LAST-MINUTE FIX BOOSTS HAIR D’ S CHANCES
Points leader eager to kick start 2018 running. by Matt james
Reigning National Hot Rod World Final winner Chris Haird only unloaded his Vauxhall Tigra B from its race transporter last week.
The National Hot Rod mid-season break began in November 2017, and he hadn’t touched the race car in the intervening months. The dust will be firmly blown off the cars at Birmingham Wheels on Saturday night.
It was a good job Haird was reacquainted with his car too: a test at Foxhall Heath in Ipswich last weekend revealed that there was work to be done if he wants to maintain his position at the head of the points chase.
“I have been so busy I haven’t had any time to spend on the car,” said Haird. “It is just as well we ran at Ipswich though: we found that we had a bent axle and there was a small issue with the brakes too.
“We had a spill at Ipswich last year, in the penultimate round before the break. We scrambled to put the car back together in time for the last meeting at Hednesford, which we won, but there was still something wrong with it. After running last weekend, we have realised that the axle was damaged.”
With that rectified, Haird will go into the second half of the season with renewed vigour. He is the only twotime meeting final winner in the 2017/2018 contest, which will finish at Aldershot on June 10, but knows the job is only half done.
“I just need to make sure I finish all the rounds – consistency will be the key,” says Haird, who has won the English points on five straight occasions.
He only missed out on a chance of battling for another success in 2016/2017 when illness struck just days before the Northampton showdown and rival Kym Weaver scooped the honours.
“When you look at the drivers who are behind me in the title chase, you can’t really count any of them out,” adds Haird. “Billy Wood is behind me and Carl WallerBarrett. They will keep the pressure on, and you have guys like Shane Bland coming back out for Birmingham too. The threats are coming from all angles.”
After the season finishes at Aldershot on June 10, the top 17 in the English points will join racers from around the globe in the World Final at Ipswich on July 7/8.