Castle Combe trackday Mon 5th October

[Facial Hair Optional]

I notice from the organisers website that you can also book track tuition at £25 for 20 minutes or £70 for an hour. Has anyone used them or done anything similar before and is it worth it?

[Lucky Ed]

I've used the tuition quite a lot a track days and they're never a waste of money. They are best when you're just starting out or a new to a circuit as you've got plenty for them to put you straight on, but as you get better they have less to say as you've got most of it right and might just give you a couple of pointers.

Some times you get lucky and get someone really good, as we did at Donington a couple of years ago when a young lady instructor working for Focused Events, struck a deal with three of us in the garage to use her services (oooh er missus) She normally worked on bikes and knew Donington like the back of her hand, and showed us blobs of paint and odd skid marks for braking and turn in points, knocking seconds off our lap times straight away. She was also as cool as a cucumber, as she didn't even look up from her clip board when I ran out of talent and got it all locked up going into the Melbourne hairpin.

I asked Dino the other day about getting better instruction, but he said it's difficult as most of the instructors are getting paid by the day, and lose interest one you've learned to turn the wheel left and right in the correct places, and there's not a lot in it for them to be going a lot quicker. Also Pro drivers are either excluded from instructing under their contracts, or are unwilling to put themselves at risk in a car and/or driver they don't know - which is fair enough.

[Facial Hair Optional]

Cheers Ed. So it might be a better option to bribe Colin with some cake?    I'd bribe you or Rob or anyone else who is quick too but I have no idea what the currency would be!

As far a Combe at least goes, it might be better for me to follow one of you quick guys, take your lines and see if I can stay anywhere near in touch with you. Gotta be the fastest way to learn Combe I would think?

[sanzomat]

I'd certainly rate the instructors at Palmersport in Bedford - pushed you to go faster and faster and didn't give up until you'd spun and then made you explain why and if you gave the right answer made you go faster still and get it right. (and that's in their cars). When I did a Combe day (it was about 8 years ago so things may have changed) the instructors seemed more concerned about looking after the cars than making you go faster! I expect they see quite a few numpties on corporate days though. Might be different in your own car, but I suspect only if there was good rollover protection and harnesses!

[sanzomat]

A few years ago (when V reg was new so must have been 1999?) I got an invite to a Vauxhall day at Donington to launch the facelifted Vectra and part of the deal was 3 laps in Vectra SRi with an instructor then a hot lap with the instructor driving. Subject to the traffic my guy was keen to let me have a proper go so did the parade lap trick of having me hang back on the boring bits to have some fun on the twisties.

At that time I was quite into the ToCa touring cars PC game which was supposed to be one of the most realistic games in terms of driving physics and track layouts. I'd been practicing for the Vectra day on the PC and it was remarkably true to the real life track. The instructor said I was using the wrong line coming into Redgate and showed me the right way to take it. I tried that line on the PC game when I got home and it improved my time on the game too!

2 Things to take from that. 1) You can learn tracks quite well from a good driving sim game like ToCa. 2) However well you think you know the track a good instructor will likely find you a bit of extra time!

[Lucky Ed]

Cheers Ed. So it might be a better option to bribe Colin with some cake?    I'd bribe you or Rob or anyone else who is quick too but I have no idea what the currency would be!

Bacon sarnies for me

[Facial Hair Optional]

Mmmmm, good choice!! 

[Moleman]

So does that mean you are booking it now then?

[Facial Hair Optional]

Well I got as fas as registering with them the other day (Motorsport Events that is). Still not sure how my shouder and elbow will be and don't want to chuck £200+ down the pan. Plus I have other things to figure out Colin, like how do I get my track tyres and fuel to the track and home again for one. Plus tools and a jack etc.

It's not far off now and my car has no tow bar so can't even hire the trailer to get the car there as it stands. I'm new to all this don't forget, you guys can do it with your eyes shut I bet?

I'd have to drive there in the ASBO with road tyres and a can of fuel or two in the passenger seat. Though it does have a set of Yoko Advans on wheels that I assume are road legal. Obviously the slicks would not be and I've never driven on slicks before so have no idea what to expect.

[Lucky Ed]

No problem FHO.  I'll pick all your kit up the day before, and chuck it in the truck and take it up the next day. SORTED

Plus the fact, my head gasket is still a bit dodgy and might not last the day, so when I knacker my car I can drive yours instead...... what's the worst that can happen

[Facial Hair Optional]

I dread to think Ed!!!! 

I will give your kind offer some thought when I am not so tired and loaded up on pain meds. I may well read this tomorrow and wonder what the hell I have let myself in for!! 

[Lucky Ed]

I dread to think Ed!!!! 

I will give your kind offer some thought when I am not so tired and loaded up on pain meds. I may well read this tomorrow and wonder what the hell I have let myself in for!! 

Don't have nightmares, I was only kidding

[Iancider]

FHO,

A trailer is possible, Go Inspire is hiring.  I have a tow car too!.  Fuel is possible, I have cans.  I can even volunteer a driver if you arm can't do it.  You can sit in the passenger seat and relax - (but not a lot)

How good is that offer! 

Ian

[Facial Hair Optional]

Thanks Ian    Current situation is that I have fuel and jerry cans (had them at Combe last time in the 4x4), so no issues with the actual items as such, it's more logistics than owt else.

I could get a tow bar fitted to the 4x4 and then hire the Go! Inspire trailer, but atm am trying to get my mate to drive it up as support vehicle for me like last time and drive the ASBO there myself (part of the fun!!).

Current flies in the oinment are 1. He has to be at work at 3pm and 2. That is the day I am having my shoulder injected again at 5pm. I can try and re-arrange the shoulder jabs, I'm sure that is do-able, as for the support issue (fuel, wheels, jack etc etc) I am still working on that.

Or I just drive there on road tyres with 2x20 litre cans and 1x5 litre can aboard and do the day on those tyres? Not ideal though is it? That would give me 60 litres total including driving to and from the track as the tank only holds about 15 litres.

But mostly it would depend on how my shoulder is between now and then. I only got 38 laps in at Combe last time because of the pain it was giving me. That worked out at about £7.00 a lap I think! 

I have tried to get it injected sooner but no dice with the docs 

[Lucky Ed]

FHO - my offer still stands if you want me to transport your stuff up for you

[Facial Hair Optional]

Thank you Ed, muchos grassy-arse (what you tend to get of you come off at Combe in a kit car!)

I may well PM you and Colin about this later mate.

Cheers.

[benchmark51]

This is what you want to haul all your trackday stuff

[Moleman]

There are still spaces left if any one else would like to join us?

[Facial Hair Optional]

This is what you want to haul all your trackday stuff

Bloody hellfire! Looks like the Addams Family arriving!

[Gary RH7]

NIce one FHO. I laughed so much I NEARLY spilt my cider

[Facial Hair Optional]

NIce one FHO. I laughed so much I NEARLY spilt my cider

Don't waste it mate!! 

That is one helluva trailer set up!! Where the heck would anyone keep it though!?

[Facial Hair Optional]

Spoke to Natasha at Motorsports Events (she was in the middle of Abingdon airfield at the time on another track day!)

Very helpful, am booking a half day so my shoulder can cope. Will be doing the morning session guys. Thanks for the great idea Colin! I guess if anyone else wants to do a half day they could too. They don't advertise it but they do them if they have spare capacity it seems. £100.00 so they don't even hike up the price, very good.

[Lucky Ed]

Nice one FHO, it's great you're coming along, could be a blast if this weather holds out

[Moleman]

That is good news mate.

So that is 3 of us but we need more!

Come on people!

[Facial Hair Optional]

3 of us? Guess who'll be getting the bronze medal then 

I'm hoping to be quicker tha last time tho, in fact it will be interesting (if the weather is dry) to compare my times (not allowed to time I know - go to the naughty step again FHO!) from the last Combe day.

Ha ha!

The weather is looking good but will it last right thru til next Monday? I hope so!!   

If my shoulder lasts out I may even see if I can pay for the 2nd half of the day actually on the day and stay til the end 

[Moleman]

Nice one mate.

Why not book a half day instead then people?

[Facial Hair Optional]

Yes and if you share it with a mate/partner (it's £20 for an extra driver) it only works out at £60 each for half a day blatting round Combe! That is CHEAP!!! 

You can choose the morning session or the afternoon. I think it's approximately 9am til 1pm and 1pm til 5pm

You need to call the number on the site and ask for Natasha though as half days are not listed on the site itself.

[Lucky Ed]

LOOKS LIKE RAIN ON MONDAY!!!

........... but probably not enough to interest RobP to turn up with his racing wets

[Moleman]

I seems to change every hour when I look so I'm hoping it will be dry. 

[Facial Hair Optional]

It's gonna be dry! Next weather front most likely day to arrive is Wednesday. But as you guys say, it does seem to change every day, but that's UK weather for you!

I think we will be ok tbh. It's still due to be sunny on Sunday, what can possibly go wrong overnight! 

I have a new set of Uniroyal Rainsport 3's on mine atm!    If no rain it'll be Yoko Advans. Gonna give the slicks a miss no matter what weather - too advanced for me at this stage (translation - I wont be going fast enough to keep them hot and sticky between corners!!!!!!) 

[Lucky Ed]

Don't panic, the forecast has just changed again, it's gonna be dry now - slicks back on!

[Moleman]

I have to change my windscreen & I'm thinking of leaving it off just for Monday. What do you think? 

[damouk]

I have to change my windscreen & I'm thinking of leaving it off just for Monday. What do you think? 

Def no windscreen, it's the way forward!!

[Facial Hair Optional]

I have to change my windscreen & I'm thinking of leaving it off just for Monday. What do you think? 

In theory it will increase your top speed and acceleration so should reduce your laptime - in theory! It's not as bad as you think, I would never go back to having a screen tbh. The only worry I ever have is stones thrown up from vehicles in front, shouldn't be a problem on track though.

Worth a try Colin, see how your lap times compare to last time round.

[Lucky Ed]

I'm still having major doubts about the state of my head gasket for the trackday, as I'm now sure it's failing due to the roughness of the standard block that wasn't designed for the use of MLS gaskets, but that will be a complete engine strip to get it machined properly.

I'm still going on Monday coz I've paid, but will have to keep an eye on the temps and the small oil leak I have. I could be riding shotgun with Moleman and FHO sooner rather than later

[Facial Hair Optional]

Ed, Colin, etc, sorry but it is loooking more and more like I wont make Combe on Monday. Can't even drive at all today. Had shoulder injected again as it is just not healing up and now it feels like I have a dislocated arm 

I'll take it day by day and see how I feel but it's not far away now and atm my health in general is pants 

[Lucky Ed]

Sorry to hear that FHO. See how it goes you never know.

Ed & Natasha Moore are nice people, and have given me a credit in the past when I've had to cancel
but I wouldn't leave it too late.

ATB
Ed

[Facial Hair Optional]

Cheers Ed. Who knows, I may wake up tomorrow and feel human again. Good luck with the head gasket, I hope it holds out for the day for you.

If your block is not flat and true is what you need done called 'decking the block'? I was told the same thing would need doing to my cossie block in time. The guy did explain how it happens to go out of true, something to do with the way the pistons move I seem to recall him saying. I have it in an email somewhere, buried deep in the lost depths of my inbox!

[robp]

....... but probably not enough to interest RobP to turn up with his racing wets

Rain or shine, unfortunately, I'll not be able to make this.  It's manic at work at the moment. 

[Moleman]

That is a shame Rob. I was hoping for a replay of the last one.    There's nothing like trying to stay in front of someone that is better than you which spurs you on which helps you get your confidences up to do your quickest laps.