Wet Track days...love em or hate em?
Discussion
I must admit, that particular day we were sat around for a while waiting to go, therefore went for it sooner than I normally would have. I'll get my driver excuses out of the way too, seeing that black fabia in front slide out, you have an instant reaction thinking which way will he go. Looking back at the video, I didn't move my hands so must have lifted mid corner, which instantly snapped the car into lift off oversteer.
All in, good fun though!
All in, good fun though!
Andy Bell said:
I love the bit at 2:45 where you nearly lose it and after you both look at each other with a 'good effort on catching that and not wiping out' 
haha, i was SWEATING! the car is my mates and thats the 1st time i had even sat in it let alone driven it!! lol
it was great fun, later on i was playing about with the balace on the throttle and keeping it sideways for a fair distance, which amazed me for a FWD car being used to beemers myself!
Upsidedownmark said:
That's the first vid I'd actually say looked like a decent example of how to drive fast in the wet
As for bike TD's, I've only done one (dry). After a few laps I got brain fade and braked where I do in the car. Stayed shiny side up just, but finished up a long way from the tarmac
thanks, it was good fun, As for bike TD's, I've only done one (dry). After a few laps I got brain fade and braked where I do in the car. Stayed shiny side up just, but finished up a long way from the tarmac
as for the bike.... i was guilty of exactly the same thing... trying to outbrake another bike... ended up taking an excursion through the gravel trap, with my feet out! lol - wont be doing that again!
I find wet trackdays very dissapointing. As soon as I try to push the risk of spinning is huge.
In the dry I know exactly where the edge is but in the wet with changing conditions I am sure to spin.
Some wet days I have not even bothered to do a session especially at Combe with little run off.
Here is a short clip of a spin at Silverstone last year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U8L8OLq5aA
In the dry I know exactly where the edge is but in the wet with changing conditions I am sure to spin.
Some wet days I have not even bothered to do a session especially at Combe with little run off.
Here is a short clip of a spin at Silverstone last year.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6U8L8OLq5aA
On the whole I dislike them, I generally drive cars on the track with no roof so thats one thing. The fact I struggle with the rain on my visor, the fact I can go as fast as i like, the spray from other people the low grip etc put me off. I like the sideways action but its not enough.
If its not raining or only a drizzle I'm happy, but rain I not a fan. Low skills I imagine dont help!
If its not raining or only a drizzle I'm happy, but rain I not a fan. Low skills I imagine dont help!
I've done a few wet track days - Oulton, the 'ring, but by far one of the funnest times ive been out on track was my first time at Bedford when it hammered it down.
My mate in his R26.R on R888's opted to pax for the afternoon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T81rLWTDj4
My mate in his R26.R on R888's opted to pax for the afternoon
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3T81rLWTDj4
Not a fan. I drive my car on track to drive at speeds I cannot do on the public road. So driving around a track at half speed makes me want to park the car and use my front wheel drive daily.
Last time I ventured out on a drying track at Snetterton I touched the brakes at 90 at the end of the start finish straight and watched the world go round 3 and a half times.....
Last time I ventured out on a drying track at Snetterton I touched the brakes at 90 at the end of the start finish straight and watched the world go round 3 and a half times.....
Edited by QBee on Thursday 1st March 14:21
.Bloody love them! Even in the car with no roof!
Only track that really shocked me was Nordschleife in the wet. I couldn't believe the variations in grip between different tarmacs. Lots of gradients to totally school you too haha.
https://youtu.be/9AEXR6myITQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo7YPqCf6xM
Only track that really shocked me was Nordschleife in the wet. I couldn't believe the variations in grip between different tarmacs. Lots of gradients to totally school you too haha.
https://youtu.be/9AEXR6myITQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jo7YPqCf6xM
Nice bump!
Wet races, not so much. But wet track days are the best! Whilst everyone else has either a) wussed out and is sitting in the cafe, or b) pussyfooting it around the rest of us get a near empty track and get to play around with less-obvious lines. My favorite track days are actually showery days, so you get the best of all conditions.
And to those of you who run off to the cafe, you'll learn a lot more about car control if you stay out. Take it easy, learn yours and the cars limits and you should be fine. Just don't all jump out as the rest of us enjoy the quiet track time
Wet races, not so much. But wet track days are the best! Whilst everyone else has either a) wussed out and is sitting in the cafe, or b) pussyfooting it around the rest of us get a near empty track and get to play around with less-obvious lines. My favorite track days are actually showery days, so you get the best of all conditions.
And to those of you who run off to the cafe, you'll learn a lot more about car control if you stay out. Take it easy, learn yours and the cars limits and you should be fine. Just don't all jump out as the rest of us enjoy the quiet track time
Mate of mine racing GT's at Silverstone, give me bone dry tracks and sunshine, I hate the rain!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD7KcRzA97A
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD7KcRzA97A
When younger i used to not like rain a lot.
That was mostly down to the fact that i was always after a good lap time and of course that would only come on a dry day.
As i grew older i realised that rain and the effects of it can only make you and grow you into a better driver.
So now, every time i drive in the wet i am having the exact same fun i would on a dry date.
It makes for great practice and good experimentation time.
As for tracks, the least joyful on the wet is the Nurburgring for me.
Traction is minimal, run off is the same so it means that if you dont want to put the car in the bin you have to be somehow more cautious than your normal.
Kostas.
That was mostly down to the fact that i was always after a good lap time and of course that would only come on a dry day.
As i grew older i realised that rain and the effects of it can only make you and grow you into a better driver.
So now, every time i drive in the wet i am having the exact same fun i would on a dry date.
It makes for great practice and good experimentation time.
As for tracks, the least joyful on the wet is the Nurburgring for me.
Traction is minimal, run off is the same so it means that if you dont want to put the car in the bin you have to be somehow more cautious than your normal.
Kostas.
Nabu said:
When younger i used to not like rain a lot.
That was mostly down to the fact that i was always after a good lap time and of course that would only come on a dry day.
As i grew older i realised that rain and the effects of it can only make you and grow you into a better driver.
So now, every time i drive in the wet i am having the exact same fun i would on a dry date.
It makes for great practice and good experimentation time.
As for tracks, the least joyful on the wet is the Nurburgring for me.
Traction is minimal, run off is the same so it means that if you dont want to put the car in the bin you have to be somehow more cautious than your normal.
Kostas.
You have summed it up for me. I don't mind wet driving per se, my 260 bhp daily Saab is on Rainsport tyres and behaves well in a downpour. That was mostly down to the fact that i was always after a good lap time and of course that would only come on a dry day.
As i grew older i realised that rain and the effects of it can only make you and grow you into a better driver.
So now, every time i drive in the wet i am having the exact same fun i would on a dry date.
It makes for great practice and good experimentation time.
As for tracks, the least joyful on the wet is the Nurburgring for me.
Traction is minimal, run off is the same so it means that if you dont want to put the car in the bin you have to be somehow more cautious than your normal.
Kostas.
But my track car is a TVR, worth getting on for £20k, and I simply don't want to be the victim of my own mistakes in the wet, or anyone esle's for that matter. The car is light weight, rear wheel drive and not the place to be in a crash. And I do track days to drive it at speeds I am not allowed to do on the public road, so wet track days don't really hack it for me. Horses for courses i guess. Maybe if the weather is bad I should take the swedish shed on track rather than the british bulldog?
In my FWD track day days, wet days were always a disappointment. Tip-toeing around understeer isn't that enjoyable. With a RWD car, its a lot more engaging, and a good oppportunity to play with adjusting the car on the trottle.
Ultimately though, I still keep my fingers crossed for dry fast days.
Ultimately though, I still keep my fingers crossed for dry fast days.
Helical said:
In my FWD track day days, wet days were always a disappointment. Tip-toeing around understeer isn't that enjoyable. With a RWD car, its a lot more engaging, and a good oppportunity to play with adjusting the car on the trottle.
Ultimately though, I still keep my fingers crossed for dry fast days.
Trail-braking and patience Ultimately though, I still keep my fingers crossed for dry fast days.
Getting the best from FWD in the wet is a challenge, but when you click with it is a lot of fun!Gassing Station | Track Days | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff