the finish we managed to increase our lead but it had been a close-run event, and if this is how the year is going to play out its going to be a hard year.

1st Clive King
2nd Adrian Kermode
3rd Paul Price
4th Peter Horsburgh
5th Ken Price

With only two retirements it had been a good day for all of the Minis.
We also managed 2nd in class in the modern class beaten by a 16-valve 106 that was putting 180bhp out.
 
Next event is over the Epynt ranges at the beginning of May, but Mini Sport have arranged a test day for all of the Minis before this, so I will let you know how we get on. 

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