George Harrison. God rest him, wrote ‘Here Comes the Sun’ and believe me, I’ve been singing it today! The sun is definitely out here at Donington Park for Round 2 of the British Touring Car Championship season and the track looks bloomin’ marvellous for it. There’s something about motor sport in the sun. Close your eyes, listen to the engines, the tyre drills, the cars whizzing by in free practise and you could be in Monte Carlo. But we don’t need to be in Monte Carlo because the sun is with us here at Donington Park.
I’m not normally one for getting excited about the weather. Nor do I usually like to open conversations talking about it. We can’t control the weather after all, so I normally let it take its course. However, the reason I’m giving the weather a bit of coverage is because when Rupert and I were here for the BTCC Media Day just over a month ago, it was brass monkey. What a contrast! At least I don’t need two pairs of socks, a t-shirt, fleece, gloves and my LloydBell jacket on over the layers – plus my fiance’s leggings on underneath my jeans (I don’t own thermals and tights were suggested at one point, but I’d have been too conscious every time I saw the Grid Girls in theirs!).
As for today, on the track it’s been a fairly decent day for messrs Shedden and Neal in the Honda Civics. Gordon ‘Flash’ Shedden has taken pole position for Race 1 tomorrow with a time of 1.10.074, just ahead of Frank Wrathall. Andy Jordon takes 3rd spot with Matt Neal 4th on the grid. Four is not the magic number for Matt Neal tomorrow however, it’s 500 as Matt celebrates his 500th BTCC appearance in Race 2 tomorrow afternoon. It’d be brilliant if he could come home victorious.
Meanwhile, as the temperature dips we’re left here to soak up the sun, look forward to tomorrow’s racing and sing along to George’s song. I’d say flip flops for tomorrow but that’s probably not practical around a race circuit? Saying that, the Grid Girls wear the highest of heels and they’re hardly practical? And no, I won’t be giving them a go, this should be about motor sport not fashion!
Anyway, here comes the sun dut-un-dut-oo, here come the sun and I say, it’s alright, un-dut-un, un duddun-duddun-dun-dun-dun – sun, sun, sun, here it comes!
By Rory McAllister