REDNAL driver Tobias Owen is currently enjoying his debut season in motorsport in the BRSCC MX-5 Championship. In this week’s article, he discusses picking up his first-ever points on the track.
Two weekend’s ago, I got my second taste of the BRSCC Mazda MX-5 Championship, and came away with three point-scoring finishes!
Round 3 of the Championship took place at Cadwell Park in Lincolnshire, a twisty and undulating circuit branded the “mini-Nurburgring”.
Some parts of the circuit are so steep that the cars actually get airborne momentarily, making for exciting – and a little terrifying – close-quarters racing.
This was my first visit to Cadwell Park as a driver.
I had been warned that it was a difficult track to learn, but having spent hours on the simulator and watching onboard footage from previous races, I felt that I got up to speed pretty well.
Race 1 started well. I got off to a flying start, but unfortunately for me the track at Cadwell Park is notoriously narrow, and I wasn’t able to make the most of my speedy getaway.
It was clear that I had gained some pace since my last outing at Brands Hatch, as those I had been battling at Brands were behind me.
I enjoyed a battle with another first-year driver for the duration of the race, and when the chequered flag fell, I was elated to find out that I had finished in the points.
Race 2 was even better.
Having now got the measure of the track, I made another good start and was able to keep pace with those who had started further up the grid.
In a chaotic race, several drivers spun or crashed ahead of me, but I was able to keep my cool and bring it home for my best-ever finish and more valuable points.
By race 3, the excitement of the day had caught up with me and my muscles were aching, thanks to the relentless nature of the track.
The second half of the race was particularly tough – I lost a few places in the closing laps but still managed to bring it home in the points for the third time that weekend.
Overall, there are plenty of positives to take.
I’m still learning my craft but it’s encouraging to see such a big step in performance from my last outing, and to score my first points is a significant milestone.
This year I’m documenting the challenges of pursuing my racing dream whilst being a (relatively) new dad.
After an arduous three hour drive home on Sunday night, I arrived home just in time to tuck my two-year-old daughter into bed.
Her first words to me were, “Missed you daddy” – which, let me tell you, was the highlight of my weekend.
Owen is unable to compete in every race, as he is still on the search for sponsorship, and invites anyone interested in sponsoring him for the season to contact him on 07814 214176.
He returns to the Championship at Donington Park in August, but first gears up for a charity go-kart endurance race in June – raising money for the Midlands Air Ambulance.
