Attending a Trackday?

Sparkie

Angling Adict.
Sep 25, 2009
2,541
779
Middlesex
I'm almost ready for a test run on track. Need a new rear caliper first but edging closer all the time.


Go ski
 

Sparkie

Angling Adict.
Sep 25, 2009
2,541
779
Middlesex
Vwtrev thought I'd make contact again.
So I've had ups and downs with the motor, but almost done. Now sporting a new BW KO4 turbo. FMIC
And a B5 custom map and a few more bits and bobs.
Thought I was ready to go but need VVT tensioner changed next week.
After that I'm looking to book something up for early spring.
Do you have any idea when are you next out on track and where?



B5 Custom Map, TIP, FMIC, 3" Turbo Back, Bosch 550's,ARB's and more .....
 

vwtrev

Flying Banana
Oct 29, 2015
258
64
Essex, united kingdom
Hi Sparkie, you're building a cracking spec. car there. Needs to be driven properly in a safe environment :D

Funny you ask, Just booked up the following in the last few days:

Brands Hatch - Friday 16th Feb 2018 with Javelin.co.uk

and Thruxton - Monday 25th June 2018 with Circuit-days.co.uk

can't wait but have a few jobs to do before them (like put in my bucket seat, catch can, etc.)

Cheers

Trev
 
Last edited:

Sparkie

Angling Adict.
Sep 25, 2009
2,541
779
Middlesex
Hi Sparkie, you're building a cracking spec. car there. Needs to be driven properly in a safe environment :D

Funny you ask, Just booked up the following in the last few days:

Brands Hatch - Friday 16th Feb 2018 with Javelin.co.uk

and Thruxton - Monday 25th June 2018 with Circuit-days.co.uk

can't wait but have a few jobs to do before them (like put in my bucket seat, catch can, etc.)

Cheers

Trev



Cheers buddy,
Is that the short course at Brands?

Ooh my B day in June. I suddenly have an idea for a present.


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vwtrev

Flying Banana
Oct 29, 2015
258
64
Essex, united kingdom
Yes mate, Indy circuit.

Full circuit is rip off money, but it has prestige and the village people have to give the circuit permission to make noise, blah, blah.

Looking at Snetterton in March / April too, depending on where you are only 1hr / 30 mins up M11.
 

Sparkie

Angling Adict.
Sep 25, 2009
2,541
779
Middlesex
Yes mate, Indy circuit.

Full circuit is rip off money, but it has prestige and the village people have to give the circuit permission to make noise, blah, blah.

Looking at Snetterton in March / April too, depending on where you are only 1hr / 30 mins up M11.



Very interesting. Is that towards Norfolk?
Snetterton is one of the longest tracks too, if I remember. More tarmac for everyone.


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vwtrev

Flying Banana
Oct 29, 2015
258
64
Essex, united kingdom
Yes mate, Thetford near Norfolk.

I prefer it to Brands if i'm honest only thing is mostly rains when I go!! But means i'm normally one of the quickest cars on circuit :D and its 3 times the driving time to and from for me.

Brands is 25 minutes, Snetterton is 1.5 hrs + a whole extra tank of fuel.

Easy to find on Google :)

Cheers

Trev.
 

Sparkie

Angling Adict.
Sep 25, 2009
2,541
779
Middlesex

Sparkie

Angling Adict.
Sep 25, 2009
2,541
779
Middlesex
Off to an open pit lane track day at Abingdon Airfield at the end of the month.
Looking to book up Bedford Autodrome GT circuit on sept 10th. Another long track at over 3 miles and plenty of run off on the corners.
 

Davesimmons269

Active Member
Feb 18, 2018
53
20
Just read through the thread some helpful info here, particularly second post. Thank You.

just a quick question.. My friend has a rally/hillclimb prepared car, for reasons i wont go into here he isnt able to compete for the time being, but wants to take it to a track day just to keep fresh and the car moving etc... He is a bit nervous about the standards of other people.. what would you say the ratio of D*ckheads - Sensible people is on a standard track day youve been on?

i'm also tempted to take my 300. We are Gloucestershire based so any recommended tracked days within a reasonable travel distance (1 1/2 - 2hours) from there would be ideal
 

Sparkie

Angling Adict.
Sep 25, 2009
2,541
779
Middlesex
Just read through the thread some helpful info here, particularly second post. Thank You.

just a quick question.. My friend has a rally/hillclimb prepared car, for reasons i wont go into here he isnt able to compete for the time being, but wants to take it to a track day just to keep fresh and the car moving etc... He is a bit nervous about the standards of other people.. what would you say the ratio of D*ckheads - Sensible people is on a standard track day youve been on?

i'm also tempted to take my 300. We are Gloucestershire based so any recommended tracked days within a reasonable travel distance (1 1/2 - 2hours) from there would be ideal

You are pretty close to castle Combe but quite a tough circuit I hear.
I did Adam at Snetterton and the standard of car was all very track based arriving on the back of trailers etc.
Few cars doing laps ahead of a race series of one sort or another later that month. ( no lap timing allowed though)
They do this as it’s cheaper than race prepping sessions.
160 quid versus 350 ish for a day on track.

A few road legal as well but the main standard of driving was high.
There is always the odd fool who doesn’t engage brain too well. I was carved up turning in to a corner, but I saw him so it wasn’t too bad.
Seems overtaking on straits only or with consent are the main ways it’s done but varies from company to company.

I’m off to a cheap day on an airfield next and expect the standard of cars to drop and the quality of driving too.
I will report back. You never know I may be surprised.
After that back to a proper track Bedford Autodrome in September. Again not a cheapy. Hope to see similar to Snetterton.
MY advice is pick a track that’s long. There’s more space for each car that way. If you’re not timing the laps you can back off until there’s clear track in front then hammer it to hearts content.
Hope that helps.


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vwtrev

Flying Banana
Oct 29, 2015
258
64
Essex, united kingdom
Hi Sparkie, the track day bug has well and truly bitten then :flag:

A short notice Trackday option for all, I've just booked for a day at Snetterton with Javelin on the 5th of September, if anyone fancies it there are still places for the day £169 or come over if your near and i'll take you out for a few leisurely laps.

@Davesimmons269 I echo a lot of what Sparkie says, in general, the more you pay for a UK trackday the better the standard of person, I would say though this is based on the type of cars that turn up, the odd BMW 330i driver will own the track like he owns the road, but a person who has spent thousands building a track/race car (including many a BMW driver :) ) will be a much better on-track person.

My only on-track bad experience has been a BMW driver who came out the pit at Brands and almost pushed me out on to the gravel at 80mph into Paddock Hill bend, and he wasn't a novice driver either. Saying that I have met a few BMW drivers who had cracking cars and were very good drivers.

The other thing to watch for, as Spakie touched on, is people practising for a race series, at Thruxton a bunch of Caterhams were being a bit annoying as they had a race on that weekend and despite in the briefing being told "its not a test day", you did feel a bit put out on a fast lap as you had to move out their way, on the straights wasn't a problem, but they don't brake for corners!

In short, pay for an evening event and get a few Fiesta ST drivers who've just passed their test, pay for a day and have fun trying to keep up with a lot more expensive motors :)
 
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Sparkie

Angling Adict.
Sep 25, 2009
2,541
779
Middlesex
Ok. I’m back from a track day today at Abingdon MOD Airstrip.

Trev, yup. It’s such good fun the car runs well and it’s somewhere to let it rip. Love it.

In prep, I changed out all coil packs for new Bosch originals the day before as mine ate a couple last time out which cost me time unbolting bits. Oil,hose inspection etc and I was good to go.
The Track was as expected. It’s an airfield after all.
This means cones for corners and chicanes.
Frankly it’s pretty poor in some respects.
Each time they are clipped they become additional obstacles to negotiate. Like coming round a corner to find a bunny in the middle of the road.
Then it’s a red flag. Van goes out or marshals tidy up.
You go back out and the angles have suddenly changed into a chicane or corner. Bringing on the need for a slightly different line and braking point,steering input etc blah blah.
In short it’s hard to be consistent as the track is slightly morphing constantly.
red flags are too common, due to cones being hit.
There’s quite a big bump and change of surface mid corner after a long drag down a strait which does nothing to aid handling and there was lots of debris ( tiny stones )in that section too.
I don’t want to be negative, as I had a fun day.
It’s more a thrash it and get the tyres squealing kind of drive as opposed to accurately looking to clip all apexes and find the perfect line as one would do at a full time track.

There was a good mix of cars from a Cayman GT4 through to a standard mk2 Golf gti.
Caterhams, Renaults, Elises, and a good selection of JDMs
Along with the good and the bad BIM BIMMERS all made a showing.

Had fun and the car ran well until a loud pop and a flame shot out of the exhaust. (Not mapped in on over run )
Had to be towed off. Sucked.
Finally I’ve been the cause of a red flag!
Panicking slightly that I’d done real damage I found no fault codes on the liquid gauge or EML light on dash.
Turned to social media with a video and was pointed strait to the source of it.
Turned out an inter cooler hose blew off and spat the clamp out somewhere on track.
Bit of graft saw it bush fixed and that was my day done.

I’d say for the money about £120 it’s a good day out.
But it’s no race circuit.
Track is a decent layout (as best they can make it ) but quite short. The surface was quite abrasive and the AD08Rs took a bit of a hammering (but held up well)
Good crowd of people and a decent chuck wagon makes it fun if sunny.
Would I go back? mmm ....??



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vwtrev

Flying Banana
Oct 29, 2015
258
64
Essex, united kingdom
Good feedback Sparkie, Bedford Autodrome has been mentioned to me a few times by my mates who I do track days with, but it's a similar vein, very abrasive surface and cones. Maybe one day.

Mine throw a boost pipe too a while back and took two heavy-duty jubilee clamps to get the pipe to stay on after that (it blew twice on track), managed to limp back to pits in my case though as had it before, so knew the feeling and the whooshing noise but no go!

Get yourself back on a real track again soon :)
 
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