Discussion
I’m thinking of booking Mallory as a post Christmas trackday.
Last time I went Was 20 years ago on a single seater experience, way before I because a TD regular.
So is it any good? It’s close cheap and a “new” track, but will I be bored within 5 mins?
I’ll be taking the MX5 and sharing with a friend
Last time I went Was 20 years ago on a single seater experience, way before I because a TD regular.
So is it any good? It’s close cheap and a “new” track, but will I be bored within 5 mins?
I’ll be taking the MX5 and sharing with a friend
Mallory park is as challenging as you make it! It’s never very busy so you’re guaranteed plenty of track time.
The long sweeping bend (gerrards) is good for pushing your car to the limits of its grip but is wide enough that if you get in to trouble then there’s room to get yourself out of it!
The pits are in the middle so if you do want to leave early then you have to wait til lunch or when they let you out a few times in the afternoon.
Overall a very friendly place with a track that’s good fun.
Alex
The long sweeping bend (gerrards) is good for pushing your car to the limits of its grip but is wide enough that if you get in to trouble then there’s room to get yourself out of it!
The pits are in the middle so if you do want to leave early then you have to wait til lunch or when they let you out a few times in the afternoon.
Overall a very friendly place with a track that’s good fun.
Alex
I'm doing a track day there on the 1st Feb, As others have said it is quite a busy track with some big balls corners, technical bits and a lack of run off. If you are pushing on it is not for the feint hearted. You won't get bored.
It may look simple, however getting a perfect lap is a challenge.
It may look simple, however getting a perfect lap is a challenge.
Haven’t driven it in 10+ years as the race club I competed in stopped visiting after a couple of fairly bad accidents. The problem was drivers sheening down Devil’s Elbow to be met with slow traffic on the pit straight after a red flag.
I wouldn’t mind getting back there. It’s a cheap trackday, it’s not a bad circuit by any means. The main reason I’d like to return is because Gerrards is a pretty unusual corner which permits a lot of experimentation. You can fire in really quick and sort it all out in the middle.
I wouldn’t mind getting back there. It’s a cheap trackday, it’s not a bad circuit by any means. The main reason I’d like to return is because Gerrards is a pretty unusual corner which permits a lot of experimentation. You can fire in really quick and sort it all out in the middle.
Did mallory once as my first ever trackday, and never felt the need to return. Only so much to be gained from 5 corners.
Personally id go anywhere else... cadwell and snetterton are equally cheap but both way better, plus donington or oulton.
If you or your mate are just starting out then its got to be bedford, though im an old hand now and still enjoy bedfords mix of fast corners and tight hairpins, plus its my go to track if weather is iffy.
Personally id go anywhere else... cadwell and snetterton are equally cheap but both way better, plus donington or oulton.
If you or your mate are just starting out then its got to be bedford, though im an old hand now and still enjoy bedfords mix of fast corners and tight hairpins, plus its my go to track if weather is iffy.
HustleRussell said:
Haven’t driven it in 10+ years as the race club I competed in stopped visiting after a couple of fairly bad accidents. The problem was drivers sheening down Devil’s Elbow to be met with slow traffic on the pit straight after a red flag.
Caterhams at the back end of 2010? 
HustleRussell said:
number2 said:
Caterhams at the back end of 2010?
Yep Caterhams and yep around 2010 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz5q6gKiUZk
Great little track though.
number2 said:
HustleRussell said:
number2 said:
Caterhams at the back end of 2010?
Yep Caterhams and yep around 2010 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rz5q6gKiUZk
Great little track though.
Absolutely that. It would be useful to have a red flag on view when powering out from the hairpin, at the top of the hill. One would be prepared then and realise the racing has stopped! Notwithstanding that there's nothing in view and combined with inexperienced drivers (we all were) slowing and not moving from the racing line, it happens...
number2 said:
Absolutely that. It would be useful to have a red flag on view when powering out from the hairpin, at the top of the hill. One would be prepared then and realise the racing has stopped! Notwithstanding that there's nothing in view and combined with inexperienced drivers (we all were) slowing and not moving from the racing line, it happens...
Oh was that you? Missed that nuance. Very nasty crash, the cars are strong aren’t they. You didn’t break an arm? I think wrist restraints have been mandatory in the Grads club since I started...HustleRussell said:
Oh was that you? Missed that nuance. Very nasty crash, the cars are strong aren’t they. You didn’t break an arm? I think wrist restraints have been mandatory in the Grads club since I started...
Yes that was me, and the cars are strong. It was a bit like triggers broom after that though: everything bar engine and gearbox was replaced I think!Wrist restraints were mandatory for us too although HANS was optional - I didn't have the latter but got away with only a stiff neck. Not sure it's the accident or ageing but still feel it a bit now - probably ageing. Outside of that, no other injuries.
There was another big accident at the back of the field which caused the red flag - car ended up upside down in the barriers. Marshalls were busy that day! (No injuries there either thankfully).
I've done 3 track days at Mallory, and really enjoyed the first 2.
The last one was at the weekend, and it seemed to encourage a large amount of the two ends of 'wrong' driving.
There were a number of 'fast down the straights - dead slow through the corners - never look in mirrors' who seemed oblivious to the line of cars queuing up behind them, correctly obeying the rules about not overtaking in corners.
This was then mixed with a number of stickered up hot hatches (unsure if proper racecars, or just trying to look like it) who weren't too hot on the straights, but very quick through the corners, and had no regard for the rules, so were cutting people up left, right & centre in braking zones and corners.
When those two groups occupied the same bits of tarmac then there were near misses all round for the poor people caught between them.
Being a small track, it doesn't take many of these type of drivers for your day to be impacted. I'm hoping that a mid-week return will be better, and it's not just indicative of a new normal on trackdays.
In conclusion, a great track (easy to learn, hard to master) if you have a decent quality of fellow driver, but the short track will magnify the impact of any wronguns.
The last one was at the weekend, and it seemed to encourage a large amount of the two ends of 'wrong' driving.
There were a number of 'fast down the straights - dead slow through the corners - never look in mirrors' who seemed oblivious to the line of cars queuing up behind them, correctly obeying the rules about not overtaking in corners.
This was then mixed with a number of stickered up hot hatches (unsure if proper racecars, or just trying to look like it) who weren't too hot on the straights, but very quick through the corners, and had no regard for the rules, so were cutting people up left, right & centre in braking zones and corners.
When those two groups occupied the same bits of tarmac then there were near misses all round for the poor people caught between them.
Being a small track, it doesn't take many of these type of drivers for your day to be impacted. I'm hoping that a mid-week return will be better, and it's not just indicative of a new normal on trackdays.
In conclusion, a great track (easy to learn, hard to master) if you have a decent quality of fellow driver, but the short track will magnify the impact of any wronguns.
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