Abingdon Track days

[GR_TVR]

CanoeSniffer said:

which he promptly spun through the moderately fast right hander after the hairpin

[CanoeSniffer]

motco said:

What's different now CS?

Trying to find a track map for the old layout, none are too accurate but this is probably the best representation-



The easiest way to see the difference is by having a look at a YouTube video or two- the most drastic change is the introduction of the hairpin, the entire lap was 3rd and 4th gear for me previously to give you an idea how much tighter it is now. The pits/paddock also used to be on the top left of the picture posted, with entry before a medium speed left hander and exit just after- the new location is a couple of corners later.

The coned out complex on the opposite side of the circuit to the pits replaces two coned chicanes that were there previously, both of which were tight and challenging but much faster when taken right. It's still a cool circuit but not quite as good as it used to be in my eyes.

[motco]

CanoeSniffer said:

motco said:

What's different now CS?

Trying to find a track map for the old layout, none are too accurate but this is probably the best representation-



The easiest way to see the difference is by having a look at a YouTube video or two- the most drastic change is the introduction of the hairpin, the entire lap was 3rd and 4th gear for me previously to give you an idea how much tighter it is now. The pits/paddock also used to be on the top left of the picture posted, with entry before a medium speed left hander and exit just after- the new location is a couple of corners later.

The coned out complex on the opposite side of the circuit to the pits replaces two coned chicanes that were there previously, both of which were tight and challenging but much faster when taken right. It's still a cool circuit but not quite as good as it used to be in my eyes.

Thanks CS, I'll do as you suggest and look at Youtube.

[motco]

I have looked at videos and as far as I can tell the map below shows the difference between the old layout (in cyan) and the new (in magenta) with the pits in the top right hand corner. It is approximate only but you'll get the drift

Edited by motco on Wednesday 11th July 16:21

[CanoeSniffer]

motco said:

I have looked at videos and as far as I can tell the map below shows the difference between the old layout (in cyan) and the new (in magenta) with the pits in the top right hand corner. It is approximate only but you'll get the drift

Edited by motco on Wednesday 11th July 16:21

That's about right

[veehexx]

a few events away, but i'm booked up for the 7th sept. second event of the year for me and be re-attending in my '15 typeR, with a few more tweaks like beefier rear brakes, rear brake cooling and more camber. hopefully fix the minor issues i was having from the april day.

looking at the layout map above, the new layout seems to be more brake heavy with shorter straights for brake cooling benefits.
the way MSE spoke in april, the new layout was a temporary one due to wildlife in the way on their originally planned layout (cyan?). New layout certainly recalled accurate from what i ran, as did the old layout when i ran in my s2000 a number of years ago.
is the new layout not so temporary?

[motco]

veehexx said:

a few events away, but i'm booked up for the 7th sept. second event of the year for me and be re-attending in my '15 typeR, with a few more tweaks like beefier rear brakes, rear brake cooling and more camber. hopefully fix the minor issues i was having from the april day.

looking at the layout map above, the new layout seems to be more brake heavy with shorter straights for brake cooling benefits.
the way MSE spoke in april, the new layout was a temporary one due to wildlife in the way on their originally planned layout (cyan?). New layout certainly recalled accurate from what i ran, as did the old layout when i ran in my s2000 a number of years ago.
is the new layout not so temporary?

Ask Natasha at MSE, she's always very helpful.

[Smitters]

Do you go clockwise, or anti? I ask as anti looks to put you round a hairpin and facing traffic coming at it's highest speed on the track...

[veehexx]

every abingdon event i've done is anti clockwise. the cones don't really allow the hairpin to be an issue.
one of my videos from my april run, video starts as you head up the hairpin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Em7uXFiAwOM&t=...

[motco]

Smitters said:

Do you go clockwise, or anti? I ask as anti looks to put you round a hairpin and facing traffic coming at it's highest speed on the track...

According to this Youtube footage it is anticlockwise. Hullavington had 140mph+ traffic in each direction running parallel with no incident that I know of. The Abingdon 'contraflow' is very short by comparison.

[Smitters]

Cheers. I suppose it'd be very unlucky for someone to drop it on the brakes, maybe with a sus failure or something that sends you piling off into the oncoming post-hairpin traffic. I remember Hullavington, but I also remember thinking cones weren't going to scrub off much if someone lost it!

[motco]

A bloke with a 1970s MG Midget with really wide sticky tyres shed a wheel at Hullavington (IIRC). The car stopped safely enough but the wheel went on for quite a distance. He hadn't changed the hubs and studs so the extra forces generated by his fat sticky tyres were too much for the weedy little studs and one after the other all four broke in a split second. Two hours later he had taken a stud from each of the other hubs and made a three-stud per wheel lash-up to get home. Hopefully to up-rated hubs next time!

[Smitters]

Yikes.

I am running standard rear toelinks on my Elise, so have deliberately steered clear of sticky rubber. I guess I have in mind a mechanical failure on my own car costing someone else their P&J. I have insurance, but they may not and as we are all told, with great clarity and some (friendly) force at MSE events, it's big boys rules.

[veehexx]

i'd say less much less of a risk than someone overcooking it on the brakes or missing the brake point and rear ending you.
i'd hope with the mentality and average skill at track days, if something major did happen then the driver(s) would react sensibly and not panic like most on the road.

i had to opt to wipe out a cone rather than risk clipping a caterham under braking when the rear end faded on mine. one corner fine, the next just didn't want to stop.
also blew a turbo hose off on the same corner (different lap) so car wouldn't go any more than 35. excessively slow but everyone managed to be sensible about it

speaking of which, turbo hose has been sorted, rear brakes have been uprated and will be fitting rear brake ducting over the weekend. hopefully the car will be drama-free for it's 2nd event in september

[LennyM1984]

Hi,

Long time lurker here...

Is anybody planning to go to Abingdon on the 12th October? I did my first track day there in May (dark blue Boxster holding everybody up!) and got well and truly bitten by the bug.

If there is anybody who'd be willing to give me some advice/pointers I'd be keen to learn. I've booked tuition again but I'll undoubtedly need more help.

[veehexx]

weather looking reasonable for 7th sept. i wonder what layout we're gonna get...

[GFWilliams]

LennyM1984 said:

Hi,

Long time lurker here...

Is anybody planning to go to Abingdon on the 12th October? I did my first track day there in May (dark blue Boxster holding everybody up!) and got well and truly bitten by the bug.

If there is anybody who'd be willing to give me some advice/pointers I'd be keen to learn. I've booked tuition again but I'll undoubtedly need more help.

I'll be there in my Blue Caterham and Yellow Exige V6. Probably won't drive the Exige much as I think it'll be a bit too quick for the track tbh, but I've mainly booked the day to shake the cars down and play with the setup.

[Smitters]

LennyM1984 said:

Hi,

Long time lurker here...

Is anybody planning to go to Abingdon on the 12th October? I did my first track day there in May (dark blue Boxster holding everybody up!) and got well and truly bitten by the bug.

If there is anybody who'd be willing to give me some advice/pointers I'd be keen to learn. I've booked tuition again but I'll undoubtedly need more help.

Think we were at the same day (yellow Elise, yellow Caterham and green Morgan) - the day of the sick Dad, courtesy of his daughter's driving. He was pretty cool about it to be fair!

IMHO the best value for money is three sessions with one of the instructors. I can't remember his name, but the young tall guy with dark hair is one I get on well with. Others less so - but that's just their teaching vs my learning style - certainly no reflection on them. Get one session first thing, one about an hour before lunch and one mid-afternoon.

Trying to learn too much in one day also makes it very tiring, so whilst it'd be great to learn the lines, braking points, heel and toe etc, an instructor can identify your issue(s) and help you gain confidence and understand what to do, and in what order.

That's not to say other TDers can't give great advice - I've had some, especially on trail braking, but I've also had some shocking advice too.

[motco]

Erling Jensen is one instructor - his surname was taken for Mr J Button's first name. Erling and Jenson's dad were good friends and raced together.

[gt_james]

I am booked on the October track day, it's my second trackday. I will be in a mk1 Mazda RX7