Season summary 2014

Start on a positive note

I need to first of all thank our fantastic sponsors for their support and believing that we can. The first picture shows a good moment from this season. We had pole position at Rudskogen in June, after an 8th place finish the race before. My first pole position so far in my career. An amazing experience that was short lived, unfortunatley. At the first corner 4 cars went outside of the track driving straight in the corner instead of going around the actutal corner. This combined with being hit from behind multiple times, sent me further back straight away. As we got to to the next corner I was hit and sent off the track.

My first pole position so far in my career.

Interview after my first pole position race. Frustrated!

A rough start

I feel that this is where we already got behind, from the day's leading up to the first race. People change, and I respect that of course but I can't help feeling grief over loosing people in the team that have been very important to me. Every team member is equally important. Yes, the driver is more visible and often a representative for the team but everyone knows that it is the importance of each team member that leads to success.

I feel that this is where we already got behind, from the day's leading up to the first race.

One of my long-term mechanics left the team a while before the season started this year due to personal reasons. I had time to recover from this loss, and he still is one of my closest friends. Our chief mechanic of the team and our 2 new mechanics were motivated and ready for the season to start. It's so important for a driver to feel that the team is happy and ready to make the best out of a new season. There is so much preparation during the winter, and the hours spent collecting sponsor funds and making sure that everything is ready.

Unfortunatley right before the start of the season our chief mechanic couldn't join us for the Danish races. This is ultimatley a direct consequence of having a team that is based on volunteer work, and priorities in life can change. However what we do is based on passion, on a dream that we all wanted. At least that's what I thought. I realize know that is was naive of me to think like this, and I respect his choices.

However what we do is based on passion, on a dream that we all wanted.

Looking back I realise that all of this left me sad and I struggled to keeps the teams spirit up. For the first race I was going with 2 new and very excited mechanics, and they had a driver that was insecure and struggling with recent events. We managed to get hold of experienced Danish mechanic, and luckily Thomas was able to join us for the first 2 race weekends as support more than anything else. Little did the new guys know how tough it was going to be. Getting off to a rough start, left us unable to catch up and the season became a struggle.

Memories last forever. They are the reason I am where I am today.

Good moments

I know how important it is to turn things in to something positive. I look back know and see what a good job everyone did despite that things didn't quite go as we planned. We achieved several good results, one pole position and once again completed almost every race of the season. Our new mechanics Ole-martin and Lars went from being rookie race mechanics to become more experienced and better under pressure. I am very thank full for all their help and of course Kasper who took charge and kept us together. Thomas and Ole Johnny did their best to help when they could and of course Anders & Øyvind Ringstad who helped us out at several races this year. It wouldn't have happened without them, and the help of many others. I see of course that everyone want's to help and do the best they can. In this series and with the professionalism of the other teams, it's so down to detail, carefull planning and dedication to be able to fight for a good result.

Another huge contributor to great moments in 2014 is Motorsport for life. Being an ambassador and meeting these fantastic children at every race weekend keeps me smiling for weeks on end. Their struggles are so much greater than mine, but still they are so happy coming to the track, sitting in the car and getting stickers, signed posters and pictures. It takes so little to make them smile, and I hope to do more for them in 2015.

Their struggles are so much greater than mine, but still they are so happy coming to the track

Results 2014:

2nd place NTCC(Norwegian Thunder Car Championship).
15th DTC(Danish Thundersport Championship). didn't compete in all races
Best race result: 7th overall
New PB at Rudskogen: 1.30,1
1st pole position. Rudskogen, June 2014.

2015

Evalutating and looking at how I can improve as I driver, I know that things need to be different for 2015. I need to somehow not have as much responiblity for everything and everyone, and to come prepared for every race with the right mind-set. Up until now I have been the team manager and organiser of everything. This has left me exhausted, stressed and worried going into every weekend. Progression has therefore been minimal this season. And I guess some seasons will feel like that, and others will be better. I am doing all I can at the moment to ensure that 2015 will be the best it can be.