What have I got myself in for? I’ve been seduced by the idea that entering the MX-5 Scholarship for next season is actually a really cool thing to do. On hearing this, I had an invite from Ady and his MX-5 Car Club mates to go and see the MaX5 Championship finals at Snetterton which is the exact series I could be racing in next year.

Somehow, call it Girlracer charm, I managed to wangle an MX-5 driving lesson out of Ady which I think he soon regretted after I nearly rear ended an MX-5 on route to Snetterton whilst getting used to the softer brakes. Oops! Queue a white as a sheet Ady who started gripping his knees and pressing down on an imaginary brake pedal. Poor sod. I can happily say my driving lesson improved hugely and my what a sight it was joining the other 30 pristinely shiny MX-5s in convoy.

The identical race prepared Mk1 1600cc MX-5s in the MaX5 Championship are stripped right down to the bare minimum with just the suspension and tyres altered from a standard road car, allowing the racing to come down to pure driver skill and technique. There was certainly no holding back in these races, with mental sneaky inside manoeuvres and competitions to see who could out brake each other at tricky tail happy bends such as the Esses and Russell. These MX-5s are even reputed to be quicker around the track than a Porsche 965!

2004 MaX5 Champion, Christian Dick fought a fantastic battle with Martin Byford leaving the crowd holding their breath as both jostled between first and second place. Swopping places on nearly every lap of the first tense competitive race of the day, it was Byford that came out on tops to be crowned 2005 MaX5 Champion, but only by a margin of 2 points. 2004’s MX-5 Scholarship winner Andy Cakebread proved that the racing tuition and expert guidance he received through the scholarship had rubbed off on him after gaining a sixth place in race one and a third in race two. Coming fourth overall in the 2005 MaX5 Championship is a real achievement for him.

It was good to see that teaching assistant Paula Sheard was representing the ladies within this male dominated race series and was doing mighty fine gaining a 15th then 19th place out of 30 during the race day. She doesn’t feel she is treated any differently for being the only female and by her enthusiasm it was obvious she really enjoyed the racing!

It’s now been proved to me that you’ve gotta have balls to race in the MaX5 Championship. I’ll have a lot to learn through the scholarship scheme, but if I get through I’m sure to grow some imaginary balls by then…now that just leaves me to convince Ady to let me have a few more driving lessons…(!)

Sezza