Decent Airfield Surface

[rjben]

Can anybody recommend an airfield day that has a good surface? I’ve read on here that Elvington is a bugger for stone chips and tyre wear for instance, and I don’t really want to put my new car through that!

I’d rather do an airfield day rather than a track day as I’ve no experience and want to explore the limits without gravel traps and barriers.

Cheers,

Rob

[Guillotine]

you'll be hard pushed to find what you want.

airfields are by nature..old, poorly maintained (lots of bits on them) and the tarmac is grippy (designed to aid aircraft wheel grip/braking).

if you don't go screaming up peoples chuffs, and don't do the slidey stuff then you should be ok in any case.

lots of cheap, relatively safe fun...'avago.

easytrack go to elv's, and are new guy friendly...give them a call.


nice car BTW

>> Edited by Guillotine on Saturday 26th June 19:11

[bweemer]

Bruntingthorpe not too bad - corners are re-surfaced.
A few stones though & rabbits.

Hullavinton (or however you spell it) isn't bad either.

[Butzi]

Try Badford Autodrome, it's basically an airfield with a track on it, with plenty of grass on either side of the track. No barrier/gravel traps. Best track for beginners, I've been there twice and experieneced the off road characteristics of my car several times with nothing more than a bit of grass/mud on the tyres.

[daydreamer]

Must admit, I'd go with the above. There is less to hit at Bedford than an airfield, but you get the advantage of driving on a track. Also, places such as Donington and Silverstone have bags of run off, so you will be very unlikely to come into contact with anything.

It is much easier to see where you are going wrong than on an airfield day, so your driving will improve much quicker.

I think that airfields are great for tyre screaching and vmax, but to drive quicker then you have to get to a track.

Many on here have disagreed with this POV btw, so I'm not saying that I'm right

[rjben]

Cheers Guillotine, just need to learn how to drive it now!

Thanks gents,

So it looks like Bruntingthorpe, Hullavinton and Bedford Autodrome will be ok to cut my teeth on as long as I have a little ‘track courtesy’, which will help with the stone chips. I guess Donington and Silverstone will be good to move onto with a little experience then?

The major limiting factor that I have at the moment is that the majority of events seem to be on weekdays. As I’m a contractor I don’t get paid for holidays so £100 - £200 track fee & plus the daily rate will not sit very well with the other ‘alf…..

[jleroux]

agree withe daydreamer that to become smoother and quicker you need to visit a circuit. HOWEVER, in order to improve car control skills, there is no better place than an airfield.

personally, improving car control should always come before increasing speed.

J5

[Butzi]

On airfield you can still hit the cones which will mark your paintwork, (I've got some on my bumper, lucky it's on Armourfend). Also the ground would be rough and full of bits to give your car lots of big stone chips and wear you tyres out a lot faster. That's why airfield trackdays are cheaper! I'd like to try Donnington next now that I've "graduated" from Bedford.

[cptsideways]

I have a rather smooth tarmac venue for the slalom & drift club days. Ideal days for learning the handling limits in safety & the cones are tiny lightweight ones.

Have a look at the conedodgers website for all the info.

[rjben]

Cptsideways,

Is that at Andover on 24th July? How many places do you have left? Do you have any details of the venue? I can't imagine I'll beable to 'drift' at all, more like 'become detached very quickly', is this going to be a problem? Just want to explore handling really....

Anyway, details of venue would be good so that I can see how bit the drifting arena is.

Cheers,

Rob

[Pete Cros]

rjben said:

The major limiting factor that I have at the moment is that the majority of events seem to be on weekdays. As I’m a contractor I don’t get paid for holidays so £100 - £200 track fee & plus the daily rate will not sit very well with the other ‘alf…..

During the ?summer? weekends, tracks are of course booked full for race days. It is very rare for a trackday organiser to get a summer weekend day, and very expensive. There are of course week day evenings, usually ending mid'ish August because of light. Evenings generally run from 17:00 to 20:00, around the 100:00 limit. Tracks include Donnington, Silverstone GP, etc. Look at some of the trackday organiser web sites, Pistonheads Calendar etc. Bookatrack, Goldtrack, Easytrack have evenings this summer. I have attended Silverstone GP evenings in the past, very good value considering a day is circa 300:00 with 6 to 7 20 min sessions. A Silverstone GP evening for circa 110:00 usually gives you 90 mins + track time. The only down side is the low sun mixed with dirty fly covered windscreens.

Edited to add:
A group is going to Bruntingthorpe, Friday evening 16th July, 69:00. Edited insert: Open Pit Lane, so up to 3 hours track time for 69:00!!!!. It's organsised by Goldtrack, but isn't advertised, repeat NOT advertised, phone Goldtrack, 01327 361361 and talk to Melindi or Culum Lockie (he of race driver fame). www.goldtrack.co.uk but, the event isn't listed. I know that people have already booked and paid so it is a runner.

>> Edited by Pete Cros on Tuesday 29th June 07:50

>> Edited by Pete Cros on Tuesday 29th June 08:00

[Don]

Agree with Pete. Did one of Mr Leroux's events - Donington of a summer evening. Absolutely wonderful. Pots of track time and I was able to work all morning - only took the afternoon off.

If you're a Contractor don't you have holiday sometimes? A Track Day is a Holiday For YOU (rather than for her...)...go on...

[zumbruk]

daydreamer said:

Must admit, I'd go with the above. There is less to hit at Bedford than an airfield,

Bedford *is* an airfield. Or at least, it was. It used to be a MoD Research Airfield, and Qinetiq still have a site there.

I haven't driven round it since it became the Autodrome, though. Have they taken those scarey landing lights out? I had visions of getting off the concrete, sliding across the grass and hitting the only solid object for miles around in the shape of a bleeding great steel and concrete light...

[Pete Cros]

zumbruk said:

Bedford *is* an airfield. Or at least, it was. It used to be a MoD Research Airfield, and Qinetiq still have a site there. I haven't driven round it since it became the Autodrome, though. Have they taken those scarey landing lights out? I had visions of getting off the concrete, sliding across the grass and hitting the only solid object for miles around in the shape of a bleeding great steel and concrete light...

Surface is track like, smooth etc. The only 'hittable' armco is on the long straight, actually starts at the turn onto the straight. Otherwise, wide open spaces. But, I have seen damage caused by the grass, Skyline, went off across the infield, ended up with ripped off body parts, front splitter and side panels. Generally, a good open, fast track.
Try to stay on the black stuff, it does less damage.

>> Edited by Pete Cros on Tuesday 29th June 13:20

[cptsideways]

rjben said:

Cptsideways, Is that at Andover on 24th July? How many places do you have left? Do you have any details of the venue? I can't imagine I'll beable to 'drift' at all, more like 'become detached very quickly', is this going to be a problem? Just want to explore handling really.... Anyway, details of venue would be good so that I can see how bit the drifting arena is. Cheers, Rob

There are more spaces available on the 24th more than the other dates anyway. Usually half of those who turn up have never done this sort of thing before but usually by PM they have it sussed. Not everyone wants to drift many just come to learn the handling of their car. Expect lots of spins, arm flailing & laughter, but you'll learn lots in the process.

The venue is 650 yards square & I normally fit in a slalom & a drift course.

[legaleagleboy]

I am very lucky, not far from Bedford, Bruntingthorpe, Mallory Park & Donington -- enjoyed them all.

Personally I would start with some cheaper ones eg the evening Goldtrack at Bruntingthorpe (16th July & I am booked), lots of space and you get a chance to shake your car down a bit.

Then Bedford if you can find a cheaper date, I like RMA events but will have to wait until Nov for cheaper prices.

Then Donington is a must, nice to see some hills and more challenging cambers (compared to airfield tracks) - those Craner curves can catch you out, but a real thrill when learnt. The events run by the circuit themselves are good value -- all day Sat 10th July for £140, that is not bad.

Mallory is good for Gerrards corner alone, much tighter and more to hit so if you have a habit of falling off the track don't do it!! You have been warned.

bye


paul f