Rockingham this Monday 26th September with EasyTrack

[nigelpugh7]

Hey Guys,

I have booked to go to Rockingham Motor Speedway Trackday on Monday with EasyTrack.

It will be the first Track day for my new Caterham R500 Superlight, so lets hope the weather stays dry!!

I shall be using this day as a chance to run in my car, so it won't be a mad flat out day, more a chance to work on the suspension set up.

If anyone else is going along please feel free to come over and say Hi, you can't miss the PH Smily on the back of my car!!

Also happy to give passenger rides if anyone wants to come along!!

Cheers!

[dapearson]

I'm taking my MX-5 along tomorrow. It will be my first outing in it, so fingers crossed it doesn't grenade on the first lap!

I'll keep an eye out for your R500. I've had a few caterhams, but never any with that much power!

[nigelpugh7]

dapearson said:

I'm taking my MX-5 along tomorrow. It will be my first outing in it, so fingers crossed it doesn't grenade on the first lap!

I'll keep an eye out for your R500. I've had a few caterhams, but never any with that much power!

Thanks, I hope to see you there then, drop by and say Hi!!

I hope the rain goes away too, its been lashing down here in Solihull today, won't be any fun if it rains!!

Cheers,

Nige.

[croftsj]

Hello Nigel, trust you got home OK on a dry M6? I suspect it was slower than the journey to Rockingham what with all the burgers you ate at lunchtime

Good day out, weather did us proud & the driving standards were in the most excellent, with a few notable exceptions.

[dapearson]

Yep. A good day. The MX-5 ran well all day. It was much more competent than i thought it would be, if not the fastest thing there! A few "you were going well" comments is always welcome too.

The only problem is the list of upgrades i've come away with. A roll cage/bar after seeing that poor 106 rallye on its trailer after the red flag in the afternoon being top of the list...

[croftsj]

The cage did it's job, metal things and machines can be repaired, although I think the 106 in thisncase was a total loss.
Where did he lose it? Anyone know?

Saw him on the way home around Silverstone, trust everyone was ok.

[nigelpugh7]

croftsj said:

Hello Nigel, trust you got home OK on a dry M6? I suspect it was slower than the journey to Rockingham what with all the burgers you ate at lunchtime

Good day out, weather did us proud & the driving standards were in the most excellent, with a few notable exceptions.

Hi Jon,

Thanks, yes it was a nice quick journey home, without rain this time, and no truckers throwing lit fag butts at me this time!!

I think that I had burnt the burgers off by the end of the day anyhow, but they were damn fine burgers, thats my excuse any way!!

Hope we can get out on track again some time soon!!

Cheers,

Nige.

[nigelpugh7]

dapearson said:

Yep. A good day. The MX-5 ran well all day. It was much more competent than i thought it would be, if not the fastest thing there! A few "you were going well" comments is always welcome too.

The only problem is the list of upgrades i've come away with. A roll cage/bar after seeing that poor 106 rallye on its trailer after the red flag in the afternoon being top of the list...

Glad you had a good day too, was not sure which of the MX'5 you were driving though!!

You always come away with plans to spend more money, but thats the fun of track days!!

Once the 106 had decided to completely destroy itself, as you say bet the driver was thankful for that Roll Cage, and then straight after the Red Flag for the 106, the Renault Clio decided to beach itself in the gravel, it was time to call it a day before somebody else took me out!!

Nige.

[nigelpugh7]

croftsj said:

The cage did it's job, metal things and machines can be repaired, although I think the 106 in thisncase was a total loss.
Where did he lose it? Anyone know?

Saw him on the way home around Silverstone, trust everyone was ok.

Jon,

From this picture of the track layout , it looked like it was by the Medical Centre:



I was just pleased they all walked away, and luckily did not take anyone else out!!

Nige.

[nigelpugh7]

Guys,

Here is the video of the Rockingham Tunnel, that the Rockingham Team have thoughtfully placed a big sign at the entrance, which says 'Exhaust Appreciation Tunnel", they are definitely a Pistonheads friendly circuit!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpqcYcAE5uc&fea...

Also here is the video of my first out session when it was still very wet, so lots of sideways action ensued!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_WFpFxpUDQ

Lots of work going on at the wheel there Nige!!

[mattdaniels]

Car sounds good. Looked like a nice day for it. You need to sort your hands out though, and fix them, stop shuffling the wheel.

[nigelpugh7]

mattdaniels said:

Car sounds good. Looked like a nice day for it. You need to sort your hands out though, and fix them, stop shuffling the wheel.

Thanks Matt, yep car went well, and handled better than I though considering its only a few weeks old, and i have not touched anything on it!!

I was a bit concerned that it might be too noisy with the standard R500 Exhaust as it pops and bangs, nicely of course!! But as it was a noisy day @105 db and I got no complaints I am guessing its OK!!

I know all about my hands, been told about it for years, believe me thats me tying, but at 6ft 2 and 15 Stone I do struggle as I can't keep my hands on the wheel for all positions as my elbows get caught up!! Oh well must try harder!!

[dapearson]

nigelpugh7 said:

Glad you had a good day too, was not sure which of the MX'5 you were driving though!!

Mine was the very standard looking metallic green one.

I did take a walk up/down the pit lane a few times to see if i could spot you. Ah well, glad you enjoyed it!

[nigelpugh7]

dapearson said:

Mine was the very standard looking metallic green one.

I did take a walk up/down the pit lane a few times to see if i could spot you. Ah well, glad you enjoyed it!

No probs, sorry we missed you, I was walking about a bit when not out on track trying to get some good photos, struggled a bit though, could not really get a good clear view at Tarzan corner ( or batman as I kept calling it!!)

I think everyone had a good day, with the exception of the Peugeot Rallye Guys, but at least he was OK!!

Cheers,

Nige.

[nigelpugh7]

nigelpugh7 said:

Jon,

From this picture of the track layout , it looked like it was by the Medical Centre:



I was just pleased they all walked away, and luckily did not take anyone else out!!

Nige.

On the subject of Peugeot Rallye Car that had the off at the end of the day, I now realise the circuit layout we were using was actually the International Long Circuit, not the one I posted above!!



so this means that it looks like he must have lost control at the right hander that is Brook, so it must have been pretty fast, which probably explains why he had damage too all sides and the roof too!!

[mattdaniels]

So you were there all day, and only now realise the circuit layout you were using?

No wonder there weren't many other cars on the bits of track you were on.

[croftsj]

Reminds me of a young officer I had back in the day who used a map of Stanford training area on exercise in the Brecon Beacons, 'you are geographically embarrased young Sir' said I or more likely 'you are an educated f*****g idiot.................Sir'

[nigelpugh7]

mattdaniels said:

So you were there all day, and only now realise the circuit layout you were using?

No wonder there weren't many other cars on the bits of track you were on.

Not quite true, we were fully briefed on the day that it was the Long Circuit and detailed circuit layouts were shared with everyone at the excellent drivers briefing.

We also all attended the sighting laps, I think I was actually the 2nd car in the first group out on the circuit for the sighting laps.

All I was actually pointing out was that I had made a mistake by posting the wrong graphic of the circuit layout and wanted people to be aware of the actual circuit that we were all aware of and using during that day.

The reality of the day was that it was well organised and had only 60 cars in total, so as an open pit lane event, it actually meant that many people, myself included enjoyed a well run track day, and with so few cars out on track at the same time we all had a good opportunity to really enjoy the circuit without too many people on the track at the same time.

[BAN430G]

Yes that's where the 106 had the off. He was following me in my navy blue Boxster S. I saw him in the rear view mirror begin to spin and to be honest I wasn't expecting it to be bad at all. However he didn't manage to hold it and the car went onto the grass and he must have caught an edge, all of a sudden it was flipping. A real shame since that was a nice car and up until that point he seemed to be getting on well and he was very rapid. I'm thinking about buying a hardtop for my car now for a bit more protection.

It was a great day I thought, some fantastic cars and mostly very good driving all round.

[croftsj]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_FQAhrcEfE

Found this little clip from Rockingham, firstly the last sighting of the 206 on it's wheels and a great example of people who don't listen to driver briefings & drive off in their own little world. They did this most of the day until they were told in no uncertain terms they were being a pair of twunts.