Castle Combe tips / advice

[HDi-Julian]

Hi,

Sorry in advance if this has been covered, I've searched and been through the usual Evo / Lotus On Track etc circuit guides.

Anywho, just curious as to peoples thoughts on where time is made up after initially getting a feel for the place and getting comfortable around there?

We're talking track days so no chasing 1:16's hero attitude, but everybody wants to go faster and just interested to hear peoples thoughts on where they picked up time themselves.

Thanks in advance and apologies again if this is in the wrong place or a duplicate of many, many posts before it.

cheers

[Munter]

In my MX5. Change up before Old Paddock bend, rather than run out of revs at the exit. Then you can concentrate on line etc with your foot mashed into the floor all the way to tower.

[Dakkon]

The speed you carry through Camp will largely dictate your overall laptime.

[Lagerlout]

For me as a relative track noob, braking longer & more gently into quarry, carrying more exit speed, larger nads into the esses and bobbies, gently off the brakes into tower tipping in. Braking earlier into camp and carrying more speed, using all of the track. This is in an Elise, all about momentum. It's a great track and pretty safe, Camp is definitely the hairy one if wet so careful there and of course the chicanes can bite if you over banzai it. I'd advise getting an instructor, worth every penny is everyone and their car is different so you'll need to work on different things.

[Elderly]

Lagerlout said:

...... and pretty safe,.

It's the most difficult track in the UK to get your car insured at.

Isn't Quarry the most crashed at corner of any UK track?

[wellground]

All the above, plus so much time can be gained at Avon Rise, but it's very easy to be frightened of it. It's scares the bejesus out of a lot of people. A lot of drivers take the classic line of going left over the brow before turning right into into quarry. That is what causes so many off's at Quarry. The back end goes light and wants to slide to the right as you crest over Avon Rise, as you are trying to move over to the left. Instead, straighten the curve over Avon Rise by using all the track and head straight for the inside of Quarry. Do your braking before and after the rise, NOT on it. So two defined separate braking attempts. Then hug Quarry around the apex and aim for a fast exit. This means you can leave your braking much later before Avon Rise and carry much more speed over the rise. It takes some getting used to, but it can take a lot of time off your lap. Have a look at this line in, its a few years ago now, but I hope it helps get some better lap times for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BO6Cz8mWL8

[Oilchange]

Thats basically how I remember Quarry, too easy to get the braking wrong or brake on the crest which will send you spinning into the barrier as the back end goes light.

[james_gt3rs]

If it's wet, brake early for Camp, closed I've come to crashing my car on track

[HDi-Julian]

Thanks for the replies, better responses than I could have hoped for to be honest, cheers

All makes good sense, I think I've got the classic problem of braking either too hard or for too long, more than required either way, stemming from a lack of balls and familiarity with both the car and the track, so hopefully I can take all these words of wisdom in and try and make more of an effort.

I did come a little close to finding the wall at Camp just before I fitted my LSD and was still largely leaving corners in One Wheel Drive mode, also locked the fronts at a bhp day in the sleet in Feb and had to take the chicken run beside bobbies through the tyres so I'm definitely appreciating what people say about Combes big and serious nature.

Thanks again for the input from everybody, always a big help to hear from people who are further along with all this

• Wellground, white/black Evo X? I can remember one with a Wellground sunstrip when I was working at a certain workshop in Warmley, Bristol probably 3/4 years back which shall remain nameless haha. I've seen it at Combe going VERY well, also

[QBee]

Instruction, instruction, instruction.

I got the most speed out of instruction.....the guys there (we were on an MSE event) really know how to get you out of the corners faster, and that is the key. I was about 15 mph faster out of Camp after 20 minutes with a fearless instructor (older gent called Anthony) in the car. He made me drive through the corners, rather than just hanging on for dear life praying it would stay on the track. It was quite a surprise to find the car actually felt safer and planted with more speed and acceleration.

[wellground]

HDi-Julian said:

• Wellground, white/black Evo X? I can remember one with a Wellground sunstrip when I was working at a certain workshop in Warmley, Bristol probably 3/4 years back which shall remain nameless haha. I've seen it at Combe going VERY well, also

That's me LOL. That certain workshop eh!!!! Never again. LOL

[HDi-Julian]

Haha too right, it's scary that some people can stay open for so long. Glad it's coming back out and EVEN faster soon though, good to hear, all the best with it

QBee, definitely a good shout, I'll definitely be going that route again next time, thanks Was night and day after my first session with an instructor at a BHP day last year.

Thanks again folks

[JontyR]

wellground said:

All the above, plus so much time can be gained at Avon Rise, but it's very easy to be frightened of it. It's scares the bejesus out of a lot of people. A lot of drivers take the classic line of going left over the brow before turning right into into quarry. That is what causes so many off's at Quarry. The back end goes light and wants to slide to the right as you crest over Avon Rise, as you are trying to move over to the left. Instead, straighten the curve over Avon Rise by using all the track and head straight for the inside of Quarry. Do your braking before and after the rise, NOT on it. So two defined separate braking attempts. Then hug Quarry around the apex and aim for a fast exit. This means you can leave your braking much later before Avon Rise and carry much more speed over the rise. It takes some getting used to, but it can take a lot of time off your lap. Have a look at this line in, its a few years ago now, but I hope it helps get some better lap times for you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6BO6Cz8mWL8

Nice lap time, was that on road tyres or slicks?

My advice to you on Combe is warm yourself up rather than going for big lap times straight out of the box.

As above stay on a positive throttle over avon rise, it will not take any prisoners! The turn in point for quarry isn't at the edge of the track more 1/3 of the way in, clip the apex and focus on the exit. My turn in for the chicane is at the board, and then you can straight line it, don't waste time on heading over to the left of the track for old paddock...there is no need you aren't going fast enough. I always late apex the kink and then treat tower as two corners....so turn in and then turn in again. Sounds daft...but it works, also there is the option of hooking the inside of the curb. DO NOT FOCUS ON THE TYRES!!! Beware of oversteer and then same again the chicane board I use as a turn in. Hug the right hand side of the track before heading down the left ready for Camp. I love camp, although killed my R1 there (slicks and wet track didn't mix ) As already mentioned it really can be a deal breaker when it comes to achieving that laptime.

[HDi-Julian]

Thanks Jonty, will try it out and see how it goes. Only squeezed a few sessions of low 1:23's last time amidst masses of 24's and some much slower laps with traffic as I'm pretty intent on giving people room and behaving like I'm supposed to on a trackday, so do need to up the pace a fair bit when there's room to play.

Fortunately it's only an old hatchback if the worst happens, just never want to delay anyones day by binning it. Thanks again folks

[JontyR]

how do you time your laps?

I used to tape up peoples speedos and stick a video in their cars so that they weren't distracted with either top speeds or chasing times.

just focus on being super smooth and you will get there. When I as racing there I was knocking around in 1:11s being overtaken by the Junos and Jades doing 1:01s and lapping the Golf and Porsche peddling around in 1:30s...just enjoy and better understand how the car works.

[HDi-Julian]

Wise words, thank you Seems to be a recurring theme that smoothness builds speed, so I can totally get behind that, seems a far better approach than just going balls out and forgetting or neglecting your abilities when it's just a day of fun at the end of it all.

First time out last year a lot of the folks seemed to be using it as a cheap test day which kept me on my toes with the massive difference in closing speeds haha.

As for timing, just a GoPro and going frame by frame on the laptop once home, so quite tedious and sadly no real way of knowing if I'm improving on the day itself besides just 'feel', but I understand circuits reasoning for no timing and do my best to respect it, despite how tempting Racechrono and the want to see real-time improvement may be...

[Blanchimont]

There's a video on youtube of how to drive it effectively.

I did it for the first time in the lashing rain, and although I had a couple of poo moments, namely losing it into Avon Rise, and sliding at 90+ heading into Quarry. I somehow managed to gather it up and flick it infield to save hitting the wall. Plus a large slide into Camp, solved by a bootful of power (FWD, with an LSD) and some neutral lock.

Absolutely brilliant circuit though. Start slowly, and focus on the correct lines, braking points and the speed will come later. If it is wet I would see about keeping road tires on, rather than semi-slicks.

[HDi-Julian]

Agreed entirely, it's pretty gnarly in the wet, we did a day up there in the sleet in February on Nankang NS2R's. Eye opening for sure.

Only managed a couple of sessions the other day, car didn't feel itself, still pulled well but lacked its usual urgency so took my Dad out for a few laps after checking there wasn't any oil or coolant escaping or anything else untoward that would cause problems for others. It promptly cracked the turbo and we pulled in and proceeded to smoke out half the paddock from oil creeping into the exhaust and burning, so off home before 11 o'clock

Couple of laps below if anyone is bored and has any pointers on what needs the most attention, although I'm sure the whole lot does Video only on Youtube to share with a few friends and get some advice.

Also noticed a PistonHeads sticker on the back of the black/yellow Atom in front while I remember.

Thanks again

Standard shonky Youtube video

[v8bloke]

Id say you did pretty well, I timed both those laps in the clip, a consistent 1m25.
My advice would be to build up confidence then maybe get the power on earlier in the corners but only if you have confidence in your cars handling.
Combe takes a while to really learn well.
Here is a lap from a few years ago at an action day. I still over brake on the approach to avon rise/quarry.
I love the way one corner flows into the next. very rewarding to drive.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JkWZ3rspSvQ

[HDi-Julian]

v8bloke - I know your MGB! Have had the pleasure of watching you drive it at Combe a couple of times, very nice video as well, always helps seeing laps from people like you and Wellground who properly know their way around and have the talent I'm lacking, plus hearing from everyone else here, will check out some more of yours in a bit

Can definitely get on the power earlier, you're the second to mention it now I think you're totally right that it's a confidence thing, so better to build up as you say, hopefully work on it next time and then it'll get the diff working and tighten things up a bit as well as gaining some pace Was trying to get out with Dave da Costa as I've always wanted to but sadly the mechanicals stopped play this time.

Been a big help this thread, thanks