Is Crail any good?
Discussion
I'm thinking of heading down the road to Crail to do some 1/4 miles one weekend soon and really see what my car can do, has anyone been before or know if it's worth going to? To be honest I can't really be arsed being stuck with loads of kitted up Corsa 1.2s banging out happy hardcore all day, and don't really know what to expect. Any advice when to go/ what to take would be cool.
tuscan_thunder said:
it's not a very nice place when it's filled with mock power chavs. It's not exactly a pleasant place at the best of times, being rather windswept and un-interesting.
Pretty well summed up. Yes, there will be a lot of neds in racing sheds but it does balance out with some interesting machines turning up. Not been there for a couple of years but there will be high performance japanese marques, occassionally some yank muscle, some British muscle, some Europeon exotica, and a range of bikes.
The odd racing shed might catch you out.
Where it is, it is weather beaten and will often rain. This affects the timing gear and if it still works the wet track not give good times obviously.
Crail used to be good when Willie used to hire it out for 'testing' days - We used to hire it at a competative rate on a weekend day between 10 of us and it was a good day setting up a circuit without any trouble from any neds/chavs. But saddly the locals complained over the years and he's limited to 20 days a year I think, which means he goes for max turnover which introduces a few 'maxpower/banzai' types.
One thing I would add is the 1/4 mile surface is crap! Also if you intend to have several high rev launches evalute your existing clutch as that can fairly take it's toll on a std clutch & i'm assuming you have to drive home!
good luck - hopefully you'll enjoy
Steve
One thing I would add is the 1/4 mile surface is crap! Also if you intend to have several high rev launches evalute your existing clutch as that can fairly take it's toll on a std clutch & i'm assuming you have to drive home!
good luck - hopefully you'll enjoy
Steve
I would echo the comments above!
Probably more worth it going on one of the 'big' days that promise TV and magazine coverage, these tend to bring out the more interesting metal. I think most of these are done for this year
Yeh, worth going once a year, even if just for trying to keep at straightface at some of the absolute rubbish you'll see!
Having said that, there can be some absolute gems in amongst the rubbish, exotics, very fast jap stuff and even some very subtle little beauties that absolutley shift!
Moonie
Probably more worth it going on one of the 'big' days that promise TV and magazine coverage, these tend to bring out the more interesting metal. I think most of these are done for this year
Yeh, worth going once a year, even if just for trying to keep at straightface at some of the absolute rubbish you'll see!
Having said that, there can be some absolute gems in amongst the rubbish, exotics, very fast jap stuff and even some very subtle little beauties that absolutley shift!
Moonie
Edited by theboymoon on Tuesday 19th September 21:02
Crail and girls in the one sentence, never good. Think the man just trawls the streets of dundee for hookers/heroin addicts the night before the event then slaps them in hotpants. Rough isnt the word.
Crail is an utter waste of money and time. The toilet facilities are horrific (I'm male and I think that!). Last time I was there there wasnt even a pipe on the bottom of the urinal, you were literally pissing through a porcelain hole on to the floor and standing in an inch deep puddle of piss. Great!
The surface is a joke, he promises this and that but nothing ever comes of it. The famous trackbite startline prep is meant to have been coming for a year now, well, the dumb shits he employs water the pre-staging area using a hose if that helps traction? Fluid is usually spilt and a pile of cement dust turfed on top of it. Not sprinkled on then brushed off, just a pile put down and the wheel spin can clear it off.
Horrifically over priced food and a timing system thats dubious at best, breaks down about 3 times a day at worst/most events.
Think I've about summed up the place. If only Knockhill could figure out how to fit a 1/4 mile in....
Crail is an utter waste of money and time. The toilet facilities are horrific (I'm male and I think that!). Last time I was there there wasnt even a pipe on the bottom of the urinal, you were literally pissing through a porcelain hole on to the floor and standing in an inch deep puddle of piss. Great!
The surface is a joke, he promises this and that but nothing ever comes of it. The famous trackbite startline prep is meant to have been coming for a year now, well, the dumb shits he employs water the pre-staging area using a hose if that helps traction? Fluid is usually spilt and a pile of cement dust turfed on top of it. Not sprinkled on then brushed off, just a pile put down and the wheel spin can clear it off.
Horrifically over priced food and a timing system thats dubious at best, breaks down about 3 times a day at worst/most events.
Think I've about summed up the place. If only Knockhill could figure out how to fit a 1/4 mile in....
So - I guess the answer is to build a car that will go round corners and come sprinting with the rest of us! We currently use Knockhill, Kames, Alford, Boyndie and Golspie. Full details of the Guyson Scottish Sprint Championship, plus advice on getting started in sprinting, can be found at www.scottish-sprinting.co.uk.
If you are really brave you could try hill-climbing. Also supported by Guyson, the Scottish Hillclimb Championship visits Doune (the best hill in the UK, bar none!), Forrestburn and Fintray House, and has a sister website at www.scottish-hillclimbing.co.uk.
I can assure you that you will not find a nicer bunch of like-minded car enthusiasts anywhere.
If you are really brave you could try hill-climbing. Also supported by Guyson, the Scottish Hillclimb Championship visits Doune (the best hill in the UK, bar none!), Forrestburn and Fintray House, and has a sister website at www.scottish-hillclimbing.co.uk.
I can assure you that you will not find a nicer bunch of like-minded car enthusiasts anywhere.
g4addicted said:
So - I guess the answer is to build a car that will go round corners and come sprinting with the rest of us! We currently use Knockhill, Kames, Alford, Boyndie and Golspie. Full details of the Guyson Scottish Sprint Championship, plus advice on getting started in sprinting, can be found at www.scottish-sprinting.co.uk.
If you are really brave you could try hill-climbing. Also supported by Guyson, the Scottish Hillclimb Championship visits Doune (the best hill in the UK, bar none!), Forrestburn and Fintray House, and has a sister website at www.scottish-hillclimbing.co.uk.
I can assure you that you will not find a nicer bunch of like-minded car enthusiasts anywhere.
If you are really brave you could try hill-climbing. Also supported by Guyson, the Scottish Hillclimb Championship visits Doune (the best hill in the UK, bar none!), Forrestburn and Fintray House, and has a sister website at www.scottish-hillclimbing.co.uk.
I can assure you that you will not find a nicer bunch of like-minded car enthusiasts anywhere.
Should possibly have mentioned, I dont really see the point in the whole 1/4 mile thing so maybe I can see Crail in a less rose tinted fashion.
Boyndie and Golspie.......in cars........full sized cars.........road cars.........mad as hatters the lot of you! Things may have changed but they were scarcely wide enough for some of my karting antics! Having said that, I've always wondered if the people at kingdom kart club would be willing to open up Crail for small track days style events. Right next to crail drag strip, better facilties and quite a twisty wee track.
I've been meaning to get along to some sprints and hillclimbs this year but havent found the time. We used to be up at KH all the time when I was little, nearly every race weekend, bikes and cars. I miss the action.
So Emicen - get up to Alford on the 8th October, and watch Garry Dickson (200+ bhp Westfield) and John Stevenson (400 - YES!, 400+ bhp Impreza) go head-to-head for the Scottish Sprint Championship. It is the final round, with less than a point (i.e. less than a second) between the two after a full season.
Boyndie and Golspie are twisty, but they do require real talent to get round quickly - we see 250+ bhp single-seaters on these tracks these days!
Boyndie and Golspie are twisty, but they do require real talent to get round quickly - we see 250+ bhp single-seaters on these tracks these days!
renny said:
The Sprints & Hills are the best "Clubman" motor sport in Scotland just now. Close competition between as diverse a range of cars as you will see anywhere and a friendly bunch of folks as well
Yup, I agree with this
However, I reckon the boys with the big V8 Goulds are taking the notion of "clubman" to the outer edges!
Emicen, if you reckon using road cars on the likes of Doune is nuts, you should see the boys in the "big bang" single seaters
ApexJimi said:
renny said:
The Sprints & Hills are the best "Clubman" motor sport in Scotland just now. Close competition between as diverse a range of cars as you will see anywhere and a friendly bunch of folks as well
Yup, I agree with this
However, I reckon the boys with the big V8 Goulds are taking the notion of "clubman" to the outer edges!
Emicen, if you reckon using road cars on the likes of Doune is nuts, you should see the boys in the "big bang" single seaters
I've never seen Doune so wouldnt comment. It was the fact that Golspie and Banff were narrower than other kart tracks and if you slipped a wheel off the track at Golspie I'd love to see what the rabbit holes would do you your suspension.
Wasnt there a certain young karter managed to roll his new car at Golspie doing just that whilst playing one night?
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