Ben Evans Racing

Coming into the race at Silverstone yesterday I felt quietly confident, I like the track, I’m feeling good with the car, and I was just enjoying my summer and my racing and feeling relaxed about everything. Yesterday evening, as anyone who saw me around 9pm can attest, I was extremely relaxed and delighted with how the day had gone.

Even though I hadn’t sat in the car since Pembrey I had a good feeling, and that was confirmed by qualifying on the damp and treacherous track where I instantly had a good response from the car and found it easy to pick out the grip. 2nd in session and 6th overall shows that I was right on the pace and straight through to the final. For once I had the whole day to wait out with no driver or mechanical dramas to get in the way.

By race time I was nicely nervous, buzzed but focused. Again on the warm up lap the car felt perfect and I just knew I could make it work. Everything from then on is a bit blurred, all I know is that it was the best race I have ever been involved in, a slipstreaming epic with more position changes on every lap than in an entire season of F1. This is the reason I love Vee, close, clean but damn exciting racing. All credit and thanks to Ian Buxton (driver of the day for the charge from 47th to 2nd), Jake, Martyn and my arch nemisis Steve Glasswell for keeping the racing so close and clean. Over the line the five of us were separated by just over 1s following 15 minutes of frantic action. It was the kind of race I wish had been taped so I could watch it again. Certainly judging by the waves we got from the marshalls and spectators on the slowing down lap we kept everyone entertained. In the end I finished 4th, equalling my best result of the year, but this one felt special with no significant retirements or incidents ahead of me in the race, meaning the result was totally on merit and bodes extremely well for next year.

I would also like to add my congratulations to Sam as Champion who has had a great year, its a shame I’ll stop him retaining his crown next year. Also thanks and congratulations to Andy Storer for his tireless support over the weekend and for the excellent beer at the post race party.

With only one round to go the focus of the entire racing world shifts to Oulton Park on September the 9th, as the world’s media will gather to see whether in his absence I can gain enough points to overhall Steve Glasswell for 8th in the Championship. Its a shame Steve won’t be there, but I’m looking forward to resuming battle at the Nurburgring in October.

Realisitically I believe a podium is on the cards at Oulton and would be the perfect end to a great first year of Vee.

I’ve got all the addicts symptoms, the hands are twitching, the muscles shaking and I’m desparate for my fix. Yep the six week Formula Vee summer break is hitting me hard, heck I was even watching Ford Fiesta racing from Lydden at 6.30am this morning on Motors TV to see me through the day at work.

Following the intensive week on, week off calendar, having weekends free is feeling a little strange, I’ve actually had to talk to people about something other than how to set up a Formula Vee for Cadwell Park. Obviously I made the mistake on my first weekend off, of talking to someone about how to set up a Formula Vee for Cadwell Park, but quickly realised that discussing the merits, or lack of, of Pirates of the Caribbean 2 was more socially acceptable. I’ve suddenly discovered I have a social life beyond seeing the Clerk of the Course on a fortnightly basis.

Luckily the end is in sight, Silverstone is only two and a half weeks away and I can’t wait. I’m the first to admit that by the time Pembrey rolled around I was desparate for a break from racing, but now I’m chomping at the bit to get going again. Furthermore, for the first time this year I feel energised by F1 following the excellent Hungarian Grand Prix and Jenson Button’s win. Monday morning was the first time this year I’ve been able to truly justify to my colleagues that, yes, F1 is damn exciting.

And finally how do I know that it is the F.Vee summer break? Because where I live in London it hasn’t properly rained in weeks, I’m sure that by the time Silverstone rolls around (and isn’t having a bbq truly tempting fate?) the weather will have broken and it will be wet, windy and cold - proper Vee weather

Three weeks on from the Pembrey meeting I’m still struggling to think of anything positive to say about the weekend. Two DNF’s, two self inflicted spins and an unnecessary first lap accident on Sunday afternoon pretty much sum up the races.

Friday’s test day was broadly positive as I was running in an engine and four new tyres so it was good the day passed without incident and I managed to set some fast times.

Saturday’s qualifying was rubbish, I was driving badly and ended up 17th right down in the midfield, 5th on the grid for the heat. I made a dreadful start to be 10th into the first turn. I began to work my way through the field before spinning at the Paddock Crossing and having to do it all over again. However I had a very enjoyable dice with Steve Ough for 7th and it was shame when he and William Burnett were disqualified for a ride height infringement at the finish. In the final i made a great start and made up 9 positions in the early laps before spinning again at Paddock Crossing and decided to park it before i damaged the car or myself

Sunday was a new day and the heat went well and I finished 3rd after a very enjoyable dice with Graham Kiddy. I was hopeful therefore for the final, but unfortunately it lasted for one corner before I collided with Ian Buxton coming out of the hairpin. I won’t go into blaming anyone but the incident was totally unnecessary and caused by a number of drivers being unaware of the traffic around them.

So that was it, weekend over with two no scores but still 8th in the Championship although only by one point.

However my real criticism from the weekend comes for the circuit staff and facilities at Pembrey. The circuit itself is thoroughly unenjoyable to drive and furthermore tends to produce spread out processional racing. I would also question the safety at the track as the tyre walls seemed very solid and easily hittable at speed. A good testing venue yes, a race circuit up to standard in the modern era? probably not

Then the circuit staff were a special case. This is not a criticism of either the 750mc staff or the marshalls who did their usual stunning job, but rather the actual track staff at Pembrey. Checking tickets on the way into Friday testing? Policing the paddock like it was North Korea? All this left a rather savoury taste in the mouth and detracted from my enjoyment of the weekend. If circuits that are genuinely near urban areas like Brands Hatch can be run in a professional and calm way then so should Pembrey which is quite frankly in the middle of nowhere. Given the number of great circuits in this country it seems a waste of race weekend to go to Pembrey. I for one would prefer a return to Mallory Park or a second weekend at Brands Hatch over a trip to Pembrey.

Anyway I can’t wait for Silverstone and Oulton where I’m aiming to claim my maiden podium and confirm 8th in the Championship