In her first two races she finished 4th and 3rd and was hoping to go one or two better at what is effectively her home circuit. “I’ve tested here loads of times and done lots of track days so even though I have never driven the saloon here before I am hopeful of once again beating some of the more experienced chaps in these cars” she stated before qualifying. Gail didn’t disappoint.
In a joint qualifying session with the XJ-S racers she managed to find a few clear laps and put in some good times, “I was chasing Simon Lewis, one of the top XJ6 drivers and felt I was at least as quick as him” Gail commented straight after the session. She found herself in fourth on the grid on the outside, which is not the best place to be with quick drivers just behind and inside her. But with the top four cars split by just 0.21 seconds she could not complain.
When the lights went out she got another good start and as pole sitter Lewis bogged down Peter Dorlin, John Slater and then Gail eased past. Gail could not quite out drag Slater on the run down to Gerrards and was enveloped in oily smoke as they ran down the back straight, well they are old Jags!
Dorlin pulled out a slim lead as Gail was all over Slater for the first two laps whilst also trying to defend from Dave Bye also in a series III 4.2. When Dorlin and Slater got out of shape at Druids Gail pounced making her way up to second but was not quite able to grab top slot.
There then followed an enthralling fight for the lead as Gail first hauled in Dorlin and then was all over the rear of his car. She tried going round the outside at druids on several occasions but as both cars got tail happy on the exit she just could not get the traction to get past. On the run down to Gerrards she repeatedly ran out of revs before being able to make a move. Through the Esses nothing could separate the two racers but Dorlin would not be forced into any errors, which was the only way the evenly matched pair could swap places.
When yellow flags came out at Gerrards for a stranded car they both eased off (having upset stewards two weeks earlier at Brands for not doing so) only to allow Slater and Bye to close the ever-widening gap. For the last few laps Gail had to defend from Slater whilst still push Dorlin and as the two front runners weaved their way through back markers they once again created a gap to carry on the duel.
It was not to be though for Gail as they crossed the line 0.20 seconds apart. “That’s, 4,3,2 for me in three races so far so I reckon I should be on for a win next time out” she remarked later.
It was a great race to watch but as usual Gail will be in a different car at Snetterton in mid June, her V12 XJ-S, which she will be testing at Silverstone beforehand.
