Saturday 22 December 2007

Overall 3rd in last race of championship

2 4th places enabled an overall results of 3rd to be achieved in the last round of the 2007 PFi Big Guns Championship in Nov 07.

This enabled Amanda to get 4th in the Championship on her inagural year.

Friday 23 November 2007

First from start to finish

Weather - Wet (again) and Dark
Qualification - 1st
Place in 100 minute race - 1st
Another nice trophy to add to the collection!
Team - Amanda + Kevin

Sunday 28 October 2007

A wet and soggy 10th Place - Round 8

Weather - Wet and windy
Qualification - 12th Place
Race One - 11th position
Race Two - 11th position
Overall finishing position - 10th Place
Current Championship Standing - 4th position

Friday 26 October 2007

Fantasy F1 team gets second place!!

Not to sure if you can see this picture. But my Fantasty team on www.ff1.co.uk for this years Formula One season has finished a MASSIVE (and surprising) 2nd place overall. I am in shock and totally cant beleive it. There were 2152 teams entered in the competition, just a shame that it is was a free one and there is no prizes. The Fantasy on this site is where you have a budget of £60 million and you have to choose your drivers, engine and team. I was definatly aided my McLaren losing their points. So watch out for the fantasy next year. P.S To all you motorbike fans, they also do a motoGP fantasy.

Monday 22 October 2007

Is there one more twist in the season still to come?

After a season full of twists, is there still one more turn of the dice? What with the spy scandal, the relationship with Hamilton and Alonso and much more. For there to be an appeal after the final GP to put the results in doubt it has added evenmore to the seasons Soap Opera that it has been. This is just what F1 has been lacking over the last few years.

In my opinion rules are rules. If they are broken there must be a punishment. Ironic that this is what happened to McLaren during the season. They were found to be guilty of breaking the rules and no punishment was given at first to the spy scandal. It does the sport no good what so ever to have people breaking rules and not get punished. If it didn’t matter that fuel temperatures were lower than stated in the rules then they wouldn’t have a rule stating the temperature levels. This was the hottest GP they have had - funny how the temperatures where colder and not hotter. Some professional have stated that it would give a performance benefit, and therefore It has an impact on the results and is a form of cheating. This comes to no surprise at the end of such a season.

The decision has to be taken outside of context, and has to be examined as a race result rather than a championship decider. If this had been the 3rd race of the season what would have happened? May be then the scrutinisers wouldn’t have been scared to disqualify them.

I do believe that this would not be the way that Hamilton would like to win the World Championship. Kimi is a fantastic driver and should really have won it by now. He is the Iceman and hats off to him. We will just have to wait and see!! Again. I just hope the decision is done quickly so that the winner can celebrate in style.


Firstly what a great end to the Season. I must admit that I am Hamilton fan, so a disappointing end. But on a whole this has been the best F1 season in the last decade. There are several key points that I would like to make.

1. Hamilton in press
I am sat at home with today’s Guardian - headlines 'That's the hat-trick ... Hamilton the latest English sporting loser'. Ok, yes it has been a bad end to the week, but on hind sight we have been very luckily to even be in this situation. The football team have put this country to shame, that get paid millions and under perform. The English Rugby team were effectively down and out after there defeat to South Africa the first time. If someone had said to them after that match you would be playing them again in the final and only lose by a handful of points - millions of people would have laughed. The same can really be said about Hamilton. He is no loser. If you had said to him this time last year, 'you are going to beat the current double world champion (who don’t forget beat Schumacher to the title) and be fighting the Championship' I am pretty sure that he would have taken that and laughed.

2. The Spy
This has only made F1 more interesting and made more people interested in it.

3. The downfall of Alonso
For me before this season Alonso was seen as a great sportsman in the sport, but look back on who he was being compared too (M Schumacher!! - which states it all). Without Schumacher, it is Alonso that has come out with unsporting behaviour that even Michael would be proud of! I really hope that McLaren kick him out and as Lauda has been quoted in saying 'McLaren should sue him!'. However McLaren may say that Alonso is worth keeping due to sponsorship and media coverage - Add media attention is good. Without the scandal I don’t believe that 'Vodaphone' would have been headline news! But they now appear to have an even better asset. Hamilton. A team player that looks set to be there for life. An English team with an English top driver. What more could you ask for. There is of course speculation that Hamilton will be the first sportsman to earn £100million a year and be bigger than Tiger Woods and Beckham.

4. What an end to a season
I just wonder what the statistics are of the amount of F1 fans that had a heart attack during the period of time the GP was on air! It really was edge of the sit stuff. The drama’s of Hamilton and the belief that he could still do it was amazing. All that’s left to say is roll on next season! (With the hope that BMW will make the top 2 teams, the top 3 and then things really will get spicy - also can Honda make a car that works?). And very finally ‘Where will Alonso be?’ - gardening on hopes!

Tuesday 16 October 2007

Slick Ego's Win Sunday 100



Team = Slick Ego's
Members = Amanda, Kevin, Steve
Venue = PFi
Qualification = 1st Place
Race = 100 Laps

Well done team


Sunday 23 September 2007

Photo finish to 2nd!!


Weather - Clear/ Some clouds
Ballast - +4kg
Qualification - 8th Place
Race One - 2th position - Best Lap - 52.66 (6th fastest) [I was in 3rd in the final corner but managed to get a small tow, crossing the line 'B4U' and I crossed at the same time! But I just nicked it by a mil-second!]
Race Two - 6th position - Best Lap - 52.61 (2nd fastest)
Overall finishing position - 2nd Place
2nd Trophy from PFi (As seen in photo)
Current Championship Standing - 4th position


Sunday 16 September 2007

Slick Ego's Achieves its target at Buckmore Park

Buckmore Park 180 Endurance - Sat 15th Sep 07

Team = Slick Ego's

Members = Adam, Amanda, Franco, Kevin, Steve

Race Target = Top 10 (32 Enterances)




Having never been to the circuit before the whole team was really looking forward to getting to grips with the Buckmore Park Circuit. We entered 2 teams of which each team member would race in both karts. We managed to qualify 8th and 20th. With 20th being achieved in a very sub-standard kart! we had to start the race in the kart - do 1 lap and then come in and change in, however when we got into the pits the Marshalls where not ready to change the kart and we ended up losing so much time. Going a lap down on the leaders and becoming dead last. The new kart was an improvement but still sub-standard compared to the other team kart. However we
managed to finish the kart in 9th - still getting our target. Our other kart managed to improve on the grid slot from 8th to 4th position. And very completed very competitive lap times. This was an excellent team effort at a circuit that we had all not driven at before.



Well done Team Slick Ego's.



Respect to a Rally Legend


Saturday 15th September Colin McRae's helicopter crashed and came down in Jerviswood, Lanarkshire, half a mile from the family's home and burst into flames. On board was himself, his son and 2 other passenages. Best wishes goes to his wife and daughter who were not on-board the helicopter.

McRae became Britain's first World Rally champion in 1995. He was one of the country's most successful sportsmen, achieving 25 wins in World Rally events and 42 podium places. He was a flamboyant driver, inspiring one the world's best-selling computer rally games.
I have also spend many, many, many hours playing on his fantastic Playstation simulation games.
MASSIVE respect to a MASSIVE Rallying Legend.
“Rally GB is obviously very special to me,
and I am looking forward to giving
the fans something to cheer,” Colin McRae
That he always did.

Max Finds Cadwell Park


On 2nd September Max found itself at another of the UK's top racing circuits. I went to support a good friend race in a Mallock at Cadwell Circuit. Michelle Hayward (http://missilemich.co.uk/) however her website has not been updated recently. A very good female racer. Here are a few images.


Friday 31 August 2007

MX5 Arrives at Silverstone

I spent a night at Whittlebury Hall, not realising how close it was to Silverstone. It was its back garden! They have a fantastic 'Silverstone' Bar in the hotel which has 100's of pictures of previous GP race winners. It also includes a picture of M Schummi at the hotel. You can imagine how excited this made me!! The day we arrived was the first A1 GP test session for this season at the circuit - and blow me - they were all staying at the hotel. How cool! Loved it.

Monday 27 August 2007

First Overall Win At PFi 'Big Guns'


Weather - Sunny/ Warm
Qualification - 4th Place
Race One - 1th position - Best Lap - 52.09 (2nd fastest)
Race Two - 9th position - Best Lap - 52.08 (1st fastest)
New Personal Fastest Lap = 52.08
Overall finishing position - 1st Place
1st Trophie from PFi (As seen in photo)
Current Championship Standing - 5th position

Saturday 25 August 2007

On the Eve of racing at PFi

I have decided to come up with a list of circuits around the country I would like to try out. Here we go. (In no order)

I'm hoping to scrub Buckmore off the list in September. Fingers Crossed. I'd also like to do a race with Club 100 in their 2-stroke karts www.club100.co.uk

Anyway If anybody goes to a good circuit or feels like I have missed on out - please let me know.

Tuesday 21 August 2007

Need a name for Buckmore


Need a name for racing at Buckmore. Now let me think!! ...............

Sunday 12 August 2007

PFi:Sunday 100 - 'Woofians'

100 Lap endurance Team; 'Woofians'
Members; Steve Woodhall , Amanda Black, Kev Singh


Location - PFi
Date - 12/08/07
Weather - Sunny/Warm
Team Qualification - 7th Place
100 Lap Race Finished - 6th position
Best Lap - 53.24



One Final Word - 'Pansy!'

Thursday 2 August 2007

Promotional Material


I am including some old promotional material that Annabelle (my sister) created for me for the Formula Woman Championship 2006. I just thought it was to good an opportunity to miss.


Sunday 22 July 2007

Mixed race at PFi - Round 5

Weather - Cloudy/Sunny/Warm
Qualification - 4th Place
Race One - 9th position - Best Lap - 52.52 (2nd fastest)
Race Two - 9th position - Best Lap - 52.50 (2nd fastest)
Overall finishing position - 10th Place

Current Championship Standing - 5th position

Ironman 20 – PPiK, Leeds – 3rd Place – Sat 21st July

A 20 minute solo race
Qualification – 4th – 43.574
Finishing position – 3rd – 42.812

Saturday 21 July 2007

Success in Open Endurance Race - Leeds



2Hr Endurance Team; Steve Woodall, Kev Singh, Amanda Black
Location; PPiK, Leeds
Date; 21/07/07

Today I travelled up with my father in the pouring rain to Leeds. When is this weather going to get any better?! After getting to the circuit very easily, thanks from the help from TomTom (and Steve) we signed on and commenced in a circuit walk. This circuit as a great Bridge and Blind Entrance Tunnel (Where loads of people spin and cause big pile ups – not me of course!). This was followed by a safety briefing where we drew our starting positions from a hat. Luckily Steve got Number 14! (There was 15 karts in the race) meaning we had to start off from 2nd to last. Steve went out first and was fighting his way through the traffic, he did an amazing job, getting the team to the very front. Then it was my turn. No pressure! The team was in first and I had never been round the circuit before! Lovely. Really didn’t want to let guys down or give women a bad name! I learnt the circuit quite quickly and was doing good racing laps. I managed to keep it out in the lead until I got black flagged (I was later told it was driving to fast under yellow conditions, but I was going slower than the guy in front and I thought the guy behind me was catching – but never mind – no excuses!!). I was able to post my fastest lap time of 42.5. seconds. Time for Kev to jump in and do a 20 minute stint, keeping the kart in first position and obtaining the teams’ fastest lap of the afternoon 42.1 seconds. I jumped in again for a last stint still in first and kev completed the 2 hour endurance to bring the kart home in first.

Well done to all the other teams that took part - A great race – I thoroughly enjoyed it. Thank you very much Steve for inviting me and risking putting a female in your team!!

Friday 20 July 2007

Welcome to Amanda's Racing Journal

It is hoped that this will become an addition to my website. As it has not been that easy to keep updating the pages. (I'm currently doing it on the cheap i.e free so hosting the website doesn't cost that much but uploading the material on to it takes ages).

Anyway this is going to be my new log of motor racing. Mostly my own personal racing and may be if I ever get the time to comment on the pro's! I am currently racing in an arrive and drive championship at PFi, Newark this season and of course playing and having fun in anything else i can get my hands on!!


Right well I'm currently looking forward to racing at Leeds Indoor Circuit 'Pole Position' (http://www.ppik.net/) tomorrow (21st July) where they are doing a Race and Rock Night. I'm competing in a 2 hour endurance with 2 guys that I have meet racing at PFi. Ive never been to the circuit and haven't been to an indoor circuit in a while.

Very much looking forward to it and I'll try and log on to let you know how I get on. Bye for now