Lydden 17th July - What happened to the weather?

[Gnomex]

Well - apparently the rest of the south east had a pretty OK sort of day. NOT the case at Lydden.

We had a thunderstorm of epic proportions. There were rivers of water running down the hill and there were lakes (puddles just would not be appropriate) at the entry to Chessons and at the edge of the Dover Slope going into the Elbow.

The marshals were stood down during the worst of the weather as the lightning strikes all around were too numerous to mention. We were instructed to seek shelter wherever was safest from the lightning. The circuit kept loosing electrical power. Water running off the loose rallycross section at Paddock dragged much of the loose material onto the circuit opposite the startline.

There was, shall we say, an exchange of views in the assembly area towards the end of the day from a number of drivers who had been informed that they would not be having a race due to the amended timetable. From what little I understand, this was something to do with their race being part of a series, whereas the 2CV's who did get to race were part of a championship.

In over twenty years of marshalling I cannot remember worse weather.

[Tainan]

The same at Brands - totally chucked it down, but fortunately it co-incided with the lunch hour. The paddock was about 2" deep in water where I was, and that was on a slope - hate to think what it was like at the bottom of the hill.

[BertMk2]

Originally posted by Gnomex
There was, shall we say, an exchange of views in the assembly area towards the end of the day from a number of drivers who had been informed that they would not be having a race due to the amended timetable.

That annoyed me too and I was only watching! The 2cv's had already completed a race whereas the sports guys hadn't - they should have been given the final race of the day. If I'd paid an entry fee and got 2 laps of racing I'd be severely hacked off. From a spectators point of view I'd rather have seen the sports guys in action (that was the main reason I was there) - the 2cv's were just plain dull.

Could the Toyo tyres race have been merged with the track and race saloons to save some time? The toyo grid was pretty thin so they could surely have been put together.

As for the weather - at the first sign of rain I moved the car right up to the fence at the top of the hill, no sooner had I done that the heavens opened. Cue the most impressive storm I have ever seen. I felt really sorry for the marshals - there's not a lot of protection for a lot of those posts.

[Tim Falce]

Sorry, it was my fault. I was so hot in the morning when the sun was shining that I popped down to Tescos and bought a pair of shorts and trainers. On the way back I was telling ecktic about the storms and river of water running through my garage that we had while he was in the USA and then the same thing happened again

[Gnomex]

Originally posted by falcemob
Sorry, it was my fault. I was so hot in the morning when the sun was shining that I popped down to Tescos and bought a pair of shorts and trainers. On the way back I was telling ecktic about the storms and river of water running through my garage that we had while he was in the USA and then the same thing happened again

So you're to blame! (said jokingly).

[Tim Falce]

Originally posted by Gnomex
So you're to blame! (said jokingly).

Yep, i'll try not to bring any rain in three weeks time

[greenamex2]

I was there and wouldn't have believed the lightning and thunder if I hadn't of been. Thank god I spent a bucket load on a motorhome rather than waste it on the car!!!!

You couldn't have run the Toyo race with the Race and track race because -

a) Four of the Toyo's were also racing in race and track race (or in my case should have been but I had already crashed once and had a dodgy oil pump - Red Corolla, over did on the first time ever on slicks despite warming them up as told to).

b) The Race and track race was already full (partly due to the above).

Being are participant in the Toyo Championship I too was dissappointed by the grid size. It seems people don't like racing at Lydden, I have noticed that many other series suffer there as well.

Don't know why, despite hitting the tyre wall I still love the place.

As an aside, thanks from all the racers to all the marshalls and officials for sticking it out in horrendous conditions. Much appreciated.

[Gnomex]

[i]As an aside, thanks from all the racers to all the marshalls and officials for sticking it out in horrendous conditions. Much appreciated. [/B]

It was bad. As for "sticking it out" I couldn't possibly comment (this is a public forum after all). We began to think we would need an air-sea rescue helicopter to lift us out(actually one flew over the circuit last year, turned back and did a few "laps" in the air before waving and flying off!!).

[BertMk2]

I realise that some of the Toyo types were running in the track and race too but it would have been a way of letting everybody get a race in, what's the maximum grid size for Lydden? I thought there would have been room to squeeze then in.

Was there much damage to the Corolla? Obviously the front bumper was AWOL but was that the extent of the damage? You got away with the spin at the top of the hill too! I guess that was down to the damp track?

I've not really noticed a problem with grids before at Lydden, I'm there for every SEMSEC meeting (which is a Lydden based series so always has good grids), Rallycross usually has a good turnout too. I think that Toyo grid was the smallest I've seen anywhere recently, what sort of numbers do you usually get?

[bigted]

U Know i got a slight case of sunburn at Pembrey, if that makes u feel any better.

[BertMk2]

Originally posted by bigted
U Know i got a slight case of sunburn at Pembrey, if that makes u feel any better.

You're not helping!!!

Actually when I arrived at Lydden it was bright sunshine and when I left it was bright sunshine - it was just the bit inbetween that was the problem.

At Lydden sunburn wasn't the problem, it was more likely to be drowning or electrocution.....

[Liam22]

Originally posted by BertMk2
what's the maximum grid size for Lydden? I thought there would have been room to squeeze then in.

Only 21 starters.

[greenamex2]

Not to much damage, my bodywork chap will have it sorted before Cadwell Park. The car will just weigh a bit more with the filler.

This spin on the hairpin was caused by me trying to use a higher gear to reduce wheelspin, it just spun at a higer speed. Still, made the guy in the Metro's day as he led the class for a while!!

This year we have been getting 12-15 for each meeting which is several down on last year. Last year at Lydden we had 17 cars. This is all really strange as the club has more members than ever before, they just aren't turning up at the same time or at all.

I completely agree that is not really an acceptable number and am pushing for us to merge with another road tyred series (any suggestions?). Otherwise I'll end up in a slick based series and will have to find a large supply of spare headlights!!!

Anybody know what happened to Chris Randell in the BMW M5 in the Track and race series?

[BertMk2]

Really? I thought it was 24 (but wasn't sure - hence the question). Still, either way I guess there wasn't room to merge the two races then.

[Gnomex]

Originally posted by BertMk2
Really? I thought it was 24 (but wasn't sure - hence the question). Still, either way I guess there wasn't room to merge the two races then.

I believe the track licence is for 21 cars.

[Rod Birley]

I don't think I have seen a storm like that before, certainly not in this country. The lightning struck the signing on office twice (I think). 7,500 litres of water were pumped off the circuit. I really think the marshals deserve a lot of praise for putting up with the conditions.

[King Arthur]

What a shame. It seems like what was going to be a very good day was spoiled by the weather. I do not know who Big Ted is but it seems he was in the better weather. Well done to everybody for trying their best to keep it going and at least get the maximum track time. As always some win some lose. To the losers I hope you have better fortune next time.

[Gnomex]

Originally posted by Rod Birley
I don't think I have seen a storm like that before, certainly not in this country. The lightning struck the signing on office twice (I think). 7,500 litres of water were pumped off the circuit. I really think the marshals deserve a lot of praise for putting up with the conditions.

There is a soakaway to drain water from the circuit at a point in the cut-through between the startline and the Dover Slope. This filled in no time and so we marshals tried our best to divert the torrent (it was that bad there were "waves" in the flow) into the central grass area. Given some equipment we might have done it but all the circuit gear was employed at the "lake" at Chessons.

After getting home I found pools of water INSIDE the pockets of my waterproofs! The water had mixed with the grid sheets to form a very nice pulp! My flags are currently still hanging up to dry in my garage, as are my oversocks, safety boots, gloves, hat, pit board.....

Naming no names, there was a call on the radio from someone anxious to escape to a place of safety. They were inside a vehicle at the time. Something in my school-boy science tells me though that a vehicle will act as a "Faraday cage" thus protecting occupants in the event of a lightning strike. From what I recall the charge will always find the easiest route to earth, this being through the metal and tyres. So long as the occupants do not touch the metal they should be OK. If I'm correct, you are actually safer inside a vehicle during a lightning storm.

[Rod Birley]

Someone has watched "Top Gear" recently (Richard Hammond's experiment).

[Gnomex]

Originally posted by Rod Birley
Someone has watched "Top Gear" recently (Richard Hammond's experiment).

Well, no I didn't, but from what you say I guess that is exactly what they did. Was the car they used OK?

[Bryan Degerlund]

The ironic part of the cloudburst at Brands Hatch on Saturday was that although it had been wet for the morning practise sessions, the really heavy stuff came down as JP took the Canon Porsche out for his demonstration laps. After one lap he (rightly) came back in and shortly after the rain stopped. In my many years marshalling at Brands, this was the heaviest shower I can remember, the previous one was when the Group C sports cars raced at Brands in the '80s! The water outside the old garages was so deep that tyres were floating away.

[Upside Down Bug]

Sounds like an absolute nightmare, sorry to rub it in Gnomex, but I had a little red patch on top of my head at Sunny Pembrey.

However, are you down for 750 this weekend?

[Gnomex]

Originally posted by Upside Down Bug
Sounds like an absolute nightmare, sorry to rub it in Gnomex, but I had a little red patch on top of my head at Sunny Pembrey.

However, are you down for 750 this weekend?

Am I down for "750" what? I could be down for 750 pints of beer (if you're buying).

Seriously, I only have a one day "pass" from SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed) so I will be down just on the Saturday. Perhaps thoughts on this event might be better on a new thread as otherwise this current thread title will be v confusing.

[BertMk2]

Does anybody know the official reasoning behind putting the 2cv's out for a second race at the end of the day whilst there were still people that hadn't actually had a race?

[Rod Birley]

Unfortunately the desire was to complete championship races before series, quoted from a letter received today. The club, however, realises the view of the disgruntled drivers, who did not get a race, and have offered a discounted run at Brands this Saturday, or somewhere else later in the year.As you can imagine, whilst not defending the decisions made, the clerk of the course was under a lot of pressure from various groups to make the decisions he came to.