Tuesday 22nd April 2014

Caterham Academy 2014: Test Day

Matt and the Caterham head on track for the first time; both survive unscathed!

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The M4 is never an enjoyable experience at any time. At 6am with an engine blaring at 4,500rpm and wind gusting, it's frankly rather horrid. Each time a long journey is undertaken in the Seven, I try to convince myself the last one can't have been that bad. It doesn't take long to be reminded once underway! What on earth will driving to Aintree for the first sprint be like?

Does this count as a legitimate pass?

Anyway, that's to come very soon. To prepare all competitors for the first sprint, the Academy package includes an exclusive test day at Castle Combe. The format was very simple, with four groups allocated 15 minute slots throughout the day and only stopping for lunch. It meant we all got loads of laps while still allowing plentiful time for tales of heroics back in the paddock. Thanks must go to Caterham and the Castle Combe staff for organising a very useful day.

The majority of my track experience has been at rigorously controlled launch events, with not a single track day to speak of. So it was with a fair degree of trepidation that I ventured onto the track for the first time. Though having battled with harnesses, crotch straps and wrist restraints, it was finally nice to drive in anger!

Cautious anger probably better describes it though. Having been taught the lines at the ARDS day, a fair while was spent relearning those and then trying to up the pace. And keeping an eye on the mirrors, of course.

Stickers coming soon, promise!

Without a GoPro or VBox for the day, it's difficult to know how far (if at all) I improved during the day. Combe is great circuit though, challenging enough without being intimidating so you just want to continue lapping to try and better the last lap.

Seemingly this addiction afflicted a few other guys during the day too, with one or two Quite Big Offs as they pushed for ever quicker laps. The Caterham technicians were kept busy! How this will all translate to a full blown race remains to be seen. Still, you can't get in any trouble trundling along at the back, can you?

But then that's the idea of the sprints, to introduce everyone to racing their cars without being surrounded by 20 others doing the same thing. And it all starts this weekend. To Aintree!

[Pics: SnappyRacers]

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Previous reports
Caterham Academy 2014 - Game on!
Caterham Academy 2014 - Handling day

[curley]

That car definitely needs some advertising on it to liven up the colour scheme .

[RoverP6B]

An actual road-car race series for unmodded, reg plate-wearing road cars and their owners? Sounds like a good idea!

Mind you, if ever there was an argument for taking the back-roads and avoiding motorways...

Edited by RoverP6B on Tuesday 22 April 10:17

[CaterhamDan7]

I'm Dan who raced in the Academy last year. Driving the Caterham on the road is awesome so make the most of it. I drove to every event in the Caterham...raced...and then drove home. Even Aintree... 6 1/2 hours and only stopping once for fuel. Loved every second of it!
Good luck for this year!

[Chris71]

Dunno, I'm with Matt on that one. Doing motorway miles in my track prep'd Seven held a certain masochistic amusement, but I wouldn't describe it as pleasant exactly.

[shoestring7]

Chris71 said:

Dunno, I'm with Matt on that one. Doing motorway miles in my track prep'd Seven held a certain masochistic amusement, but I wouldn't describe it as pleasant exactly.

A set of proper earplugs makes a huge difference - you can also get ones with built in headphones for stereo in your Seven. http://www.ultimateear.com/products/soundear-motor...

SS7

[JTRacelogic]

Matt, if you want to borrow a Video VBOX for the season, then let me know and I will arrange it!

[RacerMike]

I drove to all the sprints and two of the races in my Academy year....and then gave up and got a trailer!

It's definitely a worthwhile experience, and with the lower risk of sprinting meaning I was less likely to require alternative transport home, it made sense, however, once you start to see people loosing wings and wing stays, it quickly starts to make more sense to just stick it behind a road car. As you say, motorway miles aren't exactly that great, and after a day driving flat knacker around a circuit, A and B roads don't hold a great deal of amusement!

Make sure you take it out a bit in the summer though. I miss having a road registered Caterham and never really made the most of it when it was a Roadsport. I think I drove it maybe twice in 12 months on the road!

They're seriously addictive things to race though....I just started my 5th year last weekend at Snetterton!

[framerateuk]

Driving a 7 on a motorway is not the most enjoyable experience in the world, especially in bad weather. As a rule I wouldn't take the Caterham out in the rain or dark. Sometimes you can't avoid the rain if you're out already (or have a trackday booked), but I always avoid the dark! Hence why it's locked away all winter!

We did Scotland and back last year and the trip up the M5/M6 was never-ending. Fantastic once we were there though!

Edited by framerateuk on Wednesday 23 April 10:06