The commentators were laughing at me!!! CTCRC Allcomers Thruxton Race 2

The grid had thinned out for the second Allcomers race at Thruxton, with only a handful of cars left in assembly as we prepared to go out. I planned to start from pitlane as the XJS had no clutch left and was generally pretty knackered and not capable of running good laptimes, I wasn't too worried about having a race in this one, I just wanted to get some wet running in. Someone must have heard my prayer as the heavens completely opened! This put even more people off and left just 3 of us wanting to take the start, myself in the XJS, Jamie Sturges in the E28 525i and James Allen in a very serious looking EP3 Civic which by this point was the only sensible car left for the conditions!
So, broken car, no competition, a very slidey track... I'm sure you can guess the rest! I was a little bit red faced after this display...
Footage from: TCR UK Thruxton coverage by Alpha Live
Thumbnail credit: Jamie Peters-Ennis

[@tsgkarting6919]

Hahahaha. Ladies and gentlemen....the Mike Seabourne show. Fuckin legend

[@mikeseabourneracing4854]

more of a sitcom this one mate! 😅

[@CosmicSeeker69]

@@mikeseabourneracing4854 I'm a miserable old git and I enjoyed that more than anything in the last three months! FYI My first race was there in March 1979 - and I 101% relate to the commentators remakes on wets. I brought them with the car and it turned out they were 5 yo 204's. Those were made of hardwood!

[@eflanagan1921]

@@mikeseabourneracing4854 Your car control in the wet was very very good . I know I would have spun many times that you caught it .

[@carl2017]

I think 'balls out' would be an understatement. 😂

[@gobrienpt]

I was in the grandstand with my 2 boys and loved it. My 8 year old does drifts (still doing it literally yesterday) with his toy cars pretending to be you. Thank you for the awesome entertainment! 🙌🏻

[@installshieldwizard3017]

Get him a wheel+pedals. Let him try simracing games

[@RotGoblin]

Doing all that with a clearly destroyed clutch and a complaining box is impressive, I bet you had some great fun. Thanks for uploading it!

[@mikecrimlis3366]

Absolutely fantastic race. This is the sort of thing that makes a cold wet day in the grandstands worth while. Anyone who can sling the XJS around like that in the wet deserves praise.

[@TheCyanDragon]

My grandmother had one of these for years with the V12 engine (here in the States it was quite a head-turner) and to see one getting thrown around on a track is mindblowing. That thing was an absolute speedboat; absolutely quick in a straight line but took to turning like an actual brick-and-mortar bistro. You're a legend for doing this!

[@mikeseabourneracing4854]

Thank you! Over on this side of the pond the XJS was reasonably common and not particularly desirable for a long time, so we ended up with plenty of snotters about that were cheaply attainable and ripe for race car conversion- a Championship was soon formed to throw them all around in, and 20 odd years later we now have this odd situation where the XJS is starting to have it's moment in the sun as a roadgoing car, but there are plenty of cars like mine which were converted to race cars when they were worthless. The Jaguar Championship is still going strong with the CSCC and I race in it every year, though these days there's less hacked together old snotters and more fantastically engineered race cars. The XJS is still a staple, though I won it in an XJ40 (!) in 2021 before swapping into mine.

[@Penguinracer]

What a great race Mike...you deserve a "Spirit of the Meeting" Award...hugely entertaining & skilled driving!

[@YootubeUK]

Top stuff, hacking away at the wheel but getting it done. Very nice!

[@Nerd_Bird]

Hahaha watching you wrestle with the transmission while the commentators and crowd cheer the antics on, grand time!!

[@ratty383]

Well done, you wringed that Jags neck…nice drive !

[@beeble2003]

Great for the crowd -- one guy driving a fast car well, one guy driving a beautiful car carefully and one guy having the time of his life. 😁

[@PLUMPTONFILM]

Well done chaps. 3 racers there. Bet everyone loved that, especially organisers for you guys giving it a go and giving a show.

[@skanti-sp2qz]

Great. Really enjoyed that. How racing was and should still be.

[@straight-narrow-path]

12 years ago I owed a 1996 XJS and on a dry , well familiar local road the XJS spun under hard acceleration at a set of traffic lights, causing the N/S/R wheel to come into contact with a rather high curb. The result was the N/S/R wheel broke into 5 pieces and the brake disc was in several pieces too. On further inspection , the bolt securing the lower suspension arm had snapped ,which resulted in the whole wheel assembly being able to be moved as far as the driveshaft allowed ! GT car's are! race car's! Respect for baffling modern day science !

[@mikeseabourneracing4854]

It's a weird science for sure racing an XJS, they are fairly tough old beasts once the right bits have been strengthened and tended to, but it's still a very different experience to any sort of modern car- and I'd be lying if I said that tin worm doesn't play it's part! Earlier this year at Thruxton I managed to tear one of the trailing arm mounts clean out of the body, that resulted in some properly odd handling characteristics!

[@jessicarose34]

Was at thruxton for that meeting. Could have lapped a duck on that circuit it was that wet! Was great fun to watch from the grandstand, especially the spin 😂

[@WelshAl]

I absolutely loved that, it was great, well done. I'm glad I wasn't getting rained on at Thruxton though!

[@graymattermedia5046]

Sometimes the algorithm brings you to the right video! I enjoyed the video about as much as you looked throwing it around the track. 👍👍

[@Silverhand290]

You Mike, are a real car enthusiast. I loved the way you waved at the Civic to pass you. You after all were using all the track in a fashion that told me you were definitely having the most fun even without a clutch. Best of luck mate, you're a man after my own heart.

[@ScottandAlana4x4]

This has to be the most bonkers, crazy but yet amazing race I've ever watched! 🤣 Thanks Mike for being such a great sport a putting on a show! 👏😁 - Scott

[@agentv1240]

Absolutely incredible recovery with a very sideways and very complainy XJS. Now you've doomed my wallet cause I seriously want one.

[@mikeseabourneracing4854]

Seeing as you're already doomed I suppose it does you no further harm to say I know of multiple race ready examples ready to go and I'd be amazed if you had to spend any more than £5k to be sat on the grid in one! (Mine was £4k..) 😉

[@andywhitehill8958]

Best thing I've watched in ages! Hilarious and epic!

[@PiDsPagePrototypes]

The wave thru of the leader was proper gentlemanly sporting. Everyone who pulled out would eather be smiling or thinking "I could have slid sideways further,..". Great Stuff!

[@craigowen5656]

Great video Mike, watched you performing absolutely brilliant, hope to see you with us next year

[@TomSKey]

Bravo! you had to battle with a tub of lard in the wet with a dodgy clutch/gear selector, it reminded me of when it snowed one year and i went out drifting in my peugot 104 (*-*)

[@ToreDL87]

Popularity contest between "flat neutral cornering" and "who knows what happens next turn". To the surprise of absolutely nobody, the XJS is more popular. Great sportsmanship putting on a show like that!

[@mikeseabourneracing4854]

I learnt very early on in racing that I can't afford a fast racing car- so the next best solution is to have a silly one instead. And 'who knows what happens next turn' is a fantastic description for the XJS!

[@mikeb3539]

I Love it! Way to go...that was some super slick and amazingly fun driving to watch.

[@GTSW1FT]

Gotta love a jag being thrown around like that. And that pass at the end was impressive

[@haydnd2764]

Fantastic driving in the Jag. I assume Jaguar senior management saw this pink XJS and chose the same colour for the recent Jag concept car. !!!

[@DIY-DaddyO]

That Jag reminds me of the TWR Jags I saw at Silverstone back in the day. First lap, they finished hanger Straight as the rest of the pack started it. They sounded like Thunder...

[@mikeseabourneracing4854]

I'd highly recommend checking out my videos from the CTCRC Jaguar Challenge and latterly the CSCC Jaguar Championship. Some of the machines turning out on our grid are spectacular and wouldn't look at all out of place in Mr Walkinshaw's shed!

[@DIY-DaddyO]

@mikeseabourneracing4854 oo thanks, I'll take a look. I didn't know it was a thing.

[@tombuster]

"Guaranteed trip into the scenery" at 3:10 had me laughing for a good minute! I love the commitment to race with a wrecked clutch and all - the car seemed quite hectic with all that lurching. I can't imagine it was easy, but I'd love to give something similar a go one day

[@mac2540]

Awesome video!! Proper car and proper driving - love it 👏

[@ConfusedRaccoon]

Top laughs and a hell of a drive.

[@bobsmudger3979]

The algo picked this vid for me; I watched and liked and subbed with glee!

[@timmorrant9610]

Fantastic watch , hugely entertaining and what a finish 🤙

[@kevinw62]

Brilliant, well done ! Hope you enjoyed that !

[@richmacer2108]

Great show, along with the best motor racing commentator in the business!

[@EntropieEfemera]

this showed up on my home page and I loved every second of it

[@Blackskies-b1z]

Im so happy to see this Ive never seen an xjs on the track before.

[@mikeseabourneracing4854]

Have a look for the CTCRC Jaguar Challenge, and latterly CSCC Jaguar Championship, videos on my channel if you'd like to see a whole bunch of them getting thrown around!

[@MistaGabagool]

This is awesome, I really need to go out and watch some more racing

[@Pico-hq7ws]

Zeus! I've been associated briefly with F1 and started watching again, but clearly for grit and fun I should be into this. Thank you Sir

[@56Seeker]

Well done, that looks like the most fun track day ever :)

[@NerdInMotion23]

What a superb drive mate. The rain always sorts the men from the boys.

[@Mercmad]

Good to see the jag in its new company banner coloure. Darlings . 🎉

[@1.6Kilometres]

Definitely worth the drive - you got to explore the limits in the wet without massive consequence :D

[@JimmyNuisance]

Man, that was very entertaining! Loved it.

[@D3adf1y]

That was FUN

[@stevegibbs7920]

Awesome 👌 fishtailing. Fookin' loved 😍 it 👏👏👏😎😎😎❤❤❤

[@markdearlove8634]

Brilliant driving! Highly entertaining watch.

[@leodis55]

You really enjoyed that race as did I .............. magic 🤣

[@AustraBanderaMan]

Thats killer bro.😁

[@rowdoc]

Smiled from start to finish! Legendary drive! 😂

[@Cam-pe3nd]

An XJS looks so good in motion on a track.

[@Pshady]

Making what should be a none event of 3 completely miss matched cars a watchable 15 minutes of fun with an epic finish

[@eyesodd]

Randomly appeared in my feed, much enjoyment had watching you fight the pink pig around the track 👍

[@GaryKari]

This was surprisingly entertaining!

[@mexorlight9635]

This is what I call driving, battling that badboy, no clutch - Let's Go!

[@Drew.Pugh.Barney.Mcgrew]

Brilliant watch, got a new subscriber. First time I think I've ever seen more likes than subscribers on KZbin

[@kliether33]

Good on ya m8! Cheers from USA

[@MrMambott]

That was Shit Hot to watch,, thanks very much ... From AUS 😃😃😃

[@tsrmotorsport9270]

Epic - total legend!

[@patrickpalmer1617]

Well done Mr Seawaterbourne😂. And they say cats don't like water.... Commited.....you should be.

[@yogiguitar1]

that was effing great! loved it m8! epic!

[@CC-zm9fw]

Great fun -but also a remarkable amount of car control to get a big Jag that sideways at speed, and not lose it

[@just_don_things]

Legendary. I am greatly inspired by this.

[@RollinRoadblock]

I need a manual box in my jag. Bet it makes such a difference to the 5speed bmw box the xk8 fitted from factory

[@mikeseabourneracing4854]

I'm currently building an XK8 with the ZF 6 speed manual that Jag fitted into the 2.7 diesel S-Type, it's also getting an LSD made of XJS Powerlok internals in an X300 casing. Hopefully not too long and I'll be able to report back how it goes! Videos will all be posted on here.

[@RollinRoadblock]

@mikeseabourneracing4854 I'm definitely subscribed, will be watching closely

[@jaythemusicman801]

I wish we could have seen what was going on around 4:00-4:20 lol

[@CrashMansDashCams]

just a heads up you can buy a lister xjs v12 for around 14k, 500hp ond a fat widebody on an xjs its the perfect platform if this youtube stick gives you the spare change great video tho i loved to see the old jag giving some beans again

[@furliaAUTOMOTIVE]

Good to see ! Entertaining 🎉

[@johnietaylor1817]

there not laughing at you, there laughing with you, looks like fun.

[@bandidol200]

Well done you, fantastic job. 😎

[@motorclaimguru]

That was a fabulous watch

[@JR-o7d]

Good pedalling for a no clutch racer, given how good your synchronisation of the down and upchanges were I was surprised that you did no seem to know what to do when you baulked an upchange and were coasting in neutral and also when you spun and were at a standstill, in that instance you worked it out but lost a lot of time and will have sh@gged the baulk rings on both occasions, that said it makes the subsequent clutchless gearchanges easier. Very entertaining.

[@mikeseabourneracing4854]

Thank you! I agree it took me a while after the spin to get my head around the fact I'd have to start in gear, especially as I'd had to do the same just to get started out of the pitlane only a few minutes earlier. In the moment I felt a proper mug and could feel all the eyes bearing down on me from the stands, I think I was praying for enough disengagement to sneak 1st and get out of there asap! As for baulking changes on the move and then struggling whilst coasting, it seems that once I'd lost my rhythm with it through the gears I struggled to find my bearings to get it matched again. Once I'd found 5th the downshift to 4th was manageable but 4th from neutral seemed to be elusive. The ideal solution is to have a working clutch in the first place!

[@JR-o7d]

@@mikeseabourneracing4854 Absolutely!!! If it ever happens again say on a road vehicle and you lose your rhythm you need to estimate the correct revs for the gear you are selecting according to the roadspeed in the same way you blip the throttle on the downchanges or would double declutch in a pre synchro gearbox, having lost your rhythm you rev the engine to approximatley the correct RPM, push the gear lever gently towards the desired gear while slowly raising the revs, if it doesn't engage you started with too high a RPM so then slowly decrease the revs, when the RPM's equate to the roadspeed it will engage. Much easier to do when you shift from one gear to another, on upshifts you do them just slow enough for the revs to fall enough or the next gear, a relatively relaxed shift, on downshifts you need to do it as fast as possible and pick up the revs if you can with the throttle, by the sound of the video you were doing that very well until the baulked gearchange. I suspect that the 3rd and 4th baulk rings will be toast by now.

[@podulox]

Cunning Stunt!

[@davekennedy6315]

Mate, you were @#£%ing 'AVIN IT proper! Lovely car too.

[@AlexSwan-j3g]

Brilliant thanks for posting

[@DavidHoe-e9k]

Fantastic- well done!

[@PhotoBillyDoesYouTube]

hahaha that was fkn brilliant well done Mike!!

[@richardp6178]

Excellent! Love it!!! 😁

[@Aotearoa_Kiwi]

I didn't hear the commentators laughing at you. In fact it was quite the opposite. They were impressed and entertained with your driving ... as was I.

[@HarryYese]

This is exactly the point of motorports

[@PhilipMReeder]

8:16 *That thumbs-up!!!!* 😂😂😂

[@swishyTM]

So much epic in such a small field

[@mellon9449]

Incredible race cheers from america

[@Will_M600]

i love this so much :D

[@jonathanrobinson73]

Brilliant

[@doug-core8850]

Nah screw the haters. Go hard

[@1.6Kilometres]

Love to have you over for some ice racing here in Canada

[@lohostege]

The jag looks so good being raced.

[@jonathanparle8429]

This reminds me of my very early simming days when I couldn't afford a fast enough computer so could only race against two AI!!!!

[@krakk9906]

Jolly good show!

[@RolandBlazit]

Brilliant. 😂😂😂😂😂 The old pink pig was a proper handful 😅

[@PaulRubery-u4u]

Well-done mate 👍long live the Jag 👍

[@noname-sd5dt]

Laughing WITH you mate.

[@marks2551]

l done Mike, Quality !

[@fishbmw]

What a great commentator Martin Haven is.

[@vasek987]

nice race 👍

[@Revile2nr]

that was awesome

[@noelstevens6190]

Well done.

[@BritAcrossThePond]

Really enjoyed watching that. How much does that jag weigh

[@mikeseabourneracing4854]

Thank you! Class weight for the car in the Jaguar Championship is 1350kgs (with driver) which I'm right on the nose of if I run a near full tank of fuel (still has the OEM tank- 91 litres!). The car is around 1230kgs dry and there's a few more bits I could do to shoot for 1200kgs dry if I was to run unweighted. Being an XJS people often assume (as the commentators did here) that it'll be a 1500kg+ V12 monster with a million horsepower- in fact it's only a dainty little 4 litre six cylinder making 270hp and lightness is a bigger factor than power in generating laptime from it!

[@keithhoughton4308]

I imagine ferric oxide might have had a hand in lightening the Jag. It certainly has on mine ;) Brilliant driving and the essence of club racing. See you at Ty Croes next year?

[@still_guns]

Isn't that the WEC commentator? His voice is very familiar.

[@lewisschaefer9849]

No wonder Mike was sliding all around. Look at his arms, mate's playing a VR game while driving.

[@Ammotive28]

People drop out when it rains? Soft

[@CurboroughSprinter]

Madness! Rain levels things up! Far more fun to be had.

[@mikeseabourneracing4854]

It's not frequent, but as this was an Allcomers race and most of the Championship racing was tied up for the day I think a lot took the opportunity to hit the road early as they felt their major efforts were done for the day. I also find the rain far more fun so you wouldn't catch me leaving early!

[@Ammotive28]

@ that’s fair enough if they’ve already ran. I assumed they’d prep’d car, paid for entry, driven halfway across the country only to sack it off.

[@Ammotive28]

@ also, stick some washers behind the inner tie Rod, more lock for catching those mad skids ;)