Newsham endures difficult start to new season
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AN extract from the first diary of the new British Touring Car Championship season from Inverness driver Dave Newsham, who was competing at Brands Hatch.
By lap three, I was up to 12th place and closing in on the leading pack. Then when turning into Surtees on lap four, the rear of my car snapped away without notice, giving no chance to recover. I spun across the kerbs and onto the grass.
Having made a great start, to be spinning out was frustrating. The car just let go without any warning, which is what it’s been doing all weekend due to the freezing conditions.
Unfortunately, the car now had what I thought was bent steering as the steering was to the left, while in a straight line. I continued to circulate, re-passing some cars and closing in on Colin Turkington in the BMW, and was amazed to be told by the team I was the fastest car in the field.
But the car was not handling well at all. I managed to get the car up to 10th, but the bent car was hurting its tyres and my pace was fading. Another race of what could have been.
Tenth would turn in to ninth as last year’s champ, Gordon Shedden, was excluded due his car failing the ride-height check.
The team set to repairing my car for the final race. It was actually the rear of car that was bent steering to one side.
It was estimated that it cost us approximately three-tenths of a second per lap, as I could barely turn left.
That pace would have put me right at the sharp end. Better luck must be due?
