Things had just got serious. This was the last qualifying day for the MX-5 Scholarship and the final chance to really impress the racing instructors, as only 50 people would be chosen to go through to the semi-finals in two week’s time.

Surprisingly, I was rather calm and actually looking forward to getting out on track. The competitors who thought they would be sneaky and get some extra tuition in at Teesside Autodrome before the second round rumoured to have cost them £200 were to be disappointed as, just to throw us all, the instructors decided to get us to drive around the circuit anti-clockwise. To top it all, they threw in an extra temporary slalom made out of tyre walls at the end of the 90mph straight. This certainly made for several brown trouser moments.

I was allocated to the first group this time to prove our driving skills once again and show we had listened to the advice given by the instructor from the first round. I had an intensive 40-minute racing session out on track along with five other competitors but this time with a new racing instructor, James Wilson. After each lap I got progressively faster as my confidence grew, braking later into bends and utilising all of the racing line. During each lap I was given constant feedback from James and suggestions on how to be smoother, more consistent and use all the revs in each gear – up to 6000 – before changing down, otherwise he said I would lose time. Although James would not admit it, I am sure he had a stop-watch and was writing down my lap times on his clipboard.

Just as the race car had lulled me into a false sense of security on my 15th lap, I locked the brakes up on the main straight just before the tyre wall slalom to stop myself rear-ending a slower driver on track. Queue huge clouds of tyre smoke bellowing into the cabin and up through the footwells and then a very pale faced James who suggested that I should rather rapidly take my foot off the brake, which stopped the skid. It was definitely a hair-raising moment and made the spectators look up, but at the same time tonnes of fun. And, of course I had Sezza-erised the circuit and left two huge thick black skid marks. Cool!

This near incident did not deter me from pushing on, in fact it made me more determined to concentrate on the track ahead and produce more consistent laps knowing when to put the power on out of the bends and when best to lift off through the chicanes. I actually found myself enjoying the experience the more I settled down, which was helped hugely by James giving me the thumbs up whenever I got a tricky second gear corner right.

Driving the race-prepared Mk1 MX-5 was, without a doubt, like learning to drive all over again as even the hand moments on the steering wheel are different. The only similarity to driving a road car is controlling it in the same way with a clutch, brake and accelerator. But even then, after further tuition, the team behind this scholarship claim to be able to teach us how to heel and toe.

After my racing stint, my legs were like jelly when getting out of the MX-5 and my head felt close to exploding after the pressure of wearing a racing helmet all that time. But, I still had a huge grin on my face. There was not much time to ponder on how I did, as I was rapidly summoned along with the rest of the group to a racing tactics and mental preparation talk by host Graeme Whitehead.

“Race attitude is the most important thing before and during a race,” said Graeme to the wide-eyed audience. “You can easily lose a race before you go out on circuit with a lack of self-confidence. Instead, deal with the other racing competitors by intimidating them.” In fact, Graeme modestly put it into context what it is like to be lined up ready for a race, waiting for the five-second board, then for the lights to go green. “It’s a huge adrenalin rush, where the first few corners become basic survival because there’s no racing line at this stage. Look ahead and plan what you’re going to do next and stick to it.” He added. Thinking about it, my tactics would be to close my eyes and floor it. I wouldn’t be driving a Scoobie so I should be alright(!)

Furthermore, Graeme let us into the secret world of strange habits that racing drivers develop just before a race. Whereas he would stick to wearing his ‘lucky pants’ at each race meet, (black boxers I believe) he often watches a fellow competitor squeeze his roll cage – yes that was roll cage girlies - whilst on the racing grid, as if to reassure himself that it is still there. Andy Cakebread, last year’s MX-5 Scholarship winner always wears his racing gloves inside out. It sounds like racing drivers are a suspicious lot!

Last year, the team behind the MX-5 Scholarship ran just one qualifying round but soon realised that this was not enough for competitors to really shine, which is why this year they decided to run two qualifying sessions. Although the team behind the scholarship were very good at not giving the game away or any clue as to whom they were keen on, it was clear that they already had behind the scenes discussions about a few potential MAX5 Championship racers and some whose aggressive competitiveness may go against them. Graeme candidly talked about one pro-karter in particular who was clearly riled after being beaten by a girl in the first round’s go-karting race. Graeme said: “I swiftly corrected him by saying no, you weren’t beaten by a girl, you were beaten by a better driver.” I caught the same guy throwing his dummy and all his toys out of the pram in the café after his racing stint. It seems he wasn’t happy that the instructor wouldn’t let him drive the way he wanted to. Lets hope he won’t be one of the ones getting through!

I left Teesside Autodrome this time on a high with adrenalin still pumping through my veins and the attitude that it would be brilliant if I did succeed and was chosen for the semi-finals, but if I wasn’t one of the lucky ones I would at least be a knowledgeable pub quiz partner on the topic of motorsport and race car dynamics. I did wonder though, would the cost of a new set of front tyres go against me? Luckily not. I heard four days later that I had made it through to the semi’s and had to peel myself off the ceiling due to the excitement!

Sezza