Drifting, Drifting, Drifting, Drift Practice at Arena Essex. I headed up the M11 for some more drifting fun at 5:30pm, a little later then I wanted to. Traffic was heavy & slow moving but cleared up when I got on the M25.
The time was now 6:15pm & I was nearly there but as I was slowing down I noticed a heavy clicking from the rear end…..Oh no, sounded like the diff, a broken or chipped gear? Hmmm, should I turn back now or take a chance……
Oh yes, take a chance, I reckoned. I didn’t come all this way to turn back now, if it gets worse I will stop, just hope the diff doesn’t lock up or I will be in the shit!
Coming of the roundabout at Arena Essex & who was parked up & waiting? The slags in blue. They have a bad name around here, giving grief & fines to law abiding drifters and boy racers!
As I drove passed them they pulled out behind me & followed me up to the next roundabout to the Arena Go Kart entrance, I was thinking fuck off & just let me go Drifting! Oh yeah, they just carried straight on, result!
Parked up & ran upstairs to the bar to sign in. Name & number. T Dirte`, 169! Now down to the pits and tape the lights up! It was now very near to darkness & the place was packed…
Joined the queue and set up the GoPro action cam. The queue was long, after 2 runs It would be my turn. Not quite, the f`ing tractor was out wetting the track! As I was waiting with the engine running, the revs suddenly dropped and the engine spluttered for a second or 2, Bollocks petrol pump, don’t you give up on me just yet!
Finally we were waved on to the Arena, I was feeling the groove almost straight away, holding some good drifts. It wasn’t a great run as a lot of people were spinning of, haha like me when I started but it was pissing me of a bit! I was holding back on the transitions but enjoyed my 1st run.
The 2nd run was better but about half way through it, I noticed that the Beamer was losing power, holding back & spluttering, gradually getting worse, damn you petrol pump! I made the best of the rest of the run.
I wasn’t finished just yet, I had a plan B! I had been aware the pump was on its way out so I had brought a spare with me. Parked the Beamer up in the darkness of the pits, and started removing the pump, with a torch and a few tools.
It wasn’t to be plain sailing though, when removing the petrol pipe, which usually has quite a bit of pressure & yes it did. F`ing petrol squirted everywhere, I was ready for it though and had my eyes shut. Good job as it did squirt my eye & a little petrol seeped in.
Ahhhhhh, Bollocks, it only took a tiny bit of petrol & my eye was burning up, flushed it out with a bottle of water straight away! Still had a bit of red eye though. Eye was sore & watering for about half an hour but not enough to deter me!
Carried on refitting the pump & now the f`ing hose clip on the petrol pipe broke……..thank god for cable ties, put 3 on tightly as a temporary measure, which done the Job! Fired the beast up & the engine revved nice & sounded crisper.
This petrol pump I fitted had given problems before, a cheap eBay pump. It would cut out going around roundabouts or long right hand bends fast, due to the pick up pipe been about an Inch higher then the original but I had plenty juice in the tank so fingers crossed it would be ok!
It was getting late now as I rejoined the queue. I was hoping for 2 more runs but it looked like it would only be one more.
Out on track for my 3rd run and the Beamer was going well until the 3rd lap where, yes you guessed it, the fucker would cut out at the end of or mid drift. I carried on regardless & enjoyed what time I had left.
Got back to the pits & removed the tape from the lights & was going to watch the end of the drift practice. I was parked by Jodie Rasburns car, looking pretty battered after its run in with an E46 BMW that she had rammed. Her dad who owns & runs Rayleigh Tyres was there packing up & I got chatting to him.
Great bloke, a man who drifts just for the fun of it. I asked him about Norfolk Arena & the video & pics of him & Jodie drifting. He said it was really good, they were there testing the new car they got, a Jap car, Nissan S14 200sx!
He said the people at Norfolk Arena are so friendly, bringing cakes around the pits to every one. Not like the Arena Essex, he said you go to chat to some people around here & they are like, What the Fuck do you want…..Hahaha
We had a laugh & then he was of to the bar for a lager, hmmm I was tempted but better not 😉 I thought I need to get to Norfolk Arena soon as the track is dry & there seems to be at least some run off area there, soon, very soon…..
Just one more drift practice left now at Arena Essex. 🙁