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Post by clarki on Oct 14, 2020 19:56:55 GMT
A bit self-indulgent this, sorry. We were reminiscing a bit this evening. For a couple of decades we were right into our track days and Time Attack. It all started for me with a Saxo. Like every Saxo at the time modified to within an inch of its life. Had this for about 5/6years through various states of tune:  Then went 4WD. Didn't get on 4wd so this only lasted a couple of years:  Went back to FWD. A megane R26. Stock except for upgraded brakes and a bit of weight reduction. Great car. A very underestimated bit of kit:  Then Renault launched the R26r. Had no choice but to swap. My favourite to date. 5 years with it. Ticked a few bucket list boxes - spa, ring, etc in that car:  The last one. Caterham R300. The quickest around a lap. No doubt  Really must get back into into it. Just not that accessible up here in Scotland. Tracks a-plenty when we lived in Essex. Anyway, hope I didn't bore everyone too much. |
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Post by clarki on Oct 14, 2020 19:59:01 GMT
Be interested to see everyone elses own experiences.
Track days, Driving experiences, etc. Love hearing about all of them tbh.
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Post by unclebob on Oct 14, 2020 20:50:07 GMT
Back around 2004 I got an invitation to Toyota’s track day at Brands Hatch, day involved driving the T Sport range of cars , Yaris, Corolla and Celica. Drove Yaris on a time trial circuit, then the corolla around an obstacle track and finished off with a few laps of the Indy race track in a celica t sport 190...very much enjoyed it and found myself rather competitive 😎😎
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Post by widge on Oct 14, 2020 21:22:38 GMT
I did a Porche track day many years ago near nottingham (Birthday Present) had a go in a boxter and a 911 turbo, unfortunatly on experience days like that you only get enough laps to start to get confidance with the car before you have to come in, the day also consisted of a few side items like a timed obstical course in an old rally prepaired golf with a wheel mounted on the bonnet and you had to keep a football in the wheel, if it came out you had to get out of the car and put it back, a bit lame but a good laugh at the time.
A few years ago I visited a friend in the states and he had got into what they call autocross, basicaly a course laid out with cones in a carpark but I got to do a few runs in his car ( a 220bhp mazda hatch) great fun, here are a couple of runs,
unfortunatly it was quite a short course, often they are much longer than this, I didnt do too badly I came 21 out of 45 which considering this was the first time that I had driven the car I didn't think was too bad.
Dave
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Post by charliefarlie on Oct 14, 2020 21:26:13 GMT
Did literally dozens of track days on bikes from 2001 to about 2007. I was addicted to it and did one every week sometimes two... A big crash in 02 saw my arm buggered so I went to cars and bought a Scooby WRX which was heavily modified. But out of the 3 track days I did in the car I got black flagged twice..... The posh boys in their mega money cars didn’t take kindly to oiks in modified road cars pi$$ing past them. At Donnington I overtook a Radical S3 going into the Foggy esses resulting in a complaint for dangerous overtake and a black flag for me......
Went Kart racing which was just brilliant but I was in the 177 Heavy class where there were few contenders so that got boring. So back to bikes where I belonged.
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Post by clarki on Oct 15, 2020 9:01:40 GMT
Great stuff.
You do get competitive, no doubt, despite what they tell you at the briefings beforehand.
Met so many good people at these events though. Some who have become close friends now.
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Post by clarki on Oct 15, 2020 9:02:53 GMT
Back around 2004 I got an invitation to Toyota’s track day at Brands Hatch, day involved driving the T Sport range of cars , Yaris, Corolla and Celica. Drove Yaris on a time trial circuit, then the corolla around an obstacle track and finished off with a few laps of the Indy race track in a celica t sport 190...very much enjoyed it and found myself rather competitive 😎😎 One track I never drove was Brands - always wanted to experience Paddock Hill Bend. It looks  |
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Post by clarki on Oct 15, 2020 9:29:03 GMT
Did literally dozens of track days on bikes from 2001 to about 2007. I was addicted to it and did one every week sometimes two... A big crash in 02 saw my arm buggered so I went to cars and bought a Scooby WRX which was heavily modified. But out of the 3 track days I did in the car I got black flagged twice..... The posh boys in their mega money cars didn’t take kindly to oiks in modified road cars pi$$ing past them. At Donnington I overtook a Radical S3 going into the Foggy esses resulting in a complaint for dangerous overtake and a black flag for me...... Went Kart racing which was just brilliant but I was in the 177 Heavy class where there were few contenders so that got boring. So back to bikes where I belonged. Hooligan!! The Radical folk really did have egos didn't they. Obviously massively fast, they've got aero, but only if set up corrrectly. Most run them way too stiff and too much rear wing = no heat into tyres = understeerfest!! |
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Post by unclebob on Oct 15, 2020 10:16:28 GMT
Back around 2004 I got an invitation to Toyota’s track day at Brands Hatch, day involved driving the T Sport range of cars , Yaris, Corolla and Celica. Drove Yaris on a time trial circuit, then the corolla around an obstacle track and finished off with a few laps of the Indy race track in a celica t sport 190...very much enjoyed it and found myself rather competitive 😎😎 One track I never drove was Brands - always wanted to experience Paddock Hill Bend. It looks  Paddock hill bend has or had a slight drop in the tarmac on the inside of the bend and would unsettle the suspension if really gunning it ..was told it catches out many novice drivers or professionals on the limit ......lucky I was not on the limit and the instructor told me about it 👍🏻👍🏻 |
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Post by phaeton on Oct 16, 2020 21:19:30 GMT
Used to have a steel framed Honda CBR600 which I used to do track days, used to love going past the R1's & Fireblades through the bends, they'd get me on the straight, but I always said anyone can ride in the straight line. Then a few years ago we had a Saxo VTS which we used, currently building a MEV Mevster based on an MX5 which we'll use on track days next year, like the one below but in bright orange
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Post by unclebob on Oct 17, 2020 8:16:48 GMT
Used to have a steel framed Honda CBR600 which I used to do track days, used to love going past the R1's & Fireblades through the bends, they'd get me on the straight, but I always said anyone can ride in the straight line. Then a few years ago we had a Saxo VTS which we used, currently building a MEV Mevster based on an MX5 which we'll use on track days next year, like the one below but in bright orange
Just looked up a MEV....looks fun 👍🏻 |
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Post by clarki on Oct 17, 2020 20:32:25 GMT
^^^that does look fun!!
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Post by widge on Oct 17, 2020 20:43:22 GMT
Used to have a steel framed Honda CBR600 which I used to do track days, used to love going past the R1's & Fireblades through the bends, they'd get me on the straight, but I always said anyone can ride in the straight line. Then a few years ago we had a Saxo VTS which we used, currently building a MEV Mevster based on an MX5 which we'll use on track days next year, like the one below but in bright orange
Just looked up a MEV....looks fun 👍🏻 Saw ken block at goodwood Festival of speed a few years ago, amazing car control. |
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Post by phaeton on Oct 17, 2020 21:10:02 GMT
Only got 110BHP in standard form, it's got a LSD, hopefully IVA'd in the new year then either later in the year or over winter next year going to turbo it up to about 220/230.
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