September: A Challenging Month...

I won't lie - September has been a bit of a tough month for me mentally.

Since Jack left the Island on the 15th August, I've been asking myself "What Are You Doing"? Why aren't you being pro-active and doing SOMETHING?

Now, this isn't to say it's Jack's fault, I just had nothing further planned from this point onwards

To quell these thoughts, I gave myself three goals to achieve by the end of the year. 1. Finish Work (I was told my contract would end in September)

2. Pass (manual) driving test

3. Re-Apply at Tesco as a festive colleague (They liked when I was working during summer)

3. Put Holiday In Rear View Mirror (i.e: go on holiday, come back and take life from there) I suppose I was in a spot of bother as up to that point, I was either working or hanging out with mates, so had plenty going on - for 2 years in a row, August has been non-stop chaos - and now I was in September with...no plans.

Finishing August, I still had work on the weekends, which was giving me something to do and a structure to my life.

28th August - 3rd September 2023

After my mum's birthday the previous week, I eventually had my final shift at work on the 28th August* (technically, it was the following week, but it was the last week I attended)

From the 29th - 3rd September, I was on the mainland - being paid to help out in Essex on my last actual shift.

5th September - 11th September, 2023

I couldn't have planned my return to the Isle Of Wight better - whilst Week 13 started on Tuesday, all the new content was added on Wednesday - so I had a day twiddling my thumbs...

Except I didn't. A friend I hadn't seen since Year 11 (2017? 6 years at least...) was in Portsmouth, and with a Ferry connection directly to Portsmouth, he invited me to spend a day with him looking in and around Portsmouth - it was an absolutely glorious day (sun was out, was warm) and a REALLY enjoyable day out and catch up.

The following day, on Wednesday, iRacing was down for maintainace for the day whilst the updates were implemented into the sim. At about 9pm, iRacing had returned and all the updates I needed to install were downloaded.

One of these updates was a hotly anticipated Ferrari 296 GT3 (successor to Ferrari 488 GT3)

Simply put, Week 13 was an absolute clusterfuck.

W1 - spun/crashed at Bus Stop Chicane (Spa), went on recovery drive. W2 - spun at the banked turn at Zandvoort, went on recovery drive.

W3 - Had no pace at Road America

W4 - got involved in a start-line shunt, was later rear-ended, disqualified on penultimate lap

W5 - Was confident at new street circuit, binned it into the wall like a lemon.

W6 - Finally had a good race at Okayama, finished 4th to end a tough Week 13.

11th - 17th September, 2023

It was now just week until my Driving Test - and I won't lie, I was absolutely BRICKING it. 9 months in and I was still making silly errors, stalling under pressure.

For all intents and purposes I could drive - I could start, I could (safely) move off, I could change gear - I could pop to the shops - just, with Dyspraxia, where I focussed on one thing, another slipped out of the back of my head - so I could have 40 minutes of not stalling and a very safe drive, but mirrors and observations could slowly start to slip.

My driving instructor was an absolute godsend - patient, didn't raise his voice once, very calm - and when stalling at the lights, he'd just calmly say, "clutch down, set the gas, find the bite".

The Black Week

Besides the driving lesson, the 6th - 13th September is what I like to call "The Black Week"

6th September - 4th Anniversary of the passing of a close friend of mine (2019)

8th September - 1 Year since Her Majesty Passed

8th September - Avicii's Birthday

11th September - 22nd Anniversary of the 9/11 Attacks (2001)

12th September - 1 Year since I was told I had failed my University course (2022)

16th - 17th September

In 2022, Holden competed in it's last Bathurst 1000km

In 2023, I highly suspect Holden has competed in the last iRacing Bathurst 1000km.

Usually iRacing is pretty up to date with it's content - and with 4 seasons to go, I see it highly likely that the Holden's days are numbered on iRacing.

In light of this, I raced in my first Bathurst 1000km since 2019 in a Holden in a very Australian livery

in rather typical Robin fashion, after narrowly avoiding a start-line shunt, I made it about 9 laps before making an oppertunistic move, attempted to get the car slowed/stopped for The Chase and blew the engine. What an incredibly positive final memory of the Holden to have.

18th - 24th September, 2023

And then it was the week of my test - quicker than I could say "What Could Possibly Go Wrong" - it was test-day... I just had to try my very hardest.

Despite a stall at a roundabout, I aced- okay, passed the test - a huge and very welcome shock to me.

I was aiming to give a smooth driving experience to the examiner, who was very friendly - and in the end, I only got 6 minors - and minors for things I can easily work upon.

Things like, I panicked in the moment and forgot how to turn the lights on (never needed the lights - and never did "tell me" questions during lessons) - mirrors was also a biggy.

But that was 1/4 "stresses" done and dealt with - and a massive weight off my shoulders. It also meant I could apply to a lot more driving jobs without having to worry about the transmission.

The end goal is to become a Highway Traffic Officer - this pass meaning I only needed to live within an hour of a base to be considered for the position - moving out being the 4th and final "stress/headache" I had to deal with.

25th - 1st October

And now we come to this week - and partially the reason I'm writing this blog.

From the 1st October, 2023 I'm on a holiday for 2 and a half weeks, and ticking off an overdue blog is just another thing off my plate.

Due to the length of this holiday, it's been taking a fair bit of my time - I know it's a holiday aborad, but that comes with it's own stresses - but on my return I'll be a changed and relaxed man - during this trip, Tesco begin hiring their festive colleagues, so I'll also have to look out for that and apply ASAP!

I really enjoyed my time and what I did and the people I met - so it would be good to go back - afterall, if my CV was good enough for summer - surely it will be the same again? Especially as I've shown them what I'm capable of and the fact I'm willing to do over-time.

The two busy periods - Summer Holidays and Christmas Holidays need a lot of staff, and no, I may not be the best on the island, but I'm certainly a useful pair of hands to have around as back up.

~

I have found it a bit surprising how over the summer I've gone from racing pretty much every day (in league racing) to now, in late September just having one league I'm racing in.

It's also looking like I'll be going 4 months without an endurance race. Interesting.

Season 4, 2023 (iRacing)

On 12th September, Season 4, 2023 kicked off a new season on iRacing.

I always race on Wednesday, so I'd wait until the next day to race.

Week 1

Was at Le Mans, and after a one-shot qualifying (not enough time in session to complete two laps), I qualified a miraculous 4th.

After a thrilling race, I'd finish 4th, taking back 4th on the final lap after a wild race.

And that's about where my season finished.

Week 2

Was at Indianapolis and I had no pace - the pack just dissapeared up the road, never to be seen again - I suspected it was because I was braking massively too early for turn 1.

Week 3

Week 3 was the double whammy of being in top-split and Philip Island - I dislike the circuit enough, but being up against the best of the best that hour? Yeah, my love for the circuit isn't increasing.

Infuriatingly, I ran wide in the final sector, losing my 8th starting position (rolling start) and started down in 12th, from there, it was just about recovering as many positions as I could. I recovered to 8th - not a bad comeback drive.

(Two drivers started from pits, a further one let me out in front of him)

Week 4 - 6

Of course, the two weeks I'm away, the FalkenTyre Sportscar Challenge is at my two most favourite circuits: Road Atlanta and Imola - before heading to COTA and Fuji - two tracks I have very limited experience on.

Alas - adventure awaits.