Soaring Into Summer...

June has been... "an experience", let's just put it that way - I could probably write an entire novel about June 2023 - from Week 13, to my league activities to everything covered in toda- this hour's blog.

In the past 24 hours, I've uploaded 4 different blogs. Will anyone read them? Eventually, probably 1 - but June's taken such a turn that I've had to focus on something else for a little while - sometimes I'm too sad to write a "victory blog" (good races) and other times I'm in too good a mood to write a blog about me having a tough time.

Monday 12th June, 2023

On Monday 12th June, 2023 I returned to the Isle Of Wight after seeing friends.

Once I arrived at the ferry port, I checked my tyres and noticed they were completely bald after fitting them in Mid-March - I immediately contacted a mechanic.

As I was going to Paris later that week, my options were rather limited as to what I could do - I was leaving on Friday - and I was due to jump on a ferry in less than an hour.

I only had Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday available - and I've never once been to a garage that's said "bring it in tomorrow, we'll get it all sorted for cheap"

I boarded the ferry and considered my options.

Tuesday 13th June, 2023

Following on from an INCREDIBLY successful GT4 VS GT3 Series, QRT began their next league - LMP3's VS GT3's at Okayama...I'm nowhere near as competitive in a GT3 VS the Aston - so it was a tough old race - starting in 15th/9th in class and finishing in 18th/10th in class - my highest position was 17th overall.

Wednesday 14th June, 2023

Wednesday was when things started to go a little...wrong.

With a constantly evolving plan - initially I was due to grab some tyres on Wednesday - hopping to the mainland to grab them and then returning on the next ferry after.

With a driving lesson also on this day - I cancelled the driving lesson...and then found out that the tyres would be on Friday...the very day I left for Paris.

I needed new tyres, there was no question about that - and had I been stopped by the Police - there was a likelyhood of Timon being seized.

In the land of iRacing, that evening it was the DML (Delta Motorsport League) race at Oran Park - I'll skip the boring bit about being hesitant because Oran Park doesn't exist any-more, and jump to the part where I have raced Oran Park before in the QRT GT3/GT4 Battle Tour - and it was absolute carnage.

Having learnt my lesson during the QRT race - I found an aggressive but safe marker for turn one, and managed to finish the day with a double 3rd place finish (1st race and 2nd race) - which did wonders for my championship bid - although the championship hasn't been updated since the previous week.

It was also Week 1 of the new season, and I raced (or iRaced) in the new FalkenTyre Sports Car Championship which pitches the GT4 up against the LMP3.

I finished an impressive 5th in class after starting 7th and falling to 9th.

Thursday 15th June, 2023 On Thursday, I was supposed to stay in a hotel near the airport (for Paris) to wake up the following morning and drive one of my friends to where I'd be parking the car for the trip - as I was picking up the tyres on Friday, driving all the way down to Lymington after spending a night in the hotel wouldn't make logistical sense, so I stayed on the Isle Of Wight that night.

That night, it was the VRG race at Suzuka - but due to having only 9 drivers turn up (me being the only AM entry) (Nurburgring was 10, Imola was 13) - the race was cancelled - this would be the beginning of the end for the VRG GT4 Tour.

The following week at VIR, only one driver showed up - and with just one round remaining, the series was cancelled.

At the time of the cancellation - I finished second in AM Class (due to success at Imola and Nurburgring GP) - but there are ongoing discussions about weather to reward those who showed up to Suzuka.

Simply put - the last month has been a bit hard for me...

30th May: QRT GT3/GT4 Battle Tour Finale @ Hockenheim

15th June/22nd June: VRG GT4 Tour Finale @ Suzuka/VIR

28th June: DML GT4 Showdown Finale @ Oulton Park

In May, I was racing in GT4 series on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday

Two months later, in July, all three have dried up - and whilst I will have The FalkenTyre Sports Car Challenge on Wednesday and IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge every other Saturday, it's not what it once used to be.

I love the Aston - and race it at every opportunity I get - and sadly opportunities come and go, but at least I can say I absolutely took the hell out of the opportunities I was given!

I suppose it's most upsetting because it's very rare to have GT4 League calendars line up so neatly - either there's a clash or one's running GT4, another GT3, another open wheel...

But I don't think I'm overly sad, I'm more glad that it happened, I had the time of my life and I made some good memories and friends along the way.