Palmersport day - costs for non-corporate?
Discussion
clarki said:
I really tempted to give it a go, in november when the price drops a touch.
If it rains do things grind to a halt or do you just crack on? Is being by yourself ok or do you feel like a bit of a billie-no-mates?
It is a bit solitary doing the day on your own, which I did. Most of the rest of the punters are corporate groups. There are papers + things to read while you're waiting to drive...If it rains do things grind to a halt or do you just crack on? Is being by yourself ok or do you feel like a bit of a billie-no-mates?
I'm there on Saturday - taking a client & a long serving colleague. I reckon it looks like great value. I've not read a bad word about the days tbh..
I'm fortunate that I have a dedicated track day car and that I get to do a few a year, but I've not been this excited about getting behind the wheel in a very long time! I'll let you know how the day goes.
I'm fortunate that I have a dedicated track day car and that I get to do a few a year, but I've not been this excited about getting behind the wheel in a very long time! I'll let you know how the day goes.
scoTTy32 said:
I'm there on Saturday - taking a client & a long serving colleague. I reckon it looks like great value. I've not read a bad word about the days tbh..
I'm fortunate that I have a dedicated track day car and that I get to do a few a year, but I've not been this excited about getting behind the wheel in a very long time! I'll let you know how the day goes.
Awesome , would be great if you could post back here and tell us what you thought it was like ( specifically whether it would be worth £800 of someone's hard earned! )I'm fortunate that I have a dedicated track day car and that I get to do a few a year, but I've not been this excited about getting behind the wheel in a very long time! I'll let you know how the day goes.
-ace
The full day is amazing and if £900 could be called good value then this would be it. The only issue is that it's a long old day and quite hard work and you feel yourself hankering for a slightly shorter more intense experience (at least I did) so I'd suggest something like the GT experience might be an excellent way to go. The best deal would be, to get the Palmer F1 cars, plus the Jag leMans cars, the Caterams plus a GT car.
clarki said:
I really tempted to give it a go, in november when the price drops a touch.
If it rains do things grind to a halt or do you just crack on? Is being by yourself ok or do you feel like a bit of a billie-no-mates?
Its fine in the wet. You get wet weather gear for the open top cars. If it rains do things grind to a halt or do you just crack on? Is being by yourself ok or do you feel like a bit of a billie-no-mates?
done it a few times in the wet. Its alot of fun.
BUT the rain can screw up the 'competitive' side of the day. for example if it just rains for say 30mins... then the people that are on offroaders lap times/performance and therefore overall scores are unaffected.
I've also done it on my own. Was fine. I know alot of the instructors though so can always talk to them. I am also happy to read a paper or take photos or nose around the car. But I would say its ALOT more fun to either take a friend or treat the mrs. I took a girlfriend in the past. She loved it. You can pay a little extra and have someone come with you and just spectate as well.
Its just THE best day out ever for me. Love it.
As mentioned, I took a small group (3) to a full Palmersport day on Saturday.
The day kicks off around 7.45 with a meet & greet at reception where you are given a lanyard with a USB stick (to record the in car video on some of the cars) & told which "team" you are in for the day (Lauda for us)This is followed by a full on 4* hotel style hot & cold buffet breakfast.
At 8.30 the main PS host introduces himself & your team hosts for the day, then puts on the BEST breifing video (shown on many plamsa screens around the room so no neck craning required!)I have ever seen featuring Jake Humphrey & Martin Brundle(Jake was actually participating in the day himself along with friends & family)
At around 9am a fleet of very smart Palmersport buses (with leather seats & blacked out windows)collect the various teams and your host and driver take you off to one of the 4 tracks c/w it's own hospitality suite.
The days can be very different in which order you get which cars but for us it was BMW M3's up first.....
A fleet of 10 imaculate cars, lined up in number order along with an equal number of very smart and friendly instructors was the sight that greeted us.
The group was split into 2 and the first drivers were offered plimsolls in case they had come with "heavy" footwear and a quality helmet with intercom issued. We were out second so just time to grab a double esspresso from the "free vend" Palmersport branded vending machines that featured at every one of the hospitality suites across the site.
Watching the first group out it was clear that it was "full on" from the get-go!
After 20 or so mins it was my turn to drive. A quick introduction from the instructor, tell him what experience you have, strap in, plug the intercom in and away we go. Straight onto the track and I was told to "floor it!"
The traction control is purposefully left "on" and all the cars have paddle-shift gearboxes (with the exception of the Caterhams & Landrovers)& have a kind of dual control pedal system so that the instructor can intervene if neccessary. Fortunatley I was left to my own devices and hooned around at maximum attack - being egged on and encouraged to get the best possible lap time. I got nicely sideways a couple of times(before the electronics kicked in!)& witnessed some others in my party spin, over-shoot corners & venture off onto the grass. This did not cause any problems at all and the "2-spins & you're in" rule was not enforced to the letter (I didn't see anyone sidelined for this).
First car DONE it was back on the bus and on to the next track - Catherhams!
Same deal, loads of shiny cars & instructors - brilliant fun & pushed to your limit!
At this point of the morning JP's helicopter swooped at about (what seemed like!) 100ft - following the line of the track like Air-Wolf - Very cool way to arrive at work!
On to the Porsche's & Clio Cup cars to experience FWD & RWD on the same track - Now this was the lowlight of the day for me. I think I just got a "not as good as the others that I had" instructor. As soon as we set off and got into the first corner, it was clear that he was doing the braking. I found this distracting and unneccessarily intrusive. (others in my group said the same) The Clio Cup car was a hoot though and was generally considered more fun of the two.
Back on the bus & back to the Trackside suite for a quality buffet lunch.
It's 1pm and the rain is coming down now & we're off to drive the fabulous looking Formula Jaguar single seaters - everyones a bit disspointed as we'd really wanter to have a dry track for what, for me, was going to be the highlight of the day. You get a very comprehensive stand-alone briefing for this one as this is the only car you drive "solo".
Race suit on - I felt like a proper racer as I got in the car in the pit garage. The rain was still coming down and the decision was that it was still ok, just, for slicks. Engine fired up we were waved out for a couple of laps behind the course car.
After lap-2 it was a bun fight to get passed the slower cars and find some clear track. The track was very slippery and It called for a restrained right foot - it was still immensely enjoyable in these conditions.
Caterham pursuit next for some head-to-head action followed by an off-road jaunt in a shiny new Defender - Both great fun.
Back to the pit garages for the final two activities - Karts (great fun, obviously!) & the "JPLM" a Le Mans style 2 seater. Strapped in and nervous my instructor told me to go. The noise from the car coupled with a faulty helmet intercom meant that hand signals were used and everynow and then it would cut in and my instructor was generally shouting go,go,go!!! or no brake, just a lift!! This thing was EPIC, able to carry so much speed it was incredible. I had a big, high speed, 360 degree/drive off spin which resulted in whoops & a high-5 from the instructor, top bloke! (Jorge)
It's after 5pm and we're on the bus for the last time, back to the Trackside Suite for the presentations (our team won best team of the day - Jake Humphrey won fastest time in the JPLM car, an "F1 driver standard" time of 77.55 seconds!), feedback & some rather nice afternoon snacks.
Everyone was friendly & there was a healthy competetive atmosphere within our mixed group of strangers.
Good value?....Very much so.
Thanks to all at Palmersport, we'll be back!
The day kicks off around 7.45 with a meet & greet at reception where you are given a lanyard with a USB stick (to record the in car video on some of the cars) & told which "team" you are in for the day (Lauda for us)This is followed by a full on 4* hotel style hot & cold buffet breakfast.
At 8.30 the main PS host introduces himself & your team hosts for the day, then puts on the BEST breifing video (shown on many plamsa screens around the room so no neck craning required!)I have ever seen featuring Jake Humphrey & Martin Brundle(Jake was actually participating in the day himself along with friends & family)
At around 9am a fleet of very smart Palmersport buses (with leather seats & blacked out windows)collect the various teams and your host and driver take you off to one of the 4 tracks c/w it's own hospitality suite.
The days can be very different in which order you get which cars but for us it was BMW M3's up first.....
A fleet of 10 imaculate cars, lined up in number order along with an equal number of very smart and friendly instructors was the sight that greeted us.
The group was split into 2 and the first drivers were offered plimsolls in case they had come with "heavy" footwear and a quality helmet with intercom issued. We were out second so just time to grab a double esspresso from the "free vend" Palmersport branded vending machines that featured at every one of the hospitality suites across the site.
Watching the first group out it was clear that it was "full on" from the get-go!
After 20 or so mins it was my turn to drive. A quick introduction from the instructor, tell him what experience you have, strap in, plug the intercom in and away we go. Straight onto the track and I was told to "floor it!"
The traction control is purposefully left "on" and all the cars have paddle-shift gearboxes (with the exception of the Caterhams & Landrovers)& have a kind of dual control pedal system so that the instructor can intervene if neccessary. Fortunatley I was left to my own devices and hooned around at maximum attack - being egged on and encouraged to get the best possible lap time. I got nicely sideways a couple of times(before the electronics kicked in!)& witnessed some others in my party spin, over-shoot corners & venture off onto the grass. This did not cause any problems at all and the "2-spins & you're in" rule was not enforced to the letter (I didn't see anyone sidelined for this).
First car DONE it was back on the bus and on to the next track - Catherhams!
Same deal, loads of shiny cars & instructors - brilliant fun & pushed to your limit!
At this point of the morning JP's helicopter swooped at about (what seemed like!) 100ft - following the line of the track like Air-Wolf - Very cool way to arrive at work!
On to the Porsche's & Clio Cup cars to experience FWD & RWD on the same track - Now this was the lowlight of the day for me. I think I just got a "not as good as the others that I had" instructor. As soon as we set off and got into the first corner, it was clear that he was doing the braking. I found this distracting and unneccessarily intrusive. (others in my group said the same) The Clio Cup car was a hoot though and was generally considered more fun of the two.
Back on the bus & back to the Trackside suite for a quality buffet lunch.
It's 1pm and the rain is coming down now & we're off to drive the fabulous looking Formula Jaguar single seaters - everyones a bit disspointed as we'd really wanter to have a dry track for what, for me, was going to be the highlight of the day. You get a very comprehensive stand-alone briefing for this one as this is the only car you drive "solo".
Race suit on - I felt like a proper racer as I got in the car in the pit garage. The rain was still coming down and the decision was that it was still ok, just, for slicks. Engine fired up we were waved out for a couple of laps behind the course car.
After lap-2 it was a bun fight to get passed the slower cars and find some clear track. The track was very slippery and It called for a restrained right foot - it was still immensely enjoyable in these conditions.
Caterham pursuit next for some head-to-head action followed by an off-road jaunt in a shiny new Defender - Both great fun.
Back to the pit garages for the final two activities - Karts (great fun, obviously!) & the "JPLM" a Le Mans style 2 seater. Strapped in and nervous my instructor told me to go. The noise from the car coupled with a faulty helmet intercom meant that hand signals were used and everynow and then it would cut in and my instructor was generally shouting go,go,go!!! or no brake, just a lift!! This thing was EPIC, able to carry so much speed it was incredible. I had a big, high speed, 360 degree/drive off spin which resulted in whoops & a high-5 from the instructor, top bloke! (Jorge)
It's after 5pm and we're on the bus for the last time, back to the Trackside Suite for the presentations (our team won best team of the day - Jake Humphrey won fastest time in the JPLM car, an "F1 driver standard" time of 77.55 seconds!), feedback & some rather nice afternoon snacks.
Everyone was friendly & there was a healthy competetive atmosphere within our mixed group of strangers.
Good value?....Very much so.
Thanks to all at Palmersport, we'll be back!
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