Goodwood Revival 2015 - Aurelia's racing

Great photos David! It was wonderful to see so many familiar friends at an event we felt so honoured to be invited to. So the story of the weekend if I may which are backed up by David's photos.

Firstly the third Aurelia never appeared which was a huge disappointment, not only as we were intrigued to know which car it is and chat to the owner but also as it left a rather large gap next to us in the shelters.

Friday was practice day and I was a little nervous with massive crowds and cars on the grid I'd never seen before let alone raced. As per usual for our team we got "practice pole" which essentially means we got to the assembly area first! That meant having to lead the cars around at 50% as told by the officials but no one told 3 or so cars as they hared past me after the first corner. I didn't want to get trapped behind anyone so I started to speed up and follow them. Wow! The Aurelia is amazing around Goodwood - years of track days there by David and ourselves and no doubt Simon and Paul meant the car really knows it's way around. I was amazed not to be overtaken by many cars and amazed to overtake quite a few!

Fifteen minutes isn't a long time but I felt I'd out in a couple of good laps so felt satisfied when I got off track. This was backed up with the results - an amazing 11th overall out of 29 and not too far behind a friend of ours in a Lotus VI, a road car but he knows how to drive. Chris also had a very good practice and qualified 20th out of 29.

Around the same time on Saturday we lined up to race. I had three goals in mind - start and finish, get into the top 10 and show off the Aurelia to the thousands of spectators. And there were thousands...Onto the grid and I was focussed on not overheating the clutch and maintaining position if I could - Chris Rea in another Lotus VI was behind me and I had a fast Porshe 356 alongside me.

The flag dropped and wow, I made a great start! Helped by a Healey that failed to start, I was now running in the top 10! Into top gear and heading towards Madgewick I was feeling great but oh, what's that, the car is stuttering, dying, not happy. Argh! I kept to the very inside and the entire field streamed past me, down into third gear, down into second and I'm chugging way away barely moving. There's no way I'm going to get back to pits, should I pull over and retire? But the car is still chugging so I might be able to complete one very slow lap. Then as I almost reach Fordwater the car bursts into life, okay so at least I can get to the pits. I'm now over 30 seconds behind everyone but I catch up two cars and overtake them and the car is flying. Through the chicane and I almost dive into the pits but the car feels strong, can I nurse the car to a finish?

Lap two and another five cars overtaken, I am really in the zone and the Aurelia is loving every second. I hurtle around the corners, sometimes sideways, more often drifting. St Mary's and I think a driver is indicating for me to take the inside line, clearly not as he now has the space I thought I owned. Oops, massive tank slapper to avoid him and scrabble for gears. Got it! I am patient and pass the car after Lavant, scary moments. I know how many minutes I have left in the race but no idea where I am, I'm just concentrating on the cars in front and hoping to overtake as many as possible.

I come across a familiar car, Chris in his Aurelia. I could have stayed behind all day watching Chris drift and power around the corners but I am now on a mission. Through Lavant we go together and I eek out onto the straight. Not an easy pass but I get it done and marvel now in the rear view mirror at the Aurelia but I must concentrate though as there is another car to be passed before braking - done. Sideways though the chicane and yet again we are on our way.

After a lot of overtaking there is a lull and not much in front of me but now the leaders are coming through. Leader, second and the third and fourth who are scrapping so I brake at No Name (which I never do) and ease to one side to let the battlers take precedence. Done but it slows me and I hare around St Mary's and as we rise up, I see an XK 120 spinning in my rear view mirror - I think he may have tried to take the corner as fast as the Aurelia which was a mistake!

Another two cars overtaken, which I later learn I was lapping, and the flag comes out, all to early as the Aurelia is just warmed up. Other than some fuel vaporisation at the end of the Lavant straight the car has been utterly faultless. Oh what may have been.

But the result and my memories tell a different story. Amazingly I made up 17 positions from the back of the 29 (one car failed on the start line) to come 11th and indeed I overtook as many as 20 cars as I lapped at least 3. I was 2 seconds quicker in the race and looking at those in front of me I perhaps could have got to 9th but unlikely to have come higher. But I doubt I would have had as much fun as I did battling my way through. Chris came 14th out of 29, an improvement of 6 places on his starting position and also an improvement of 2 seconds so we were happy Aurelia drivers in the paddock.

Sadly the Aurelia's fight back was missed by the commentators, TV and many people but not our friends and those on track who regaled many stories of me going past sideways and waving my thanks at the same time.

All of this wouldn't have been possible without Jason both preparing the car and allowing me to drive. I'm very indebted to my hubby. And what was the issue you may ask? Well we think it was a fuel lock as we've moved the fuel pump to the front of the car from the rear. It was warm and we sat on the grid for a few minutes longer than normal. Safe to say, the pump will be moving back....

A great weekend and a fabulous car. We are so proud to be able to show him off.

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