Pics from Bedford this weekend
Discussion
I've just got back from Bedford Autodrome. I did 2 track days there, the first was with PHer Sean Dudding's company www.fastrakdays.com/ which was on the Friday evening. There were just 30 cars there, all Porkers and most were GT3s. There were 13 GT3 RSs there I think:
And here's a pic of one with my old heap spoiling the view:
A big thanks to Sean and Andrew who organise these very relaxed track days. I can recommend them to people who have a nice car (particularly a Porker) and who don't want to be T-boned by a poorly driven shed. Sean is hoping to get Bedford for a full day later in the year. It may be a fraction dearer than some track days, but it will be better. 4 cars were damaged on the RMA Saturday event. Sean's day will have fewer cars with less idiots.
Another thank you goes to Steve Rance who coached me in my car and took me out in his GT3 RS to show me how it should be done. It was good to meet all the other drivers there as well, I hope to catch up with most of you at Spa in May.
The Saturday at Bedford was run by RMA and about 10 of us stayed over in a hotel for this event.
Want to the know the definition of being up-staged??
Fancy parking it next to my old banger!! The owner's son had it out on the track for the last hour of the day after everyone present told him the tyres had plenty of life in them and besides....they didn't look that expensive to replace.
And here's a pic of one with my old heap spoiling the view:
A big thanks to Sean and Andrew who organise these very relaxed track days. I can recommend them to people who have a nice car (particularly a Porker) and who don't want to be T-boned by a poorly driven shed. Sean is hoping to get Bedford for a full day later in the year. It may be a fraction dearer than some track days, but it will be better. 4 cars were damaged on the RMA Saturday event. Sean's day will have fewer cars with less idiots.
Another thank you goes to Steve Rance who coached me in my car and took me out in his GT3 RS to show me how it should be done. It was good to meet all the other drivers there as well, I hope to catch up with most of you at Spa in May.
The Saturday at Bedford was run by RMA and about 10 of us stayed over in a hotel for this event.
Want to the know the definition of being up-staged??
Fancy parking it next to my old banger!! The owner's son had it out on the track for the last hour of the day after everyone present told him the tyres had plenty of life in them and besides....they didn't look that expensive to replace.
glenn mcmenamin said:
Nice Piccy's Johnny,
Good to meet you Friday, How did you get on on Saturday, did Steve give you the lowdown on your setup ??
See you at Spa !!!!
G.
Hi Glenn, good to meet you too. Your car is mint.
Steve didn't get chance to drive my car because he was giving lots of people rides. He must have done more laps than anyone else! However, from the passenger seat (when he was giving me some instruction) he thought the car should be stiffened front and rear. However, he said that would be his preference and that I should probably learn the car as it is for now. I guess stiff cars break away more suddenly and I'm no expert driver.
Steve did teach me some very useful stuff. When he was in the passenger seat of my car giving me instructions, I went significantly faster. He would shout (you need to shout very loud in my car, it is deafening inside) "DON'T BRAKE UNTIL I TELL YOU"......."BRAKE!!!".......and then I would mash the middle pedal hard and wash off just enough speed. I tell you what, leaving the braking later than you are used to AND heeling and toeing down the box bloomin' really focusses the mind.
For anyone who is interested, here is Steve Rance's guide to cornering in a 911. I intend to practice this a lot:
1. Brake hard and deliberately.
2. Come off the brakes pretty quickly, but not so suddenly that you upset the balance of the car.
3. Turn into the apex on a trailing throttle, this keeps the nose down and therefore the weight over the nose which helps to elimate understeer. Don't wash off too much speed before turn in otherwise you won't have the momentum to reach the apex on a trailing throttle (this applies in low speed hairpins only really).
4. Get back on the throttle at the apex gradually and smoothly, apply the throttle in direct proportion to the amount of steering lock you unwind.
As I said, he made me go significantly faster, and this was fairly hairy on a couple of fast bends.....I narrowly avoided a tank slapper on a fast exit of a corner. Great stuff.
Hook, line and sinker, Johnny -good to see you using the old nail the way it was intended....
"apply the throttle in direct proportion to the amount of steering lock you unwind."
The Vic Elford piece-of-string-from-toe-to-bottom-of steering-wheel technique -also works on braking....think about it.
Have fun!!!
Mel
"apply the throttle in direct proportion to the amount of steering lock you unwind."
The Vic Elford piece-of-string-from-toe-to-bottom-of steering-wheel technique -also works on braking....think about it.
Have fun!!!
Mel
Many thanks to Johnny for a few passenger laps in his car (sadly curtailed by one of the accidents that day 
) - and whatever he says, ignore him... that RS is a stormer, and his driving is great, and he's a really nice chap to boot.
If anyone hasn't done Bedford, i'd recommend it - good surface, fantastic visibility, and a nice long course with plenty of slow and plenty of fast.
Thanks again Johnny, and Alan (Aceparts) for the pax laps.
VS
>> Edited by verysideways on Monday 25th April 08:34
) - and whatever he says, ignore him... that RS is a stormer, and his driving is great, and he's a really nice chap to boot. If anyone hasn't done Bedford, i'd recommend it - good surface, fantastic visibility, and a nice long course with plenty of slow and plenty of fast.
Thanks again Johnny, and Alan (Aceparts) for the pax laps.
VS
>> Edited by verysideways on Monday 25th April 08:34
Gassing Station | Porsche General | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff