Castle Combe

[Trev450]

Nice clean lap, Rob.

OP - one final bit of advice. If its wet, treat the day with extreme caution. Combe is probably one of the most slippery tracks in the UK when wet.

Above all else, enjoy yourself.

[iguana]

Trev450 said:

Combe is probably one of the most slippery tracks in the UK when wet.
.

Not even close to Rockingham in the wet, that's like a low friction surface skid track!

[Evangelion]

Combe is not so bad in the wet, it's when it starts to dry it's worse, because then it gets greasy. (The first time I drove in these conditions, I spun off four times in my first session.)

And remember not only is Quarry not flat, neither is Camp:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScFuHMQjxxc

[wellground]

Trev450 said:

Nice clean lap, Rob.

Thanks Trev, nice and safe, I like to keep it wheels in line

[captainsl0w]

Omp sell good quality and cheap non-FIA and FIA approved open face and full face helmets - check out their UK dealer ybracing or their ebay clearance shop


As far as advice for Combe, its bumpy so a slightly softer 'fast road' type setup would be best if you have coilovers etc, certainly in wet conditions

• in the wet brake in a straight line before avon rise, you can brake further up it depending on how dry things get. Careful not to fall into the trap of turning and braking on it as you enter quarry, easy in a lapse of judgment

• Tower is terribly off camber, hitting the perfect entry point is key and run wide at the exit - the camber is so bad it will do this quite aggressively. Miss the entry and you'll understeer off into the close armco at the exit.

• Camp is similar but less aggressive, much faster corner, ive seen many dip tyres onto the grass and bury it into the barrier.

Careful in the wet/cold, even simple corners like the high speed essess can bite in those conditions

Just to add, there aren't any flat corners, the bend on the straight and the essess is more a kink, something done flat if dry enough.

In the wet/damp its a boring track day as you cant really ever press on because there is simply no room for error, most offs result in damage. Book late and try to land on a dry day

been there 7 times and bent a car in half on number 4 lol

Edited by captainsl0w on Tuesday 3rd February 10:00

Edited by captainsl0w on Tuesday 3rd February 10:02

[SpyderMatt]

Blimey, not sure i should have asked now....reads like certain serious car damage and a day from hell..aand I'm paying for it. Wifey will kill me if I damage the Spyder...

This versus the club bumpf "The emphasis is on safety and fun, there can be no competition element. Each track day starts with a comprehensive drivers' briefing. The first session on track will be led by a car with an instructor in it with a strict no-overtaking policy whilst familiarisation laps take place. Instructors are available all day and will teach you more than you can imagine."

I guess the message is take it easy, don't get overly confident and hope it's dry...

[Oilchange]

I was a bit nervous about taking my car round it but once I'd had some instruction I found it managable. Don't get overconfident, learn the circuit, build up your speed gradually and your 'times' will improve but get cocky and it will bite. That's like a lot of circuits though.

[Sigmamark7]

There is no reason whatsoever to crash at Combe on a Trackday or any other day. Neither should you be concerned about taking your car there for a bit of exercise. Unless you habitually crash on the road, start the day as you would drive on a bit of road you have never been on before. Get some instruction if you can and build up steadily and I guarantee that wet or dry, by the end of the day you will be lapping at least 10 seconds faster than your early laps.
If you do wreck the car, pop round here first and I will give you a good slap before you go home and get killed by your wife, because quite frankly, you will deserve it!!
I absolutely love Combe and it rewards smooth and fast driving, so be smooth first and fast second and have a great day.

[Sigmamark7]

Forgot to add, if you haven't sorted accommodation out yet, The Old House at Home in Burton is goo and only 10 minutes away.

[Sigmamark7]

Or even good!!!!

[joe_90]

SpyderMatt said:

Blimey, not sure i should have asked now....reads like certain serious car damage and a day from hell..aand I'm paying for it. Wifey will kill me if I damage the Spyder...

This versus the club bumpf "The emphasis is on safety and fun, there can be no competition element. Each track day starts with a comprehensive drivers' briefing. The first session on track will be led by a car with an instructor in it with a strict no-overtaking policy whilst familiarisation laps take place. Instructors are available all day and will teach you more than you can imagine."

I guess the message is take it easy, don't get overly confident and hope it's dry...

You will be fine.. Just don't attempt it flat.
I live 10 mins away, and have done it loads of times..

Is the wife coming? If so I can make some recommendations on places to stay.

Also, I can give some advice on the track.. But you will be fine.. its just the rise, even after doing it loads of times, I still have not done it flat.. Just no point, 99% of people on track days in whatever car brake before..


The track is great, really fun and fast.. (when dry ) .. But build up the speed over the day into quarry/camp.. learn how the car reacts.

and yes, Hedtec for helmets.

Edited by joe_90 on Tuesday 10th February 10:17

[Mound Dawg]

We run a track day at Combe every April for our customers (this year is our 14th I think) and I first drove the circuit back in 1986 when there were no chicanes and it was really bumpy. If you think it's bumpy now... So I know the circuit and its green and pleasant acres quite well now.

All the advice I've seen so far is sound, there's no excuse for binning the car, if you do it's because you're driving beyond yours or the cars limits.

Just go out there and enjoy it but if there's instruction on offer then be first in the queue because you'll learn a load of stuff that will make the day more fun. Stuff that would take all day to work out for yourself!

[SpyderMatt]

Thanks guys.
Can I ask - for an average driver what is the sort of top speed I will hit in the Spyder on the fastest straight ?

[D_G]

SpyderMatt said:

Thanks guys.
Can I ask - for an average driver what is the sort of top speed I will hit in the Spyder on the fastest straight ?

Not sure about your car but I'm doing over 120 mph before Avon rise and over 100 mph before Tower in a 225 bhp 4 door saloon car. It's a quick circuit!

[Trev450]

I see about 125 in my Cayman S approaching Avon Rise.

[joe_90]

Trev450 said:

I see about 125 in my Cayman S approaching Avon Rise.

yea.. about 115-120max in my 190bhp e36 325 before AvonRise.. (depends on the drive out the previous).. I start running out of steam at that point.. You will prob be about the same.. (I have semi slicks and stripped etc, so I can probably get a bit more speed out camp which i need due to lack of power.)


Not a quick lap.. but you can see its quite smooth now (the track, not my driving) .. and keeping the speed up is key.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FO7pUjsNygo

Edited by joe_90 on Tuesday 14th April 15:13

[james_gt3rs]

There's an Autocar video of a McLaren P1 hitting 165mph before Avon rise, nuts!

[joe_90]

james_gt3rs said:

There's an Autocar video of a McLaren P1 hitting 165mph before Avon rise, nuts!

That is just bloody crazy speeds, mis-brake, lock or anything and you are off. I assume they braked up the hill?

[james_gt3rs]

joe_90 said:

That is just bloody crazy speeds, mis-brake, lock or anything and you are off. I assume they braked up the hill?

Yep, super stiff suspension on it too, so it bounced around a lot, looked like a handful!

[joe_90]

Vid here: http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-video/video-mclaren-p...

That is just crazy speed.. really crazy speed.