Driving an Exige Slow on Track
Discussion
Rich196 said:
The only people that get the odd looks from me are the ones giving it large in the pit lane, with a fully stripped and "race preped" car, standing in their racing baby grow, that are getting passed all day by shopping car.
I've heard the sniggers but I'd rather wear the race suit on a trackday and get laughed at than leave it home and then have a car fire. Seems silly to spend good money on safety gear and not use it just because it's not mandatory. OP. You sound like the sort of chap I like on trckdays. Enjoying yourself and courteous to others on circuit. Get saving and get that Exige!
Jim1985 said:
Please bear in mind buying this car is probably a year or two away! Also, I do drive fast on track, but I dont have a large amount of testicular fortitude. I'm more of a "try it a little bit fast/brake a little later, next lap" type of driver. I also have an inferiority complex - evident by this post!
Familiarity with a circuit breeds confidence in the car and yourself, which will soon manifest itself as later braking, cleaner lines and more speed.Its exactly the same as when you rock up to a Go-kart circuit, the first couple of laps are investigative to feel the grip and slip, but by the end of the session you are flat out through corners you originally lifted off on.
Don't worry about it - Im generally one of, if not the, slowest on the trackdays I go to but have a keen eye on the rear view mirror and pull in asap - never had any bad comments.
Get some instruction though - you'll be amazed how you can push a bit when you know the lines.
I wouldn't do another RMA day though!
Get some instruction though - you'll be amazed how you can push a bit when you know the lines.
I wouldn't do another RMA day though!
I am normally pretty quick on track, but still follow the rules about watching my mirrors and letting faster cars past.
Quite often it is cars that are faster at that point on the track, and I re-take them later on a different bit, as my car is quick in a straight line but not as fast as say a faster Lotus or some of the faster Caterhams through the corners.
I let a Hillman Imp through last time I was at Cadwell......not as quick on the straights, but brilliant driver and he drove the corners really well.
I overtook a MacLaren 650S last Friday at Castle Combe, and gave him credit for having a 2 week old £200,000 car out on track. All that mattered was that he was watching his mirrors and enjoying himself.
In a nutshell, as said many times above, nobody cares how fast you go so long as you aren't crawling and ARE watching your mirrors and moving over. It's actually fun for the driver of a slower car to catch and overtake a potentially faster one. The only thing that annoys us all is someone who never looks in their mirrors, won't move over, and holds us up for lap after lap.
As they say at the briefings "work together on track".
Quite often it is cars that are faster at that point on the track, and I re-take them later on a different bit, as my car is quick in a straight line but not as fast as say a faster Lotus or some of the faster Caterhams through the corners.
I let a Hillman Imp through last time I was at Cadwell......not as quick on the straights, but brilliant driver and he drove the corners really well.
I overtook a MacLaren 650S last Friday at Castle Combe, and gave him credit for having a 2 week old £200,000 car out on track. All that mattered was that he was watching his mirrors and enjoying himself.
In a nutshell, as said many times above, nobody cares how fast you go so long as you aren't crawling and ARE watching your mirrors and moving over. It's actually fun for the driver of a slower car to catch and overtake a potentially faster one. The only thing that annoys us all is someone who never looks in their mirrors, won't move over, and holds us up for lap after lap.
As they say at the briefings "work together on track".
HorneyMX5 said:
I've heard the sniggers but I'd rather wear the race suit on a trackday and get laughed at than leave it home and then have a car fire. Seems silly to spend good money on safety gear and not use it just because it's not mandatory.
OP. You sound like the sort of chap I like on trckdays. Enjoying yourself and courteous to others on circuit. Get saving and get that Exige!
Race suit and you can drive, no issues. Race suit and you can find an apex, people will snigger.OP. You sound like the sort of chap I like on trckdays. Enjoying yourself and courteous to others on circuit. Get saving and get that Exige!
Plus your mk1 looks full on race car, and awesome
Sod what anyone else thinks!
What I try and remember on track is that we've all payed the same money and faster cars don't have anymore right than slower ones.
Not that I would hold anyone up on track - it's just some people get very angry if they're held up - remembering the above can help to calm things a little..
As has already been said so long as you're not holding people up (once a car catches you let it past - if that means backing off on the straights then do so) then everyone will be happy
What I try and remember on track is that we've all payed the same money and faster cars don't have anymore right than slower ones.
Not that I would hold anyone up on track - it's just some people get very angry if they're held up - remembering the above can help to calm things a little..
As has already been said so long as you're not holding people up (once a car catches you let it past - if that means backing off on the straights then do so) then everyone will be happy
Wouldn't worry me at all. I'm more impressed by a car that's well driven than some Billy Big Spuds in a monster track weapon who wouldn't know what an apex was if they were on special offer in Tescos.
So no problem at all with you having a nice car and not wringing it out all the way so long as you don't hold people up...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
So no problem at all with you having a nice car and not wringing it out all the way so long as you don't hold people up...
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Craikeybaby said:
Your approach doesn't sound like a problem to me. FWIW I've driven an Exige at Silverstone on one of their experience days, it is by far the best car I've ever driven.
Did my coaching for Thruxton in an Exige. As soon as I'd learned the circuit and got a feel for the car I was flat out and the fastest car on track with the exception of Tiff Needell in an M4!So long as you stick to the rules and watch your mirrors, I wouldn't worry about what other drivers think. They're all paying the same as you.
Chris.
Gassing Station | Track Days | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff