The Highs and Lows of Motorsport

The Highs and Lows of Motorsport. Rounds seven and eight of the BARC SE Quaife Cannons Tin Tops saw us visit the Brands Hatch Indy circuit once again which also marked the half-way point in the season.
The first half couldn’t really have gone much better. A third, three second’s and two wins saw us sitting in 1st position in the championship standings (Class T2) and third overall. But as someone once said, there is about 90% pain and 10% enjoyment in motorsport and so it proved.
The Highs and Lows of Motorsport www.chrisbassett.co.uk
 
We began qualifying in high spirits on a very wet track – the wet weather suits our Peugeot package and I am always confident in these conditions. The track was wet for the start of qualifying, but then the really hard rain began to fall half way the session which was probably the worst weather I’ve driven in.
Lots of standing water could be seen on various points of the circuit and you always felt that there could be an accident just waiting to happen.
We had an altercation with a Citroen Saxo coming out of Paddock Hill Bend when Chris Bicknell span in front of me and I had nowhere to go. Luckily it was only very minor contact and we were able to carry on. Two laps later, we were pushed on to the grass when lapping the Ford Puma of Adrian Matthews.
When the session finished, it was pleasing to see another pole. We ended up nearly four tenths of a second ahead of Rod Birley in the Honda Integra and then almost three seconds ahead of Terry Searles and Chris Whiteman (MG ZR 190 and Honda Civic Type R respectively).The Highs and Lows of Motorsport www.chrisbassett.co.uk
The first race was the next day on the Sunday and with it, a dry track. The rain dance the night before obviously hadn’t worked! It was expected that some drivers might gain whereas others would lose out from the previous day’s wet qualifying. From the rolling start we just held the lead as both Birley and Whiteman pressured. Whiteman powered past to lead at the end of lap one, but then slipped wide at Paddock bend on lap three, allowing both us and Birley back through.
There then followed a titanic battle between the three of us as we began to pull clear of the chasing pack but were less than a second apart, until Birley had a misfire causing him to fall back. Whiteman then powered clear on the main straight and continued to lead until someone dropped oil pretty much all of the way around the track.
The Highs and Lows of Motorsport www.chrisbassett.co.uk
 
While starting to pass the back-makers, I made my move down the inside of the Honda going into Clearways, forcing Whiteman wide in the process.  The Honda then hit some oil towards the outside and spun, allowing us to regain the lead . At one point we had a ten second lead, but with one eye on the rear view mirror decided to take it easy to ensure the win and strengthen our position in the championship taking no risks when lapping the slower cars.
Another top step of the podium beckoned and we cruised to our third outright win of the season. After a hectic first half of the race, which saw us swap the lead with Chris Whiteman four times, it was nice to take a leisurely drive to the chequered flag.The Highs and Lows of Motorsport www.chrisbassett.co.uk

The Highs and Lows of Motorsport

Race two saw us once again start the race in pole position, but that is about as good as it got. As we powered down to the short run into Paddock Hill Bend, Chris Whiteman pulled slightly ahead, but on the outside line.
We braked into the first corner, still side by side, and all of a sudden the back of the car stepped out before a massive slide. I was able to hold it all together, thinking I had pushed too hard too early on cold tyres, but as we entered Druids, the same happened again – another big slide, but again, I was able to collect it.
As I was coming out of the corner and down the hill, a big spray of fluid came up from the bonnet and over the windscreen. I then slowed down and ended up coming into the pits.
The Highs and Lows of Motorsport www.chrisbassett.co.uk The Highs and Lows of Motorsport www.chrisbassett.co.uk The Highs and Lows of Motorsport www.chrisbassett.co.uk
 
A quick inspection under the bonnet from Tom Motorsport and it was game over for the day – a split water hose (probably the cheapest part on the car) caused fluid to leak on to our tyres and causing the spin before our first DNF of the season.
Later during the race, David Packham had a nasty looking accident, but it was pleasing to see him walk away before an overnight stay in hospital.
And so it ended. We’ve reached the half-way point in the season and after some consistent finishes which saw us gain three outright wins, a DNF has hampered our season. We headed in to these rounds leading the class championship, but now we find ourselves in second position behind Chris Whiteman’s Honda Civic Type R, albeit it just 17 points adrift.
Both myself as the driver and Tom Motorsport who prepare the Peugeot; have come a long way in two seasons. When we started out, we were hoping for top six positions and reliability and now we’re fighting for race wins each race.
So, as we head into the second half of the season, what are our future hopes? A few more highs, not many lows – much of the same please!
A big thank you to my race sponsors Complete Ice Control, Complete Weed Control, Etesia UK, Fusion Media and Tom Motorsport who prepares the car.
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Chris Bassett Brands Hatch 30 May Race Report

There were collisions, controversy and a whole lot of drama during the BARC SE Tin Tops race at Brands Hatch (30 May).
To be honest, it was shaping up to be a disappointing weekend following the highs of the previous two rounds which saw us gain two outright wins. We struggled for pace throughout qualifying having only managed one clear lap with thirty cars on track. In the end we qualified third for the opening race, but was around eight tenths of a second slower than we have been in the past.
Tom Motorsport who usually prepare the car and attend our race meetings weren’t available for this weekend so race duties fell on Ian Deasy and Lewis Judd – a massive thank you to both of them for their help.
So we lined up in third for race one. The race begun with us in hot pursuit of the two pace setting Honda’s of Chris Whiteman (Civic Type R) and Rod Birley (Integra) with the Vauxhall Astra VXR of Peter Osborne never more than a few tenths of a second behind. Over the next two laps Osborne was able to power past on the main straight but we were able to regain the position under braking going into Paddock Hill bend.
On the next lap going up the hill towards Druids; Whiteman covered the inside line as Birley closed under braking, with us braking even later causing a concertina effect. Bumpers clashed front and rear with Whiteman’s Honda spinning out the way and down to twelfth place. Birley emerged in the lead with us literally glued to his tail, as Osborne fell further behind.
Over the remaining laps we gave chase to Birley’s Honda – never more than a second behind, but couldn’t do anything more – the two of us are very evenly matched over the course of a lap with both of us have stronger points than the other on different parts of the circuit. After the first race, a quick look at the lap times saw us again around a second off the race pace we are capable of, but with no clue as to why this was the case. Still, a second place finish was a decent result given the circumstances.
Chris Bassett Brands Hatch 30 May Race Report
 
The race was stopped prematurely. Again opinions will differ but it appears as though Chris Bicknell spun his Citroen Saxo coming out of Druids and although he tried to get going he was collected by an unsighted Russell Turner and Terry Waller. Les Beer was involved in the melee, which was very unfortunate as all four cars were badly damaged.
After the race, race officials deemed that I had played a part in Whiteman spinning out of the way and both myself and Rod Birley gained two endorsement points on our race licences. No further action was deemed necessary. I contemplated appealing the decision as I felt it was wrong, but after discussions with a number of people decided against it.
Race two saw us start on the outside of Birley in second position. We slotted in behind of the Honda with Osborne in third place and Whiteman up to fourth by the end of lap one. Again the four of us set the pace as Whiteman moved up to second on lap three demoting us down into third. Osborne was able to slip past and up into third. Whiteman dived past Birley and took the lead. Osborne then powered past Birley to move into second. Birley retook the position going into Druids but Osborne made another move along Copper Straight and going into Surtees. Contact was made between the two spinning Birley out. We had to take avoiding action across the grass losing time and a place to Daniel Fisher’s Honda Civic Type R.   Fisher then made contact with Osborne going into Paddock Hill Bend and pulled off the circuit, allowing us up into third.
Whiteman was by this point nearly four seconds down the road and easily able to control the race. And so it finished, with Whiteman winning, Osborne second and us in third, but finishing second in class. Again, race pace eluded us and a look at the times saw us around a second off the pace, so two seconds in class was a solid result and actually enabled us to increase our lead in the class championship.
We should hopefully have an update on the Peugeot for the next race which will hopefully make us a little quicker and we will be looking for reasons for our lack of race pace a little closer to find out why we were around a second off over the course of a lap.
Rounds seven and eight sees us return to Brands Hatch on 25 and 26 June.
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Bassett hopes to carry on podium winning momentum

The Quaife Cannons Tin Top Championship rolls into Brands Hatch for rounds five and six on the Bank Holiday weekend and Chris Bassett will be hoping to stand on the podium once again in his Peugeot 205 GTi (30 May).
Round three and four saw Chris reward the Fusion Racing team’s relentless hard work and unwavering dedication by producing an accomplished drive to take two pole positions and two outright wins.

Bassett hopes to carry on podium winning momentum

Bassett hopes to carry on podium winning momentum


Taking two outright wins for the first time was a special occasion and Chris has hopes of carrying that momentum forward this weekend, while quietly confident and hopeful that the Peugeot will possess the performance necessary to once again challenge.
Chris said: “Hopefully we can build on our last performance, as it showed that the car is developing as we had hoped. The car felt great all weekend and was particularly good on the low-grip surface of the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit in the changing conditions of race two, so I expect to compete towards the sharp end once again.
“We have some new developments for the car which aren’t yet ready for this round, but hopefully they will be ready for the next race weekend, which will push us on again. As a team, we have set a target of reaching the podium in each round this season, and so far so good. We had a great race with Chris Whiteman in his Honda Civic Type R last time out and will be hoping for much of the same this time out.”
Qualifying for Round five of the BARC SE Quaife Cannons Tin Top Championship at Brands Hatch Indy Circuit is scheduled for 09:15 on Monday (30 May), with the two races at 11:40 and 14.45 respectively. Each race will be aired on MotorsTV.
Chris’ race sponsors include Fusion Media, Complete Weed Control, Complete Ice Control and Etesia UK.
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double win at brands hatch for chris bassett

Double Win at Brands Hatch

Career victory number 272 and 273 were pretty special ones, not only because I’ve had to wait quite a while to make a return to the top step of the podium, but because it was our first ever outright wins in the BARC SE Quaife Cannons Tin Tops outing with the Fusion Racing team at Brands Hatch (30 April).
And it didn’t come easy. We topped the times in qualifying, but the top three were separated by less than two tenths of a second! We had a completely new braking system in place which was untested before qualifying and a new set-up, so it was a pleasing outcome.
Race one was dry but the dark grey clouds could be seen in the distance. We started in pole position from Chris Whiteman (Honda Civic Type R), Rod Birley (Honda Integra), Daniel Fisher (Honda Civic Type R), Peter Osborne (Vauxhall Astra VXR), Daniel Adams (Proton Satria) and Terry Searles (MG ZR190). From the rolling start, we made our get-away only to see the Honda of Whiteman power past and into first going into the first corner (Paddock Hill Bend).
The next four laps saw us defending second position from Birley while trying to stay in touch with Whiteman with the three of us only a second apart at any one time and starting to pull away from Osborne’s Vauxhall in fourth. It was a titanic battle staying with the two Honda’s – Birley using the extra power to ease by on the straight, but our nimble Peugeot out braking to claim second position back. This was the case – swapping places – until Birley’s Integra suffered from a misfire and dropped down the order. This then allowed me to concentrate on trying to find a way past Whiteman.
Chris Bassett Peugeot 205 GTi
 
I made my move going into the Surtees/MacLaren esses. At the time I wasn’t sure if the Honda had a problem because he didn’t really seem to fight for it – how wrong could I be!
Over the remaining six laps it was tough work keeping the Honda at bay. The straight line speed difference can be seen on our on-board camera (click here to view our on-board videos) and at times Whiteman was ahead as we crossed the start/finish line, but as we got to the braking zone, we had the inside line and was able to brake a little later to remain in first place.
Sadly for the watching public the race was cut a lap short because of a stranded car at Druids and luckily for us race stewards declared the race from the lap before from when the race was stopped as when we crossed the line on the final lap the Honda was 0.014 seconds ahead! As it was, because of the declared race from the lap before, we finished one tenth of a second in front. To say it was a close race is an understatement, and to date is the hardest race I’ve competed in. It was great to race with Chris and the Honda and is always nice to be able to trust another driver that they won’t do anything silly and going for gaps that aren’t there – it made for a great race and I look forward to racing Chris this season.
Race two also saw us starting from pole position due to the finishing positions from race one. In the lead up to the race there was a short but heavy rain shower which made tyre choice difficult. We were watching the races before and wondering which tyres and set-up to go for. The track seemed to be drying out, but there was clearly a visible spray being flicked up by the cars and some corners seemed drier than others. We opted for a brave wet set-up – loosening the car up to allow it a bit more flexibility but with dry tyres. Ultimately, it proved to be the correct decision.
As we headed into the first corner, we were side-by-side with Whiteman’s Honda once again, but this time around we kept up and had the inside line, which gave me a clear line heading up the hill and to Druids. Searles in his MG ZR190 had a storming start and up into third behind Whiteman. We had a rather ‘large’ moment going completely sideways mid-way through Druids before heading back down the hill, but managed to keep it together while the others squabbled for places.IMG_6091
This allowed me to concentrate on my own race, and by the end of the third lap, we were seven seconds ahead of Whiteman. For the remainder of the race, I was able to take it easy and manage the gap back to second to pick up our second ever outright win in the BARC SE Quaife Cannons Tin Top Championship and with it, take the lead in the T2 championship and third overall – just ten points behind the leader.
Ultimately, the feeling off crossing the line first and climbing to the top step at my local track was unbelievable. The car, which is prepared by Tom Motorsport, ran flawlessly throughout and I’m truly grateful to have been given the tools to win. We couldn’t have asked for any more as a team.
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More podiums the target

Two podium finishes in the first two rounds of the BARC South East Quaife Cannons Tin Top Championship has given us confidence as we head into the next double-header at Brands Hatch on 30th April.
A third and second place finish last time out sees us in third position in the highly fought T2 class with just eight points covering the top three drivers. After some more set-up updates which include a new peddle box arrangement and corner weights, we are confident of another strong showing.
Brands Hatch is a track we know well with it being only a few miles from our base which also saw our first victory in the Peugeot last season.
There is a strong entry list for this weekend with twenty one drivers all competing for overall and class wins, and of course, our target remains to finish ahead of the two front-running Hondas. Do this and we should be there or thereabouts for more outright wins come the chequered flag.
The Brands Hatch Indy circuit is one I enjoy and I’ve had good results in the past. I plan to add to that tally, as the short circuit and range of corners should emphasise the stability of the car’s chassis and its strength under traction. We need to exploit the fact that the Honda’s carry around 60kgs of ballast, albeit with almost 100BHP extra, but the competition is going to be tough. To remain in the top three of the Drivers’ standings will be the goal.
Qualifying beings at 11:10 with race one at 15:40 and race two at 18:10. Once again, coverage of the race will be shown on Motors TV.
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Bassett continues podium winning momentum

The BARC SE Cannons Tin Tops rolled in to Brands Hatch for the first double-header races of the season on 26th March which saw Peugeot 205 GTi driver Chris Bassett achieve a double podium.
Over the winter, we began to make some changes to the Peugeot to try and eek a bit more time out of the car while making a few adjustments to the set-up and removing some weight only for the rule makers to change the weights of the different car classes. This meant we had to add around 25kgs of weight to make the minimum weight limit. We also planned a pretty extensive test series, which unfortunately didn’t materialise.
chris bassett BARC SE cannons tin tops peugeot 205 gti
The racing weekend started in chaos. We turned up at Brands Hatch to get the car scrutineered (where officials check the car before you can race), only to discover that the battery was completely flat. We ‘jumped’ the car to make scrutineering and then straight out for qualifying. When the scruiteeners checked the ‘kill switch’ (where race marshalls can turn the engine off in the event of a crash) we were left in the paddock as the other cars went out on track. Following some frantic work by Tom Motorsport we made it out on track, but without being able to set the car up or even check tyre pressures!
We managed just a few laps in qualifying, which was wet, but was surprised to see us in third position come the end of the session – not a bad effort when you consider than one of the tyres had just 15psi in it!

Race one:

We managed to change the battery (with the kind loan of a spare one from Daniel Adams who races a Proton Satria and was unable to race following gearbox issues) and set about trying to achieve our first podium of 2016. Going into the first corner (Paddock Hill Bend) we were up to second and in hot pursuit of Rod Birley’s pace-setting Honda Integra. Going into Surtees we made our move only for the brake lights to suddenly appear on the back of the Honda, which in turn made me brake mid-corner and un-settle the Peugeot on the slippery track, which was beginning to dry out, and spin across the grass – not the type of advertising our new sponsor Etesia UK (a lawn mower manufacturer) was hoping for!
After re-joining the race back in 15th position, we set about chasing the pack down to try and limit the damage to our points. By this time, Chris Whiteman in his Honda Civic Type R had passed Birley and began to disappear. Over the remaining 15 laps we were able to finish in 3rd position and the objective of a podium finish was achieved in the first race. We finished just two tenths of a second behind Birley and another lap could’ve seen us get second, but it wasn’t meant to be. The top three cars (Whiteman and Birley – both in Honda’s and us in the Peugeot) fastest laps were just two tenths of a second apart meaning that the season has the promise of being tightly contested.

Race Two:

 
So, race two saw us starting in third position again – behind race one winner Chris Whiteman and Rod Birley. Going into Paddock Hill bend Birley opted for the outside of Whiteman and made it stick while we followed him through and into second position. Lap two saw the power of the Honda Civic of Whiteman pass on the main straight and then on the next lap he was able to pass Birley going round the outside of him going into Paddock Hill bend. The next lap saw Whiteman go out slightly wide and spin across the grass going through Surtees which promoted us up into a solid second and in pursuit of Birley. We were nose-to-tail, despite being well down on straight-line speed due to the Honda’s vast power difference, but able to make up the time going in-to and out of the corners. I was starting to think about making a move, only for the safety car to come out for a nasty looking crash for Bob Hossier in his Seat Leon at Paddock Hill Bend.
A long safety car period followed while the marshalls recovered the seat, which only left around four minutes of race time left when the safety car peeled off for the racing to resume. As we were trying to tuck ourselves under the Honda of Birley and up to race speed, I went from second to fifth gear, which allowed Birley to get a two second gap over the start finish line.
With only four laps remaining, we were going to find it tough to achieve our first win of the season. We did manage to close the gap to the Integra but again the sheer power of the straight-line speed ensured that he was able to keep ahead to win the race.
12801618_10154038441188210_6093403447870680747_n
So, all-in-all with no pre-season testing, it was an encouraging first race weekend of the 2016 season. Two outright podium finishes – a third in race one and second in race two has left us in third position (in class) in the championship, just eight points of the leader Rod Birley. See the BARC SE website for full championship standings.
We certainly have the pace over a full lap compared to the Honda’s who both have a lot more power (over 100bhp) compared to our Peugeot which looks good for the remainder of the season. With a few updates due later this season, we hope to bridge the gap and go for more outright wins.
We won’t be racing at the Brands Hatch GP meeting as it’s a non-championship event on 16th and 17th April and sees the Tin Tops combine grids with the quicker MN Saloons, which seems a little strange as it was a points scoring race last season, but we will be back at the Brands Hatch Indy circuit on the 30th April when the championship resumes.
As always, a massive thanks to Tom Motorsport who prepares the Peugeot 205 Gti and our race sponsors Fusion Media, Complete Weed Control, Complete Ice Control and Etesia UK.
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Race Report: Brands Hatch 7 November 2015

Race Report: Brands Hatch 7 November 2015

We headed into the final round of the Cannons Motor Spares Tin Tops Championship in high spirits with a third, second and three class wins from our last five races. Big crowds were expected with the series acting as a support race for the British Truck Racing Championship and it was always going to be a lively affair with the wet weather and the possibility of finishing second in the championship if things went our way.
The day started well after achieving our first outright pole position of the year, but that was as good as it was going to get.
Race One
Starting from pole position, we made a good start with Barnaby Davies in his turbo charged Toyota Starlet and Rod Birley in his Honda Integra chasing. The top three pulled away from the rest of the group in slippery conditions with us managing to keep the Toyota behind – pulling out a lead in the corners and Davies closing in on the straight. It wasn’t until two laps from the end that Davies made the turbo power of the Toyota Starlet count. Pulling out on to Graham Hill bend, I got a bit wide and lost time, allowing Davies to get close enough coming out of clearways and power past on the straight.
I spent the next two laps on his boot lid looking for a way past – it seemed easier to follow and gauge braking distances when following someone else (something else to learn for 2016!) rather than looking in the rear view mirror! Coming out of clearways on the very last lap; Davies got bogged down behind a back-marker and we tried to seize the opportunity around the outside of the final corner. I did manage to pass both Davies and the backmarker, but the turbo power of the rapid little Starlet proved too strong and we were practically beaten on the line by just 0.1 seconds.
As we slowed down for the parade lap and entered the scruiteneering bay after the race; things started to unravel. We were told that our race transponder (the ‘red box’ that gives lap timers the time and position of the car) was not working throughout the race and race officials had come to enquiry why. When we looked, we noticed it was not on the car.
After a ‘heated’ conversation with the clerk of the course, the decision was made – we were disqualified from the race, lost our points and had to start the next race from the back of the grid. At the time it seemed a very harsh decision and the time since, has only served as a reminder that I must have upset someone. We learnt that three other drivers on the same day had caused the same ‘offence’ but were not penalised.
Our season was effectively over without scoring any points in the first race and so we had a team discussion about whether to race at all in race two. It was decided that we would and try to get as far as we could up the field to end the season on some sort of high. It would be no easy ride starting from 23rd on the grid in wet conditions.
Race Two
So we headed out on track in last position with the bit between our teeth and eager to put on a good show. The race started and I managed to pass twelve cars on the first lap alone.
By the end of the race (red mist in tow) I managed to finish the race in third position overall and second in class – a very pleasing outcome having started at the back, but wondering what might have been had we not had victory taken away from us in the cruellest of circumstances.
On the plus side, we now have reliability in the Peugeot and having spent time developing the car and set-up throughout the season, we know we have the pace to be a front-runner and possibly challenge for the championship.
So, what does 2016 hold? That’s the 24 million dollar question! I very much doubt we will be racing in the same championship next season after all the politics at the back-end of the year (can’t say more at this stage as a complaint has been made and a outcome yet to be received from the MSA).
Further development of the Peugeot 205 GTi is planned for the winter on engine upgrades and a few other tweaks on lightening the car. Further time will be spent on the set-up and balance of the car, so whatever championship we decide to compete in for 2016, you can bet we will try to be as competitive as possible!
Thanks to my sponsors Complete Weed Control, Complete Ice Control and Fusion Media for your continued support over the last season – I look forward to working in partnership with you all going into the 2016 season.
A massive thanks to Tom Motorsport for all the hard work in getting the car to where it is at the moment – more to come in 2016 I’m sure!

Race Report – Brands Hatch GP 13 September

Race report from the Brands Hatch GP meeting on 13 September

We’ve come a long way since the unreliable start to the season. The car has been developed throughout the season and we are now reaping the rewards. And so we headed to Brands Hatch once more but this time on the famous GP circuit full of optimism after our first class win last time out at the end of August.
The Brands Hatch GP circuit was the scene of our first engine failure last season and an early end. However, this time out we qualified 16th overall out of 40 cars and drivers (the grid was a combined grid of the quicker MN Saloons and Cannons Tin Tops), 2nd out of the Tin Tops and 1st in class.
RT130915-IMG_7941Race One
It was a packed grid so our first aim was to get through the first few laps unscathed as the MN Saloons were on full slicks whereas the Cannon Tin Tops are on treaded tyres. We had a race long battle with the Subaru Impreza of Andy Banham, Dave Charlton’s Seat Leon and Bill Richard’s Rover Mini Clubman – all MN Saloons. Later, Tom Bridger in his Rover 200 Turbo joined the small pack.
In many ways it was a frustrating race – the MN Saloon cars would be extremely quick on the straights and pull away but we would close the gap under braking and through the corners – looking for a way past – ultimely we were holding each other up; but we just couldn’t keep in front of them for long enough on the straights to get to the corner first and then build up a gap to hold them off.
And so it finished – getting passed on the straights but fighting our way back through the corners to finish a respectable 13th overall – 3rd in Tin Tops and 1st in class with fastest lap.
Race Two
Another packed grid and a rather uninteresting race really. The MN Saloons jumped ahead and I spent the race following Andy Banham and Dave Charlton after building up a manageable gap to Peter Osbourne in his Vauxhall Astra VXR. On the last lap Dave Charlton slowed and I was able to pass going into Dingle Dell and up into 9th place overall – 2nd in Tin Tops and another class win & fast lap in class.RT130915-IMG_7568
So, the weekend ended with two class wins and two fastest class laps. We are certainly making steady progress with the car and set-up. It’s pleasing to know that there is probably more time to come out of both the car and driver, but steady reliability and finishing races is the aim from now on. We can look forward with optimism and the chase to finished 2nd in the class championship come the last two races of the year in November!

Race Report: Bassett Reflects on Brands Triple Header

29/30 August Brands Hatch Race Report
As this BARC Cannons Tin Tops season progresses, I am increasingly reminded of the development curve with the Peugeot. Last season we were new to the series and had an uphill struggle against other more established drivers, so, in a way, it’s a very similar position to that we now face with cars and drivers getting quicker.
By going through the processes and developing the car; patience has been key. That’s the approach needed to build to a competitive car over the course of a season.
So after a pretty woeful start to the season, where the engine let go in the very first race, we’ve been building and developing the car even further with a view to getting closer to the front of the grid and with it – reliability.
10330420_959328884125517_744250770978451403_nThe really good thing is that I believe the Peugeot package is a quick one when it runs; sometimes too much too soon can create an atmosphere of expectation before it is really due.
Brands hatch is a great place for a race, not just because it’s my local track, but also because all of the history. So what did happen at the triple header? The weekend didn’t start well that’s for sure. Getting the car off the trailer, I broke three of my toes! Badly swollen, qualifying started dry for the first two laps, but because I had a new set of tyres and new braking system, we were scrubbing everything in. After the first two laps, rain started to fall, so it meant a time had to be set on dry tyres (like everyone else). The car felt well balanced, and as the session developed, I was able to push harder with each lap which saw us qualify in fifth position overall (and third in class). It actually turned out that I was second fastest in the rain which was pretty pleasing.
11949423_959332654125140_3774741593532400248_nAnd so we headed into the first race full of optimism. We finished the first lap in fifth looking for a way past the rapid Ford Fiesta of Cliff Pellin. Four laps were then spent behind the safety car following a spin into the gravel at Paddock Hill Bend from Carey Lewis in his Honda Civic Type R. When racing resumed, I was still looking for a way past the Fiesta, which took two laps. By then the front running cars had built up a lead over me which took the rest of the race to close down, but with two laps to go I was on the rear bumper of Rod Birley’s Honda Integra. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough time to make a move, and so it finished – a decent showing with the car getting quicker throughout the race – finishing in fifth overall (third in class) and setting a personal best lap time.
Race two came and I was feeling confident of another strong showing after starting from fifth place on the grid following the fifth place finish in the first race. A good start meant that I was up into fourth, passing the Honda of Rod Birley on the outside of Druids.
Going into lap two and Birley’s Honda and the rapid turbo-charged Seat Leon of Bob Hosier used the straight line speed of their cars to pass on the start finish line, but going into Druids, Hosier out-braked himself which allowed both Birley and myself to pass once more. The next four laps were spent chasing the Honda and trying to find a way past – we were quicker under braking and through the corners, but couldn’t live with the straight line speed. After carrying more speed coming out of Paddock Hill Bend, it gave me a better run up to Druids, where I broke later and was able to go around the outside of the Honda at the hairpin which then gave me the inside line for Graham Hill bend. I then set about chasing down the Honda of Chris Whiteman which was the next car in my sights with Birley still closely following me.
11960149_959334297458309_8440676768491889122_nWe then started lapping the slower cars, which is where I got held up coming out of Graham Hill bend which allowed the Honda of Birley to come back past. I then spent the next three laps glued to the bumper of the Honda (at times it was close and paint was exchanged). I was continually faster through the corners, but unable to find a way past, until a fast run out of Paddock Hill and up to Druids, I went wide to feign going around the outside, but cut under to go through on the inside and push the Honda wide. I then set personal best lap times lap after lap for the remainder of the race to get close to Chris Whiteman but time ran out. The chequered flag came out too early – but by far our best race to date in the Peugeot finishing third overall, second in class and fastest lap time of the class.
And so we headed into the third race of the weekend. The grid was partially reversed (just the top eight), which meant that I started sixth, but after the second race, I was optimistic of another strong points scoring race. Going into the Paddock Hill bend for the first time, I went round the outside and into second behind the Seat Leon of Bob Hosier. Tom Bridger (race two winner) in his turbo charged Rover Tomcat passed me along the straight and then set off in pursuit of the Seat. Going into Paddock Hill on the third lap, Hosier ran wide and into the gravel, which allowed me into second overall and first in class. The next lap I allowed Barnaby Davies in his Turbo charged Toyota Starlet to pass along the straight (there was no point in slowing us both down when we race in different classes) to chase Bridger for class win in T1 for the turbo cars. This allowed me to settle down and concentrate on maintaining the gap to forth – which by the end of the race was nearly ten seconds. And so it ended with a first win in class and third overall.
Not as exciting as the first two races, but I’ll take a boring race on my own and a class win any day!
Once again, a massive thanks to mechanic Tom Burgess and also my sponsors Complete Weed Control, Complete Ice Control and Fusion Media.
The next stop is Brands Hatch, but this time on the Grand Prix circuit on 12/13 September.

Race Preview: Ready for Brands Hatch Triple Header

Chris Bassett is preparing for a busy weekend of racing at Brands Hatch that will see him contest three races at the Kent circuit on 29 and 30 August.
Chris arrives at the latest rounds of BARC SE Cannons Tin Tops following a weekend of mixed emotions last time, where he set the seventh quickest time in qualifying to underline the potential of the Peugeot 205 GTi, before a broken brake master cylinder in race one forced retirement and a broken rear caliper halted progress in race two.
“Brands Hatch is my local track and I always try to do well there,” said Bassett. “While we certainly made progress last time out (also at Brands Hatch) it was disappointing not to really be able to show what the car can do. It shows glimpses and then bites us just as we think we are getting there. We’ve uprated the braking system, so that’s another new part – fingers crossed this time out we can enjoy some racing!”
chris bassett peugeot 205 GTi
“I am very much looking forward to a busy weekend,” said Bassett. “I am thankful to the team for all of the hard work they have put in between the last race. We have a pretty tough racing schedule over the next few weeks which also includes the GP circuit at Brands Hatch and then the possibility of trying a different race series which will see how far we’ve come with the development of the car.”
This meeting features a selection of races organised by BARC, including tin tops, single seaters and superkarts.
The paddock will also be open, offering fans an opportunity to get closer to the cars as well as meet the teams and drivers.11780015_936937453031327_386287384644464634_o
Qualifying will get underway at 17:45 on Saturday 29 August, with the three races the following day (Sunday 30 August) at 10:25, 14:40 and 17:55 respectively.
Keep up-to-date with Chris by following him on Twitter @Chris_Bassett