Daytona CEO Charles Graham received a call up from TrackTime Solutions to join their 2016 Birkett 6hr race team.
The Birkett 6 Hour Relay Race is a unique event, with 70 teams each comprising three or more cars racing around the iconic Silverstone circuit. The Daytona veteran had not driven in a motor race in anger in some 20 years so was keen to test the Radical SR3 RS before the race which was held on the Silverstone Grand Prix circuit on 21st October 2016.
We then lost a couple of places when our team’s Lotus Exige went out. It was lapping slower than the two Radicals and unfortunately we got a stop and go penalty for overtaking under yellow flags. The team decided to pull the Lotus in and send Phill back out to make up some time. I was told to be ready in the car as I would be out again next. On Phill’s return I went back out on circuit in second place. I held second but could not make up the two laps we were now down on the leaders. I drove for another 50 minutes at good pace until Ed Brand my engineer came on the radio asking me to pit. Phill went back out and was then followed by Neil.
At about 5hrs 49 mins into the race and, with 11 minutes remaining, the team spotted a problem with the other car and told me to get ready to go out and take the chequered flag once the other car arrived back in the pits. For some reason the other Radical was stopped further down the pitlane by one of the officials and I wasn’t allowed to take to the circuit until the other car arrived at our pit and at that moment the chequered flag went out and the pit exit was closed. We had secured second place. I must thank the team, the organisers, the officials and marshals who put on an amazing event. We will be back in 2017 for the Birkett and looking for a win.”
The TrackTime Solutions Team (Charles Graham R)