After the great success of the Blyton Bash how many people / cars can we get for a local track day?
I know that we have a few members who go to Castle Combe on a regular basis but they do not do many Saturday at this time of year and are rather on the expensive side.
I have had a look around online and Keevil are doing Saturdays on September 22nd, October 20th, November 10th and December 1st at £109 for the car and first driver then extra drivers at £20, passangers at £10.
Has anyone done a day at Keevil? what do people thing of the track / facilities? who would be interested in doing one of these dates? or does anyone have other ideas venues in mind?
To be fair on them, about £100 of the price goes straight on insurance. Also, you get what you pay for…Combe and Snetterton are ‘proper’ tracks, with good paddocks, mechanics available, and a coffee shop with nice cakes… Keevil, well, 9 days out of 10 nothing but Hercules go there (and they tend not to stop), and the other day it’s gliders and model planes. The facilities for racing are…basic.
I was at castle coombe last Friday for £50. Signed up for the taster session and in the end did 29 laps which to be honest was probably enough for me and the car for a starter. What did I get, a couple of laps during lunch in car drive by race driver to show you lines. then at end of lunch the new people (me and another guy) got 10 min of track on our own before the rest came out. The offer says you get about 3 12min sessions but in the end we were given free access to track as it was quiet for the afternoon.
I also got laps with an instructor in the passenger seat giving me advice on lines etc Well worth it.
I guess it depends on your car, but you may wish to think how many laps at once you and the car are up to. My car is std 22 year old MKI on std 14 inch wheels with CF1 tyres and after 8 laps it needed a little rest to let tyres cool down, even raising the pressure did not cure (of course going slower could have been an option). But boy was it fun and driftable, very user friendly on track. Advice given get 15" wheels and stiffer shocks to go faster or leave as it is and slide/limit time on track and enjoy. So I was doing about 8 laps 15 min cool down (car and middle aged fart driver) and then back out.
Most of lap was flat out in 3rd and 4th. Oh and on coming into pits had to turn heater on to cool engine, it was fine on track, but lots of heat soak so probably a duff radiator to look into. Cooling fan was running. I spent £30 on fuel in 30 laps and hammered the tyres, but the brakes stood up fine. Other cars had a lot more HP, keeping up with a modified Nissan the owner claimed had 350HP was a highlight as he shot of on the start/finish towards quarry corner and I spent the rest of the lap clawing back the gap again, the second chicane was great in the 5. But all the other cars were either stripped out lightweights like Caterams or high power cars like the Nissan and a Scooby. Saw the Stig’s mechanic as well and a MK1 V8 escort with J Clarckson on the side as well.
Just a thought if it helps Timing and racing is not allowed but I did find an Android ap that did some data logging for forensic scientific purposes lets say an 11 seconds improvement was found and tuition made my lap times very repeatable. Not that I am saying I was fast, far from it. I looked at it after the event, at the time the eyes were on stalks and the hands grimly hanging onto the wheel. Oh and expect lots of hairdresser jokes. I doubt anyone else had less than 160HP.
I had not thought of Llandow as the travle time / expence might have put people off but at £80 for 6 hours on track it does look a good deal.
According to thier website the track is short (1.4km) so should be good for a 5, lets leave it up there and see what people think. If people from both sides of the border wanted to go we might even be able to book out a whole session.
Llandow is a bit abrasive and harsh on tyres but as it is literally on my doormat I would be up for it and happy to provide full technical assistance and good local pub grub advice
Taff it would be great to see you agian and thanks for the offer of tech help (i often need it).
We are trying to get a few cars down for a Saturday track day as most of us work all week, I know thert is one on the 28th July but that might be a bit short notice.
Do please keep an eye on the thread as there are sure to be plenty of ideas.
I’d be up for Landow - as I share a car with Remowill it works out even cheaper. So if you can bear to share your car with someone else that’s another way of keeping prices low.
Strawman, bit of advice for Combe. I zero my tripmeter while sitting in the pitlane waiting to go out on track, then when it gets up to 10 miles I finish that lap, do a slowing down lap then come in.
Further to the earlier posts The track day at Llandow is £80 for the day and £25 for an extra driver add in your fuel and the WTWT (bridge money) and I would guess you are looking at £150 for a car and 2 drivers so say £75 per head.
If you want to have a look at the track before you make up your mind watch this Video of a 5 going around, it looks to be a short track so not too many corners to learn.
Just to clarify I have now checked with Llandow direct and they do have a few spaces left but only in the Advanced group so not mush use to me but could still work for others.
I have now, Saturday 11th August Track day at Castle Combe Organised by the The Bristol Pegasus Motor Club 6 spaces left £139 per car to non club members.
