Impreza 1.4 Turbo

22/06/2026

In car of timed run 2 - my pb run, and new 3B record.

On timed run 1 I set an 80.1 on medium boost no launch control - so for T2 it was full boost, all the toys on trying to dip into the 79's... yep was definitely happy with the outcome 🙂

"Impreza 1.4 Turbo" For all details of the car and my events - fin...

21/06/2026

Top weekend at Mallory Park - new 3B record, 77.47 🙂

First tintop

01/06/2026

Here's how not to do a lap of Pembrey Club circuit!!

https://youtu.be/pmoazCaFvhk?si=ZL0E2t1TfLiXoLGY

Looking at the logs, it seems I may have dodged a bullet when buzzing the engine downshifting to 2nd instead of 4th... max rpm seen was 8k5, well within spec... phew

"Impreza 1.4 Turbo" - full car spec and blog on FacebookMessy run with a moment exiting Woodlands, leading to a missed gear into Honda. Trying too hard to pu...

31/05/2026

From Aintree to Pembrey this weekend, another round for all 3 of the HSA - The Hillclimb & Sprint Association Championships.

Today was the Club Circuit, target time was 129.7 for max Speed Championship points - straight off the trailer for first practice I decided on medium boost and no LC, posting a 133.3 - I wasn't sure by how much full boost would improve that, but I did have lag in the very first hairpin in 2nd gear, so I decided upon 1st for the next run.

Timed run 1 - bonus was that my shift light decided to enter Pembrey too, despite its noticeable absence from the day before. Full boost, LC on I had a good launch, put a good lap together, much better in the hairpin, also a decent line through the club chicane section, also much better grip exiting Club now the tyres have had a heat cycle (and the fairly quick turnaround between runs). Full commitment through the kink on the back straight, a good line and speed through Honda, decent spot of brakes into the hairpin but left a bit of margin - now kept it to 2nd gear now the tyres are gripped up and can carry more cornerspeed, so minimal lag - the 2nd pass through Club felt better, but front left now crying enough...! Decent exit of the tricky final corner - over the line to post a 127.07 😎

Well chuffed with that, job done for the Speed Championship. Now to do it all again for T2 and the extra points for the Leaders and Challenge Championships.

However T2 was to be after lunch, and also after a support race that was sharing the circuit..so 2 hours between T1 and T2. A decent start, but could feel the lack of grip on the stone cold Kumho tyres, at the intermediate sector I was 0.6 down on my T1 time, but that was the least of my worries.. approaching Honda its a slight dab of brakes and a downshift into 4th - I hit the gate on downshift, then got 2nd 🤦‍♂️ so momentarily buzzing the engine as I realised and quickly dipped the clutch..got 4th, lost loads of time, but thankfully didn't lose the engine - power still there so I tramped on looking for max Leaders points, but alas not to be, I carried good speed into the braking zone for the Club chicane, but out braked myself, locked up over the bump and went straight on into the very generous tarmac runoff area. Got it back on track, and made sure I completed the lap at a pace that didn't cause a red flag.

And that was it for the day, car and driver had had enough of a very long weekend!

My T1 time was 18th Overall - including the National BSC event.

Regarding the inter event (i.e. ignoring the 10 National runners) I was 8th Overall, fastest tintop and fastest production car of the day, New class record, plus unoffically (by my research - and happy to be corrected) the fastest time recorded by a series production

30/05/2026

Mission accomplished 🙂 mega pleased to have claimed the Liverpool Motor Club 3B record at Aintree today - a record that has stood for over 25 years 😮

Weather was sunny all day - too hot to be ideal for the turbo cars, but I'll take these conditions everytime over a damp track..

Gear ratios aren't ideal for this particular layout, its either 3 more gear changes exiting the corners, or a bit of lag exiting those same corners - but a happy compromise based on datalogs got the job done - my best time of 47.65 beating the previous record by 0.39 😎

Adding to the 3B record at Barbon, thats the full set for LMC - and with the Anglesey 3B records - this seasons targets are done 🙂

With the jeopardy of weather affecting Championship target times - anything else is a bonus, however - weather is playing ball at the moment 🤞

17/05/2026

Day 2 at Blyton and this time its the Outer Circuit - I had 3 target times to aim for:

HSA max points time 72.53
Unofficial 3B record (researching multiple club results) 70.52
My PB when the car was at the peak of its roadgoing capability (2124cc 500hp and 130kg heavier) 67.45

However overnight rain had left the track damp in places, with standing water in the odd braking zone and apex's, so 1st Practice was taken at low boost, avoiding the puddles and also learning the gears for the 2 chicanes - super chuffed to post a 73.5, lets hope the day stays dry - weather reports suggested rain due at 1pm, so I was planning the day on just 2 timed runs, slicks were on from the off, no luxury of easing myself into the day today.

Timed run 1 - full send, max boost LC on, lets see what we've got - confidence was high since the puddles noted when walking the track at 8am had turned to damp/wet patches for my practise run - then watching the BSC single seaters take the damp apex flat on their 1st timed run meant the track would be dry for my attempt 15 mins later... also bonus was the shift light fixed itself after the 1st chicane 🙂 then decdided to fail after the 2nd chicane 😬 A decent run, launch OK , 9 tenths everywhere letting the extra power find the second I need for HSA target... to post a 69.48 was a proper bonus, 3B record in the bag

https://youtu.be/j57_vj9RjRQ

T2 and I'm not sure I could find another 2 seconds to beat my pb - with the narrow powerband my gears are 1 lower for the chicanes and also Bishops and Bunga bunga, so that means an extra 4 changes at least compared to the much torquier 2.1.

So I try the 1st chicane one gear higher, Bishops one gear higher - and a bit more commitment exiting bunga bunga - so much so I needed 5th before the final corner (but hit the gate so it never engaged) - over the line its a 67.70 - super happy with that!

9th Overall in the Interclub event
Fastest tintop
Unofficial quickest recorded

Blyton Sprint - Outer circuit Impreza 1.4 Turbo

16/05/2026

https://youtu.be/k6Yr21t9bzA

Great start to a full weekend at Blyton Park Circuit competing in all 3 HSA - The Hillclimb & Sprint Association Championships. Target was the current 3B record - which due to the nature of a majority of sprint venues being hired by multiple MUK clubs - is not the work of a moment.. However research suggests a time to beat is 76.79

Practice 1 I decided to go straight for medium boost - track was dusty and rather slippy in the first sector - especially where the Rallycross section crosses the track... so to put in a high 77s lap was encouraging.

New track rod ends and replacing other worn droplinks cured the steering issue from Shelsley, many thanks Steven Darley for getting the job done at such short notice - full geo check too and the car felt spot on.

T1, medium boost still but now with launch control - still on the kumhos I managed to get the job done with a 74.54

T2 and now onto slicks, lets see how far we can push the record on - still medium boost - but my shift light decided to fail, back to looking down at rev counter on the display and using my ears... the lower rolling diameter of the slick tyres were a disavantage - needed a mini upchange in places... but despite this the extra grip pushed my time to 73.49 😎

After lunch, T3 lets try full boost - but a missed gear and being a tad conservative through the diminishing parabolica set a 73.81 as seen in the Youtube clip

Job done - Class win, maximum HSA Speed Championship points and (unofficially) quickest recorded MUK

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03/05/2026

Full weekend and 2 events competing at the BARC Midlands Speed Championship. Decent haul of points by beating the target time both days (the reset time on Saturday was the new time to beat on Sunday)

Managed a 33.5 on the Saturday, then a 32.9 on the Sunday - driver a bit rusty , last time I was at the venue was in 2021

In car is from my 2nd run up the hill early on the Saturday, new tarmac still lacking grip from the overnight rain in the esses, much respect given in that section, plus still finding correct gear for Kennel - 2nd was used for the rest of the event.

Unfortunately the car developed a knocking noise when getting on the brakes, plus steering wheel went out of centre on the straight ahead (on return to paddock) - so withdrew from final timed run on Sunday. Remote diagnosis from Steven suggests possible worn track rod end(s) - full diagnosis to follow

https://youtu.be/lgYUAyGDRpo?si=LvjWWf_QSE9Tq9nd

27/04/2026

Glorious day at Goodwood on Saturday- in ideal weather conditions the target for the day was the push the HSA - The Hillclimb & Sprint Association Class record on by 3% to score maximum points for the Speed Championship.

Practise 1 was on low boost, I managed to just achieve the target time straight off the trailer, well chuffed, now to turn it into a timed run.

Timed run 1 on medium boost, I knew I just had to replicate the practise run and the extra power will help lower the time - and a 8/10 banker lap was enough to get the job done, despite some rusty lines at the start of the lap and a confidence lift at Fordwater.

Super happy with the time - it was a case of managing a championship(s) season, no launch control or slicks this weekend - max attack at this venue will be for another day.

Goodwood April 2026 90 10