Signing on at 2pm is a rare luxury afforded to us because we're new to this - and our Qualifying session has been scheduled for late in the afternoon. However, this is the first time I've done this and I'm feeling a bit nervous. I'm grouchy, snappy and rude to Claire and my Dad. Why the f*ck do I care about the washing on a Saturday morning when I'm about to take part in my first competitive timed session of my life...? Perhaps, everyone will realise I need to be left alone before an official session - perhaps I should calm down...
So at 12.30pm on Saturday, 3rd July I arrived at Rockingham. My car was already there having been left there the night as I'd been testing on the Friday. I got the car off the trailer, checked the fuel, checked the tyres, checked the oil, checked the straps, checked everything.
We were lucky that we were allowed to sign-in early and the car was scrutineered early, too. Scrutineering is quite a difficult part of the day - any problems and you won't be allowed to race. They're a great bunch of chaps who talk you through everything they're looking at, have a bit of banter and see that your car's safe. Thankfully, I had no problems.
Soon before my Qualifying session, I had to get the car to the Assembly Area - this is so the marshalls know everyone's ready and the cars are sent out together. My DOPE (Director of Precipitation Equipment - Ian) came to hold a brolly over me - it was really hot. After a short wait, I was able to set off and start 15 minutes of getting round the track as quickly as I could - this would determine my track position for the race the next day.
The session was tricky - I tried to stay close to some cars (you get a great tow down the main straights) but I realise this may have held me up in other areas. In any case, I managed to get the car into 8th place on the grid. I'd hoped for higher but this is a pretty good result. There are 25 cars on the grid and I'm much closer tot he front than the back.
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