Shakespear Run What Ya Brung

[David H]

On the weekend of the 10th 11th July, there is a 'Run what Ya Brung' day at the Shakespear Raceway. I went last year and it was really good fun. This is a very relaxed, bring whatever you want weekend with camping just beside the 1/4 mile strip. You can, for a 'very' small entrance fee, run up the strip as many times as you want against whomever you want. It is timed along with your reaction time and 60ft times etc.

The day is being run by Mini World magazine, so you boys with the minis get down there!!

The Bristol Pegasus Motor Club has invited us as they have a presance there. I am told that for the weekend, we at the Kit car Club can all have membership to Pegasus granted so the entrance fee is better. If you like it, you can always join permanently.There are already a few members here.

A few of us are already booked. I cannot speak highly enough  of how fun this is and its probably the best value for money action day i've done. (last year cost £30ish)

ANY car is welcome.

Club event???

[tickious]

bugger, be at le mans with kelvin maybe next year.

['The Gaffer']

bugger, be at le mans with kelvin maybe next year.

Shame dudes. I'm up for this.

[Mark G]

I'm up for this too, have wondered for quite some time what my car will do the 1/4 in.   I'm hoping it'll be in the 12's... 



Maybe thats optimistic....

[David H]

in the 12s would be nice!

[David H]

Seriously chaps, whatever you drive this is a must!! I would really like to get a convoy of us to go and set up camp for at least the day. It will be good fun especially as i asked asked for rain... it therefore stands to reason we won't get the weather I asked for!!

I went thinking it might be ok and had one of my favorite days

[Mark G]

Anyone still up for this? I am as long as I still have my car by then. Am only available on the Saturday though.

Obviously weather dependant, so far looks as though it will be dry.

['The Gaffer']

I am up for this, but work is taking over right now but hopefully will slacken off by then.

[YZFMINI]

Im Still up for it on the saturday but won't be camping over.

[Krazyken]

Dave Bence and I will be there on the Sunday as long as it does not rain.

[David H]

Anyone with a V8 should be going. A chance to give it full beans and let everyone hear the soundtrack!! Calling all V8s....

[Mark G]

I may have to rethink this. I've got a few important things to do on sat so it depends on timings. Does anyone know when the next rwyb day is?

[YZFMINI]

so we need to start making convoy arrangements.
im goin up on sat who else is.
where to meet and when?

[mr tone]

Sorry not booked is it to late to join in.  I live near Gloucester could i perhaps meet up on the way? Tony  ps cant camp over.

[David H]

not too late.

['The Gaffer']

Sorry guys, going to have to pull out of this one Its a real shame was looking forward to it.

[David H]

Right chaps

I'm gutted but i couldn't get some repairs done to my car in time for this. I have been going at it but have falling short of time due to work. Poo.

Please go along and when you get there ask for Nick Wood from Pegasus who will give you a Pegasus membership for the time you are there as well as being the host with the most for the day/weekend. Tell him you were coming with me and he'll be very accomodating and make sure you have a nice place to put your car whilst your there.

Seriously, dont let the fact that a few of us aren't going stop you because you wont regret going. Its a blast!!

Also, the more of us that go, the more likely they may open up the Raceway for a sprint event in the future

Dave

[dave_bence]

That's a shame Phil and Dave - sorry you can't come.

Ken and I are going up on Sunday morning.

We'll be leaving Ken's house in Bradley Stoke at 07.30.

We use the M5, A46 and B4632.

Anyone want to tag along?

[mr tone]

I will try to meet you in first layby you come to on A46 about 8.30 in a yellow Stuart Taylor 7 type.  Please dont wait if  i am later than 8.30 Tony

[dave_bence]

Hopefully I know which layby you mean -  We get off the M5 at junction 9, get on the A46, go past the large trading estate and the big military depot on the left then the layby is about a quarter of a mile on the left. We'll be there at 08.15 ish.

[dave_bence]

What a brilliant day 

Ken and I set off at 7.30 and met Mr Tone at Ashchurch. We took a rather scenic route on a B road and arrived at the track just after 9.00.  After a slight detour across the grassed camping area, we found the Bristol Pegasus Motor Club gazebo and were immediately handed a bacon roll by Martin, which was very welcome. The pit area was packed, with everything from full-on, mid-engined V8 dragsters to standard 1000cc Minis.  There were a lot of Minis there (classic and BMW), as it was the British Mini Showdown weekend. Because it was a major event, general public admission cost £15, instead of the usual £10 for Run What You Brung.

I took the Onyx off the trailer, fitted the slicks on the front and then we went to be scrutineered. This was a formality –just a few basic safety checks then we were issued with our race numbers, which were marked on the cars with a large shoe whitener stick. After signing on and paying the £20.00 race entry fee, we were given a demonstration of the start line procedure by one of the Raceway staff, then we jumped in our cars and joined the queue.

Because of the large entry and several delays due to breakdowns, spillages etc, the queue moved rather slowly and we only managed two runs in the morning. Watching other competitors' runs helped pass the time though, especially the big, proper dragsters – they really are an assault on all the senses.

My first run was pretty good – after doing a burnout to warm the slicks, I got good traction away from the line, but I briefly hit the rev limiter in second and third gear. The time for the quarter mile was 13.502 seconds at 105.41MPH. That turned out to be my quickest time of the day. Despite trying to minimize wheelspin and making sure I shifted just before the limiter, my second time wasn't any lower. Other drivers, including Ken had the same problem – they couldn't beat their earlier times.

The afternoon was less busy, especially after 3.00pm when the Mini sessions closed.  I managed 9 runs in the afternoon, a total of 11 for the day. I tried every thing to get my time down: short-shifting, adjusting tyre pressures, using the other lane (I usually preferred the right hand lane), starting from slightly to each side of centre and I even took the loose change and mobile phone out of my pockets – anything to shave a tenth off. Nothing worked though, I just couldn't get under that 13.5 second barrier.

For 7 of the runs, I just queued up and ran against whatever car was in the other lane – these ranged from several Minis of various shapes, sizes and configurations, a Caterham, a big Volvo and a rather mean-looking Jaguar D Type replica (or something similar) with a big V8 and huge rear slicks. I beat all of them apart from the Jag, which kicked my ass with a 10.9 second, 121MPH run. For the last four runs, when only a few cars were queuing, I ran against Ken's Marlin. His quick reaction times and the better grip from the Marlin's mid-engined RWD layout meant he usually got away first, but my cars better power to weight ratio allowed me to creep past just before the line. On our second duel, I thought I'd try a run without the burnout. Big mistake – I was still spinning the wheels when I changed into third, so Ken beat me on that run. On our third run, I tried a longer, smokier burnout which helped me to my fastest speed of the day – 106.16MPH.

I do need to improve my reaction times though – my best was .3 of a second, but most were between .5 and .7. Ken's were consistently .3 or under. We were the only cars in the lanes for our last run, which according to our timing slips finished at 16.59.18. The track closes at 17.00 sharp on a Sunday, so how's that for getting our moneys worth?

If you've never tried drag racing before, give it a go. It's a lot of fun, great value for money and the Shakespeare County Raceway is less than 90 minutes from Bristol, so no excuses not to go. I will be back and I WILL beat that 13.5 second barrier 

[mr tone]

What a great day so glad i went with Dave and Ken,its something i must do again Tony

[Krazyken]

Just to add to Dave Bence comments, a brilliant brilliant day, enjoyed it far more than I thought I would.  Nothing beat me off the line and only 3 cars beat me all day, a 500BHP Mini, a V8 Supercharged Merc and unfortunatley Dave Bence won 3 to 1 in our head to head duels due to his superior power to weight ratio.

I need more power which is being rectified over the winter with the Dave Andrews (DVA Power) VVC head upgrade.  Most satisfying of all is that I had a best reaction time of just 0.12 seconds, I am just lucky to have reasonable hand to eye co-ordination.

So next year with more power and my blistering starts I should be able to take on the Nitro-Methane powered beasties!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Suggest that next year BKCC team up with BPMC and make a weekend of it.

[Bulldog Bri]

Wot! No Pic's 

Sounds like a good time was had by all. Will get up there one year when I'm not so full on with other things

['The Gaffer']

Great write up guys, just sorry I missed it.

We must look at this again.

[dave_bence]

Photos  here:

http://www.eclipsephotos.co.uk/site_sub_cats.php?cat=816

You'll have to wade through a lot of photos, but Ken, Tony and I are all in there somewhere.

There are three more Run What You Brung weekends this year:

24th/25th July, 2nd/3rd of October, 16th/17th October and 30th/31st October.

I hope to be back there on the 16th and/or 17th October, weather permitting.

Anybody else fancy a go?

[Daley Down Under]

Sounds excellent - assuming the car hangs together I'm up for that