Knockhill

[JohnL]

A friend has talked me into (oh it took sooo much pressure ) doing an "Ultimate Drivers Experience" at Knockhill.

This'll involve driving MGFs, single seat racing cars, a skidpan session, and RWD rally cars. Oh and a spot of lunch in the middle! (Yes, dear, it's advanced driving tuition, it should help me to be more safe on the road Actually it probably will)

Anyway I'm looking forward to that (10 April, a while off ). Anyone here done the same or similar there? What did you think?

[CeeGee]

I did the course there about a year ago - 3 laps round in an MGF with an instructor (me driving), 2 laps round in an MG-Z(F?) saloon with the instructor driving and me cacking it, 5 laps round in a single seater, good fun but over too soon.

All in all, fun but expensive. Best bit was the dawning realisation that, whatever I might have thought before, my driving skills were NOWHERE near as good as cocky little me thought they were....

[CraigAlsop]

Hi John,

I did the same course as CeeGee last year (not at the same time)- was pretty good fun (managed to pip my mate to the post to get best driver of the day award
)
A couple of things to be aware of:
They have 5 gears not 4, although they tell you 4, just to help you keep your speed down I found this out by accident, as I hit the rev limiter in fourth & just naturally changed into fifth.
If you don't "see" the waved flag to bring you in, then you can get an extra lap or 2. They made fun of you, but didn't charge you any more

I'm doing the Rally experience with my brothers on 26th of Feb, so I'll let you know what that's like....

I think the Knockhill stuff is slightly overpriced for what you get, but it's pretty much the only game in town....
I'm very tempted to do one of the Welsh rally courses, but it's a bit of a bind to get there



>> Edited by CraigAlsop on Wednesday 12th February 00:46

[foz01]

Agreed on shortness, i did tge xr2 and single seater day but the amount of actual driving time was minimal. Good fun though and yes they do have 5 gears

Kinda put me off taking my own car round there too!

[Size Nine Elm]

A friend has talked me into (oh it took sooo much pressure ) doing an "Ultimate Drivers Experience" at Knockhill.

This'll involve driving MGFs, single seat racing cars, a skidpan session, and RWD rally cars. Oh and a spot of lunch in the middle! (Yes, dear, it's advanced driving tuition, it should help me to be more safe on the road Actually it probably will)

Anyway I'm looking forward to that (10 April, a while off ). Anyone here done the same or similar there? What did you think?

Did the same a few (4?) years ago, except XR2i instead of MGF. Was good fun. The 'tarmac rally' was the most fun, running round the circuit in reverse direction, and taking the chicane by launching off the top of the hill to land on the track below - with the encouragement of the instructor! Old Sierra with slightly bald tyres to get an easy drift on all the corners... enjoy!

[andytk]

I've done the rally part in the old shagged out sierras. Their gearboxes are completely shagged. A classic quote from one of my mates on the day was "those gearboxes are looser than a whore's pu**y"
Quite amusing.

The rallying is good fun (the trick is to see if you can scare the instructor) but I felt it was a tad overpriced. (for the rallying alone)
I have heard that the single seaters are better value.

Also if they are running the rally spec impreza then you can pay an extra tenner for a flying lap of the rally course. This is HIGHLY recommended cos it shows you what a car can really do.
I was gobsmacked by the grip and power.

Andy

[JohnL]

Size Nine Elm said:
Did the same a few (4?) years ago, except XR2i instead of MGF. Was good fun. The 'tarmac rally' was the most fun, running round the circuit in reverse direction, and taking the chicane by launching off the top of the hill to land on the track below - with the encouragement of the instructor! Old Sierra with slightly bald tyres to get an easy drift on all the corners... enjoy!

May actually be XR2i after all. My brother in law who set it up says XR2i, the website says MGFs. Should still be fun whichever!

[CraigAlsop]

Was MGFs when I did it - maybe they have both?

[sstein]

I did the course with the 3 laps in MGF then two laps in the MG Saloon, then the 7 laps in the single seaters.

I was a tad disapointed with the single seaters and the gearbox was a nightmare, I had to concentrate more on getting the car in gear rather than braking etc. Still a good day out though. Also they dont tell you the cars have reverse either but I was told they do AFTER I spun?

[Size Nine Elm]

CraigAlsop said: Was MGFs when I did it - maybe they have both?

I think they replaced the XR2s with MGFs about 2 years ago - I did a corporate day 18 months ago and got the MGFs then.

[Size Nine Elm]

sstein said:I was a tad disapointed with the single seaters and the gearbox was a nightmare, I had to concentrate more on getting the car in gear rather than braking etc.

Ditto. 1st, 2nd OK, then 5th. Couldn't find 3rd or 4th until I'd slowed so much I really needed 2nd again...

[CraigAlsop]

Size Nine Elm said:
Ditto. 1st, 2nd OK, then 5th. Couldn't find 3rd or 4th until I'd slowed so much I really needed 2nd again...

I had that problem, but immediately came back into the pits & asked for a car with gears, and to get another free lap
This car turned out to be fine, so they do have at least one car that is OK....

[McNab]

I think it would be worthwhile to do a track day first. Knockhill isn't the easiest circuit in the world, and you'll get far better value for money if you already know the tricky bits.

[JohnL]

McNab said: I think it would be worthwhile to do a track day first. Knockhill isn't the easiest circuit in the world, and you'll get far better value for money if you already know the tricky bits.

Sounds like a good plan.

I remember you suggested Crail a while ago (adverts for MAX POWER days and all!) - might be an idea.

Or do you mean a trackday at Knockhill? Do they have open-to-the-public ones? If so, can you use their cars or do you have to run your own?

Hmm, 3 litre Omega estate with the traction control switched off, could be entertaining except that - 1, I wouldn't really know how to control it properly in those circumstances (one of the reasons for doing this course) and 2, I have to pay for the flippin' tyres at £130 a corner!

Better bet, if using my own car, would be to replace my sh@gged MR2 first and use that.

[CraigAlsop]

I think that learning Knockhill is a good plan. WilliamBall has started up a business renting out a Westfield Megablade for trackdays, for less than £100 per person at Knockhill IIRC including track hire (I think this assumes a 3 way split)

You might want to drop him a line....
Edited to say, just noticed that he doesn't have a link to his email address in his profile - email me & I can forward it on, or wait for him to respond to this posting

>> Edited by CraigAlsop on Thursday 13th February 17:51

[whatever]

You could learn a bit about the circuit by watching the "a ... is born" series. Knockhill is used as the circuit in those series. The chief instructor also stars and seems like a good chap, too.

One thing I did notice, though. It always seems to rain.


[I realise that several episodes' worth were filmed each day, but over three series?!]

[CraigAlsop]

whatever said:
One thing I did notice, though. It always seems to rain.

Yup. It always rains at Knockhill. Even if the rest of Scotland is bathed in sunshine (freak event though that may be), you can be sure that a part of Knockhill will get some rain.

[Del Sydyway]

Strange but true..

Get a copy of TOCA2. It's got Knockhill on it (you might need a cheat as it's one of the advanced circuits as I recall) and is a great way to learn the circuit. I played it about 3/4 years ago and then went to see real life TOCA and knew the circuit backwards just by playing the game.

[JohnL]

Del Sydyway said: Strange but true..

Get a copy of TOCA2. It's got Knockhill on it (you might need a cheat as it's one of the advanced circuits as I recall) and is a great way to learn the circuit. I played it about 3/4 years ago and then went to see real life TOCA and knew the circuit backwards just by playing the game.

Errr ... what's TOCA2? I'm assuming a computer game but my best experience of games is "Alex builds a farm". Great game ... if you're 4

[CraigAlsop]

JohnL said:
Errr ... what's TOCA2? I'm assuming a computer game

You assume correctly It's a touring car simulator, using the Codemaster's gaming engine (also do Colin McRea rally), which is one of the best car racing simulators on the market IMHO, apart from Grand Prix Legends.
You can pick it up pretty cheap now ( < £10 ), as it has been out for a few years (you will need a force feedback wheel to get the best out of it though)

I remember spending all evening playing it before my first Knockhill trackday, and as Del says, it is pretty good for helping you learn the circuit, even down to the rain