2007
Kelly Rogers Racing
Round 1 Silverstone 7th
April
The start of the 2007 Mini Miglia Championship, with the first meeting held over the Easter Bank holiday the mood was relaxed but everyone was itching to get back in the seat of there race cars. With the qualifying and race set for a busy Saturday, Kelly drove up to Silverstone Friday morning with a test session booked for the afternoon just to give the car a good shakedown after the winter lay off. Kelly was happy with the car, a few minor tweaks had been done over the winter and they proved to be the right way in terms of the car handling ability.
Saturday morning and the sun was warm and bright as the car was pushed to the scruitineering bay, Kelly was relaxed and in good form. Qualifying was a different matter, Kelly pulled out onto the circuit and started to warm up his tyres to hopefully push the car to its limit to get a good position on the grid for the race later on today. After 2 laps Kelly put his head down and was buzzing as the car did exactly what he asked for, lap 3 completed and already a time in the 1:08's was recorded. Lap 4 and Kelly came down the back straight flat out, leaving his braking later than before trying to push the car to its very limit. As he started to brake hard the back of the car started to hop as the suspension was working hard trying to cope with the forces of slowing the car and turning at the same time. The car got totally out of shape so Kelly had to straighten up and head for the gravel trap, no harm done, just a bit of driver pride and lots of gravel and dust to clean out the car. Kelly as always smiling and happy even though he only did 3 laps but his time of 1:08.766 was good enough to put him 2nd on the grid for the race.
The time now approached 15.35 pm as the cars finished there parade lap to form up on the grid, Lights on red, then out and go. Kelly and Sollis side by side raced up to the first corner with neither side giving an inch. Kelly is so fast into copse corner that even though he is on the outside he doesn't lift his foot off the gas and then sets himself up to take the lead going into Beckets. Down the back straight for the first time, slow in and then hard through the complex to sweep past the grandstand holding off a gaggle of cars. The bunch of cars at the front were all pulling the same on performance so driver ability and being a quick thinker always helps. Laps 2 & 3 were good for Kelly still leading the bunch, lap 4 and Hack out broke Kelly into the complex to take the lead, this battle raged for laps 5 & 6. Lap 7 saw Kelly pushed down to third as Owens drove round the outside of both Kelly and Hack into the complex to take the lead. The drivers and cars were making the crowds sit up as they swapped places every lap from the front 3 right down to the last place dices. Lap 8 and Kelly pushed himself up to 2nd again, lap 9 he was now in the lead, lap 10 down to 4th, what an amazing race this was and with 2 laps still to go. Lap 11 and the top 5 cars were all together, Kelly still sitting in 4th waiting to pounce at any time, the start of the last lap, 4 wide across the start/finish line as the last lap show had begun. As the pack of cars headed for the complex for the last time Kelly made his move trying to out brake and then go wide around the outside of this amazing gaggle of battling cars. As the cars came out of the complex Kelly was in 2nd place trying to get maximum grip for the quick dash to the finish line to try and out drag Hack who was just in front of Kelly. Over the line went the first 5 cars only separated by 1 second!! Kelly couldn't quite get the finish line first being beaten by only 0.111 of a second over the line.
A fantastic race, roll on Snetterton if the racing is going to be that good all year!
Round 1
Silverstone
