Donington trackday - 10th November 2013

[robp]

Just to let you know, I have booked a trackday with Focused Events on 10/11/13. 

I have done a number of events with these guys and all have been well run and great fun.  Focused Events had stopped car trackdays this year and just ran events for motorbicycles.  Anyway, they have recently announced 3 dates over the next couple of weeks for cars.  £99 for a open pit lane event at Donington is too good to miss.

I was going to leave booking until a couple of days before to check the weather.  However, there are only a few spaces left and, eh, if it's wet then that'll give me a chance to finally try out my racing wets!! 

I'm probably going to do this as a day trip rather going up the night before.  We'll see.  Would be great if any of you guys are able to attend too.

[Moleman]

I was looking at this one. The only prob is I have the car booked in for a new silencer as I found out mine is empty when it read 102 decibel's at combe last time. (they still let me do it though!  ) I'm having a rolling road done by the same guys straight after. Long story short we have found out why the false reading on the last rolling road so its now going to be sorted. This is being done on the 7th & so not sure I can afford the trackday until I have all this done. 

But if I can & there is still spaces I still might. 

[dave_bence]

Thanks for the heads up Rob

I've just booked a place and Lucky Ed will be doing the same

[Lucky Ed]

Just booked for this one - thanks for the shout Rob I missed this one

Rob - Dave is going to ask about a couple of garages on Monday, we can easily get 3 cars in a pair.

Anybody else fancy this one, it's really cheap for Donington

[robp]

I've just booked a place 

Just booked for this one - thanks for the shout Rob I missed this one

Heh, great news guys!  My friend Adam will be coming in his Caterham too.

[robp]

Rob - Dave is going to ask about a couple of garages on Monday, we can easily get 3 cars in a pair.

Cool.  Always good to have a garage especially if the weather is dodgy.  I have to say I have never booked a garage at Donington but have always found an empty one available.

[Lucky Ed]

Heh, great news guys!  My friend Adam will be coming in his Caterham too.

The more the merrier, I remember Adam from Pembrey last year but it's a shame you don't have some friends that are a bit slower

[dave_bence]

We now have a couple of garages reserved

[robp]

The more the merrier, I remember Adam from Pembrey last year but it's a shame you don't have some friends that are a bit slower

Bad news, Ed.  He is a lot quicker now thanks to a new top notch Duratec engine.

[Moleman]

I would like to see his Caterham Rob. You have told me about his car before. 

[robp]

 

[Moleman]

I would love to go but cant really do it until the end of the month now. 
I will look at something for then. 

[Lucky Ed]

The weather is looking good isn't it Rob, but I think a heater might come in handy

[robp]

It maybe sunny tomorrow but I suspect the track surface will be damp for some time.

I'm out tonight, so I'll be driving up in the morning.

[Lucky Ed]

Myself and Dave Doom are setting off at silly o'clock in the morning as well.

I've taken the plunge and already put the slicks on the car, so we shall see.

Dave has booked a couple of gararges so you should be able to find us easily enough if you need somewhere to set up camp

[Moleman]

Have a good one guys. I hope it's warm enough for slicks? 

[robp]

I've taken the plunge and already put the slicks on the car, so we shall see.

Heh, I was hoping you were going to get out on the track early to make a nice dry line for me! 

[Daley Down Under]

Are you up yet guys?

Adrian

[Krazyken]

Saw Dave Doom yesterday and he told me he was meeting Lucky Ed at his place at 5:15AM !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That means they were probably up at 04:30 this morning when I for one still had plenty of ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ's to go.

I am sure they will post up tomorrow to tell us all how they got on.

[robp]

Are you up yet guys?

Yes, I was up at this time, eating my breakfast.  Certainly was an early start!

[robp]

Well, we had a great day yesterday.  The weather was perfect and the track was dry all day.  Can't believe how lucky we were.  It was tipping down the day before and it's wet at Donington today.  There is a trackday there today and it is 2.5 times as much!   

It was cold so I left the slicks on the trailer and used my R888's.  Ed and Dave decided to swap to slicks later and they went really well. 

The event was only half booked so we had loads of track time.  There was a couple of red flags but everyone was behaving themselves and having a good time.  We only had 30 minutes for lunch as the track closed at 4pm as it was getting dark.

Of course, we all stopped at 11am and it was engines off to mark Remembrance Sunday.

In/by the garage




Doom on track:


New R888s worked really well.

[robp]

We attached a GoPro to the back of Ed's motor and I followed him around the circuit for a few laps.  Yes Ed, the battery lasted!  I'll upload to the site when I have some more time.  The GoPro has a wide-angle fish-eye lens so you need to get really close.

Here's a short video of the Adam, Doom and Lucky out on track.

[Daley Down Under]

Good stuff guys - there are many things I miss.  Donnington is definitely one of them

Cheers Adrian

[Krazyken]

Is it just me or does Lucky sound a bit noisy on the video? Perhaps it was just the car! 

[robp]

Here is a video taken with a GoPro attached to the back of Ed's car with me following.  Battery was on it's last legs so it only lasts for a few laps.  At some points I was right up behind Ed but this doesn't show due to the camera lens.  Oh, and the fact Ed's brake lights were not working properly!  I'm sure he didn't want a Westfield buried in the back of his car!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bCqLAGB9z_4&feature=share&list=UUjtKBfil6OGymhTxLHwshvw

[Moleman]

Nice one guys. what cracking weather.     
I'm so gutted i couldn't go.          Count me in next time though. 

[dave_bence]

It was indeed an early start - I was up at 04.30 , met Lucky Ed at 05.15 and got to the track at 07.45, after an easy drive up on the almost deserted motorways. Rob and Adam arrived shortly after and after unloading and attending the drivers' briefing, we were on track just after 09.00.

I did a fairly long first stint on my 888s to begin with. The cold track meant there was hardly any scrubbing or wear on them, before I changed to slicks for the rest of the day. They took about 3 laps to fully warm up, then it was fun all the way. We all remarked how well our engines were going in the cooler air.

Later in the morning, myself, Ed and Adam all hired the services of a young lady for 20 minutes each

That might sound a bit dodgy, so I'd better explain that Emma was the ARDS instructor for the day

That was £25 well spent - Emma helped massively with my lines from Redgate down to the Old Hairpin and again at the double apex right at Coppice. The result being a faster, safer lap with less work for the car and driver to do. Very happy!

Donington really is a joy when you get the lap spot on - it's like being on a giant roller coaster

All our cars behaved themselves - even Lucky Ed managed not to break anything

As Rob says, it really was a great day - can't wait for the next one

[Lucky Ed]

I can only really echo what the other guys have said, we all booked the day thinking it was going to pee it down all day - or worse, but it turned out to be one of the best trackdays ever. It was good to meet up with the other guys again and great to squeeze into the same garage which led to good company and banter during the day.

As Dave said, the tuition with Emma was great, she said I was Mr. Consistant, which really meant I was consistantly wrong four times during a lap . After her constructive critisism and 15 mins of practice, I was actually attacking Craner Curves rather than having those buttock clenching moments every time I went through there, and the whole lap became much smoother and faster to the point I was passing cars that were previously overtaking me

Thanks to Rob for posting the pics and vids, the video doesn't really show how close he was to me but I can assure you he was right up my chuff most of the time, and even though my car is still lacking a bit of top end we were still pulling 115mph down the straight before the chicane even though it doesn't look like it.

Thanks again to the lads for such a great day - bring on the next winter trackday

Ps... NO BREAKDOWNS OR FLUID LOSS (yes you read that correctly Ken )

['The Gaffer']

Excellent write-ups and video's guys and the weather truly looked fantastic.

Really pleased cars all performed well and no one had to shovel out the kitty litter... Dave

Hope fully next year I may have a bit more time to do this one again, but no way am I getting up at 4.30am

[dave_bence]

Really pleased cars all performed well and no one had to shovel out the kitty litter... Dave

Oi, you're supposed to have forgotten about that by now    

[Lucky Ed]

It's good to keep these memories alive - straight on at the Melbourne Loop Hairpin as I recall

How embarrassing that must have been

Mind you I had it all locked up there a couple of times on Sunday, once with the instructor, but I didn't see her stamp on the invisible brake pedal, see just carried on taking notes

[Moleman]

Dave. Your only as good as the last time you go off. My ploughing twice at combe will alway come up no matter how many time I go round there & don't come off. 
My Avitar don't help I guess but It someting to laugh at. 

[Krazyken]

We ought to keep a list of all the club members legendary moments.  Here's a few starters for 10: -

Dave (Kitty Litter) Bence
Lucky (To Destruction) Ed
Massey Moleman Ferguson
Krazy (Barrier Loving) Ken
Reginald Molehusband Wallnut - Think back to the 1970's TV ad.

Any more? There must more out there.  Hairy Santa for one must have done something to be preserved for all time.

[WALNUT]

I think you will find the TV add was from the 60s

[Moleman]

We ought to keep a list of all the club members legendary moments.  Here's a few starters for 10: -

Dave (Kitty Litter) Bence
Lucky (To Destruction) Ed
Massey Moleman Ferguson
Krazy (Barrier Loving) Ken
Reginald Molehusband Wallnut - Think back to the 1970's TV ad.

Any more? There must more out there.  Hairy Santa for one must have done something to be preserved for all time.

That is funny mate. Don't think they do a yellow Massey Ferguson though? 

['The Gaffer']

That is funny mate. Don't think they do a yellow Massey Ferguson though? 

Errrr sorry, they do... 

[WALNUT]

Now thats what I call funny.

[Hairy Santa]

love it 

there is the one where Colin and I were working on the Dax Busa and I kept getting a electrical belt every time I touched the car whereas Colin wasn't, so to prove it he removed his trainer, put his socked foot onto the floor  and touched the airbox  ---  full 240volts went straight through him -- and from memory he  shouted something like" flipping heck" or words to that effect -   

[Moleman]

Nice one Phil. No one likes a smartass mind! 

What do we call this shocking pair then? 

[WALNUT]

Ithink we should call this reVOLTing pair Bud, and Lou. after Abbott Costello.