A step into the unknown was the next outing of the 2011 season for Jack
He would be racing in the Lotus 1000km race at brands hatch in a lotus Elise with driver coach Phil Glew and Sponsor Phill Capstick of KOK support...
The Experience
After 4 hours 10 minutes, 247 laps and classified in P4 at that point, with all things considered the team can hold their heads up high. We were punching well above our weight, competing against cars with up to 200BHP more and with huge budgets. Our lap times were less than a second off those of the big boys. To be in contention shows that we were an exceptionally well oiled team, albeit on a tight budget, but without lady luck on our side.
Test and Qualifying
Team Cee Norm HSL arrived at the circuit in heavy rain. Jack Goff took to the track first covering 7 laps before the first of many red flags for the day caused by a car running off at Paddock Hill. Phil Glew then headed out on to the wet track completing 20 laps. Phill Capstick was next, on a drying but still very greasy circuit, clocking up 10 laps. Phil G then went out again, but gearbox issues brought the session to a halt just before lunch.
Team ES Motorsport, our support team, got to work on the car immediately, but it became evident that the issue with the gearbox was almost certainly internal. The decision was made to leave the box on so that at least we could complete the required 3 laps each in the qualifying session.
Qualifying
Resigned to the fact that we were going to be at the back of the grid due to the fact we only had 3rd and 4th gears, Phil Glew went out to do his mandatory 3 lap minimum. Phil quickly fell into a groove before handing over to Jack, and incredibly had put the car on pole. Jack went out and also put in some great times, but we were dropping fast down the grid as other cars came up to speed. Then it was Phill C’s turn. Whilst on the track Phill found the gearbox seemingly now functioning as it should have all along, so after completing his 3 laps he handed the car back to Phil G and Jack. By the end of the session Team Cee Norm HSL had qualified 4th, ahead of the Lotus Works team Evora. The problem with the gearbox turned out to be an intermittent leaking clutch pipe that was quickly resolved by Dave Carr and the ES boys.
The Race
At 9.05am from a rolling start on a very greasy circuit, the race began. Phil Glew was first in the car holding P4 against the Works Evora until Lap 9 when, for the next few laps they traded places, the Evora having far superior power, but Team Cee Norm HSL Elise being far more nimble around the corners. The Evora eventually opened up a gap after being pestered for some time.
On Lap 72 Phil came in and after refuelling Jack set off. He pushed hard and was up to P3 by lap 112. A number of safety cars allowed Jack to close the gap to P2 whilst cars were recovered by marshals from the gravel traps. 8 minutes before the end of Jack’s session another safety car helped the decision to do the next refuel and driver change, saving precious time against other cars with endurance fuel tanks holding twice the capacity of the Elise.
On Lap 136 Phill Capstick went out in the car taking P4 after the stop. Phill ran 30 consistent laps, improving lap after lap to secure his personal best lap time to date. Yet another safety car with 10 minutes of Phill’s session left made our decision to pit again to save time for the next driver change. We were still in P4.
Phil Glew took his second stint, however on exiting the pits he went through a red light incurring a drive through penalty, which he took on lap 181. Phil ran for the rest of his session problem free coming in to hand over to Jack.
It was now Lap 225 and Jack rejoined in P5. Running consistently, Jack made his way to P4, but this was not to last. On Lap 247 with sudden and total loss of power, a plume of blue smoke came from the back of the Elise.
The car was recovered by the marshals and towed back to the garage. The mechanics from ES got to work straight away to see the extent of the problem, believing it to be a head gasket. Unfortunately a valve had hit a piston and it was terminal for the Team Cee Norm HSL Elise, the whole team being thoroughly disappointed as a podium was certainly within reach.
Thanks
A huge thanks to all those involved… Alan, Michelle, Lindsay, Jade, Josh, Richard, Cheyenne, Steve, Reg, Dave Carr, ES Motorsport and all their guys, our Sponsors: Cee Norm UK Ltd, HSL and Prolyte, Roy Powell and Derek Partridge for their exceptional photography and anyone else we may have forgotten.
He would be racing in the Lotus 1000km race at brands hatch in a lotus Elise with driver coach Phil Glew and Sponsor Phill Capstick of KOK support...
The Experience
After 4 hours 10 minutes, 247 laps and classified in P4 at that point, with all things considered the team can hold their heads up high. We were punching well above our weight, competing against cars with up to 200BHP more and with huge budgets. Our lap times were less than a second off those of the big boys. To be in contention shows that we were an exceptionally well oiled team, albeit on a tight budget, but without lady luck on our side.
Test and Qualifying
Team Cee Norm HSL arrived at the circuit in heavy rain. Jack Goff took to the track first covering 7 laps before the first of many red flags for the day caused by a car running off at Paddock Hill. Phil Glew then headed out on to the wet track completing 20 laps. Phill Capstick was next, on a drying but still very greasy circuit, clocking up 10 laps. Phil G then went out again, but gearbox issues brought the session to a halt just before lunch.
Team ES Motorsport, our support team, got to work on the car immediately, but it became evident that the issue with the gearbox was almost certainly internal. The decision was made to leave the box on so that at least we could complete the required 3 laps each in the qualifying session.
Qualifying
Resigned to the fact that we were going to be at the back of the grid due to the fact we only had 3rd and 4th gears, Phil Glew went out to do his mandatory 3 lap minimum. Phil quickly fell into a groove before handing over to Jack, and incredibly had put the car on pole. Jack went out and also put in some great times, but we were dropping fast down the grid as other cars came up to speed. Then it was Phill C’s turn. Whilst on the track Phill found the gearbox seemingly now functioning as it should have all along, so after completing his 3 laps he handed the car back to Phil G and Jack. By the end of the session Team Cee Norm HSL had qualified 4th, ahead of the Lotus Works team Evora. The problem with the gearbox turned out to be an intermittent leaking clutch pipe that was quickly resolved by Dave Carr and the ES boys.
The Race
At 9.05am from a rolling start on a very greasy circuit, the race began. Phil Glew was first in the car holding P4 against the Works Evora until Lap 9 when, for the next few laps they traded places, the Evora having far superior power, but Team Cee Norm HSL Elise being far more nimble around the corners. The Evora eventually opened up a gap after being pestered for some time.
On Lap 72 Phil came in and after refuelling Jack set off. He pushed hard and was up to P3 by lap 112. A number of safety cars allowed Jack to close the gap to P2 whilst cars were recovered by marshals from the gravel traps. 8 minutes before the end of Jack’s session another safety car helped the decision to do the next refuel and driver change, saving precious time against other cars with endurance fuel tanks holding twice the capacity of the Elise.
On Lap 136 Phill Capstick went out in the car taking P4 after the stop. Phill ran 30 consistent laps, improving lap after lap to secure his personal best lap time to date. Yet another safety car with 10 minutes of Phill’s session left made our decision to pit again to save time for the next driver change. We were still in P4.
Phil Glew took his second stint, however on exiting the pits he went through a red light incurring a drive through penalty, which he took on lap 181. Phil ran for the rest of his session problem free coming in to hand over to Jack.
It was now Lap 225 and Jack rejoined in P5. Running consistently, Jack made his way to P4, but this was not to last. On Lap 247 with sudden and total loss of power, a plume of blue smoke came from the back of the Elise.
The car was recovered by the marshals and towed back to the garage. The mechanics from ES got to work straight away to see the extent of the problem, believing it to be a head gasket. Unfortunately a valve had hit a piston and it was terminal for the Team Cee Norm HSL Elise, the whole team being thoroughly disappointed as a podium was certainly within reach.
Thanks
A huge thanks to all those involved… Alan, Michelle, Lindsay, Jade, Josh, Richard, Cheyenne, Steve, Reg, Dave Carr, ES Motorsport and all their guys, our Sponsors: Cee Norm UK Ltd, HSL and Prolyte, Roy Powell and Derek Partridge for their exceptional photography and anyone else we may have forgotten.
