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The 2009 XK Championship

Season Review By John Davies Roberts

A very different Racing Season with me in the Racing and the Coaching Seat!

Having sold the XK150 in January to Read Gomm, I was invited to co-drive it for the 2009 race season. This was a wonderful opportunity to continue to race while I was building my new XK140 and also to help Read with learning the skills of motor racing, as he had never raced before.

With Steve at every meeting to support us with his data logging equipment, together with my camcorder footage, I began to coach Read in learning his race-craft. After each event, I would download and assess the film footage and write a Race Report for the event and mail it to him with the DVD footage.

I must say that I enjoyed every minute of this new role I had found for myself and continued to enjoy each race.

My rule of thumb meant that because Read now owns the XK, he should start each race. This was rather throwing him to the lions, but motor racing is not for the faint-hearted and he did really well. He stayed out of trouble and didn’t gain in ‘Dings’ to the car.

The best thing was that we finished every race, i.e. no DNF’s (Did Not Finish). Obviously, Read was going to start the season more tentatively being the new boy on the block, but by the end of the year he was definitely getting the hang of it.

The net result was that we (jointly) finished 6th in Class ‘C’ and, from literally a standing start which was one heck of an achievement.

We even finished the last race at Mallory Park with a very bad initial misfire that did improve as the race went on, but we were very down on power. It transpired that once the engine was stripped in November that the piston rings had broken on number 5 cylinder! It just goes to show how robust the old Jaguar 6 cylinder XK engine was and still is.

Finally, I can only say a big thank you to everyone who made our success a reality and, it is a testament to the hard work everyone put in including Steve Andrew from Applied Software Solutions and to Read for allowing me to drive ‘HIS’ new baby, to Roger and Chris Gage for snapping some excellent photographs and to Gary and Helen at MWS for their continued support of me.

See you all again in 2010, when the season starts once more but this time I will be driving my spanking new Jaguar XK140 Fixed Head Coupe, this time with a 3.4 Litre engine.

My regards to those who read my diatribes and all MWS customers for your loyal support of the company and its products and services!

Have a very Happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year!

John D R.