Discussion
The main runway at Elvington is the same length as the full length of Brunter (if you include the area that has parked cars sometimes). It is also flatter. I've driven there with some fast cars several times and a friend of mine did 209.4mph in his Skyline there in a private session. It is also used for the TOTB (Ten Of The Best) challenge, which was yesterday, where the top speed recorded over 1.25miles (shorter than can be used) was 200mph. Only problem there is they don't like the main runway being used for events, as it is part bitumen and is an active runway for small private planes (by occassional permission only).
I thought Brunters was up North anyway
Elvington is only really handy for people from the North-East & Scotland. I was up their just over a week ago & it took almost as long to get their from West Lancs as it would driving to Bruntingthorpe.
Have to be honest that the runway does appear to be a similar length, although no twisties & the way it's set-up, you'd need a defined braking area as the runway just stops.
I was lucky in that the event i was attending (Ferrari Driving Experience) was run by petrolheads & all they wanted to chat about was my RS6, so after the morning event & the other attendees had left, they asked me if i wanted to stop behind for a few head to heads (this was the best part of the day). I managed to beat all the competition including a 355 Challenge, 348TB, MTM Modified RS4, Porsche GT3 & a Group N Impreza Rally Car.
Highest speed i had on my dash was 189MPH which i guess is only a few mph higher than it showed at Bruntingthorpe Vmax5 when i was radar timed at 176MPH.
Have to be honest that the runway does appear to be a similar length, although no twisties & the way it's set-up, you'd need a defined braking area as the runway just stops.
I was lucky in that the event i was attending (Ferrari Driving Experience) was run by petrolheads & all they wanted to chat about was my RS6, so after the morning event & the other attendees had left, they asked me if i wanted to stop behind for a few head to heads (this was the best part of the day). I managed to beat all the competition including a 355 Challenge, 348TB, MTM Modified RS4, Porsche GT3 & a Group N Impreza Rally Car.
Highest speed i had on my dash was 189MPH which i guess is only a few mph higher than it showed at Bruntingthorpe Vmax5 when i was radar timed at 176MPH.
Craig,
I've driven there a few times. If you use the main runway (there are two parallel runways), then yes for topspeed it is better than Brunters. It is flatter and has no cars or lorries parked anywhere, so you can use the full runway length, which can add a few hundred metres to the length as compared to Brunters.
However, there is a lack of twisties, as they don't normally allow topspeed to be run with using the 'track'. The 'track' can only be made with cones, as there is little more than the two parallel runways there and a large square apron area.
It's also a right old trek for anyone based in the South......but I guess thats the point!
Guy
Craig thanks for the offer! How about putting a thread on the Yorkshire and Northeast boards I am sure there would be plenty of takers
i have done a few trackdays at Elvington and it is easily possible to run the top end track in the afternoon after the Vmax with only a couple of dozen cones, it's the course they use for sprints
i think you would achieve a faster top end at Elvington than brunters
Here's hoping
Dave
i have done a few trackdays at Elvington and it is easily possible to run the top end track in the afternoon after the Vmax with only a couple of dozen cones, it's the course they use for sprints
i think you would achieve a faster top end at Elvington than brunters
Here's hoping
Dave
I hope organising an Elvington day won't result in a reduced number of Bruntingthoirpe days being made available?
Personally I'm not interested in going to any venue that doesn't have a few twisties to play around on the way back to the start. I know of a few others who think likewise. VMAX without the twisties would be like just another drag strip IMHO.
DAZ
>> Edited by dazren on Tuesday 2nd August 12:43
Personally I'm not interested in going to any venue that doesn't have a few twisties to play around on the way back to the start. I know of a few others who think likewise. VMAX without the twisties would be like just another drag strip IMHO.
DAZ
>> Edited by dazren on Tuesday 2nd August 12:43
dazren said:
MIRA proving ground...? High speed tri-oval... and some other very interesting bits of track
Can we get onto this? Would be great to try the Alpine section a few times knowing nothing is coming the other way.
DAZ
I know that parts of the circuit used to be hired out, but I have no idea if this is still the case. Been a long time since I worked there, and I think most people I know have moved on... I'm sure a speculative e-mail wouldn't harm.
dazren said:
Personally I'm not interested in going to any venue that doesn't have a few twisties to play around on the way back to the start. I know of a few others who think likewise. VMAX without the twisties would be like just another drag strip IMHO.
DAZ
>> Edited by dazren on Tuesday 2nd August 12:43
The twisties certainly make VMAX a more special event
Interestingly at the Drivers Run day last Saturday the day was split 50:50 with VMAX down the runway in the morning and the circuit in the afternoon - I thought it worked very well.
A possibility for future vmax's?
Rich
I'm gonna have to disagree on this. The presence of three corners on the run back to the pits at VMax adds little to the event, especially if you are trying to cool the brakes after a banzai run......
VMax is a high-speed day, when I want to do trackdays (which I do many of) I want to go to a circuit with marshals, asphalt (not tire-chewing concrete), proper run-off with barriers (not grass then trees) and where people do not drive the wrong way on the track (as happened several times at Drivers run last weekend)......
For those of you that weren't aware, the day prior to Drivers Run a BMW M3 went off the grass into the trees at Brunters and it took an hour to safely remove the poor guy from the car after the Fire Brigade cut it's roof off, the driver was very seriously injured and it is not known if he survived (he was taken away by helicopter).
Just my 2p.
Guy
craigw said:
i have considered it but shied away for stonechip reasons.
Fair enough
There weren't may cars still around by the afternoon so only 6 or 8 on the circuit at any one time - think we may have been out numbered by the marshals!
I only picked up one chip at the weekend following that pesky 360CS!
The circuit definitely seems less abrasive on tyres. That bottom bend drifting on to the full runway is a killer on rubber - definitely how MOD attacks it anyway!
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