Tim Docker has eventful weekend at Brands Hatch in Britcar

Tim Docker had a great weekend at Brands Hatch in the Britcar, supported by Maximum Motorsport.

Tim moved up to first in Class 4 in the Britcar standings after the successful weekend. We caught up wth Tim to get this thoughts about the experience.

“With 3 meetings and 6 races behind us I’m pleased to be sitting first in Class 4 and third overall in the current Dunlop Britcar Endurance Trophy standings. We’ve finished every race and secured 4 podiums despite a few challenges along the way.

At Silverstone GP we lost all of our testing due to electrical and gearbox issues but still secured and 3rd and 2nd in Class on race day. Brands Hatch last weekend was a challenge for all of the competitors, us included.

Testing on Friday went well in the dry; our times looked strong and for the first time ever I was quicker than my driver coach, Paul O’Neil (I was on brand new rubber though………..and I sent the old scouser out on some real scrappers!!).

Race day saw changeable weather and a fair amount of carnage. A mistake on the last qualifying lap in the wet and a graze of the gravel exiting Clearways cost us a lap where we were 0.5 seconds up and we ended up mid-field in Class and 15th Overall.  

Race 1 started in the dry and the action really kicked off around lap 9. Exiting Paddock I was greeted by 5 cars either in the gravel on the left or the grass on the right at the bottom of the hill and oil all over the corner. I had a big sideways moment; full lock and full power and we gripped up as we hit the compression in the dip.

Safety Car out and so I pit to leverage my single driver advantage. I manage to miss a red light in the pit lane and pick up a drive through penalty. Safety car still out………..the heavens open and everyone’s in for wets including me for my second stop………..advantage gone and even more so when an electrical fault takes out the wipers and resigns us to the pits for 7 minutes or so. I get back out to horrific conditions with standing water all over the place, finish and pick up 12 points, 6th in Class and 10th overall, 6 laps down on the next car; saved by the number of DNF’s. In addition, the driver’s window had been smashed by flying gravel which seemed to be almost everywhere.

Improvisation was required. The scrutineer advised what we need to do to start Race 2. Full face helmet, net and something to stop excessive buffering……….he suggested we take other windows out of the car. I go to the race shop and buy a Bell visor which we fit to my Stilo helmet as best we can. The guys decide against removing more glass, instead building a wind shield out of some white Perspex, installing it in the window frame and cutting a hole to enable me to see the mirror and apexes. Chris Caton was the architect and it worked perfectly.

Race 2 went according to plan with a 3rd in Class and 8th overall and nothing to report.

I’m looking forward to the next meeting at Donington on 1st June; and hoping to at least maintain our consistency. “