Well this is my first ever blog so please be gentle ;)

I've been asked by Henry Catchpole to write a blog about my recently being selected for the Dunlop Race Academy whilst I was at the Bedford Evo trackday on 21 May. 

I started trackdaying about two years ago. I bought an old BMW E36 328i Sport with a friend and armed with tons of information from various internet forums, we set about creating a track car. It was stripped of as much unnecessary weight as possible. A rollcage, coilovers and some new brake pads and discs were fitted and off we went. It has been a great car and we've visited quite a number of tracks with it - Oulton, Bedford, Snetterton, Nurburgring to name a few. Anyway, at the beginning of this year I sold my share of the car to my friend in favour of using my BMW E36 M3 Evo road car for trackdaying instead.

During the winter I made sure the M3 was going to be fun on track by adding a few modifications and making sure everything was in tip top condition. I was out at Cadwell by March and it was great to get back on track after the winter break.

Fast forward to 21 May and I arrived at Bedford Autodrome for my first ever Evo track day. The conditions were beautiful and there were some great cars including a Gallardo Spyder which failed the noise test (oops), a couple of GTRs, the usual Porsches and Atoms and a couple of surprisingly quick JDM FD2 Civics.

The Dunlop Race Academy competition was on so I signed myself up and was given a big Dunlop sticker to put on my car so they could identify me, and the other competitors, on track. From memory there were about 7 or 8 of us - Subaru Impreza WRX wagon, Golf V5, Subaru Impreza STi, Boxster S, one of the JDM Civics and an Atom. A number of the Evo editorial team were in attendance of which, Henry Catchpole, along with BTCC driver Mat Jackson, would be watching out for the best 2 drivers to go forward to the next stage of the competition.

I set the car up - tyre pressures and damper settings - and went out for two warm up laps before coming back in to recheck the tyres. All was well :D

The layout for the evening was the South West circuit which I've never done before. It takes in all the fast parts of the GT track but manages to cut out a couple of hairpins and replaces them with two really sweet 4th gear left handers. 

On my second session I had a great few laps chasing a Boxster S. I just couldn't reel him in but he wasn't going anywhere either. I later found out he was the other competitor selected for the final.

After my 3rd or 4th session Mat Jackson came over for a chat. Even though I don't really follow racing, or any other sport for that matter, I was a bit starstruck! He asked a couple of questions - whether I'd done many trackdays before and whether I'd done Bedford before. I answered honestly and we continued to chat about his current BTCC season. He was a little 'frustrated' shall we say about the latest turbo cars in the championship.

It was now close to the end of the evening so I went out for my last session. I caught up a small train consisting of the 2 JDM Civics being held up by an E46 M3. I followed until the main straight where I pulled out to overtake the Civics but because neither of them let off the gas I had to cut them up a little, which I apologised for later, to get my line for the fast chicane at the end. Unfortunately, a couple of corners later a black flag emerged from a marshall and his finger pointed at me. Oh bugger! I could only imagine it was because of the Civic move. I slowed down to give the car enough time to cool down as I would have to leave the track as soon as the pit lane arrived. 

Pulling off the track I could see a marshall in the distance motioning me to pull up in front of him. As I drew closer I could see he wasn't very happy. Oh dear. I stop the car, wind down the window and switch off the engine. He asks, with a very stern face, 'Do you know why you were black flagged?' at which point I hold my hands up and start explaining the situation that led to the Civic move. Keeping his stern face he says 'You might as well take your seat belt off and get out of the car because you're not going to be going out again!'. Ruddy Hell, I thought, this is a bit over the top. So, I undo my seat belt, open the door and am greeted by James Bailey of Dunlop Motorsport, Henry Catchpole, Mat Jackson and others creasing up laughing but telling me I'd been chosen for the next round of the competition. The black flag was the easiest way they could get me into the pitlane to tell me, and it doubled up as a nice joke to play on me! It didn't matter. I was over the moon! I felt like a child at Christmas, literally. 

A week or so later I got a call from Claire James at Dunlop Motorsport asking whether I'd like to visit the BTCC at Oulton and have my photo taken with Mat Jackson and his Airwaves BMW. What a treat! Absolutely was my answer. Here's some photos from the day:

All in all it's been an amazing experience so far and I can't wait for the final in September. If you're reading this and want your own chance for a pop at Dunlop Race Academy (to win a race in a fully prepped Nissan 370Z in the Dunlop Sportmaxx Cup) you've got one last chance at the Evo track day at Bedford on August 13th. Hope to see you at the final ;)