First time at Oulton Park yesterday... WOW!!

First time at Oulton Park yesterday... WOW!!

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dannyDC2

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

168 months

Sunday 23rd October 2016
quotequote all
Evening guys.

I can't believe I've never been to Oulton before. What an amazing circuit. Was anyone else there yesterday?

Beautiful weather, only 1 red flag all day, everyone had a great day.

I was scared for the first time in a while after going out on the sighting laps. Druids was slippy in the morning!! After a few sessions though, the track really came alive (as did my confidence!)

It was great to see a Panda 100hp on track too. I refuse to believe the owner isn't on here lol. Didn't manage to catch them in the pits though. I was there in my Integra, PH smiley on the boot!

I've stuck a video up of a couple of laps - comments and criticisms welcome! I was struggling with 4th gear synchro and locking rear brakes braking in to Shell hairpin but managed to wrestle her around in just under 2 minutes...

Video here if anyone's interested.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13H2MhN0GMA

So, were any of you lot there?

Dan

alfie2244

11,292 posts

188 months

Sunday 23rd October 2016
quotequote all
dannyDC2 said:
Evening guys.

I can't believe I've never been to Oulton before. What an amazing circuit. Was anyone else there yesterday?

Beautiful weather, only 1 red flag all day, everyone had a great day.

I was scared for the first time in a while after going out on the sighting laps. Druids was slippy in the morning!! After a few sessions though, the track really came alive (as did my confidence!)

It was great to see a Panda 100hp on track too. I refuse to believe the owner isn't on here lol. Didn't manage to catch them in the pits though. I was there in my Integra, PH smiley on the boot!

I've stuck a video up of a couple of laps - comments and criticisms welcome! I was struggling with 4th gear synchro and locking rear brakes braking in to Shell hairpin but managed to wrestle her around in just under 2 minutes...

Video here if anyone's interested.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13H2MhN0GMA

So, were any of you lot there?

Dan
My second favourite track after Cadwell, no comments or criticisms just to say I am so jealous...I do miss tracking my DC2. driving

88racing

1,748 posts

156 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Very good. If you don't already race - you should!

Terminator X

15,034 posts

204 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Evo at 4:45 clap

TX.

dannyDC2

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

168 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all
alfie2244 said:
My second favourite track after Cadwell, no comments or criticisms just to say I am so jealous...I do miss tracking my DC2. driving
Yeah I think I'd put it at number 2 straight away. Impressive track!

SAS Tom

3,401 posts

174 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Having watched your videos at cadwell on YouTube I wondered if you'd been to Oulton as IMO it's a much better track. On a bike at least you never get a rest, there's always something going on whereas cadwell is almost a circuit of two halves.

alfie2244

11,292 posts

188 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all
dannyDC2 said:
alfie2244 said:
My second favourite track after Cadwell, no comments or criticisms just to say I am so jealous...I do miss tracking my DC2. driving
Yeah I think I'd put it at number 2 straight away. Impressive track!
Are you a member of HOT?

http://www.hondas-on-track.com/

foxsasha

1,417 posts

135 months

Monday 24th October 2016
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Why are you double-declutching on all all downshifts?

dannyDC2

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

168 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all
foxsasha said:
Why are you double-declutching on all all downshifts?
Habit. smile

dannyDC2

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

168 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all
alfie2244 said:
dannyDC2 said:
alfie2244 said:
My second favourite track after Cadwell, no comments or criticisms just to say I am so jealous...I do miss tracking my DC2. driving
Yeah I think I'd put it at number 2 straight away. Impressive track!
Are you a member of HOT?

http://www.hondas-on-track.com/
I am - wish I was going Donington with them next week!

dannyDC2

Original Poster:

7,543 posts

168 months

Monday 24th October 2016
quotequote all
SAS Tom said:
Having watched your videos at cadwell on YouTube I wondered if you'd been to Oulton as IMO it's a much better track. On a bike at least you never get a rest, there's always something going on whereas cadwell is almost a circuit of two halves.
It's so hard to compare them, I really don't want to pick a favourite!

Which says a lot for Oulton as I'd have said no doubts before Saturday that Cadwell was my favourite!

nw942

456 posts

105 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
Thanks for the video.

Very timley for me as I was considering doing my first track day (with BMW car club) in November.

I would plan on getting some instruction on the day, but would you say Oulton is a reasonable place to start or is it too technical/demanding/un-forgiving?

QBee

20,953 posts

144 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
Its not where I would choose for a first track day to be honest.
Bumpy, often wet under the trees, I have seen a good few videos of £30,000 cars mating with £1,000 barriers.

stevesingo

4,854 posts

222 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
The BMW Car Club days are polite affairs with not many wannabe racers.

I have done two November days with the BMWCCGB and no one has been in the barriers, despite them both being wet for at least part of the day.

Stay 2m from the apex on Old Hall if it is wet. There tends to be a puddle there.

Use a late apex at Cascades if wet as to allows you to straighten the car earlier.

Knickerbrook can be tricky to get the power down in the wet.

Beware Druids early on as it will be damp, miss the first apex and late apex the second to avoid having too much lateral load when you go over the crest.

If wet choose a higher gear that you otherwise would to aid traction. If it dries you will find that the higher gear in the wet is the correct gear in the dry.

Wet Laps at a more sedate pace than the OPs https://youtu.be/7xzD0AOLtY8

Edited by stevesingo on Tuesday 25th October 21:13


Edited by stevesingo on Tuesday 25th October 21:17

foxsasha

1,417 posts

135 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
quotequote all
nw942 said:
Thanks for the video.

Very timley for me as I was considering doing my first track day (with BMW car club) in November.

I would plan on getting some instruction on the day, but would you say Oulton is a reasonable place to start or is it too technical/demanding/un-forgiving?
It's one of the worst first time tracks if it's wet. Very technical and demanding for a range of reasons. Take it steady and you'll be ok but multiple corners over high speed crests causing the car to go light and so grip to drop whilst cornering, off camber over a crest tight corner, bumps right on the exit point of fast bends etc. Compound that with little run off and grass (rather than tarmac) between edge of track and barriers (which when wet will offer no real speed reduction before car/barrier interface) and it's not a great place to pop your track cherry.

Kev_Mk3

2,764 posts

95 months

Tuesday 25th October 2016
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Oulton is my local track and one of my faves

nw942

456 posts

105 months

Monday 31st October 2016
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Thanks to those who replied.

I have spoken to a few other people and have decided to cut my teeth elsewhere.

Steve H

5,258 posts

195 months

Tuesday 1st November 2016
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All tracks have something to hit if yo try hard enough, Oulton is no worse than many others so long as you keep your head about you.

If you did want to do the Oulton day with BMWCC I think there may be just a couple of places left and I'll be one of the three instructors there, I'd be happy to jump in and guide you round.

niche_crew

1 posts

187 months

Tuesday 1st November 2016
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Agree with the above... My friend did his first track day in his DC5 and was fine. I was there in my silver E30 M52. Great track...!

LayZ

1,625 posts

242 months

Thursday 3rd November 2016
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Good car control, well nice to see. Glad to see you not granny-shifting, double clutching like you should. Hope your floor pan rivets held up.