Carpets are back in fashion
Adrian Jefferies reports from last weekend's touring car events which saw both Olly and Tom driving the Associated TC5 for the first time.
Last weekend saw the winter touring car season kicking off with two of the major series hosting their first rounds, Carpet Wars has moved from the Black Lion Leisure Centre and the new Maritime permanent venue is now the home of this popular carpet championship, at the other end of the country Chippenham MCC?s Carpet Thrashnals also get underway at the Christy Miller Sports Centre in Melksham.
Carpet Wars gave Olly Jefferies the chance to try out his new Associated TC5 on carpet, early indications were good as after round one of qualifying Olly was second as he set about defending the title he won last winter, ?I was pleased with the initial feel of the car, it was easy driver with good consistent grip? Olly said after round one, a lot of the competition had spent a few weekends testing at the Maritime venue so Olly knew he would up against it in the early stages as he got acclimatised to his new mount.
Olly Jefferies' TC5
Chris Grainger was third in the early rounds with his Yokomo BD, not a great lover of carpet racing Chris is still capable of mounting a strong challenge, as always Chris was working hard on his set up and looking to challenge as the grip came up.
At the Carpet Thrashnals Tom Jefferies was also trying his TC5 for the first time indoors, despite a few initial problems with tyre choice and then traffic problems on his best run Tom was holding a strong top ten place with his Novak powered 10.5 Pro Stock TC5. A good final run saw Tom put the TC5 fourth on the grid for the Pro Stock A final.
Back at Maritime and Olly started to struggle a little as the grip came up and Olly looked for a way to improve his car, with no data or experience of the car on carpet Olly felt he may of went the wrong way with the set but stayed second with Chris and his Yokomo team mate Lee Woodhams lining up for the Mod a final third and fourth.
As Olly gave chase to pole sitter Elliott Harper in the single A final a tyre separated from the rim and Olly dropped out of contention, but he felt the day had been a great success and he had learnt a lot about his new car, mean while Chris inherited second from Olly but then Lee Woodhams hit problems with the control Xenon trye suffering a similar problem to Olly. So a first round win for Elliott with Chris second for Yokomo.
For Tom Jefferies it was a case of consistency over the two leg A final, fourth in the first A final set Tom up for a podium place but he was hit back to last place in leg two after a first lap fracas, but he fought back to fourth to finish fourth overall on the day.
All in all a lot of positives to be gleamed for Olly and Tom as they get to grips with the TC5 and a good start to the indoor season for Chris Grainger.
Download Olly Jefferies' TC5 setup sheet
Olly Jefferies' TC5
Chris Grainger was third in the early rounds with his Yokomo BD, not a great lover of carpet racing Chris is still capable of mounting a strong challenge, as always Chris was working hard on his set up and looking to challenge as the grip came up.
At the Carpet Thrashnals Tom Jefferies was also trying his TC5 for the first time indoors, despite a few initial problems with tyre choice and then traffic problems on his best run Tom was holding a strong top ten place with his Novak powered 10.5 Pro Stock TC5. A good final run saw Tom put the TC5 fourth on the grid for the Pro Stock A final.
Back at Maritime and Olly started to struggle a little as the grip came up and Olly looked for a way to improve his car, with no data or experience of the car on carpet Olly felt he may of went the wrong way with the set but stayed second with Chris and his Yokomo team mate Lee Woodhams lining up for the Mod a final third and fourth.
As Olly gave chase to pole sitter Elliott Harper in the single A final a tyre separated from the rim and Olly dropped out of contention, but he felt the day had been a great success and he had learnt a lot about his new car, mean while Chris inherited second from Olly but then Lee Woodhams hit problems with the control Xenon trye suffering a similar problem to Olly. So a first round win for Elliott with Chris second for Yokomo.
For Tom Jefferies it was a case of consistency over the two leg A final, fourth in the first A final set Tom up for a podium place but he was hit back to last place in leg two after a first lap fracas, but he fought back to fourth to finish fourth overall on the day.
All in all a lot of positives to be gleamed for Olly and Tom as they get to grips with the TC5 and a good start to the indoor season for Chris Grainger.
Download Olly Jefferies' TC5 setup sheet
