By Trevor Jackson
IT will be a big weekend for current Legend of the Lakes hill climb champion Dan Day as he looks to chase yet another record – or two.
Day has claimed the last five Legends in a row to equal Mount Gambier’s Peter Gazzard of five on the trot, while setting the course record along the way.
This year he hopes to drive his Subaru WRX STi to a new course record and claim his sixth straight win.
While a course record is a big call, with the current time of 49.89 seconds set in 2017.
Since then weather has not played its part, while the simple confines of the public road and car technology are close to the limit.
However, after such success at the Valley Lakes venue, it provides a real challenge for Day.
If that is not enough, Day will again be joined by his grandfather Anthony Day in his Saleen Mustang, while this father Sean will return in a special Subaru WRX STi 22B.
Of course, top of the list for Dan Day will be the outright win and new record.
“That is the aim,” he said.
“It is always the aim when we go there to get another one in the bag, so we will see how we go.”
True to form Day has not sat on his hands since last year’s Legend, with the car now refreshed to provide a bit more power and reliability, along with some new tyres he hopes will provide that slight edge.
“We used the first half of the year to give the car a rebuild which it was due for,” he said.
“We pulled the engine out and freshened it up … from the data from the previous events it was just a bit tired.
“We gave it a refresh and put some bigger cams in it, plus we went to through the gearbox as well.
“Hopefully it will respond well.”
The smallest margins can be the difference between a course record and just another run, so everything must go to plan.
Day has plans this year to make up a bit more time, with the improvements to the car just a part of it.
“I think the main place on the track I want to improve is the first third,” he said.
“I always feel there is more to be had in that first tight area before the tyres come up to temp.
“I am hoping these new tyres, which I have never driven on before, might give me the edge and be on straight away, then not be gooey up the top.”
That also comes with risk.
Push too hard, too early and it can all turn pear-shaped, with permanent barriers at the bottom of the course menacing at speed.
Be too conservative and time ticks by.
“It is a quick run up the hill, 50-or-so seconds,” Day said.
“A lot happens in a short amount of time, so at the start you really have to think about when the tyres are on and how hard you can push.
“You don’t want to be waiting and giving away time because you are worried your tyres aren’t up to temp but obviously you can push too hard and go over the edge.
“It is a fine line, feeling through the seat of your pants when your tyres are on.
“It comes with experience and time in the car.”
Time in the seat is another issue faced by many hill-climb drivers, more-so since the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, Day said he used a recent run at The Bend Motorsport Park to good effect, claiming the win but more importantly putting the car through its paces with the changes made.
“We did an event at The Bend called The Bend Classic at the start of September,” he said.
“We managed to claim the win there against some pretty serious competitive cars … a bunch of GT cars – Lambos, Ferraris and Audi GT cars.
“We were on par with them in the wet and dry, then in the shootout we managed to just get them.”
Day said the car was currently at its best after the freshen up, which bodes well for a new course record.
“At the moment the car is the best it has ever been with engine performance,” he said.
“We replaced some gears so it is as reliable and fast as it has ever been and we improved a few other little areas.
“The car has been good in the past and has speed, but we are always looking for that little bit more each year and improving the performance and reliability.
“It paid off at The Bend which was a good shake down for this event.”
As for the family connection, Anthony will run his usual Mustang which certainly turns heads, while Sean’s 1998 model WRX is a new build, harking back to the halcyon days of the Subaru brand.
“Dad has entered in a new car, a Subaru 22B,” Dan said.
“He has kept it as a tarmac-rally oriented car and I think it will still be competitive.
“He last ran there around 2012 and used to finish in the top three.
“It will be good for him to get back out there and get in the swing of it.
“With the WRC-style livery it will look and sound the goods.
“With my grandfather there as well it will be good to have all three generations racing.”
It makes for a special weekend for the Day family, one they look forward to each year.
“For us the Legend of the Lakes is our main event for the year, the one we really focus on,” Dan said.
“As a family we enjoy it as a get away and as a driver I enjoy the circuit, plus the event is run so smoothly.
“We look forward to it each year.”
The Legend of the Lakes kicks off today, then runs through Saturday and Sunday, with the roads around the Valley Lakes closed to the public.
