Quick Track Day write up....
Discussion
Hi Gents,
I put this in my readers car thread but thought i'd share my little write up on the open pit lane track day @ Bedford Autodrome on Monday...
So with 2 little ones and a hectic life/job etc it came to Sunday night and 12 hours before we are due to convoy down to what was forecasted to be a sunny (or what actually transpired to be rainy) Bedfordshire I started 'preparing' the car...
Tyre pressures, coolant, oil, brakes, - all present & topped up, a good wash & polish and we are ready for the off!
04:30am - Alarm goes off...***** that is early (and I normally get up at 5:30am) but christ that was early
05:10am - Convoy assembled (Stage 3 Focus ST, A very tasty stripped out Leon Cupra with the biggest brakes you have ever seen, and a Cosworth honed, stupidly fast and setup Astra Coupe Turbo) - so yes I was at least 130bhp short...
Remarkably we arrived at Bedford at 07:45am with time to drool over a carpark full of M3's, 400bhp Mk3 Fiesta's, and an Octave VRS with a cone filter poking through the bonnet ?! Sadly its really wet, NOT what the bloody BBC reliably told us but it would certainly add to the entertainment value for spectators
09:00am - Briefing done, 89db at 4500 rpm with Cat was a surprisingly high readout (more than any of the cars in convoy...)
09:30am - On track for siting lap, now i've done Bedford before, it was always reassuringly open and 'safe' but the new additions have added a new and much needed element of complexity and it is a great circuit. It is still REALLY wet and the back of the 306 has already informed me it would like to overtake the front if at all possible!
10:00am - Track open, sit back, watch the nutters get their steam blown off, M4 comes spinning past the pits, and I boldly state "i've never spun here and don't plan to today...."
10:30am - We're off, car feels fantastic, the Satchshift has transformed how the car performs, you really feel the gears through the gearstick, tarmac through the wheel and the chassis through the buckets, its massively engaging and tactile - if bloody loud without any sound deadening.
Anyway, 1st lap out, its wet still, feels good but tyres not warming up that quickly, over confidence, caffeine, and early start all together result in the inevitable, right in front of the bloody pits!!!
It felt like I'd smashed something, temporarily it wouldnt move (or at least it felt like it...) In hindsight i'm annoyed with myself, just crap driving, cold tyres, wet, turned in off throttle but that is why i love Bedford, brushed off, cleaned up and out we went to continue the day
https://youtu.be/vnBrylw5N8E
So the rest of the day went without a hitch, the car, firstly it dried up (hallelujah!) i mean what a car, for a cheap and cheerful track car it was exceptional, with a real minority of cars lapping faster (with the exception of a tuned Megane 260 (thoroughly nice bloke), a handful of bonkers Caterhams, the M4 and a Supercharged Monaro)
Despite a 130bhp short fall, on a fast open track, my little 162k mile, 18 year old 306 gallantly marched around and around the track, using 2 tanks of fuel, and overtaking all of the cars that we came down with, along with loads of Evo's, Impreza's, 911's, C63's and one extremely well driven and v fast Scirocco...
Here are a few clips with the other cars metioned, some of which I am well and truly in overdrive mode but hell that is part of the fun!
https://youtu.be/p7S5TMZi9Ks
https://youtu.be/hPkTiVnUZ9Y
https://youtu.be/ncROLN2VkYI
2 tanks of Super Unleaded later and she was a tad dirty (those wheels were white....)
For anyone considering a 306 as a track day car, getting on track, or heading to Bedford, I cannot recommend all 3 opportunities, an utterly brilliant, exhausting, and exhilarating day in equal measure, bring on the next!
I put this in my readers car thread but thought i'd share my little write up on the open pit lane track day @ Bedford Autodrome on Monday...
So with 2 little ones and a hectic life/job etc it came to Sunday night and 12 hours before we are due to convoy down to what was forecasted to be a sunny (or what actually transpired to be rainy) Bedfordshire I started 'preparing' the car...
Tyre pressures, coolant, oil, brakes, - all present & topped up, a good wash & polish and we are ready for the off!
04:30am - Alarm goes off...***** that is early (and I normally get up at 5:30am) but christ that was early
05:10am - Convoy assembled (Stage 3 Focus ST, A very tasty stripped out Leon Cupra with the biggest brakes you have ever seen, and a Cosworth honed, stupidly fast and setup Astra Coupe Turbo) - so yes I was at least 130bhp short...
Remarkably we arrived at Bedford at 07:45am with time to drool over a carpark full of M3's, 400bhp Mk3 Fiesta's, and an Octave VRS with a cone filter poking through the bonnet ?! Sadly its really wet, NOT what the bloody BBC reliably told us but it would certainly add to the entertainment value for spectators
09:00am - Briefing done, 89db at 4500 rpm with Cat was a surprisingly high readout (more than any of the cars in convoy...)
09:30am - On track for siting lap, now i've done Bedford before, it was always reassuringly open and 'safe' but the new additions have added a new and much needed element of complexity and it is a great circuit. It is still REALLY wet and the back of the 306 has already informed me it would like to overtake the front if at all possible!
10:00am - Track open, sit back, watch the nutters get their steam blown off, M4 comes spinning past the pits, and I boldly state "i've never spun here and don't plan to today...."
10:30am - We're off, car feels fantastic, the Satchshift has transformed how the car performs, you really feel the gears through the gearstick, tarmac through the wheel and the chassis through the buckets, its massively engaging and tactile - if bloody loud without any sound deadening.
Anyway, 1st lap out, its wet still, feels good but tyres not warming up that quickly, over confidence, caffeine, and early start all together result in the inevitable, right in front of the bloody pits!!!
It felt like I'd smashed something, temporarily it wouldnt move (or at least it felt like it...) In hindsight i'm annoyed with myself, just crap driving, cold tyres, wet, turned in off throttle but that is why i love Bedford, brushed off, cleaned up and out we went to continue the day
https://youtu.be/vnBrylw5N8E
So the rest of the day went without a hitch, the car, firstly it dried up (hallelujah!) i mean what a car, for a cheap and cheerful track car it was exceptional, with a real minority of cars lapping faster (with the exception of a tuned Megane 260 (thoroughly nice bloke), a handful of bonkers Caterhams, the M4 and a Supercharged Monaro)
Despite a 130bhp short fall, on a fast open track, my little 162k mile, 18 year old 306 gallantly marched around and around the track, using 2 tanks of fuel, and overtaking all of the cars that we came down with, along with loads of Evo's, Impreza's, 911's, C63's and one extremely well driven and v fast Scirocco...
Here are a few clips with the other cars metioned, some of which I am well and truly in overdrive mode but hell that is part of the fun!
https://youtu.be/p7S5TMZi9Ks
https://youtu.be/hPkTiVnUZ9Y
https://youtu.be/ncROLN2VkYI
2 tanks of Super Unleaded later and she was a tad dirty (those wheels were white....)
For anyone considering a 306 as a track day car, getting on track, or heading to Bedford, I cannot recommend all 3 opportunities, an utterly brilliant, exhausting, and exhilarating day in equal measure, bring on the next!
Edited by Chr1sch on Wednesday 21st October 16:48
off to bedford on saturday, will probably be the 7th time we've been there now, so know it well.
Yes, the last corner onto the pit straight is tricky isnt it! have seen numerous drivers lose it there, including one chap who ended up on his roof just by the pit exit.
not so keen on the new chicane they've put in, think i preferred the ultra fast left into the tricky off line hard braking zone into the tight right. but other than that, i think the kink on the back straight is my favourite bit, can carry silly speed through there!
Yes, the last corner onto the pit straight is tricky isnt it! have seen numerous drivers lose it there, including one chap who ended up on his roof just by the pit exit.
not so keen on the new chicane they've put in, think i preferred the ultra fast left into the tricky off line hard braking zone into the tight right. but other than that, i think the kink on the back straight is my favourite bit, can carry silly speed through there!
brillomaster said:
off to bedford on saturday, will probably be the 7th time we've been there now, so know it well.
Yes, the last corner onto the pit straight is tricky isnt it! have seen numerous drivers lose it there, including one chap who ended up on his roof just by the pit exit.
not so keen on the new chicane they've put in, think i preferred the ultra fast left into the tricky off line hard braking zone into the tight right. but other than that, i think the kink on the back straight is my favourite bit, can carry silly speed through there!
Ah yes I was there the day the M3 ended up on its roof - that was somewhat sobering to say the least!Yes, the last corner onto the pit straight is tricky isnt it! have seen numerous drivers lose it there, including one chap who ended up on his roof just by the pit exit.
not so keen on the new chicane they've put in, think i preferred the ultra fast left into the tricky off line hard braking zone into the tight right. but other than that, i think the kink on the back straight is my favourite bit, can carry silly speed through there!
I enjoyed the new section, it helps the slower cars without a doubt, a great track for the money and plenty of room to have fun! Just kicking myself for the lack of concentration early on, that said it was a fantastic day overall!
I was there in the White Golf with the carbon bonnet. My GF and I had just gone halves on it and we wanted to shake it down. My GF drove it a few times - her first time in a fwd car. She also drove the police liveried Golf a bit as she is part of an all wheelchair team racing it at the Race of Remembrance in a few weeks. Both cars are operated with hand controls.
The White Golf turned out to be surprisingly good, although the mapping left a bit to be desired - boost was all over the shop. We're going to get that sorted. I was pretty pleased with its pace - I didnt expect it to be capable of 145 down the straight!
New seats and harnesses will be bought, gearbox software changed, a full cage fitted and a few other bits we didn't quite like.
It was bought as a track toy to replace the 991 GT3 which has done too many track days this year. The idea being that the Golf might be a bit cheaper on consumables!
I used to track a 205 GTi, so I imagine that the 306 is similar but a touch faster. Great fun cars!
The White Golf turned out to be surprisingly good, although the mapping left a bit to be desired - boost was all over the shop. We're going to get that sorted. I was pretty pleased with its pace - I didnt expect it to be capable of 145 down the straight!
New seats and harnesses will be bought, gearbox software changed, a full cage fitted and a few other bits we didn't quite like.
It was bought as a track toy to replace the 991 GT3 which has done too many track days this year. The idea being that the Golf might be a bit cheaper on consumables!
I used to track a 205 GTi, so I imagine that the 306 is similar but a touch faster. Great fun cars!
Hi there!
Your Golf was stunning I must say, we all drooled over it at lunchtime and as you can see in one of my clips you motor past me like I'm in reverse, it's clearly very fast indeed!
To put that in perspective my friends ST is 300bhp and did around 125 down the straight so 145 is very very fast indeed!
Lovely car, and the police golf was also an impressive bit of kit, both on track and the controls etc
Glad it went well, the golf looks like quite the track monster!
Your Golf was stunning I must say, we all drooled over it at lunchtime and as you can see in one of my clips you motor past me like I'm in reverse, it's clearly very fast indeed!
To put that in perspective my friends ST is 300bhp and did around 125 down the straight so 145 is very very fast indeed!
Lovely car, and the police golf was also an impressive bit of kit, both on track and the controls etc
Glad it went well, the golf looks like quite the track monster!
I was there in the E30 325i Sport - started a little late, managed 3 laps before the gearshift linkage came off the back off the gearbox. Unimpressed with whoever left the circlip off...
After a little time like this:
(not me in pic, my mate from NZ who races in the BMW series over there)
Managed to get the guys in the race shop at the Circuit to make up a new pin, meaning we got back out on the track just before lunch. Had some dry laps and a brilliant afternoon. Surprisingly managed to stay in front of a 997 and track prepped WRX but figured they weren't pushing. Am running the M52 2.8 but not particularly sticky rubber (and wasn't pushing too hard, aiming to drive back in one piece).
Great day had by all and back home to London easily....have some bits and pieces to sort out on the car but only real major coming up is some 16's and R888R's....which should improve things a bit
After a little time like this:
(not me in pic, my mate from NZ who races in the BMW series over there)
Managed to get the guys in the race shop at the Circuit to make up a new pin, meaning we got back out on the track just before lunch. Had some dry laps and a brilliant afternoon. Surprisingly managed to stay in front of a 997 and track prepped WRX but figured they weren't pushing. Am running the M52 2.8 but not particularly sticky rubber (and wasn't pushing too hard, aiming to drive back in one piece).
Great day had by all and back home to London easily....have some bits and pieces to sort out on the car but only real major coming up is some 16's and R888R's....which should improve things a bit
Just seen that video! It doesn't feel that fast in the car. It's only when you pass people do you realise that it can shift. It's been mapped at just over 340bhp and weighs a bit less than standard. It has a Golf R engine under the bonnet, but is still fwd. The handling is impressive. Full race KWs are hidden underneath - it corners very flat and has the right amount of negative camber to give lots of grip. It still allows plenty of oversteer, so I can still have fun!
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