Race of My Life : Ewen Sergisson, Mallory Park, 26th May 2008.

If you've never met Ewen, you must have spent your time in a Mono paddock under a tarpaulin. If you have, you'll know that he brings a new meaning to the word enthusiastic. Over to Ewen for a description of his most memorable race:

2008 had been an up and down season, it started with two wins at Snetterton, followed by a fighting third at Silverstone where the Swift suffered a massive power loss, due the rotor arm catching the dizzy cap. I arrived at Mallory pretty unsure whether the problem was solved! Mallory and Silverstone had always my bogie tracks as I never seemed to have any good luck at those circuits.

I decided to park out the way, we set up in our own bit of paddock, and then went and camped behind the bar in the small field where we could have a bit of a bonfire and relax! This was the intention, but things didn't start well as I fell out the van backwards with the tent in my arms and winded myself. The lads: Marco and Ali, found this hilarious. Camp set up, we retired to the bar for a steady night, four hours later we ended up back at camp, sat around the BBQ fire, drinking into the small hours, while telling stories of the good old days in Mono, when everyone stayed up all night! (no wonder they were faster then! Ed.)

The morning came and I was a little hung over, but still happy because the sun was out and the birds were singing. It had the look of a good day about it!
Scrutineering went OK, but the mass of super shiny and super expensive BRSCC Formula Fords looked menacing! Some were even towed to and from the bay by a little electric car! They looked also to be well set up and fast! Thoughts that these guys could be nutters as well as careless drivers were running through my head, distracting me, when I needed to concentrate on Geoff Fern!

During practice I decided to go out at the back, and try and stay alone. The professionalism of the BRSCC guys really did have me worried! Out on track the car felt good till I hit 4th gear, there seemed to be no difference between 3rd and 4th! I thought I must have either worked the ratios out wrong or put the wrong one in! (Those having their cars prepared by Ewan should disregard this section. Ed). Expletives came from my mouth, I will refrain from including them, but I am sure you can imagine what they were! Then all off a sudden I thought hey this is ok! There was a little difference, about 500 revs, it turned out to be 457 rev drop between 3rd and 4th , I was just running out of revs at the lift of points so it was perfect!

About 4 laps into qualifying two BRSCC guys went round the outside of me round Gerrards! I saw them coming but thought they were flying when we had only just got going! My first thought was: let them get on with it, but then I thought: ‘NO, you daft lad get after them, and let them drag you round!' After about half a lap I was with them, and if you blinked you would have missed the three of us. I don't know who they were, but they dragged each other round like they were on tow, with me right up the back off them like a tail gunner! They were hitting every apex perfectly on it was awesome to watch, then they split a little, and I found they were slowing me up, so it was down the inside of one into the Hairpin, screaming AVIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! That made me feel good. I tucked in behind what then turned out to be number 11, Dave Grady, and followed him round. I noticed he was lifting for Gerrards, that's it I thought, time to stamp some Mono authority on these lady's! The next lap I backed off going into the hairpin so I could get a fast exit, I threw it round the Devil’s Elbow trying to keep as much corner speed as I could and ended up so close to the wall I nearly shut my eyes, I had about 4 or 5 mph on Dave, and went to the inside and even though I was not quite on my line, I threw it into Gerrards without lifting, the car bucked and skipped a bit, but WOW, I did it, as I got onto the back straight I looked in the mirror, and saw him behind! AVIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!! again! I took the Esses a little slow and he tried to out brake me into the Hairpin, so I stayed wide to give him room, but I had no intention of losing the place I had so bravely earned, so we exited side by side, but he had had enough by this time, and fell in behind! Then I started to stretch the Swift’s legs, and pulled away!

I was catching Geoff Fern! This was a great thing to see because as I was busy playing with the BRSCC boys I had forgotten about the job in hand! The Mono championship was the objective, so to see Geoff was good! When we came in it felt good, but I was not sure at this point whether I had been racing with the best off the BRSCC boys or not, but I was happy with the car and myself!

The time sheets came out and I had done it, my first ever outright pole! And the other good news was Dave Grady was between me and Geoff Fern!

We went over the car, and everything was good, so drained the fuel and put in the right amount, plus some insurance fuel just in case! I was getting worried because although this was not my first pole, I had never controlled an out lap or green flag lap! Pole isn't pole when you are sat behind 5 or 6 bike engined cars, you just follow them, park up and wait. This time was different, I was in charge and to be honest, I was very nervous. I also started to think that if I stalled it, I was more likely to get hit ! (Ed’s note: the Mono2000s, Mono1200s, and Mono1800s filled two grids. On this occasion the Mono1600s and BRSCC FF1600s had their own grid, thus a 1600 would take pole and the chequered flag). But, I also started to think this could be my dream day!

Being in Monoposto since I was born I remember seeing races and admiring the guy at the front, seeing him punch the air as he crossed the line, today was my time! Forget about classes, I'm not just leading my class, I'm leading them all, the feeling was and still is awesome!
I arrived late to assembly area on purpose, I wanted to feel what it was like to drive past everyone and reverse into the top slot! Everyone was looking at me when I got there and people started staring and pointing things out on my car, then going to chat with their driver. My nerves at this point were through the roof, I just wanted it over with!

The whistle blew, and we started our engines, head taps and hand shakes from the boys and my dad were helpful, I rolled down the pit lane and waited at the red light, a few seconds later we were on track, it seemed so strange to have no one to follow! I took it steady trying to get heat into my tyres and check the car all the time my stomach was turning over like my engine! It felt so good when I got near the hairpin, all the people could see I was on pole, and I was the man to beat! I came down the hill to the start line and the grid had never looked so big, it was empty! The lady marshal stood at the bottom and pointed me to come to the front! ‘WOW’ is the best way to describe it! No little pit box, just a big fat white line all for me! As I stopped she looked at me, gave me a big smile and a wink, and walked off, it felt great! The open track in front of me was the best sight ever, I could see the lads trying to get a peek at what was going on.

Then the green flag, I spun up the wheels to put some rubber down and was off! The pressure was immense, I was weaving hard to get some heat in the tyres and left foot braking to get the brakes warm. Trying to make the most of the time I slowed the pack down into the hairpin trying to make sure we were all together, it must have been the slowest approach to the grid ever! I was loving it! I didn't know that Dave Grady had not taken the grid, or that this gave Geoff Fern a clear shot at me!

The slow approach helped as we didn't sit on the grid for long! I checked the car was in first gear for the 6th time and took one last look at the view from pole when the 5 second board came out, took a deep breath and the red lights were on! Time seemed to slow then, bang lights were out, and we was off! I took a nice steady line to Gerards, timed the gear changes to perfection, checked the mirrors and turned in! The intention was to stamp my authority on the race early, so just got my head down and hammered the car into every turn perfectly and fast! I didn't recheck my mirrors till back on the start finish straight, and the only thing I could see was the luminous orange nose of Geoff Fern’s car! I just stayed calm and hit as many fast laps as I could.

About 5 laps in, I had a lead of over 4 seconds, and could see Brian Jones's yellow Renault. I took him on the back straight, so he didn’t slow me, I just hoped he would slow Geoff around the Hairpin, coming out the Devil’s Elbow I caught Ian Millward in his lovely RF80 that was still on the old FF rubber! Passed him and Richard Evans on the start finish straight. As luck had it all three slowed Geoff down, so my lead was increasing, it was working well for me!
But the race seemed to last for ever, I just kept an eye on the oil pressure, and tried to stay consistent, it was all going well until about lap 11 or 12, it was time to lap Brian and Ian again, this time I caught Brian on the way into the Hairpin and got boxed in, so I went for the outside on the exit, I don't think he saw me, and I took him with two wheels on the grass! I stayed calm and tried to forget about it as I went round the outside of Ian around Gerrards, it was less scary than the move on Brian, but slowed me lots! Geoff on the other hand got Brian on the back straight, and Ian into the Hairpin so the gap was down to about 3 seconds, Geoff could smell my fear as much as I could, but all this drama and action was giving time to Geoff! I got another couple of good laps in, but then could see Geoff was eating ever so slowly into my lead, then I saw the last lap board. Never seen one before but it was there this time !

I didn't know which was better, to drive mad to keep the lead or go steady! There was no traffic as I crossed the line to start the last lap, and I took Gerrards flat out drifting the car over to the apex saying to my self that was a bit silly, ‘behave’! I caught Tony Cotton going into the Esses, I think he must of had a fault of some sort as he was slowing, unless he saw me coming! (maybe he smelt my fear). I took him going into the hairpin it was a sweet clean move!

As I took the Devil’s Elbow I waved to Marco and Ali who were stood on the banking in their bright red coats, I looked down to see the chequered flag being held for me! Not waved but held!

I punched the air with both hands as I crossed the line, and held one fist up as I passed the boys hanging over the pit wall! I could not see at Gerrards due to the tears leaking from my eyes! When slowing down I started to breathe again! I had taken pole, and lead from lights to flag, it was the most amazing feeling in the world! Andrew Cliffe’s photographs captured the whole thing, especially taking the chequered flag, he caught my moment perfectly, when I crossed the line punching the air! I waved my way round to the pits and Marco and Ali ran from the Devil’s Elbow to pit lane to see me arrive in victory lane! My family and friends were there as was the commentator with his microphone! I said a few thank you's over the tannoy, and had more hugs and hand shakes than ever!

To beat my arch nemesis Geoff Fern was just the job, but to have beaten the BRSCC boys too, in a 1600 only race, was unreal. It was a great show for the club, two mono cars, one pre89 with cam, and one post 89 in standard trim, beat the BRSCC boys, it was good for the club!

Even writing this story makes the hairs on my arms stand up, and the blood flow cold with adrenaline!

Well, that was the race of my life!

Hope I have not bored you all to much!

Thanks for reading.

Ewen Sergison

AVIT!

In practice ahead of Dave Brady

A quiet practice moment

Dave Grady follows our hero

A proud momemnt for Ewen and for Mono as he and Geoff Fern lead off the pack

Punching the air on crossing the line - a classic picture

Ewen looks pleased with the garland, Jock in the background.

Pictures by Andrew Cliffe

We seem to have some space left. Have we another Ewan at Mallory picture? Why yes... thanks Sarah!