A mixed weekend for Aiden Moffat

It was a difficult weekend at Croft, North Yorkshire, in rounds 13, 14 and 15 of the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship.

On Saturday, with the car rebuilt after the shenanigans at Oulton Park, all the running was conducted in wet weather on an absolutely treacherous track. We used the two free practice sessions to get a good set-up for qualifying, but, and it was a big “but”, the afternoon’s qualifying session was abandoned after just eight minutes running.

A car had dropped oil onto the track and the resultant skip pan caused a huge accident that eliminated a number of cars and left some drivers in need of medical attention. With track conditions deemed unsuitable for a restart, the grid for the opening race was based on what limited running people had achieved before the stoppage, but Aiden didn’t even get a lap time in as a driveshaft broke at the very start of the qualifying period. It might be a legacy of the Oulton Park accident but Laser Tools racing are not yet sure what caused it. One thing is for certain, it gave Aiden a lot of work to do.

Thus Aiden started 29^th on the grid for the opening race on Sunday, and luckily round 13 of the championship was held in dry conditions. They reckon it is difficult to overtake at Croft but Aiden gritted his teeth and two laps later was in position 20. As the race progressed he steadily worked up to P16, but the tyres started to lose their edge as the 15-lap race wore on. He was really struggling for grip over those last three laps with the tyres going off. At the end of the race they were down to the canvas so he was really struggling – it wouldn’t steer and it wouldn’t stop! 

However Aiden managed to hang onto 16^th place right up to the very last lap; the finishing line was almost within sight when he was hit by another car and pushed back to 23^rd.

Ready to fight back, Aiden started the second race from 23^rd on the grid and ran the option tyre, the harder of Dunlop’s compounds that the regulations dictate must be used in one of the three races over a weekend. The car really liked the harder rubber compound and he battled up the order and was happy to finish 14^th having gained nine places in an action-packed race. Aiden had very good pace whereas normally and the hard tyre really worked well here.

The final race of the weekend, always a hectic affair, lasted only one lap for Aiden! He was in the wrong place at the wrong time when a first-corner clash eliminated a number of cars. A big whack broke a hub on the Mercedes-Benz A-Class and Aiden limped into the pits to retire. It wasn’t a lot of damage but it was enough to put him out. Aiden gave everyone room and then got hit and although these things can happen in motor racing Aiden does think some people need to have a look at how they are driving and realise when they can make a move and when they can’t.

It was a frustrating way to end the weekend but Aiden is happy that he has shown his ability to race hard and overtake but again it is disappointing to end with damage. There is now a break until Snetterton at the end of July, so it is a chance to recharge the batteries, test the car and come back fighting.

The next races in the Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship are at Snetterton, Norfolk, on July 29/30.