Castle Coombe track day from £28
Discussion
The organisers of these events take a very dim view of racing on the track - this is a track day, don't forget, not a race.
The last time I Was at Castle Combe for a private track day I seem to remember there was mention made of legal proceedings against anyone who caused damage to another driver's car through reckless or inconsiderate driving.
Obviously that could have just been a bluff to make people drive more sensibly.
The last time I Was at Castle Combe for a private track day I seem to remember there was mention made of legal proceedings against anyone who caused damage to another driver's car through reckless or inconsiderate driving.
Obviously that could have just been a bluff to make people drive more sensibly.
rivergirrl, personally I wouldn't recommend this day if it's your first track day. You need to have your wits about you as well as trying to master the track. Castle Combe is a very fast circuit with little run off. You'd be better off doing a more structured day with fewer cars and get some instruction at the same time.
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Yikes!
The thought of my dear Ruby Chimaera ending up like that makes me shiver and think I should reconsider my plans to go. Can you enjoy yourself, and improve throughout the day, like Manek says, without getting wiped off the track by some nutter??
The TVRCC track days are far safer from that point of view.
I must agree with Ted on this. I am pretty experienced but I rate CC as a pretty dangerous circuit in that it is fast, easy to make mistakes and there is no where to go! It requires total concentration which is difficult on a first track day and a complete awareness of who and what is around you.
The Chimaera accident was mild in comparison to some I have seen: Ferrari 308 taken home in bin bags, a 400SE Wedge with a modified front, rear and middle, Audi Quatro that was 2 feet shorter than when it started to name but a few. What was also not apparent was that the Chimimaera rolled after the tyre impact but the soft grass helped out. One of the reasons why my Griff 500 had a roll bar fitted PDQ.
It is a bit safer now the chicanes are in place but Avon Rise and Quarry are the stuff of nightmares because of the bumps and camber changes that can throw the car sideways when you don't want it to.
Great place to watch if you like the Gladatorial thing!
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
The Chimaera accident was mild in comparison to some I have seen: Ferrari 308 taken home in bin bags, a 400SE Wedge with a modified front, rear and middle, Audi Quatro that was 2 feet shorter than when it started to name but a few. What was also not apparent was that the Chimimaera rolled after the tyre impact but the soft grass helped out. One of the reasons why my Griff 500 had a roll bar fitted PDQ.
It is a bit safer now the chicanes are in place but Avon Rise and Quarry are the stuff of nightmares because of the bumps and camber changes that can throw the car sideways when you don't want it to.
Great place to watch if you like the Gladatorial thing!
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk
Rivergirl;
The best introduction is to do a TVRCC trackday first, and get an instructor for most of the day (they are free, and scandalously underutilised!). They will give you confidence to learn without the worry of screwing up expensively.
Take it gently, and don't be intimidated into going too fast by the speed merchants who may be barely in control.
For a real experience, let the instructor drive your car afterwards. When I did so, the instructor was passing griff 500s and cerberas in my lowly chimaera 4L.
Check that your insurer covers the trackday. It may be a big excess, but it does help.
Finally, don't be put off. They are what TVRs were designed for.
R
The best introduction is to do a TVRCC trackday first, and get an instructor for most of the day (they are free, and scandalously underutilised!). They will give you confidence to learn without the worry of screwing up expensively.
Take it gently, and don't be intimidated into going too fast by the speed merchants who may be barely in control.
For a real experience, let the instructor drive your car afterwards. When I did so, the instructor was passing griff 500s and cerberas in my lowly chimaera 4L.
Check that your insurer covers the trackday. It may be a big excess, but it does help.
Finally, don't be put off. They are what TVRs were designed for.
R
I wasn't thinking so much of people's ability on here to keep it on the track when I posted but more the lack of ability of the muppets that are there, and the poor standard or marshalling. There are marshall's, but they seem to turn a blind eye to the antics that go on at the C&CC days. You'll have people trying to outbreak you, overtaking on the inside of corners etc etc. Essentially they race. Which as most other "proper" track day organisers would be happy to tell you, would have you thrown from the track if you were to do it on one of their days...
-andy-
-andy-
Thanks, guys...
I appreciate your comments and am happy that you are concerned for me and my precious car. I will take her for the drive over, park up with my friends and watch with interest how NOT to drive on a track. I will book the next TVRCC day and gain knowledge from that.
PetrolTed, thanks for the fleece you posted out to me last night. I'll be wearing it the 27th!
>> Edited by rivergirrl on Wednesday 17th April 13:58
I appreciate your comments and am happy that you are concerned for me and my precious car. I will take her for the drive over, park up with my friends and watch with interest how NOT to drive on a track. I will book the next TVRCC day and gain knowledge from that.
PetrolTed, thanks for the fleece you posted out to me last night. I'll be wearing it the 27th!
>> Edited by rivergirrl on Wednesday 17th April 13:58
The very first track day I ever did was in 1997 and it was at Castle Combe. Fortunately it was an exclusive private hire of the circuit with the 20-odd cars there by invitation-only. Great day out and I took full advantage of the instructors too.
I did 2 more track days there subsequently and even got to see Bobby Verdon-Roe hooning a Cerbie round there in torrential rain. Humbling.
Having just spun the Corrado into the in-field past Tower I wasn't brave enough to accept the offer of a demonstration ride with him, something that I now regret!
Anyway, I too would add my voice that I wouldn't like to do the notoriously rough CCC day at Castle Combe as my forst track day. Not sure I'd want to do it even now, in fact.
I did 2 more track days there subsequently and even got to see Bobby Verdon-Roe hooning a Cerbie round there in torrential rain. Humbling.
Having just spun the Corrado into the in-field past Tower I wasn't brave enough to accept the offer of a demonstration ride with him, something that I now regret!
Anyway, I too would add my voice that I wouldn't like to do the notoriously rough CCC day at Castle Combe as my forst track day. Not sure I'd want to do it even now, in fact.
I was told Castle Combe are being stricter this year, apparently there are more marshals and even driver briefing. I may have a free track pass but unfortunately I doubt the S will be ready in time, if you can get the free pass you must use it by 11am so mostly go out with show cars who take it easier.
i may be tempted just to take my company car again if it is going to be bad!!
the chimera crash photos were from a TVRCC track day, i went to the same circuit the following day with Westover sports cars - that was brilliant, also did another track day recently at Brands with Easytrack and found this even better than a TVRCC day.
I guess it was due to cheaper cost, fewer cars, mix of cars and good driving standards.
dont get me wrong the tvrcc ones are great but to put it another way ´how much fun would tvr driving be if everybody else also drove a TVR???´, ie you end up with a load of similarily quick cars. No mega bucks ferraris, no elises (which are incredible around a trck) even less so a few easy bait cars to beat, and to add spice a few racers with slicks.
I found castle coombe to be a very easy track to drive round, with the exception of quarry which needs some respect. Brands by comparison is way more scary / exhillarating.
Bennno
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I found castle coombe to be a very easy track to drive round, with the exception of quarry which needs some respect. Brands by comparison is way more scary / exhillarating.
Bennno
Benno slightly off thread here, but i've driven a FPA on the Indy circuit at Brands as well as a Formula Ford and an Elise, and Paddock is the most exciting bend on the track, the approach to and the exit from leading up to Druids is great the rest is nothing special, did you drive the full GP circuit?? inc. Dingle Dell etc. if not Castle Coombe must be a piece of p**s !!
it was the indy circuit! paddock hill bend at speed is about as exciting as I would want it to be in about sixty grands worth of Porsche.
Castle Coomber by comparison seems to have lots of grass type run offs and is easy to rememberby comparison. Just take it easy through quarry and use the breaks before the first bend, and use a bit of common sense, ie on the sharp right hand corner with almost no run off, remember to break early.
Bennno
Ah Benno so you enjoyed Padock to !! the blind approach drifting fom left to clip the appex on the right before drifting out to the left and ove the rumble strip, feeling yourseld compress in the seat as you go through the dip then braking hard before Druids - great stuff 
The reest of Indy is a bit pants thought right????...
PS Wasn't meaning to have a pop at your driving or commitment in 60k's worth of motor.
The reest of Indy is a bit pants thought right????... PS Wasn't meaning to have a pop at your driving or commitment in 60k's worth of motor.
bed!
Rivergirrl, just as a postscript to the good advice others have offered, I have seen a copy of this month's CCC and the ad for this day says there will be a couple of novice sessions. Having said that, as a veteran of just one track day and one track evening, both shared drives, I wouldn't dream of going on one of these nutter days, except to point from a safe distance.
I had great instruction at a TVRCC day at Castle Combe and loved it, and although I was much slower than eveything else and pretty nervous, I got overtaken less by the end of the day and fully intend to have another go.
Incidentally, Wheeltorque and the Lotus 7 Club are doing a track day beginner's course at Prodrive the weekend of Le Mans. It's expensive, and designed for a shared drive, but if you're not heading for France and want a day specifically aimed at the novice, it might be worth considering.
Hope to see you at a track day sometime!
I had great instruction at a TVRCC day at Castle Combe and loved it, and although I was much slower than eveything else and pretty nervous, I got overtaken less by the end of the day and fully intend to have another go.
Incidentally, Wheeltorque and the Lotus 7 Club are doing a track day beginner's course at Prodrive the weekend of Le Mans. It's expensive, and designed for a shared drive, but if you're not heading for France and want a day specifically aimed at the novice, it might be worth considering.
Hope to see you at a track day sometime!
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