The weather, like the company, was superb. I woke early (excited, me? Nah…). A really spooky mist covered the surrounding fields as I pulled the cover from Trespasser and set the rev-limiter to 7500. This is a fair bit down on its max but this was it’s first outing and test and tune rather than bang and boom was the order of the day.

On the Saturday, the first pass left crew wondering if I’d forgotten to get in: .941 reaction. 16.316 ET at 97mph.

On the second I redlighted: .132 reaction. 14.275 at 100.3mph. Trespasser was now literally steaming, as I’d come off the return road and driven through the pits straight back onto the track. Two runs within 10 mins. Nice.

The third pass was better: .711 reaction. 13.149 at 105.19mph. And the fourth and final run of that day saw a pleasing .654 reaction, 13.132 ET at 103mph.

We decided to dial in 13.2 for the next day’s racing.

Sunday:

Race #1. Half decent reaction time (.604), launched well, and then fluffed a gear change, giving a 14.318 ET at 95.93mph. At the time I put it down to me trying too hard but the next race changed my mind…

Race #2. Redlight (.035). Dodgy launch as I kinda saw the red as I left and for some reason backed off. Hit the rev limiter, go for a gear change...and the gear change mechanism comes away in my hand. Bugger. Coast along a bit wondering what to do, roll through at 14.14 mph for a 29.978 ET, then pull over and wait for rescue. Cool, never been towed off the track before.

A few checks and attempts to fix the lever assembly prove that something is stuffed in the box itself. That’s it. Our race debut is over. Pissed off? No way. I’m sure I should be but we’ve had too much of a great time.

Even when the wind picks up and blows our tent down we still smile (swear a lot and lash out at each other with spanners, but smile nevertheless).

The Wild Bunch made us really welcome. We learned a lot and offer a big “thanks” here to everyone who stopped to see if we were okay as they passed us parked at the side of the road on the way out of the track. We were. It was a ratchet strap thing. So, off now to sort the gearbox!