Brands Track Day
Discussion
Hi all,
Still on an absolute high from a wonderful day at Brands. The whole day went perfectly, and the car performed her duties without breaking sweat.
I can't get over how amazing our tools are for just getting on with the task in hand. Through sheer grunt and amazing grip (yeah, really) we sliced through allcomers with ease.
Vid will follow, but here are a couple of pics.
Do you think I need new rears?
Fronts weren't even troubled
Great day.
Anyway - this to fellow a Amigo. Keep going pal, there is no better reward than taking on millions of pounds of German and Japanese development, in something that you put together in your spare time. Keep to it. See ya at Stoneleigh.
Lucky
Still on an absolute high from a wonderful day at Brands. The whole day went perfectly, and the car performed her duties without breaking sweat.
I can't get over how amazing our tools are for just getting on with the task in hand. Through sheer grunt and amazing grip (yeah, really) we sliced through allcomers with ease.
Vid will follow, but here are a couple of pics.
Do you think I need new rears?
Fronts weren't even troubled
Great day.
Anyway - this to fellow a Amigo. Keep going pal, there is no better reward than taking on millions of pounds of German and Japanese development, in something that you put together in your spare time. Keep to it. See ya at Stoneleigh.
Lucky
little bill said:
Well done mate!
Great track isn't it, did you wipe many Caterhams out??
MMmmmm think you will defo need some new rear rubber! Look forward to hearing about at work tommorrow!!
Great track isn't it, did you wipe many Caterhams out??
MMmmmm think you will defo need some new rear rubber! Look forward to hearing about at work tommorrow!!
I'll buy you a coffee and talk you to death!!
Plenty of Caterhams. In all shapes and sizes. There were a few R500s but I never met any on track. I just have respect for anyone who just goes out there and does it!! It make the jokers you meet on the road all the more pathetic!!I'll try and see what a good lap time was for me on the vid. Think just below 1 min.
Oh, I'm good for tyres now thanks.
I've made contact with a man, who knows a man, etc!!
luckyp said:
steve_d said:
Plenty left in those. You can still see a pattern.
Steve
Steve
Really?? Proff, are you joking?
Yep, barely scrubbed in.
By the time the patterns gone you should have even more grip. (as long as the rain holds off).
Ultima with slicks, what more could you want.
Steve
Hey P,
Sure, it looks like you have a couple more track days in those rear tires. Keep your eye on them, though. If you can manage, observe how many heat-cycles you treat them to. Great wear pattern; front-to-back and side-to-side. Guessing you had 5-6 20-minute sessions?
It's hard to tell from the photos. Is there a moulded "scrub line" on the sides? If so, it looks like you had the rear pressure just about right...and maybe could have taken a pound or two out of the fronts. How would you describe observed understeer?
If running the full course, is Clark or Westfield Bend a quicker corner? Were there other "prepared" cars in your run group on slicks? If so, how did the GTR compare on street-legal rubber?
Can you tell I can't wait to get the GTR to the track? Video please!!! Great to see your car at the track. Does a track-day there usually include a garage? Nice PHer logo.
Sure, it looks like you have a couple more track days in those rear tires. Keep your eye on them, though. If you can manage, observe how many heat-cycles you treat them to. Great wear pattern; front-to-back and side-to-side. Guessing you had 5-6 20-minute sessions?
It's hard to tell from the photos. Is there a moulded "scrub line" on the sides? If so, it looks like you had the rear pressure just about right...and maybe could have taken a pound or two out of the fronts. How would you describe observed understeer?
If running the full course, is Clark or Westfield Bend a quicker corner? Were there other "prepared" cars in your run group on slicks? If so, how did the GTR compare on street-legal rubber?
Can you tell I can't wait to get the GTR to the track? Video please!!! Great to see your car at the track. Does a track-day there usually include a garage? Nice PHer logo.
builder said:
Hey P,
Sure, it looks like you have a couple more track days in those rear tires. Keep your eye on them, though. If you can manage, observe how many heat-cycles you treat them to. Great wear pattern; front-to-back and side-to-side. Guessing you had 5-6 20-minute sessions?
It's hard to tell from the photos. Is there a moulded "scrub line" on the sides? If so, it looks like you had the rear pressure just about right...and maybe could have taken a pound or two out of the fronts. How would you describe observed understeer?
If running the full course, is Clark or Westfield Bend a quicker corner? Were there other "prepared" cars in your run group on slicks? If so, how did the GTR compare on street-legal rubber?
Can you tell I can't wait to get the GTR to the track? Video please!!! Great to see your car at the track. Does a track-day there usually include a garage? Nice PHer logo.
Sure, it looks like you have a couple more track days in those rear tires. Keep your eye on them, though. If you can manage, observe how many heat-cycles you treat them to. Great wear pattern; front-to-back and side-to-side. Guessing you had 5-6 20-minute sessions?
It's hard to tell from the photos. Is there a moulded "scrub line" on the sides? If so, it looks like you had the rear pressure just about right...and maybe could have taken a pound or two out of the fronts. How would you describe observed understeer?
If running the full course, is Clark or Westfield Bend a quicker corner? Were there other "prepared" cars in your run group on slicks? If so, how did the GTR compare on street-legal rubber?
Can you tell I can't wait to get the GTR to the track? Video please!!! Great to see your car at the track. Does a track-day there usually include a garage? Nice PHer logo.
Hi Scott,
Yeah, did three 20 min sessions in the morning and two half hour runs in the afternoon - about 100 miles in all.
Amazing thing is that on the track with the tyres hot, I didn't even notice any understeer. The turn in to Paddock was crisp, clip the inside curb and then squeeze the throttle as much as you dare till you just skim the rumble strip on the exit.
As you climb up to Druids, keep left and then brake late and turn in, here has one or two twiches of mid corner oversteer and on the exit, early power led to a few butt clenching powerslides. But in general the grip at a low speed corner was amazing. Very easy to do the recommended lines. Lots of other cars were running wide here.
Graham Hill bend was OK. Never really troubled the brakes so obviously wasn't trying hard enough!
Surtees, Maclaren, Clearways were tricky. I tried many different lines all had pros and cons. This is where I could have made up a lot of time, but I ran outta bollax!!
Didn't see any slick all day, but many Corsa, Toyos and Yokos. The GT3 RS tyres looked like molten rubber!
I can see now that our cars, with stickier rubber, would be truely mental!!
I just can't believe how well rounded the car is! And what attention it attracts.
Pete
Edited by luckyp on Wednesday 25th April 07:01
Nice! 100 miles? Any idea how much fuel used?
That's great news about the understeer. You are describing (and tires look like) driving the car properly and probably 70-80% of the tire's capabilities. Sounds like "slow in - fast out", which is exactly correct. This technique should reduce opportunities for understeer and provide the best corner exit speeds and control.
Did you take a coach/instructor around with you? You may well have caused him to change his shorts at Druids.
But, somethimes coaches can help with line and braking points. Sometimes, they are just a pain-in-the-****.
Molten rubber? That's because they were trying to keep up with you! Need video!
Interesting comment about the GT3. A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of instructing at a course for a Porsche group. There were 34 cars; everything from a 944 to a race-prep GT3. Most of the cars were 2004 - 2007 models, as the event was sponsored by a Porsche dealer in the San Francisco area. Those cars work really well on the course. They corner well and pull pretty hard. Only one car had slics and the cornering difference was amazing between it and the same car without...more than what I had expected. But, it was really great to have identical cars to compare with Michelin Sport Cups and the PS2 road-legal tires.
Who wouldn't like to mount slics on their Ultima for a track day? The factory recommends only rose-jointed suspensions be used with slics. Mine is not, so will probably stay with road tires.
Can't wait to be on the course! When's the video coming out? Got my license plates: FSTFWRD. Any video yet?
That's great news about the understeer. You are describing (and tires look like) driving the car properly and probably 70-80% of the tire's capabilities. Sounds like "slow in - fast out", which is exactly correct. This technique should reduce opportunities for understeer and provide the best corner exit speeds and control.
Did you take a coach/instructor around with you? You may well have caused him to change his shorts at Druids.
But, somethimes coaches can help with line and braking points. Sometimes, they are just a pain-in-the-****. Molten rubber? That's because they were trying to keep up with you! Need video!
Interesting comment about the GT3. A couple of weeks ago, I had the pleasure of instructing at a course for a Porsche group. There were 34 cars; everything from a 944 to a race-prep GT3. Most of the cars were 2004 - 2007 models, as the event was sponsored by a Porsche dealer in the San Francisco area. Those cars work really well on the course. They corner well and pull pretty hard. Only one car had slics and the cornering difference was amazing between it and the same car without...more than what I had expected. But, it was really great to have identical cars to compare with Michelin Sport Cups and the PS2 road-legal tires.
Who wouldn't like to mount slics on their Ultima for a track day? The factory recommends only rose-jointed suspensions be used with slics. Mine is not, so will probably stay with road tires.
Can't wait to be on the course! When's the video coming out? Got my license plates: FSTFWRD. Any video yet?
Thanks to your little 'pep blurb' p I have been out in the garage doing what needs to be done. Tried to start it yesterday to warm oil before change and it would not work? Sorted now but the one step forward scenario seems to be unfolding before my eyes 
Can you let me know if you intend to book another track day please ( Rockingham, Donington, Silverstone? ) and I will be there
Can you let me know if you intend to book another track day please ( Rockingham, Donington, Silverstone? ) and I will be there
luckyp said:
Amazing thing is that on the track with the tyres hot, I didn't even notice any understeer. The turn in to Paddock was crisp, clip the inside curb and then squeeze the throttle as much as you dare till you just skim the rumble strip on the exit.
Defintiely agree with that. Once the heat builds in the fronts they don't want to let go in a hurry.
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