Friday night and all's well!!

Okay, so it was Mr. Hartnell's Birthday so we popped by to see the old boy and watch him open his pressies and snaffle a bit of cake. Our friend Laura also had her birthday on Friday so we ate her cake as well! 

Happy Birthday to you....

With few choices left Dean locked out the dizzy at full advance and we took the extra jump battery down to the start line with us to help get the Belle started.

So, with the belle sort of fixed we headed for the first qualifying run shortly before 2pm. We dialled in 9.62 and ran 9.86 at 138mph, a bit off the dial in but a safe qualifying pass in the bag, and the car in one piece.

I've never seen a man more proud of his chopper.....

Others....... didn't ....

Some people made the effort to dress up.......

Three wise monkeys look at the broken bits...

Saturday,

Chris spent most of the morning cruising the pits on his shiny new bike, but the rest of us got the cars ready to race! Being a three day event Saturday and Sunday were set aside for qualifying.

We warmed the Belle up, and after last weeks ignition shenanigans, Dean wanted to check the timing. Well, there was no advance at all and the chief spanner monkey checked over a few things but couldn't figure out why the dizzy wouldn't advance. A couple of other spanner monkeys from another tribe came to help and it soon became apparent that the centrifugal advance weights in the dizzy has shattered... ooops.

Nice Christmas paper, Mrs. Forty, (sorry.... Mrs. Coulsell)

Read what happened on Monday......

On closer inspection the locked out dizzy had broken free, and needed to be locked again, this time with springs, lock wire and tie wraps...

 As we queued up for the next round, the British weather proved once again that even in August, rain was going to cut a days racing short!

Claire's view of the Belle...

Rain might stop the racing, but it doesn't stop the Wild Bunch having fun. Lynne Coulsell was going to be forty in a few days time, so cue the  party in the pits (well the camping field anyway!)

With a sixties theme there was a great selection of groovy dudes and chicks diggin' the music and having a fine time. One of our favourites had to be Ed Yates, who not only managed to dress up, but also managed to find his groove in true sixties fashion. (We messed up big time and forgot to get down with the vibe, man)