Track day interest? Brands Hatch pics added.

[dukest 0]

I know these threads come up every now and again but just to get a bit of discussion/interest going again I thought I'd say that I'm thinking of doing one or two fairly soon. I've done the Ring, Snetterton and Castle Combe before but not enough to say I've gained any significant proficiency. So, if anyone else was thinking the same and is interested in joining up at any then just say so here!

 

The three organisers I've been looking at are as follows (combination of relatively affordable airfields/tracks):

 

The first one i might do is this thursday morning at Brands Hatch - its a novice one so not too much pressure!

http://www.clubmsv.com/car-home/calendar.aspx

 

The next might be Woodbridge on April 24th with these guys.

http://www.javelintrackdays.co.uk/trackday/

 

And another good value company (also recommended by Corozin) with lots of airfield options.

https://orders.motorsport-events.com/EventList.aspx

 

Any one else have any plans?

 

Cheers

John

[The_Dude 0]

Thruxton is an awesome high speed circuit with lots of pedal to the metal action with long flowing corners too. I drove a Ferrari round there a few years ago and sure I got over 150 going down the straight! Its in Wiltshire on the A303, nearish Salisbury. (I know cos I pass it every time I go to see the old dears)

[dukest 0]

cheers, yup keen to try out various different places!

[tandino 0]

Im going back out to the Ring in August for the 6th time, from Fri 13th :shock: to Tues 17th if anyone is interested.

We've got 15 of us staying in the burgstube hotel if anyone else is interested in joining us, the more the merrier, a few of us are fairly experienced so if its your first time we can show you around with a lap or two...

 

I also want to do a shakedown run in the Corrado before i go so i will be looking to do a half day at Brands or somewhere close by..

[dukest 0]

if i can afford the ring later in the year then i'd love to go back but at the moment i'm just limited to the odd bit of weekend/half-weekday fun. let me know when you plan any shakedown days :)

[Toad 0]

I'm up for some track action at some point in the summer. Speak about it Sunday?

[tandino 0]

if i can afford the ring later in the year then i'd love to go back but at the moment i'm just limited to the odd bit of weekend/half-weekday fun. let me know when you plan any shakedown days :)

 

 

Will do,

 

Once I've fitted my 312's and oil cooler and a few other bits and bobs I'll be in touch..

[scarlet_vr6 0]

Me, me, me! I'd def like to go on some more track days but unfortunately can't make either of the first 2 dates you mentioned John.

 

How about the Autometrix track day again? I know it isn't anywhere different but I really enjoyed last year. I was hoping to go to the Ring that weekend but that isn't happening now - at least it means I can now make this.

 

Thruxton is also ideal for me as it's just down the road :)

[dukest 0]

Great! The only reservation I have over Combe is that its quite expensive - last year it was £110 for three quite stingy sessions (or £40 each compared with £25 at other places) whereas if you can do full days for not much more, or half days for much less at other less well known venues then maybe we can persuade a few more along?

 

hmmm, apparently thruxton doesn't appear to have any open track days due to evil noise restrictions - only seems to be supercar driving experiences :(

[scarlet_vr6 0]

ah ok, makes sense about Combe. Well I'm def interested in another couple of days so I'll do some research. Something cheap and not too far north would be good! Shame about Thruxton though, hadn't realised that...

 

btw, do you still have the photos from Combe last year? I know you were going to email them but I didn't get them - it's only a hotmail acct so maybe they were undelivered cos of size? :shrug:

[mic_VR 3]

Would love to come on some more trackdays mate but my C is currently in bits so I won't be back on the road until about August I think! :lol:

[dukest 0]

August is not "Spring 2010"!!! I'm going to start stealing bits out of their workshop if they dont get fitted to your car soon :D

[Toad 0]

Would love to come on some more trackdays mate but my C is currently in bits so I won't be back on the road until about August I think! :lol:

 

Share my car if you want? Although if you crash it, I'll defile mincy, possibly by knocking one out in the glovebox.

[mic_VR 3]

Would love to come on some more trackdays mate but my C is currently in bits so I won't be back on the road until about August I think! :lol:

 

Share my car if you want? Although if you crash it, I'll defile mincy, possibly by knocking one out in the glovebox.

 

I'll come along as a passenger, I'd hate to do any damage to your car incase you do damage to me! :(

[Jim 1]

Would be well up for tagging along on something like this though not sure I'd wanna participate - not had the VR long enough to want to punish it around a track, and not sure the old valver would take a day of tracking without blowing up... but would be a good day out watching you guys hoon about :)

[dukest 0]

well maybe the woodbridge one might work? if not then another more central one later on, am open to suggestions!

[Jim 1]

Any location within a few hundred miles of the Midlands would be fine with me ;)

 

Castle Combe was an excellent venue though I suspect we'll be there for the next VW/Audi driver track day anyway!

[corozin 0]

I've already done an event at Keevil in February which was decent enough and open pitlane for £109 but I'm now prepping up for Castle Combe in July. This might sound a bit sniffy but frankly airfield days and 'proper' circuit days are miles apart in terms of what I get out of them. The Combe days are in my opinion vastly superior and worth the extra money. Combe is also very cheap for a full circuit, and you pay about the same for one of thier open pitlane days as Autometrix charge for thier 6-session event.

 

For interest Motorsports Events do lots of reasonably priced airfield days in Wilts/Oxfordshire/Somerset for under £120 but the airfield surface is much more abrasive on tyres than Combe is.

 

I won't be doing any trackdays until after the Scotland Trip in June, so the Autometrix day is my next target.

[-=Kris=- 0]

i would deffinately be up for this buys and girls! since the last time we went to combe i had to pull out as i found a water leak at the last min... :(

[dukest 0]

Combe is also very cheap for a full circuit, and you pay about the same for one of thier open pitlane days as Autometrix charge for thier 6-session event.

fair do's - it could well be just autometrix that hike the price - will try to find some days there organised by others

 

I won't be doing any trackdays until after the Scotland Trip in June, so the Autometrix day is my next target.

i'm sure I'll still be there! and will look forward to seeing how much quicker you go round with experience of it..

 

i would deffinately be up for this buys and girls! since the last time we went to combe i had to pull out as i found a water leak at the last min... :(

good, nearer the time we'll get everyone organised

 

and i'm going to go to brands tomorrow even though i've just found out one of the alloys i bought recently has a crack in it! isn't losing air so i'll worry about it after i've killed the tyres :D

[-=Kris=- 0]

Jon, you still on R888s?

[corozin 0]

Jon, you still on R888s?

No. To my shame I swapped over to T1Rs late last summer, mostly due to the cost and the seemingly endless visits to the tyrefitters to get replacements. I added it all up and (including trackdays) I went through 23 tyres in a little over 31,000 miles at a cost of over £2,700 in just three years of running.

 

The R888 is a phenomenal tyre but I just couldn't continue to justify the cost of replacing them. Not only that but I found out (the hard way) that all the extra performance from them also translates through to the running gear. During those 3 years I had both front bearings replaced (twice), both CVs, the ARB links and not to mention an unexpected gearbox rebuild (unexpected because it was freshly rebuilt when I bought the car). Of course you might argue that these things could well have failed anyway (and they do) but how many people have suffered a layshaft bearing failure on thier boxes!

 

But I will hopefully be at Combe in July (car reliability allowing!) and happy to offer the passenger seat to anyone who wasn't terrified by CrazyDave's article on in the Sprinter last year :help:

[vornwend 0]

Jon, you still on R888s?

No. To my shame I swapped over to T1Rs late last summer, mostly due to the cost and the seemingly endless visits to the tyrefitters to get replacements. I added it all up and (including trackdays) I went through 23 tyres in a little over 31,000 miles at a cost of over £2,700 in just three years of running.

 

The R888 is a phenomenal tyre but I just couldn't continue to justify the cost of replacing them. Not only that but I found out (the hard way) that all the extra performance from them also translates through to the running gear. During those 3 years I had both front bearings replaced (twice), both CVs, the ARB links and not to mention an unexpected gearbox rebuild (unexpected because it was freshly rebuilt when I bought the car). Of course you might argue that these things could well have failed anyway (and they do) but how many people have suffered a layshaft bearing failure on thier boxes!

 

But I will hopefully be at Combe in July (car reliability allowing!) and happy to offer the passenger seat to anyone who wasn't terrified by CrazyDave's article on in the Sprinter last year :help:

 

Scary amount of tyres Jon :shock:

 

I'd recommend the passenger ride to anyone - it was absolutely brilliant :) Still remember the first lap and the involuntary breaking reflex it induced! If there are no other takers put me down for another go :nuts:

[-=Kris=- 0]

Jon, you still on R888s?

No. To my shame I swapped over to T1Rs late last summer, mostly due to the cost and the seemingly endless visits to the tyrefitters to get replacements. I added it all up and (including trackdays) I went through 23 tyres in a little over 31,000 miles at a cost of over £2,700 in just three years of running.

 

The R888 is a phenomenal tyre but I just couldn't continue to justify the cost of replacing them. Not only that but I found out (the hard way) that all the extra performance from them also translates through to the running gear. During those 3 years I had both front bearings replaced (twice), both CVs, the ARB links and not to mention an unexpected gearbox rebuild (unexpected because it was freshly rebuilt when I bought the car). Of course you might argue that these things could well have failed anyway (and they do) but how many people have suffered a layshaft bearing failure on thier boxes!

 

But I will hopefully be at Combe in July (car reliability allowing!) and happy to offer the passenger seat to anyone who wasn't terrified by CrazyDave's article on in the Sprinter last year :help:

 

 

wow! thats a lot on tyres!!! yeah i'm on T1Rs most of the time... had some winter tyres on for a while now that i will change over soon....

 

I'll deffinately take you up on the passenger ride tho matie! ;)

[Wendy 0]

Thruxton is an awesome high speed circuit with lots of pedal to the metal action with long flowing corners too. I drove a Ferrari round there a few years ago and sure I got over 150 going down the straight! Its in Wiltshire on the A303, nearish Salisbury. (I know cos I pass it every time I go to see the old dears)

 

 

Good to hear this - think this is the only circuit I have not done yet - May is booked though in a Lotus Exige and a proper Track Day not one of the experiences that they do. Can't wait. :D