Discussion
Just got home from a Vauxhaul VXR trackday at Croft in Yorkshire, it was fantastic!
The VXR hospitality centre was excellent
Following registration we had bacon and sausage barms washed down with tea/coffee/juice then a selection of pastries. When the day was over they fed and watered us again before the journey home.
We were split into 2 groups of 20 and our group did the trackside activities first which consisted of timed auto tests in two Corsa SRi turbos where you drive around cones and reverse into conned garages etc. One driver left his car in reverse after stopping in the garage and promptly shot off backwards into the trees! Very funny, no damage except to his pride and the VXR guys were fine about it and had a laugh too.
Next up was the "Wall." You drove an Insignia at 30mph towards a sheet of water soaked plastic mat sheeting keeping the left side wheels on that and the right side wheels on the tarmac. At the end of the sheeting was a large inflated bag/wall. You had 2 attempts to stop before the wall.
Finally we had the pitstop challenge. They had a BTCC style astra with air jack system in the floor and the goal was to change one of the rear wheels as fast as possible in a team of 2. Thats one on the gun and one switching the wheels. The wheel bit was easy but the gun was harder than it looked on the demo. The gun would lock on the nut or the nut would spin out of the gun and shoot off down the pit lane!
After completing all 3 events we had some 50 mins left so had a few more goes at the auto test and about 10 more goes on the pit stop which saw our times tumble from 8.5 seconds to 5 seconds.
90 mins Track Time.
Had a safety brief which was followed by 3 sighting laps in a the car with an instructor, back to the pits for helmets then it was a free for all. There were a series of bus stops set up, the first was the current BTCC driver Andy Jordan in a Astra VXR who was giving hot lap demonstrations then the Corsa VXRs, Astra VXRs of which 2 had data loggers to compare your lap and the instructors on a print out at the end of the day, Zafiras, Insignias but not the VXR type and finally 5 or so VX8Rs. There were 6 more cars than drivers so no waiting, jump out the last car and into the next one.
Basically I found one of the Astras was great whilst the other was quite bouncy, I think one had 18 inch wheels and the other 19 inch. The Zafira was good to, weird approaching Tower bend at 100mph and realising you were in a people carrier.
I got the impression the instructors in the two VX8Rs I tried did not want you to push on but the guys in the Corsas were brilliant. They really wanted you to go for it and get the most from the car, even turning the traction control off in the Arctic version. This year we had score cards where they would make comments (possibly so the next instructor could see what level of idiot was getting in his car) and we got an extra lap too making it up to 3 laps. You got an out lap, full lap and an in lap although some instuctors would let you stay out for 4 if they were enjoying the ride.
I remember the Astra and Corsa being very good as they feel so tight and solid, my poor old SX felt wallowy and imprecise by comparison on the way home.
My final session of the day was in yet another Corsa chasing down my mate in an Arctic Corsa which was popping and banging away as it had the Remus exhaust. By now we knew the circuit and we were absolutely flat round most of it, two equal drivers in matched cars being spurred on by enthusiastic instructors, it was quite simply brilliant!
Groundhog Day please!!
The VXR hospitality centre was excellent
Following registration we had bacon and sausage barms washed down with tea/coffee/juice then a selection of pastries. When the day was over they fed and watered us again before the journey home.
We were split into 2 groups of 20 and our group did the trackside activities first which consisted of timed auto tests in two Corsa SRi turbos where you drive around cones and reverse into conned garages etc. One driver left his car in reverse after stopping in the garage and promptly shot off backwards into the trees! Very funny, no damage except to his pride and the VXR guys were fine about it and had a laugh too.
Next up was the "Wall." You drove an Insignia at 30mph towards a sheet of water soaked plastic mat sheeting keeping the left side wheels on that and the right side wheels on the tarmac. At the end of the sheeting was a large inflated bag/wall. You had 2 attempts to stop before the wall.
Finally we had the pitstop challenge. They had a BTCC style astra with air jack system in the floor and the goal was to change one of the rear wheels as fast as possible in a team of 2. Thats one on the gun and one switching the wheels. The wheel bit was easy but the gun was harder than it looked on the demo. The gun would lock on the nut or the nut would spin out of the gun and shoot off down the pit lane!
After completing all 3 events we had some 50 mins left so had a few more goes at the auto test and about 10 more goes on the pit stop which saw our times tumble from 8.5 seconds to 5 seconds.
90 mins Track Time.
Had a safety brief which was followed by 3 sighting laps in a the car with an instructor, back to the pits for helmets then it was a free for all. There were a series of bus stops set up, the first was the current BTCC driver Andy Jordan in a Astra VXR who was giving hot lap demonstrations then the Corsa VXRs, Astra VXRs of which 2 had data loggers to compare your lap and the instructors on a print out at the end of the day, Zafiras, Insignias but not the VXR type and finally 5 or so VX8Rs. There were 6 more cars than drivers so no waiting, jump out the last car and into the next one.
Basically I found one of the Astras was great whilst the other was quite bouncy, I think one had 18 inch wheels and the other 19 inch. The Zafira was good to, weird approaching Tower bend at 100mph and realising you were in a people carrier.
I got the impression the instructors in the two VX8Rs I tried did not want you to push on but the guys in the Corsas were brilliant. They really wanted you to go for it and get the most from the car, even turning the traction control off in the Arctic version. This year we had score cards where they would make comments (possibly so the next instructor could see what level of idiot was getting in his car) and we got an extra lap too making it up to 3 laps. You got an out lap, full lap and an in lap although some instuctors would let you stay out for 4 if they were enjoying the ride.
I remember the Astra and Corsa being very good as they feel so tight and solid, my poor old SX felt wallowy and imprecise by comparison on the way home.
My final session of the day was in yet another Corsa chasing down my mate in an Arctic Corsa which was popping and banging away as it had the Remus exhaust. By now we knew the circuit and we were absolutely flat round most of it, two equal drivers in matched cars being spurred on by enthusiastic instructors, it was quite simply brilliant!
Groundhog Day please!!
Was on the same day (afternoon group)and loved it!
Well organised, professional and top fun.
I was surprised how well I did in the Autotest (despite not being able to find reverse the first time!), had to swerve round the wall twice and I think the nut and axle on the BTC Astra had had enough by the time we got to it as it jammed every 3 attempts to remove/replace!
The track action was the best part of the day, got to drive everything at least once (first car I drove on track was the VXR8!). The Insignia was just not suited to the track, too wallowy but all the others were great. The Zafira was the revelation of the day, v. fast but lively in the corners. The Corsa was the most chuckable and had the most encouraging instructor. Didn't get time to do the telemetry lap so don't know what my time's were like.
Nothing tempted me away from my Focus ST (didn't think anything handled as well) but it was a good experience (I'm now off to book my first track day!)
Well organised, professional and top fun.
I was surprised how well I did in the Autotest (despite not being able to find reverse the first time!), had to swerve round the wall twice and I think the nut and axle on the BTC Astra had had enough by the time we got to it as it jammed every 3 attempts to remove/replace!
The track action was the best part of the day, got to drive everything at least once (first car I drove on track was the VXR8!). The Insignia was just not suited to the track, too wallowy but all the others were great. The Zafira was the revelation of the day, v. fast but lively in the corners. The Corsa was the most chuckable and had the most encouraging instructor. Didn't get time to do the telemetry lap so don't know what my time's were like.
Nothing tempted me away from my Focus ST (didn't think anything handled as well) but it was a good experience (I'm now off to book my first track day!)
I went to the same session, and having been to a couple of the VXR trackdays, i think are amazing value for money.
The Astra and Corsa are definitely more suited to track work though, and i found myself just alternating between those two. The Corsa being the more chuckable, and the astra more of a hooligans car, i couldnt believe how tail happy it was in the wet!
My thanks to James Pickford, Tom Ferrier, and Danny Buxton for the excellent tution.
The Astra and Corsa are definitely more suited to track work though, and i found myself just alternating between those two. The Corsa being the more chuckable, and the astra more of a hooligans car, i couldnt believe how tail happy it was in the wet!
My thanks to James Pickford, Tom Ferrier, and Danny Buxton for the excellent tution.
Edited by Project7 on Sunday 19th July 20:13
Firstly a confession I was that driver. Yes it was me that stuck the Corsa in the hedge. I had set the quickest time on our first visit to the auto test area and when we went back the VXR lads were egging me on as I had been demoted to 2nd! Oh and yes the lads were totally fine about it. They even asked me out again to give it another go.
The track action was of course the highlight as you would expect. For me though driving the Corsa with Paul O’Neil along side giving advice was a highpoint of the day.
I attended last years Rockingham day and enjoyed it immensely and the same has to be said for Croft, a track I had not visited before. The scoring system added a little something to the day and really enabled you to work on bad habits and weak areas of your driving, that said my best score was 98% after managing to run wide a little onto the grass high in 4th getting the car well out of shape and bringing it back again, what can I say it just proves t hat racing drivers are a different breed of person.
Big thanks to the organisers and instructors that were on hand on the day.
The track action was of course the highlight as you would expect. For me though driving the Corsa with Paul O’Neil along side giving advice was a highpoint of the day.
I attended last years Rockingham day and enjoyed it immensely and the same has to be said for Croft, a track I had not visited before. The scoring system added a little something to the day and really enabled you to work on bad habits and weak areas of your driving, that said my best score was 98% after managing to run wide a little onto the grass high in 4th getting the car well out of shape and bringing it back again, what can I say it just proves t hat racing drivers are a different breed of person.
Big thanks to the organisers and instructors that were on hand on the day.
Was on the morning session at Croft on the 25th July. Track was damp/wet for most of it - Corsa was quite twitchy in the rain. Fantastic value for money and I'll definitly book for next year. Speaking to one of the organisers, with vauxhall pulling out of the BTCC, and their financial situation further events aren't guaranteed unfortunately.
Oh yes, I had such a good time and still find myself thinking about it every day! Went online as soon as I got home to book a track day at Croft but could only find one and not suprisingly it was sold out.
I do hope Vauxhall continue with these days next year.
How did you find Rockingham Chaz?
I do hope Vauxhall continue with these days next year.
How did you find Rockingham Chaz?
Luckily I'm attending one of the few days with BaT at the end of the monthGassing Station | Track Days | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff