STUDENT BODIES GOING TO BELGIUM

Finally the coach passes that road sign that I've been waiting for, an AutoRoute direction sign same as the ones all over the continent, but this one was special. The locations listed on this sign were Spa, Stavelot, Malmedy and Franchorchamps. I was heading for the 2001 Belgian Grand Prix.  My sister (a journalist working for Planet F1.com) had arranged a grandstand seat overlooking Eau Rouge, and by way of a present for my 20th birthday my parents had sorted us out with a Page and Moy trip to Brussels staying in a five star hotel of all places!!. On arrival in Brussels on Thursday I met up with a friend from Uni who lives around that way. We hit the Bars (and Beers) of Brussels with a vengeance. It was the mother of all pub-crawls ending with a couple of drinks in the hotel bar. I was just about to finish up and head for bed when I met a couple of nice girls from Leeds who were over for the race and had seats near mine. They persuaded me to come along with them and a couple of guys who work at the hotel to a good night-club. Suffice to say the rest of the night is a bit of a blur (well those beers really are good!).
Fast forward to Saturday and that signpost. The seats were fantastic and you could really see the different drivers’ styles in the practice session once it finally got under way. The circuit was also living up to its reputation with half wet conditions and fogbound. The medical helicopters couldn't fly so practice was delayed. The F3000 Race was entertaining especially as Brit. Justin Wilson took the title (someone please give the guy an F1 drive). It did however involve Mark Webber throwing his car at the wall in a spectacular fashion. If he was a Sevenoaks member he would have a good shot at the Batturd cup!!! More amusing was the fate of the European Minardi F3000 cars with the two team-mates taking each other out on the climb up to Les Combes. They were not happy bunnies and it looked like the Spa-Franchorchamps was about to resemble Madison Square Gardens but some handy Marshals prevented that.
F1 qualifying next and a bizarre session dominated by stunning laps from the two Williams boys. The second Minardi driven by Tarso Marques tried to beat Mark Webber in “Silly Crash of the Day” award by spreading it across the Ardennes!
 Sunday and the F1 cars out for the morning warm up and more bad luck for Paul Stoddart’s team as the two European cars were stunningly slow. Then out with the Porsches for a few processional laps and then.... Nothing. Now here is my gripe of the month - support races for the Grand Prix. The Grand Prix itself was fantastic but at that price I would expect something a bit better than the Porsche super procession. How about running a Euro Boss round followed by Formula Fords then maybe some TGP cars that would be more interesting and better value for money but then who tries to make motorsport value for money? People like SDMC actually. If more club competitors got into the admin of the top level of the sport it would improve things big time.
I've decided to abandon pretty much all my plans competition wise till next year, I may do a couple of scatters but that's about it apart from the Karting. I'll be running in the second annual Formula (Oxford) Brookes championship in which I finished 11th (of 30) last season.  This year we expect bigger grids, bigger races and a bigger title fight.  My aim is to finish in the top ten of the championship. If I can do this I have a shot at an IUK seat next year. The IUK - Inter University Karting is a very hard fought series and this will be Brookes first ever entry so I wanna be on that squad.
As for my plans out of Karts for next season, I am driving the Brookes entry in the National Student Motorsport championships and it looks like I will be teaming up with a new Navigator - Mark Collings. I want a good finish in that too. Also I aim to do every round of the Sevenoaks Evening Autotest series, finally get out on a sprint, get back to racing oh and winning something would be nice but I don't see myself being able to get close to the likes of Mark Dawson let alone Daren Hall in the Autotests (but I will try)

And another top ten for you: Top Ten Driving Tunes

Music that is essential to driving (for me anyway).  This list is from tracks I listen to when Karting, driving home and long late night motorway hauls. Yes I do listen to music when racing; the non-skip Minidisc Player is fantastic; some people have Intercoms in their helmet but instead of getting a ticking off from my team boss I get Drum and Bass (I bet that’s the first time anyone’s mentioned that in Acorn!). It's a weird mix of old and new and I'm sure I've missed many of your favourites but this is what I think the definitive driving tunes are.

1. Lalo Schifrin - Bullitt Theme
If any one remembers the Steve McQueen adverts for the Ford Puma this is the music from them. And some film can't think which one though?

2. Propellerheads - Bang On
A perfect track for a fast lap of Oxford Stadium, very very fast beats. It’s brilliant I think Chin would love it!!!

3. The Italian Job soundtrack - Get a move on!
I don't know the artist on this track but I will find out, but we all know the song - This is the self-preservation society.

4. The Cardigans - My favourite game
Ooh late night, the M40, the Cardigans, driving at the speed limit of course!!

5. IAM - La Charge (from Taxi)
Now French Rap music is not the greatest sound in the world (I believe that may be a Auto Union 16 cylinder! ) but this is well worth the ridicule of your mates.

6. Jamiroquai - Travelling without moving
From the engine noise at the beginning to the very end this was intended as a song to drive fast to.

7. The Bad Belle - Starfighter Pilot
Pure funk and great music for trying that new line through that bend.

8. The Blue Brothers - Peter Gunn Theme
You know it.

9. Ronni Size and Reprazent - Who told you
Big drum and bass classic, great music.

10. The Prodigy - Voodoo People
The ultimate tune for that on track blast.

Hopefully next time I'll have some photos of all the cars I have been playing with at Uni and some of the Karting.   Anyway that's all from me for now, I've gotta go ‘cos Fresher’s week is about to start!!!!

Sam Collins

The Acorn : October Edition