chris bassett Archives - Page 3 of 4

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

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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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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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.
Race 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.
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.
The 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.
And 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.
We 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!”

“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.
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

Race Report: Bassett Reflects on Brands Hatch Double

Well, what a week that was! After a last minute test session at Brands Hatch just two days before our comeback race, I am feeling pretty rung out, but, unlike last year, I have reason to smile.
Following the test on Brands Hatch Indy Circuit on the Thursday before Saturday’s action, the Peugeot needed some last minute adjustments – a broken clutch cable and a crack in the oil sump which needed to be welded up. Come Saturday’s qualifying session, the new engine still wasn’t fully run in but to end up qualifying 8th out of 27 cars (3rd in class) was pretty pleasing as it felt as though I wasn’t really pushing that hard – we still need more time in the car to set it up properly.
So, with spirits lifted and finally having some confidence in the car and engine; we were optimistic for a good points-scoring weekend. I made a good start going into Paddock Hill Bend and up to Druids passing three cars and up into 5th before I lost my brakes and pulled over to the side and slowly making my way back to the pits. Team mechanic Tom Burgess had a quick look at the car, but couldn’t find anything wrong so we headed back out onto the circuit. By the time I reached the same corner (Druids) the brakes had gone again; so I slowly made my way back to the pits where it turned out to be a broken brake master cylinder and the end of the race.
The time between races allowed us to fit a new brake master cylinder, but we knew we were in for a tough second race as we would be starting 25th on the grid because of the non-finish in race one. It seems to be a regular occurrence starting from the back of the grid, but it certainly makes it an interesting and entertaining race trying to make our way through the field!
And so it began – trying to make our way through the field and to the finish for the first time this season. By the end of the first lap, I had overtaken six cars. The next lap another two and set off in pursuit of Dominic Ryan and his Ford Fiesta. It was another lap before I was able to close up to the rear bumper of the Fiesta and able to pass Dominc going along Cooper Straight and into Surtees.
We seemed to be slightly down on power (more on that later). I spent the next four laps chasing the battle of Andy Baker (Peugeot 205) and Daniel Adams (Proton Satria). With us now starting to lap back markers, Daniel made a mistake going into Surtees, which slowed him down coming out of Clark and along Brabham Straight. I made my move down the inside under braking going into Paddock Hill Bend and into 7th place overall / 3rd in class behind Baker. The car became slower still along the straights but we began the chase to the other Peugeot 205.
Another lap, but this time going into Surtees the rear seemed ‘loose’ and the off-side wheel seemed to be loose. We limped back to the pits where we found out the problem behind our lack of speed – a broken rear brake caliper, possibly caused by the earlier broken brake master cylinder. The heat caused by the brake caliper being stuck on had caused the spigot ring inside the off-side rear wheel to melt and the wheel nuts to become loose. After some quick work by team mechanic Tom, we went back out on circuit and limped to a finish – we were determined to get our first points of the season, but effectively our race was over from the moment I pulled into the pits.
And so we ended the race weekend with our first points of the season and plenty of optimism going into the next round – a triple header at Brands Hatch on the Bank Holiday weekend at the end of August – again at Brands Hatch.

Bassett Eager to Shine

Following an unexpected break from racing due to engine issues on the Peugeot 205 GTi from the first round, Chris Bassett is back up and running for Brands Hatch on 25th July.
A great deal of work has been going on behind the scenes to find out the problems behind the engine seizure at the season opening earlier this year and the team are now confident that the problems will be a thing of the past and that they can concentrate on getting proper track time to further develop and fine-tune the car – something which just hasn’t been possible with the reliability issues to date.
“We’ve had a lot of heart ache with the car so far, but the most frustrating thing is that when the car is going, it’s competitive,” said Chris. “We know that there is more time to come from the car; which will come once we get laps out on the track. I’m confident that we have finally put the bad times behind us and can concentrate on finishing races and fine-tuning the car.”
Chris has missed the last three rounds while the team have researched and developed the engine even further, which he concedes has been extremely frustrating: “As a competitor, there’s nothing worse than going to the race meeting s you should have been competing in and just watching others race wondering where you would have been finishing. I just can’t wait to get out there again.”
The next rounds are on the Brands Hatch Indy Circuit on 25th July – a home race for Chris who lives just two miles away from the track.
You can follow Chris on Twitter @chris_bassett to keep up-to-date with all his news.

Race Report: Bassett Reflects on Rounds 1 and 2

Race Report: Bassett Reflects on Rounds 1 and 2.

It’s my second consecutive year with the Peugeot 205 GTi and it promises to be exciting, with the introduction of the all-new engine and set-up changes from 2014, a new title sponsor in Complete Weed Control, a completely fresh approach and higher expectations, but with the same familiar and friendly faces.
The opening round of the 2015 BARC Cannons Tin Top Championship took place at Brands Hatch over the weekend (1-2 April), on a circuit that holds fond memories, as the Indy circuit was where I achieved our first ever podium finish in 2014.

Ready to go racing after problems in qualifying.

This year would be tougher because, having only completed a few days of pre-season testing with the car in relatively low temperatures, much of the car’s componentry and geometry had yet to be shaken down.
So, what about the car? An all-new engine, built and developed by Peter Mann and Russell Turner, new wider wheels and tyres, new bodywork and a few other surprises which were all fitted by Tom Burgess, sponsored by Complete Weed Control and Complete Ice Control, as well as my personal sponsors Fusion Media (thanks for your support).
Tom and I were genuinely curious to see what we had underneath us when we finally rolled out for the morning’s first 15-minute qualifying session. It didn’t last too long however, when a faulty union between the oil filter and oil cooler came loose on the last corner of the first lap, causing me to spin along the start/finish line. This meant our qualifying session was effectively over.

Starting 21st and last.

After repairing the car, we had to make sure that it was race-ready which meant three laps had to be completed before race officials were happy, but we were starting from 21st and last place in the first race.
After the final few checks were complete, we got down to the real business. It was going to be hard work starting last, but we thought the top 10 and a decent starting place in race two was achievable if we got settled into a rhythm quickly and picked off cars when we could.
Once the lights went out, I quickly set to work to try and get into the top ten. By the end of the first lap we had already overtaken eight cars and hopes of finishing in the top ten were looking very optimistic.
Lap two saw us move ahead of another three cars and lap three ahead of another two, and into 8th poisition behind the turbo-charged Vauxhall Astra of Peter Osbourne and Len Colley’s BMW 3-series- albeit by this time we were three seconds behind.
Over the next two laps we closed the gap and was tucked right under the rear of the Astra and looking for a way past on the start/finish line before the safety car came out for a stricken Renault Clio at Druids.

Working our way through the field.

Three laps behind the safety car bunched the field up and allowed our tyres to also cool down having opted to fit the soft compound.
Once the safety car peeled in, racing resumed. Braking later going into Paddock Hill Bend gave us a good run up the hill and into Druids where I was able to outbreak the Vauxhall and into seventh.
A lap later and we passed the BMW 3-series on the start/finish line and into Paddock Hill Bend and with it a top six finish was looking like the minimum we would leave race one with.
On the same lap, I was able to out-brake the Ford Fiesta of Dominic Ryan going into Surtees into 5th and by this point finishing on the podium looked a real possibility with 5 laps still to go. While the Honda Civic and MG ZR190 of Terry Searles were visibly quicker on the straight, we seemed better under-braking and through the more twisty parts of the circuit.
This would prove to be the crest of the weekend, as things began to unravel from there. Coming out of Paddock Hill Bend, we started the lose power and the engine note changed. Coming onto Cooper Straight the MG and Honda started to pull away even further and we pulled off at the bottom of the pits entrance, bringing a disappointing end to race one having started last and, at the time, in 5th looking to get into the top three.

A disappointing end to race one.

We got the car back to the pits and set about trying to find out the problem with a view to getting the car out for the second race, but it wasn’t meant to be. The engine had seized which meant an early end to the race weekend.
With so much promise, it was a disappointing end – we know there is more time to come from me and the car once we get some testing under our belts and can spend time setting the car up. The speed is there for all to see and at some point we know we will get it right – it’s just so frustrating for all of us at the moment.
Once we got the car back to the workshop, the investigation work started. It turned out oil starvation caused the seizure to the number two piston and con-rod which also bent the crank.
So, after so much promise in race one we left with no points and only a few scars to show for all of our efforts.
We now are trying to get the car ready for the triple header at Lydden Hill in Kent on 20/21 June.
For more on Chris Bassett’s racing activities, please visit the official www.chrisbassett.co.uk website, ‘like’ his Facebook page or follow @Chris_Bassett on Twitter.
Photography courtesy of Rafal Biniszewski.

Bassett Eager to Show What Team Has Built in Opener

Six months after the curtain came down on the 2014 BARC SE Cannons Tin Top Championship, Chris Bassett is eager to get the new season under-way and “show what the team has built”, as the Peugeot 205 GTi is readied for the first race of the season at Brands Hatch (2-3 May).
A 7-round calendar awaits Bassett and his Cannons Tin Tops counterparts in 2015 and it is the Brands Hatch Indy circuit that has the honour of hosting the highly-anticipated season-opener.
The 1.2 mile fast-flowing circuit, where Bassett achieved a breakthrough podium for his team in 2014, has a unique combination of dips, cambers, fearsome corners and hills meaning it is still one of the world’s favourite racing circuits.
There has been no let-up from for the Kent-based team over the winter months. Countless man-hours have been spent building and developing the all-new Peugeot 205 GTi to the BARC Cannons Tin Tops technical regulations, meticulous attention to detail ensuring Bassett can put the car through its paces at the season opener.
With over 250 career victories in various formulas, Bassett is best placed to develop the car and, having taken a brace of podiums in the concluding part of the 2014 season, the Iconic Complete Weed Control Livery car is expecting more of the same when it takes to the track.
“I am very excited to get the season underway, especially at Brands Hatch, which is my local track and where we had our first major success,” said Chris. “It’s a hugely popular circuit and will pull in huge crowds thanks to the MG Car Club Championship also being part of the meeting, and this adds to the atmosphere and makes it a great way to kick-off the season.
“As I haven’t raced in a while and the Peugeot has changed a lot over the winter, there is a huge amount of anticipation. We haven’t done anywhere near the amount of testing we would have liked to, but what Tom Burgess, Russell Turner and Peter Mann have done in creating a brand new engine and numerous car modifications is remarkable, considering we weren’t able to carry information over from last year. It’s going to a be year of trial and error and we will inevitably make a few errors, but he who makes the fewest mistakes, wins.”
Chris continued: “To put a label on the car at this stage would be unfair, as almost everything on it is brand new. A realistic goal is to finish both races and collect as much data as possible so that we can go away and develop the Peugeot even more before the next race. If I do come away with a strong result, it will be great. I’m excited to get out there, dig deep and show everyone what has been built.”
For more on Chris Bassett’s racing activities, please visit the official www.chrisbassett.co.uk website, ‘like’ his Facebook page or follow @chris_bassett on Twitter.

2014 Season Ends Early for Bassett

With the annual trip to Brands Hatch on the famous Grand Prix circuit; Chris was certainly looking forward to his first outing on the extended track at his home event.
However, after just one lap of qualifying and starting his first flying lap, the engine let go in the biggest possible way, which meant that Chris was unable to compete in rest of the weekend’s races.
When back at the teams garages it actually turned out to be far worse than first feared and the engine failure suffered at the circuit, along with parts for the Peugeot 205 GTi becoming harder to find, was going to mean an end to the 2014.

“I’ve enjoyed the season back racing after almost ten years away,” said Chris. “Although the reliability issues we’ve had this season have been extremely frustrating, it was very encouraging when the car was running.
“The hard work starts now to get the car ready for the 2015 season where I will once again be competing in the BARC Cannon Tin Tops Championship. We’ve already got lots of modifications to the car planned, so I’m relatively optimistic ahead of 2015. I’d like to thank my sponsors Complete Weed Control, Complete Ice Control and Fusion Media for all their help throughout 2014.”
For more information on Chris Bassett’s racing activities, please visit the official www.chrisbassett.co.uk website, ‘like’ his Facebook page or follow @Chris_Bassett on Twitter.

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Race report from the Brands Hatch GP meeting on 13 September