First race day.
Discussion
All
I've been invited to Three Sisters race track in Ashton (North West) in a few weeks time. There's going to be the usual entrants of Elises and Elans, Midgets, Sevens and a Skyline or two.
Has anyone who's raced got any advice for a virgin racer? It's only timed runs by the way, not multiple racers. Cheers!
spookybuz
I've been invited to Three Sisters race track in Ashton (North West) in a few weeks time. There's going to be the usual entrants of Elises and Elans, Midgets, Sevens and a Skyline or two.
Has anyone who's raced got any advice for a virgin racer? It's only timed runs by the way, not multiple racers. Cheers!
spookybuz
lol. Dark green? eek!
To be fair, Three Sisters is really a motorbike race track, hence cars can only race in timed runs and one vs one, but I'm still nervy about spinning off and damaging the car (I'm not bothered about the embarrassment :-)
If it's raining on the day I might chicken out!
spookybuz
To be fair, Three Sisters is really a motorbike race track, hence cars can only race in timed runs and one vs one, but I'm still nervy about spinning off and damaging the car (I'm not bothered about the embarrassment :-)
If it's raining on the day I might chicken out!
spookybuz
- up the tyre presure a couple of pounds.
- top up the oil to the max.
- check brakes before you go.
- You WILL wear tyres and brakes at quite a rate - just accept it.
- Make sure that you do a couple of warm up laps before pushing the car (and you). The engine, brakes etc and you ALL need to warm up before they are at their best.
- do a slow down lap for you and the car to cool off.
- Park the car in gear with the hand brake off after a session.
- Learn the limits of you and the car, but don't hit anything !
- Enjoy it !
- top up the oil to the max.
- check brakes before you go.
- You WILL wear tyres and brakes at quite a rate - just accept it.
- Make sure that you do a couple of warm up laps before pushing the car (and you). The engine, brakes etc and you ALL need to warm up before they are at their best.
- do a slow down lap for you and the car to cool off.
- Park the car in gear with the hand brake off after a session.
- Learn the limits of you and the car, but don't hit anything !
- Enjoy it !
Cheers for all that, phil. There're 4 timed laps - each "run" consisting of warm up lap, timed lap, and an in lap (a la Formula 1). I've got a mechanic going with me to hopefully take care of any problems. I've just got the list of cars in my class, (2 litre and above). Check these out:
Nissan Skyline GTR, Mitsubishi 3000GT, Ford Mustang (4.7 I think), 2 RS Cosworths, Opel Speedster (VX220), Honda NSX and the one I can't wait to see is a Jaguar XJ220.
Now looking at the times from last year, it looks like the Mustang and the 3000GT are going to struggle, and maybe surprisingly the Cosworths and the Skyline are in the top 3 places. The others are like me in that they didn't race last year.
Anyone know how an XJ220 or a Speedster performs on track conditions? I'm just trying to get some info on the unknowns! Ta.
spookybuz
Nissan Skyline GTR, Mitsubishi 3000GT, Ford Mustang (4.7 I think), 2 RS Cosworths, Opel Speedster (VX220), Honda NSX and the one I can't wait to see is a Jaguar XJ220.
Now looking at the times from last year, it looks like the Mustang and the 3000GT are going to struggle, and maybe surprisingly the Cosworths and the Skyline are in the top 3 places. The others are like me in that they didn't race last year.
Anyone know how an XJ220 or a Speedster performs on track conditions? I'm just trying to get some info on the unknowns! Ta.
spookybuz
The main this on your fisrt track event (in your own car) is to not give in to the red mist and get too over confident. There will be plenty more events to do when you know the cars (and your) limits better.
I opted for an airfield day for my first such event. The theory being that there was nothing nasty to hit.
I learnt masses from the day about just how capable the car actually is and how "easy" (well relatively) it is to bring back in line if it starts to go.
After all the horror stories of how tail happy a TVR is I was keen to see how bad it would actually be. In the end the car was fine.
The only time the back end came round on me was when I has just giving it way too much coming into a chicane (approx 70 MPH) and I tried to change down, brake and steer all at the same time. OK so I could have probably got away with most of that in a front wheel drive car, but probably not at that speed. I ended up clipping a cone (no damage), pointing the way I had come and stationary. It was a great learning oportunity, which is exactly what I went on the event for - to find some limits. I was acually very impressed at how quickly the car actually stopped and in such a short distance.
I did find that there was a bit of brake fade towards the end of the day - even with groved disks, but I think this was because the groves were getting clogged up with brake dust.
Have fun
Phil
I opted for an airfield day for my first such event. The theory being that there was nothing nasty to hit.
I learnt masses from the day about just how capable the car actually is and how "easy" (well relatively) it is to bring back in line if it starts to go.
After all the horror stories of how tail happy a TVR is I was keen to see how bad it would actually be. In the end the car was fine.
The only time the back end came round on me was when I has just giving it way too much coming into a chicane (approx 70 MPH) and I tried to change down, brake and steer all at the same time. OK so I could have probably got away with most of that in a front wheel drive car, but probably not at that speed. I ended up clipping a cone (no damage), pointing the way I had come and stationary. It was a great learning oportunity, which is exactly what I went on the event for - to find some limits. I was acually very impressed at how quickly the car actually stopped and in such a short distance.
I did find that there was a bit of brake fade towards the end of the day - even with groved disks, but I think this was because the groves were getting clogged up with brake dust.
Have fun
Phil
(remember you'll need special insurance for a competitive event)Spooky
My Mustang is a 4.7 (289cuin) and I know its limitations so believe me when I say it'll be slower than you (and this your first track day)., but it'll no doubt be a newer one than mine you're up against – mine is 34 years old ...
Enjoy it.
TVR owner one day
Edited by MikeyT on Monday 19th November 15:40
My Mustang is a 4.7 (289cuin) and I know its limitations so believe me when I say it'll be slower than you (and this your first track day)., but it'll no doubt be a newer one than mine you're up against – mine is 34 years old ...
Enjoy it.
TVR owner one day
Edited by MikeyT on Monday 19th November 15:40
quote:
Cheers for all that, phil. There're 4 timed laps - each "run" consisting of warm up lap, timed lap, and an in lap (a la Formula 1).
That's an interesting formula, almost a sprint but not quite. Who's organising it and is it part of a series/challenge/championship/whatever?
BTW if you haven't done this sort of thing before, I would suggest you treat it as a bit of fun and don't be tempted to emulate the other hooligans you'll see there. If it's anything like our sprints you'll see some of the more experienced drivers really going for it. Don't try to copy them. As you're walking round the track beforehand, imagine the car pointing at 45 degrees to the intended direction of travel and try to imagine where it would go at 60 mph (or whatever). At most circuits, this puts you straight into the barrier. So it only takes one mistake and bang, no TVR.
There are other sprint venues which are comparatively safe where you can really have fun, but you have to choose the right time and place.
Finally, hope you have on-track insurance. As a one-off it may be quite expensive, but if you bend the car can you afford to walk away from it?
Hope you will let us know how you get on.
Cheers,
Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)
Coordinator, TVRCC Speed Championship
Cheers Peter. Re the organisation, I may be wrongly assuming that it's part of a mini whistle-stop tour of the North West they have annually. I know the one before Seven Sisters is at Aintree in Liverpool, but other than that I'm a bit shy of facts at the mo. I have a colleague who owns and races an old 1974 Lotus Elan, and it was from him who I received the invite. As far as I can gather, as long as you have race insurance, a race licence, and a car that passes both the pre-meet and the on-track inspection, you can race. I think up to now I'm the only TVR, but if anyone's in the North West...
spookybuz
spookybuz
quote:
Spooky
My Mustang is a 4.7 (289cuin) and I know its limitations so believe me when I say it'll be slower than you (and this your first track day)., but it'll no doubt be a newer one than mine you're up against – mine is 34 years old ...
Enjoy it.
TVR owner one day
Do you live in Stoke Gifford, If so Ive seen your car.
Edited by zippy500 on Wednesday 21st November 13:50
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