Motor Racing-Gail Hill hangs onto Championship lead; just!
Round eight of the Jaguar XJ-S/ Saloon Championship saw a depleted field of 14 cars and drivers but still delivered some compelling racing. Gail was under pressure with just two cars in her class meaning that she would only register half points regardless of the results, consequently she was out to make a point and go for the overall win even though there were several more modified and quicker XJ-S’s I the field.
Qualifying showed that to be the case too with the front three positions occupied by a class G V12 XJ-S and two class E, 4-litre machines, all more heavily modified than Gail’s XJ40 saloon. She was please though to occupy 4th spot, the leading saloon and still ahead of her main class rival David Bye. The pressure was on as she had to claim maximum points to hold on to her slender five point Championship lead.
The day though was top prove somewhat stressful as she was pulled after the session due to excessive noise from her car on the drive by tests. Her new side exit system whilst passing the static tests was very loud on track. There was a distinct possibility that she would not be allowed to race unless something could be done. Sound proofing material was inserted and she passed a retest but this was soon ineffective during the race. She would have to race with the knowledge that a black and orange flag could be waved at her at any time; not the best way to go about your business on track.
Following the Oulton race a few weeks previously she had to have a standard clutch fitted to replace the racing clutch which had burnt out this meant that her car was not as quick off the line and she had to adapt her start line procedure as a result.
When the race began she was quickly swamped by some of the faster cars behind her and dropped to 5th place and had to defend heavily from Cliff Ryan’s V12 all the way round Charlies and down Park Straight. She knew though that with the Mk II saloon of Derek Pearce just ahead any hope of being the winning saloon let alone overall winner depended on her keeping up the pressure on Pearce.
After seeing off the Ryan challenge she started to apply pressure on the class D saloon. This car though was mightily quick on the straights with its modified XK engine and there was no way she could outpace it. That meant driving extremely quickly round the bendy bits, of which there are plenty at Cadwell Park. Lap after lap Gail caught the older car at Charlies being much quicker and later on the brakes, then she lost touch along Park Straight only to catch up again round Chris Curve and all through Mansfield, The Mountain and hall bends only to loose out again on the main straight.
At times they did touch very slightly bumper to bumper, Gail letting Pearce know that she was still there, though it would have been impossible for him to the miss bright yellow car filling his mirrors. As the race progressed Gail noticed his car getting more leery through Gooseneck and decided that was the place to apply maximum pressure and force an error. Before that though they both managed to work their way up to 2nd and 3rd respectively. Lyddall’s V12, which started on pole developed a fuelling problem and fell back eventually retiring. The Ramm class E car developed a slight misfire and he could not hold off the two charging saloon’s. That just left Matt Skelton to scamper away into the distance to register his first win, whilst the battle for second place developed behind him.
The intense duel between Gail and Pearce was maintained for seven laps often with the cars crossing the start / finish line just tenths apart. Then two laps from the end the mistake was made, Pearce got onto the grass on the right hand entrance to Gooseneck, Gail though could not immediately make her move as she quickly realised that he would be coming across her bows as the left hand, down hill exit of the bend beckoned. This he duly did as she braked hard to avoid a collision then as the Mk II speared across the track on the grass on the outfield she accelerated quickly to make the pass before he could regain the track.
Job done she then defended desperately for the final two laps to register 2nd overall and her 4th saloon victory of the season. ‘I was delighted to see that I also registered the fastest lap to max out on the points, though I effectively dropped 8.5 points so now only lead the Championship by half-a-point from Philip Comer in a class F XJ-S and three points from Chris Palmer in a class E XJ-S,’ Gail said later.
There is now a four week gap before rounds 9 and 10 at Anglesey in August but Gail needs to not only get her exhaust sorted, the windscreen developed a crack and needs to be replaced and the steering rack has also finally become too worn to be effective. I’m going to have to dig deep to get the car prepared for next month but I’m determined to find the money from somewhere and keep the lead for the Championship if I can were Gail’s final comments before heading back to Banbury and a well earned rest.
