The SPN Racing Catalogue of Disaster

I started in Group One in 2000 and had a great time campaigning the Golf with an 1800cc engine. I finished every race and even ended up going to Spa too. 2001 wasn't so bad either, there were some great races with the XR3 of Rick Kerry, a couple of class wins and a lap record.

And then it started going pear shaped. I thought it would be interesting to document the 'progress' since then, if it wasn't my money that was being wasted it could almost be seen as amusing.

Date	Location	Description	Wasted £££
Sep 2001	Oulton Park	Set new lap record	n/a
Sep 2001	Oulton Park	Engine lets go on the next lap, oil surge due to insufficient level in sump	£1500 for engine rebuild
Mar 2002	Thruxton	Brand new engine destroyed as alternator bolt shears and I continue lapping with temperature gauge in red	£1500 for another engine rebuild
April 2002	Mallory Park	Car destoyed in Gerards accident	£2000+ for reshell
June 2002	Snetterton	Engine lets go around Coram, oil surge due to insufficient level in sump (sound familiar?)	£1500 for engine rebuild
Aug 2002	Pembrey	Throttle cable jams open, engine survives	£500 for race weekend
April 2003	Rockingham	Gearbox lets got on start line of first race of season, incorrect end bearing fitted	£300 for rebuild plus lost race weekend costs
April 2003	Thruxton	New gearbox has wrong final drive ratio - and throttle cable snaps anyway	£100 labour for rebuild as I refused to do another box change myself, lost race weekend costs
May-June 2003	Brands/Lydden/Mallory	Dismal results as gear change impossible due to clutch release bearing fitted upside down by gearbox 'specialist' and engine 30 BHP due to intermediate shaft being moved	£££ weekend race costs, new release bearing, rolling road tune
August 2003	Silverstone	Engine overheated and destroyed, water hose splits and gauge doesn't show in time	£200 for optimistic head gasket change
August 2003	Pembrey	Attempt to race after replacing head gasket, car lasts 90 seconds on track after 7 hour drive to get there	£££ weekend race costs, wasted time and £££ above changing head gasket, £2000 for engine rebuild including forged pistons
July 2004	Snetterton	Testing before televised Group One race, head gasket blows on new engine	£££ for new head gasket, tune up and oil change
July 2004	Snetterton	Engine destroyed after 1 lap of Group One race, problem with timing or fuel mixture	£1500 for new block, pistons and rebuild. Forged pistons now for sale as trendy ash trays. £££ in race entry fees and travel costs
Aug 2005	Donington Park	Driveshaft snaps on start line	Ruined race, gearbox seals never worked again
April 2006	Mallory Park	Car destroyed in huge Gerards accident (again – see April 2002)	££££ for repair costs, panels, gearbox housing, paint
May 2006	Brands Hatch	Wasted weekend, rear axle bent and car crabbing around circuit.	Back to the bodyshop for another attempt at straightening everything out, £££
August 2006	Oulton Park	Break down in sight of chequered flag	Yet more electrical gremlins
Sep 2006	Snetterton	Yet another head gasket failure, this time as we loaded the car on the trailer to head off to the circuit	£££ and lots of panic to fit a new gasket set and head bolts/cam belt/everything else in time to make the grid
April 2007	Brands Hatch	New gear linkage fails, select 2^nd instead of 5^th flat out into Paddock Hill bend, comprehensively destroy cylinder head	£1200 for a Rick Kerry prepared monster cylinder head with all new valves, gas flowed.
November 2007	Brands Hatch	First race on new engine – water hose bursts, head gasket fails	Yet another head gasket repair and enough is enough, my last time out in the little Golf.

I have no intention of ever adding up the figures in the fourth column....