Palmer Sport Review
Discussion
every time i go it just gets better.
all the cars now are brilliant although i wish they'd lose the offroad stuff, not my thing. jp1's still my favorite for sucidal late braking. biggest suprise the 350z what a riot - absolute hooligans car. even a provisional driver could hold that thing sideways. brilliant brilliant day. worth every penny. especially if someone else is paying
all the cars now are brilliant although i wish they'd lose the offroad stuff, not my thing. jp1's still my favorite for sucidal late braking. biggest suprise the 350z what a riot - absolute hooligans car. even a provisional driver could hold that thing sideways. brilliant brilliant day. worth every penny. especially if someone else is paying
There are around 20 of us going down on Aug 3rd and it's going to be very competitive with many of the attendees racing karts on a regular basis. One of our lot is a bit unwell so is unlikely to make it - *If* he confirms he can't make it, I'll offer up the place to the PH team first - Cost will be 600 + VAT. If you're interested, please PM me.
DJ
DJ
Out of the 40 people taking part, I was staggered to find out that I had won the prize for being fastest in the 911 JP3, and had finished second overall. A happy end to a sensational day!
Great report brought back memories of my trip there in April of this year, mind you we had 115 people on that day, times were quite competative on the day...
911 - 72.05
JP1 - 73.15
Clio - 38.32
350 - 38.15
C7 - 50.39
Karts - 28.34
(not mine I add these were the best for each on the day....
MightyMoo said:
Bringing this topic to life again...
I am going on the track day in august
Spooky, I was also just reading this topic having been invited to go in June. I'm really looking forward to it, especially as I spent the day at Thruxton yesterday driving Jags at the invite of our local Jag dealership.I am going on the track day in august
I'm really looking forward to it now.
I did a morning there, not the full suite but much much cheaper, just the clio cup and 911.
Oddly, I found the Clio quite an assault on the senses to push hard (back just felt too light under braking \ change of direction) and the 911 more fun \ easier to explore the limits.
I had driven a 911 on track before tho, and my daily driver (altho somewhat lower powered
) is rear engined.
Oddly, I found the Clio quite an assault on the senses to push hard (back just felt too light under braking \ change of direction) and the 911 more fun \ easier to explore the limits.
I had driven a 911 on track before tho, and my daily driver (altho somewhat lower powered
) is rear engined.Edited by ian_c_uk on Thursday 24th May 15:36
Trying again to get some ansvers :-)
I am going on the track day in august 11th
Racing the different palmer cars.
-Any tips for a newbie?
-Planning on maybe using a helmet cam. Is it worth the hassle? Any experience anyone?
-How do they find a winner in the different events? Best lap? Overall lap?
I am going on the track day in august 11th
Racing the different palmer cars.
-Any tips for a newbie?
-Planning on maybe using a helmet cam. Is it worth the hassle? Any experience anyone?
-How do they find a winner in the different events? Best lap? Overall lap?
MightyMoo said:
Trying again to get some ansvers :-)
I am going on the track day in august 11th
Racing the different palmer cars.
-Any tips for a newbie?
-Planning on maybe using a helmet cam. Is it worth the hassle? Any experience anyone?
-How do they find a winner in the different events? Best lap? Overall lap?
Best tip is to listen to your instructor - this way you'll get the most from the day. You can learn a lot from these guys.I am going on the track day in august 11th
Racing the different palmer cars.
-Any tips for a newbie?
-Planning on maybe using a helmet cam. Is it worth the hassle? Any experience anyone?
-How do they find a winner in the different events? Best lap? Overall lap?
I'd check with them about the helmet cam, but using your own helmet robs you of the intercom system - I don't take my lid to Bedford because of this.
All cars have lap timers in which are used to record your best. Appart from, the Land Rover which is more about precision driving and the FPA car (which has a lap timer if you know where to look) where the trophy goes to the person whos lap trace is closest to a reference lap recorded by Justin Wilson.
Have fun :-)
ian_c_uk said:
I did a morning there, not the full suite but much much cheaper, just the clio cup and 911.
Oddly, I found the Clio quite an assault on the senses to push hard (back just felt too light under braking \ change of direction) and the 911 more fun \ easier to explore the limits.
I had driven a 911 on track before tho, and my daily driver (altho somewhat lower powered ) is rear engined.
My father and I did this - its a brilliant day out! We were lucky as we got to drive both the 996 and clio on the west circuit. I actually got on with the Clio Cup more as the tiptronic box seemed a bit lethargic in the 996 - you could feel the weight more and felt a bit reluctant to change direction as a consequence. I highly reccomend this experience, you really get to push the cars to the limit (lots of people spinning the 996! including me Oddly, I found the Clio quite an assault on the senses to push hard (back just felt too light under braking \ change of direction) and the 911 more fun \ easier to explore the limits.
I had driven a 911 on track before tho, and my daily driver (altho somewhat lower powered
) is rear engined.
)ZeroSum said:
My father and I did this - its a brilliant day out! We were lucky as we got to drive both the 996 and clio on the west circuit. I actually got on with the Clio Cup more as the tiptronic box seemed a bit lethargic in the 996 - you could feel the weight more and felt a bit reluctant to change direction as a consequence. I highly reccomend this experience, you really get to push the cars to the limit (lots of people spinning the 996! including me )
You're right about the 996, but I'm used to changing down before I need it so I guess any shift feels quick compared to the smart gearbox. Yeah, I spun too (altho I don't think the pic above was pre-spin ) ) once I just lost it, once I thought I had it held, wound on more and more lock, was still on the power as I ran out of lock. At this point I just just stood on the brakes and brought it to a halt, sideways, amongst much tyresmoke.Damn good fun.
Here's my review from mid/late last year that I posted on another forum :
I arrived at 8:00 after a nightmare journey in torrential rain for a full English breakfast and then briefing. It's not too laboured but of course they have to do it for the insurers. Martin Brundle presents it and it's well done and quite light with some humour. Then without any time wasting it was off to the first event.
Porsche 911 JP3 (0-60 4.5, 320bhp)
This was my first proper drive of a 911. i.e. I've never pushed one on track before. The track was extremely wet on the South Circuit with standing water and it was raining. This was going to be fun!
The instructor builds you up progressively but quickly. After a few laps I felt I could start pushing...hence I lost the rear end! It seemed it steps out quite progressively and from then on I managed to catch and power out the drifts. It seems quite a flattering car to drive. A great start to the day.
Then it was straight onto the Caterham Superlights (0-60 3.9, 286bhp/tonne)
It was still wet but it had stopped raining and it was drying off fairly quickly. It meant it was very variable grip conditions on the twisty East circuit and with that added to the very sensitive throttle, it meant I and many others ended up covered in mud after some artistic spins!
I enjoyed the Caterham much more than the 911. It just seemed to offer much more feedback and the slick ultra short gear change is brilliant. I don't think I ever pieced together a great lap as I'd always muck up on one bit or another. If only I could have got all the good bits in one lap…. I wonder how many others said that!
From here we went to drive the Renault Clio Cup touring race cars (0-60 4.1, 198bhp/tonne)
I didn't expect to be that impressed but when a car can do 0-60 in 4.1 through the front wheels, you know it’s going to be interesting. It's a weird car to drive as it was left hand drive, had a sequential gear shift (clutch used on downshifts only) and it just didn't behave like any front engined, front wheel drive car I’d ever driven before. If you're running wide, the instructors encourage you to floor it and it seems the front wheels just grip and pull the car through and in the direction you’re point it. The grip through the slalom section on the North Cuircuit was astounding. A really great fun car.
Straight after this we were in to the only production road car they use. The Nissan 350Z (0-60 5.9, 287 bhp)
They had disabled all the traction control, stability program etc and your left with a tail happy insane car. The instructors tell you not to worry about fast lap times (despite all the events being timed and you competing against each other). They just want you to have huge fun and get the back end out all the time. Some of the tank slappers you get to see are hilarious....unless you're in the car and then just bash your helmet around the inside of the car as it snaps left and right. After around 3-4 laps I started to get the balance point and managed to come out of bends sideways with the rears tyres alight and head off powering down the straight. It's a great ego trip and it makes you real like some sort of driving god…until you spin again!
Then it was time for a very good lunch and before that had really sunk down in our stomachs it was time for what was the main event: The single seat Formula Palmer Audi (F.P.A.) cars (0-60 3.4, 400bhp/tonne) on the West Circuit.
For this event you get an extra briefing as you're carrying 125+mph round seemingly impossible bends and then you need to be able to slow it down safely. Since you're out on your own there's no one to advise you so they prepare you before the off. The nerves before are quite intense and one guy actually didn't do it. There was still a couple of puddles out on the course but with a very clear warning to keep out of them, they switched my group onto slicks. Damp track in places plus cold slicks and my first time in a single seater and my pulse was racing. They strap you in and fire up the engine and give you the go....at which point I did the classic and embarassing thing of stalling it! Doh!... but then so did a load of others!
Out on to track and after a couple of warm ups I started pushing on. The car grips like nothing I'd been in before. I've been impressed with the turn in abilities of 911 GT3's and Caterhams in the past but this was amazing. Even planting the throttle felt very safe and your confidence levels build and build. The acceleration and wind pressure at higher speeds keeps your helmet pushed back on the rest but theres very little space for much other movement. After some good track time and with knees and elbows bruised, the chequered flag came out and I came into the pits on cloud nine. The grip, the power and the braking are just amazing.
From this event we would have been karting but the course was flooded so we went to a large area that was marked out with two courses a mirror image of each other. It was time for some head to head pursuit racing in Caterhams. Three heats to drive and lots of 180 turns and to finish a 360. It meant lots of spins, lots of do-nuts and lots of smoke. This is the time for smoothness but it just brought out the hooligan in everyone. I was a great laugh and an excellent viewing spectacle.
Then it was onto the off-road course. The Nissan Pathfinder (approach angle 33 degrees, lateral angle 48 degrees) is just a bit different to a Caterham which is really brought home when you turn the wheel a quarter turn and it still goes straight on rather than turning sharply.
Slow and steady was the plan and with targets to hit (tennis balls) and a drive along two slippery logs, it meant this event was scored on points rather than fast times. One section takes 30secs it you drive at a constant 1500rpm but when you're bucking around over bumps and troughs it's easier said than done. Somehow I did a 30.3sec run....but I was still beaten by many!
The final driving action of the day was the Jaguar V6 engined JP1 twin seat Le Mans type car (0-60 in 3.6, 370bhp/tonne)
I wasn't expecting this to be as good as the FPA but with a sequential gear box, the V6 torque and an instructor encouraging me on, I'm sure I was pushing this car a lot harder than the single seater. (I forgot to mention the instructors are all top notch. For the JP1 I had Barton Mawer next to me who is one of Australia’s drivers for the A1 GP next year. In the 911 it was Steven Kane a former F3 driver) We drove on the West Circuit, the same as for the FPA, so it was good for comparison. It sounds amazing and feels more planted that the FPA. This meant I was lapping 5secs quicker and pulling some serious Gs.
Back to the suite for afternoon tea and the presentations. All the events are competitive which really adds an edge to the days events.
I managed to win the Porsche 911 event and some other respectable finishes, it meant I came second overall.
The guy who won is someone I've raced against on numerous karting events. He always beats me! I always kidded myself it was down to his size and weight. I guess karting as your hobby and owning a Caterham does help hone your skills so maybe, just maybe he might be a fraction better driver.
This event is 100% top notch. It's very very slickly organised and it runs like clockwork. It’s so well sorted that by the time I’d got home I’d already received a picture of me on track.
If you get the chance – DO IT !!!!!
So that was my review. It was a paid for corporate do but it was so good I'm definately gonna do it again even if I have to spend my own wonga!!
I arrived at 8:00 after a nightmare journey in torrential rain for a full English breakfast and then briefing. It's not too laboured but of course they have to do it for the insurers. Martin Brundle presents it and it's well done and quite light with some humour. Then without any time wasting it was off to the first event.
Porsche 911 JP3 (0-60 4.5, 320bhp)
This was my first proper drive of a 911. i.e. I've never pushed one on track before. The track was extremely wet on the South Circuit with standing water and it was raining. This was going to be fun!
The instructor builds you up progressively but quickly. After a few laps I felt I could start pushing...hence I lost the rear end! It seemed it steps out quite progressively and from then on I managed to catch and power out the drifts. It seems quite a flattering car to drive. A great start to the day.
Then it was straight onto the Caterham Superlights (0-60 3.9, 286bhp/tonne)
It was still wet but it had stopped raining and it was drying off fairly quickly. It meant it was very variable grip conditions on the twisty East circuit and with that added to the very sensitive throttle, it meant I and many others ended up covered in mud after some artistic spins!
I enjoyed the Caterham much more than the 911. It just seemed to offer much more feedback and the slick ultra short gear change is brilliant. I don't think I ever pieced together a great lap as I'd always muck up on one bit or another. If only I could have got all the good bits in one lap…. I wonder how many others said that!
From here we went to drive the Renault Clio Cup touring race cars (0-60 4.1, 198bhp/tonne)
I didn't expect to be that impressed but when a car can do 0-60 in 4.1 through the front wheels, you know it’s going to be interesting. It's a weird car to drive as it was left hand drive, had a sequential gear shift (clutch used on downshifts only) and it just didn't behave like any front engined, front wheel drive car I’d ever driven before. If you're running wide, the instructors encourage you to floor it and it seems the front wheels just grip and pull the car through and in the direction you’re point it. The grip through the slalom section on the North Cuircuit was astounding. A really great fun car.
Straight after this we were in to the only production road car they use. The Nissan 350Z (0-60 5.9, 287 bhp)
They had disabled all the traction control, stability program etc and your left with a tail happy insane car. The instructors tell you not to worry about fast lap times (despite all the events being timed and you competing against each other). They just want you to have huge fun and get the back end out all the time. Some of the tank slappers you get to see are hilarious....unless you're in the car and then just bash your helmet around the inside of the car as it snaps left and right. After around 3-4 laps I started to get the balance point and managed to come out of bends sideways with the rears tyres alight and head off powering down the straight. It's a great ego trip and it makes you real like some sort of driving god…until you spin again!
Then it was time for a very good lunch and before that had really sunk down in our stomachs it was time for what was the main event: The single seat Formula Palmer Audi (F.P.A.) cars (0-60 3.4, 400bhp/tonne) on the West Circuit.
For this event you get an extra briefing as you're carrying 125+mph round seemingly impossible bends and then you need to be able to slow it down safely. Since you're out on your own there's no one to advise you so they prepare you before the off. The nerves before are quite intense and one guy actually didn't do it. There was still a couple of puddles out on the course but with a very clear warning to keep out of them, they switched my group onto slicks. Damp track in places plus cold slicks and my first time in a single seater and my pulse was racing. They strap you in and fire up the engine and give you the go....at which point I did the classic and embarassing thing of stalling it! Doh!... but then so did a load of others!
Out on to track and after a couple of warm ups I started pushing on. The car grips like nothing I'd been in before. I've been impressed with the turn in abilities of 911 GT3's and Caterhams in the past but this was amazing. Even planting the throttle felt very safe and your confidence levels build and build. The acceleration and wind pressure at higher speeds keeps your helmet pushed back on the rest but theres very little space for much other movement. After some good track time and with knees and elbows bruised, the chequered flag came out and I came into the pits on cloud nine. The grip, the power and the braking are just amazing.
From this event we would have been karting but the course was flooded so we went to a large area that was marked out with two courses a mirror image of each other. It was time for some head to head pursuit racing in Caterhams. Three heats to drive and lots of 180 turns and to finish a 360. It meant lots of spins, lots of do-nuts and lots of smoke. This is the time for smoothness but it just brought out the hooligan in everyone. I was a great laugh and an excellent viewing spectacle.
Then it was onto the off-road course. The Nissan Pathfinder (approach angle 33 degrees, lateral angle 48 degrees) is just a bit different to a Caterham which is really brought home when you turn the wheel a quarter turn and it still goes straight on rather than turning sharply.
Slow and steady was the plan and with targets to hit (tennis balls) and a drive along two slippery logs, it meant this event was scored on points rather than fast times. One section takes 30secs it you drive at a constant 1500rpm but when you're bucking around over bumps and troughs it's easier said than done. Somehow I did a 30.3sec run....but I was still beaten by many!
The final driving action of the day was the Jaguar V6 engined JP1 twin seat Le Mans type car (0-60 in 3.6, 370bhp/tonne)
I wasn't expecting this to be as good as the FPA but with a sequential gear box, the V6 torque and an instructor encouraging me on, I'm sure I was pushing this car a lot harder than the single seater. (I forgot to mention the instructors are all top notch. For the JP1 I had Barton Mawer next to me who is one of Australia’s drivers for the A1 GP next year. In the 911 it was Steven Kane a former F3 driver) We drove on the West Circuit, the same as for the FPA, so it was good for comparison. It sounds amazing and feels more planted that the FPA. This meant I was lapping 5secs quicker and pulling some serious Gs.
Back to the suite for afternoon tea and the presentations. All the events are competitive which really adds an edge to the days events.
I managed to win the Porsche 911 event and some other respectable finishes, it meant I came second overall.
The guy who won is someone I've raced against on numerous karting events. He always beats me! I always kidded myself it was down to his size and weight. I guess karting as your hobby and owning a Caterham does help hone your skills so maybe, just maybe he might be a fraction better driver.
This event is 100% top notch. It's very very slickly organised and it runs like clockwork. It’s so well sorted that by the time I’d got home I’d already received a picture of me on track.
If you get the chance – DO IT !!!!!
So that was my review. It was a paid for corporate do but it was so good I'm definately gonna do it again even if I have to spend my own wonga!!
i have the xkr trophy on my shelf in the living room!!! seriously its limits are a long way away! you feel like it just shouldnt make it through, we did this first of the day, 80 people, and i managed to get the best time of the day, 1/2 a second slower than my instuctors best, i was happy with that!!
get to bed, enjoy the country roads on the way in and have a top time mate. oh, be careful coming out, bib are hot on it at kick out time!!!! Caterhams top fun, i wanted to drift the porsche rather than race for time, and the guys were absolutely mad, pushing you to and way beyond the limits.
by far the best driving experience on the market!!!!
get to bed, enjoy the country roads on the way in and have a top time mate. oh, be careful coming out, bib are hot on it at kick out time!!!! Caterhams top fun, i wanted to drift the porsche rather than race for time, and the guys were absolutely mad, pushing you to and way beyond the limits.
by far the best driving experience on the market!!!!
Just a quick update for 2008
Brand new Clio Cup car - paddle shift - unbelievable cornering speed.
Brand new Caterhams with Duratec engine - 170hp - The mad got madder
JP1 - all new cars with same V6 (230bhp) - all paddle shift
Formula Jaguar - replaced the audi - (230bhp) - On-board camera and GPS tracking really really quick.
XKR - same as last year - 414bhp - awesome noise
Porsche 911 - same as last year
Palmer have spent over a million quid on the car alone......
Brand new Clio Cup car - paddle shift - unbelievable cornering speed.
Brand new Caterhams with Duratec engine - 170hp - The mad got madder
JP1 - all new cars with same V6 (230bhp) - all paddle shift
Formula Jaguar - replaced the audi - (230bhp) - On-board camera and GPS tracking really really quick.
XKR - same as last year - 414bhp - awesome noise
Porsche 911 - same as last year
Palmer have spent over a million quid on the car alone......
scobby17 said:
Just a quick update for 2008
Brand new Clio Cup car - paddle shift - unbelievable cornering speed.
Brand new Caterhams with Duratec engine - 170hp - The mad got madder
JP1 - all new cars with same V6 (230bhp) - all paddle shift
Formula Jaguar - replaced the audi - (230bhp) - On-board camera and GPS tracking really really quick.
XKR - same as last year - 414bhp - awesome noise
Porsche 911 - same as last year
Palmer have spent over a million quid on the car alone......
Just back from one today - on a damp, greasy surface (using the cars above) - it was absolutley fantastic! They are so slicky organised - it's simply awesome.Brand new Clio Cup car - paddle shift - unbelievable cornering speed.
Brand new Caterhams with Duratec engine - 170hp - The mad got madder
JP1 - all new cars with same V6 (230bhp) - all paddle shift
Formula Jaguar - replaced the audi - (230bhp) - On-board camera and GPS tracking really really quick.
XKR - same as last year - 414bhp - awesome noise
Porsche 911 - same as last year
Palmer have spent over a million quid on the car alone......
Topped off by coming second over all (or first of the losers, as Uncle Ron would have it)!
A major thread revival I realise, but I was fortunate to go to PalmerSport for the day on Wednesday and it was brilliant.
I'm no racing driver (and was comparatively slow, had spins/offs in several of the cars, etc.) but I was amazed how fast the instructors got everyone driving.
The only real downside I can see (apart from the cost, although at least once you have paid there are no additional extras to worry about) is that it has now completely ruined normal, on-road driving for me. It's like having to switch from crack back to shandy. Also, I can no longer see the point in having a car like a BMW M2 for road duties either, as once you've done powerslides at crazy speeds in one, using it to drive along the M4 at 70mph just seems pointless
A great day out that lived up to the (considerable) hype.
I'm no racing driver (and was comparatively slow, had spins/offs in several of the cars, etc.) but I was amazed how fast the instructors got everyone driving.
The only real downside I can see (apart from the cost, although at least once you have paid there are no additional extras to worry about) is that it has now completely ruined normal, on-road driving for me. It's like having to switch from crack back to shandy. Also, I can no longer see the point in having a car like a BMW M2 for road duties either, as once you've done powerslides at crazy speeds in one, using it to drive along the M4 at 70mph just seems pointless
A great day out that lived up to the (considerable) hype.
Gassing Station | Track Days | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff