Thanks to all who put in to organise and run this event again. I was in two minds whether to go this year but I’m glad that I did. Great time on track, some really great people and I even enjoyed the camping. The catering was second to none too…
Here’s hoping the Club can run a Motorsport event again next year.
Just adding my thanks and appreciation to all behind the event:-
PeteM, Ian and the OC team welcoming/signing-in everybody, MoT, all the Mazda-Mender team (epic job you did getting the only casualty of the weekend back on track… hope there’s some photo-evidence somewhere), Blyton team, sponsors/traders, all the highly courteous drivers, guys who jumped in with me to show me how to improve lap times, and the BRSCC/MAX5 drivers for giving my daughter some great driving lessons… you frit the sh-t out of her! V V FUNNY!!!
If I missed anybody who deserves thanks, please accept my apologies - what a great weekend you all made it!
Great Stuff - here’s to the next one…
Cheers all, Tim
Great job folks.
My first OC Blyton weekend and what a blast. Beer tent appeared a bit underused though when I wandered down Sat night, shame. Still trying to get to know people and it appeared peeps were socialising in known groups, still thoroughly enjoyed it though and looking forward to the next one.
On a side, who won best spin? I entered twice on Sunday!
Hi Pete, glad you enjoyed the event, judging for best spin was done by Richard Usher the track owner up at race control. Sundays spin went to a chap that took one of the MAX5 cars out ( a policeman during the week) which was apparently most impressive. He is also an advanced driver, up until now.
Peter
Can I just say a big thank you to all the support staff who without them this event would not have happened? In no particular order:
Mazda Mender and his team of experts
Iain Fleming
Carol Paterson
Paul Roddison
Nick Dougill
Mazda on Track
Richard and Jane Usher
Mission Motorsport
Ben Tuck Racing
MAX 5 Racing
Tony Thomas
David Mortiboys
Clive Southern
Phil Grayson
Alan Robinson
I apologise if I have missed anybody, a full report and pictures will be in the next edition of STHT
Agreed, I had a great time there on Saturday
It was good to get a drive out with the Police driver in one of the GK Mazda’s too. Gary was a great driver, and tutor too. So that was a welcome addition to the event imo.
What could we do to make the event better next year?
If GK Mazda can be there again they really need to bring an MX5! Bringing people carriers and 4x4’s to an event like this was ok, but could have been much better for them and us!
From me too!! Another fantastic weekend, many thanks to all the team
Roll on Blyton 2016
Andrew
I’d just like to add my thanks to everyone concerned with the organisation and running of the Blyton weekend.
My son and I attended, appropriately enough with it being Father’s Day, in our Mariner Blue Eunos and had a fantastic day out. We hadn’t been able to secure a helmet for him and were really grateful when we were able to use one of the club’s.
It was only my second time on track with the car and I was a bit cautious to begin with, but the sighting laps helped me to get a feel for the track and the car and when the first session began, I was surprised at the capability of my wee Eunos.
Three 20 minute sessions were just enough for both me and my car on our first real attempt at a track day. Probably do more next year as I will definitely be there.
So thanks again to the club, Mazda on Track, Blyton circuit, the marshalls and everyone else that contributed to a great day.
Big thanks to Peter and his team. I had a great day yesterday.
Dropped in at Cadwell Park this morning on the way back. Spent an hour or so watching a bike track day. Now that looks a nice circuit for a small car…l
Cadwell you say? Oh yes
You know what’s going top happen, don’t you? You’re going to be doing more track days.
Absolutely fantastic event, well organised, very friendly ,met some great people, thank you to everyone who organised this must have been a huge project.
ps if anyone has a photo of a big moment on sat afternoon OPL on the corner where start line is of a mk3 in winning blue, spun, up the rumble kerb and finished facing wrong way could you let me know and apologises if I unsettled you,seeing me facing you wrong way.
This is event was best event I’ve ever attended, thank you all.
Brilliant photos Phil, didn’t realise how big that kerb was
thanks garry
This was my fourth year at Blyton (and my most mechanically reliable! ) and our new Motorsport Coordinator had some big shoes to fill which he did with style! Well done Peter and your whole team!
Whilst we are a sports car club, Blyton has always been a challenging and some may say controversial event insofar as it generally caters for a lesser minority than either the Spring or National Rallies. This year it has been even more so as ticket sales up to the event had fallen behind previous years (in fact you could say that since its inaugural year, it has been harder to fill every time).
It does come at quite a cost too and individuals who book and turn up probably don’t really appreciate the balancing monies put in by the club to match their own.
I would really like some member feedback on the value for money aspect - both in terms of the different types of track time - morning sessions against afternoon open pit lane (pls comment on both days if you think they rank differently as the East circuit on Sunday is a different experience!), the camping bit (at the moment the club gets charged for this but hasn’t passed it on as we want it to be a big part of the weekend atmosphere), the race car side (hot laps etc) and all the other bits that can easily get overlooked if you are concentrating on being on track to the max (Mazda dealer present, Police driving, Catering etc etc).
Generally, once bitten and you will be back - but for next time, just how do we get some more members to put down the tea and scones, leave the stately home tour and get down to the track?
Right, enough rambling - if you would like a leisurely armchair tour around Blyton this weekend with a central view from the White MEV Exocet Lightweight then click on the YouTube links below.
The car surprised me a lot (a) through not breaking too much and (b) just how much fun it really was (just think how fast it would be with someone who can actually drive!). The footage is currently only from Saturday as I only have one video from Sunday after almost filling up the camera memory card on the first day (my track record on breakdowns isn’t good so I grabbed as much video whilst I could!).
Regards, Ian
Treasurer
Camping is charged for but facilities are poor, wouldn’t mind paying if he improves the facilities.
Shame about the beer tent! and the prices were good this year, but as we got stung previous years a lot took there own. I used the bar until late, shame others didn’t.
Overall still a great event and thanks to all involved
still not seen any pictures of my car
It was great to see you all enjoying your time out on track, I love watching the novices improve thought the day.
The instruction is the best £25 you can spend.
Was lovely Meeting up with some new and old faces. Nice to see Alan face still goes pink and Wayne still grumpy in his bat cave.
Hope to see some of you at the next Blyton day in July 25th.
Ps sorry for anyone I had to tell off, its all for your safety / I even get black flagged and told off to. ??
Debrief points from me…
What I would change:
1> LIFT OFF!!! If you are moving over to be overtaken because you have realised the car behind is faster. It may be that the car behind is an asthmatic MK1 1.6 and is faster due to cornering heroism NOT straight line speed. If you don’t lift off then you are just making the next corner more scary because the overtake will happen once I’ve caught you up and we will be in the braking zone. In addition to this if you fail to lift off and make it to the next corner BEFORE I can pass you and you then move back in front of me. THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE AN AGREEMENT THAT I DONT WANT TO PASS YOU, EVER. (Mr Silver MK2 with no rear numberplate. I’m looking at you!). Lift off and let the faster driver pass. It really isn’t rocket science and I lost count of the number of people who pulled over and then started a drag race. Once you have made the decision to let someone pass you then become a responsible party in ensuring that pass happens quickly and safely. Far, far too much drag racing this weekend.
2> Stupid Questions Board. Get yourselves a big dry wipe board. Put it in the marquee. Write on it things like, what time the novice session starts, what time is lunch, answers to all the bits if info that you give out during the weekend that we all forget and have to come waste your time asking.
3> Get rid of the bar. No one uses it. We all bring our own booze. But please keep the disco! Maybe have a theme/fancy dress/contest/something… on the Saturday night, to get the bodies on the floor?
4> Why is everyone changing tyres, brake pads, generally fiddling with cars, Out in the pit lane/camping area/on the grass? It’s quite dangerous when the site is as busy as we make it. I don’t understand why we have the huge shed and one bloke in there? It would be far safer and considerably more comfortable if we had, say, three of four ‘bays’ marked out in the shed for people to make use of over the weekend. “Self Service Bays”. No tools needed, just a few cones, to make little spaces that can be used. Those of us that have done a track day or two already know how to keep our cars running and are quite capable of whipping our pads out in the rain (Matron!). Be nice if we could get a look in on the shed eh?. It’s great that there is someone there for the newbies. I applaud that. But it seems by virtue of that facility existing it excludes those who have their own spanners.
5> If I have to hear Richards joke about the not-yellow flag many more times. I may lose my mind and go on a killing spree in the brief.
6> I still hate the Eastern Circuit. But it is a bit like getting a jab. After I have run on it I find I have enjoyed the challenge. It’s just all day Saturday I spend grumbling about hating it.
7> The run off areas at Blyton have definitely gotten worse. But running off should come with a penalty! So other than it makes the place look a bit “low rent” I can’t complain too much.
8> Traffic cops? Yeah, they are my most favourite people in the world they are! No, just, no.
9> Tannoy system. No one can make out a word of what you are saying, Give it up.
10> The camping facilities are woeful and Richard should be ashamed of himself for even thinking of charging for them. Let alone having a little ‘dig’ about it during the briefing.
11> Tickets for track time and camping should be available from day one to NON members. Make this a MX-5 event HOSTED by the Owners Club rather than an OC only event. Give preferential pricing and availablility to club members but open this up to the whole MX-5 community. It’s a sure fire winner when it comes to convincing some sectors of the market that we are not all flat caps and sticky backed chrome laden visits to the garden centre. Nothing wrong with that, but we desperately need to show the world there is more to the OC than that and THIS event does that so easily. It should be an all inclusive event. It broadens our market and is likely to be a good driver for memberships.
What worked well:
1> Eddie not doing the brief. Eddie, I love you man, but you hold the world record for longest briefing ever. Nick’s is much better. (But they always feel like they take far too long.)
2> Leaving track, driving up the pit lane. Coming back and queueing up. Brilliant! People still did the German Beach Towel thing and I swear some got up at 5am to queue. But on the whole this worked brilliantly and the chaos of last years pitlane was gone!
3> Getting on to track. Still a bit of a pain during a busy session but I noticed a marked improvement of the ‘man with the button’ this year. Cars seemed to be getting on to track more quickly and easily.
4> Communal BBQ. Who came up with this?? It was BRILLIANT!!! It got everyone together and talking. Broke up the little cliques and encouraged socialising. Fantastic idea. More of this please!
5> Being greeted on the ‘gates’ with an info pack. Lovely little touch.
6> 40 minute session. Cut down on queue time and I got to spend more time doing good laps as it always takes me a few laps to get my eye back in after a rest. (The tyres and brakes didn’t appreciate it as much though)
Conclusion:
Bylton continues to impress as my favourite event of the year. It also still holds plenty of potential to improve and be grown into a bigger and even more fantastic event.
All in all a great weekend…
glad we could make it!!
pleased to see the ones that went out in the GK Mazda car with the traffic cop enjoyed it.
Glad it’s not just me! It’s also unfair for those only able to turn up for just one day as the Eastern circuit has traditionally been on the Sunday! Too few overtaking opportunities so constant snakes of cars!
