Track day at Keevil, Wiltshire. Saturday 14th November

[dave_bence]

I'm fully healed now, so I've booked a place for the above date.

If anyone wants to join in the fun, book direct with Motorsport Events:

http://www.motorsport-events.co.uk/

The weather will be a gamble in November, but I have a need for speed!

['The Gaffer']

Welcome back Dave, glad you are healed

[Bulldog Bri]

Good to hear your back on the road

Go steady on the track mate.

[David H]

fair shout Dave and what a nice way to celebrate... a thrash round Keevil

[dave_bence]

Go steady on the track mate.

No chance - poor little Onyx is going to get another damn good thrashing

[Richard]

I'm fully healed now, so I've booked a place for the above date.

GREAT NEWS !!!!! 

[David H]

i would come but sadly the car has no drive train at all right now. Gearbox and diff are out as i'm looking at different ratios. I would LOVE to come though

[dave_bence]

Passengers (ME charge a tenner), Pit Crew, Brolly Dollies etc. all welcome

[dave_bence]

That was fun!

I got to Keevil at 9.00, weather was very windy but dry. The track was very wet from the overnight rain.

By the end of the drivers' briefing, the rain arrived.

Went out in the first session - very tricky! Lots of standing water, driving rain and a very strong cross-wind.

Got sideways a few times due to aquaplaning, but managed to keep the car pointing in the right direction.

My long second session was slightly better and I was getting the hang of the new layout - ME were using the second track option at Keevil, which I'd not driven before.

KrazyKen arrived at about 11.00 and jumped in the passenger seat for a few laps so I could show him around the new circuit. We then swapped places for a long session. He soon got up to speed and despite the conditions, we had a good time out on track.

My little Onyx is well suited to the wet conditions - a combination of front wheel drive, a TorSen diff and relatively narrow, deeply treaded road tyres meant that when we'd got our lines and braking points sussed, not much came past us all day.

The rain did stop a couple of times and the sun made a few brief appearances, but the track never dried out. The weather forecast had said things would improve after midday, with bright sunshine by 3.00pm, but that never happened - just more afternoon rain and the very strong winds never subsided. Being an optimist, I had bought my spare set of wheels fitted with slicks, but they stayed in the van!

By mid afternoon, we were both flying - overtaking anything from hot hatches to Exiges to Porsches and Ferarris! We were even taking a few liberties with the car -provoking some lift-off-oversteer into the right hander at the end of the long straight. Despite a few lairy slide angles, we didn't spin once between us and we were getting out of the car with huge grins on our faces.

The only problem I had was visibility. The strong side wind was blowing the rain though the gaps around my visor, meaning I had to pull into the pits several time to wipe the inside and outside of my visor. Ken's helmet was better sealed and he didn't suffer the same problem.

The car is absolutely filthy inside and out, but as usual, it didn't miss a beat all day. Our waterproofs kept us mostly dry, but by the end of the day at 4.00pm, we both had rather soggy bums and thighs. I had the heater in the tow van on full blast on the way home, so by the time I got in, I was dry again.

That's the end of the track action for this year. The last event for the car is the Exeter Show next weekend. After that the car will be taken off the road and given a well-deserved stripdown, check over and clean ready for some more abuse next spring!

['The Gaffer']

Nice write up Dave and fair play to you and Ken for going out on track

I did'nt even take my car over to Martins (Reluctant) on Saturday to do some work on it because of the weather and he only lives about 15 mins away

[Hairy Santa]

Fair play to the 2 of you, you must have had a great time , surprized you didn't take off in those high winds

anyone take any pics at all

[dave_bence]

Ken and I both have the same mentality - if we've paid our money, we're going out on track

Not turning up, sitting-out sessions or going home early are not options!

There was a photographer there, my car's on pages 1 and 3:

http://www.richardsloman.com/events/mse-20091114-keevil-track/page/1

Can't have been much fun for him or the marshals on a day like yesterday

[tickious]

hi. Sorry for posting a bit late on this topic. But well done, sounds great fun. I'd like to try a track day sometime, especially now i've just had a break upgrade, a new set of toyo's fitted and a gearbox rebuild. (crunchy 2nd no longer cramping my style) the main thing holding me back now is insurance. Is it possible to get it for just 1 day of tracking? My friend pays over £1000 a year which includes 5 track days, but thats a bit steep for me. Can anyone advise? Cheers David 

['The Gaffer']

My take on track day insurance (not even having done one yet) is I think if you really are a track day fanatic taking every oportunity to blast round Castle Coombe on action days or F! circuits then insurance may pay off. For the odd airfield trackday I'm not sure I'd worry much about it.

Theres no big walls to crash into on an airfield and no mad Saxo brigade to crash into you like on an action day.

I'd be interested in others views.

[dave_bence]

Phil's summed it up pretty well there.

I got a quote for insurance before my first ever track day. Even back then the premium for one event was over £100 with a £1500 excess. That was more than I wanted to pay and I haven't even considered insuring for the track since.

Track days are a very safe environment, especially on an airfield circuit. Other drivers value their cars too and want to take it home in one piece. Track day organisers usually have strict rules and regs to make sure everyone has fun, safely.  No organiser wants to gain a reputation for running "demolition derbys"!

We're lucky in this area as we have two very good airfield circuits nearby (Colerne and Keevil).  Both hold track days run by Motorsport Events who oganise and oversee their days superbly.

As Phil mentioned, Action Days can be another matter. Unfortunately, as the sessions are only about £25, they can attract a few knuckle-draggers in cheap cars they bought the day before on ebay. They dont give a fork about themselves, their cars or anyone else. Thankfully, they are a small minority.

As long as you drive within your limits, keep an eye on who's around you and follow the rules, you'll have no problems and a whole heap of fun.

Hope to see you on track soon!

[tickious]

Cheers guys, whens the next one you're on?

[dave_bence]

Cheers guys, whens the next one you're on?

My first event this year is on Saturday 27th of March at Colerne.