Any advice on Croft circuit for a newbie?
Discussion
As said, get instruction and slowly build up speed.
It is a while since I did a Croft day, but I can’t remember any especially nasty bits (it is a very flowing circuit, apart from the complex).
I seem to recall it being a bit treacherous in the wet, so be especially careful if it rains.
Mike…
It is a while since I did a Croft day, but I can’t remember any especially nasty bits (it is a very flowing circuit, apart from the complex).
I seem to recall it being a bit treacherous in the wet, so be especially careful if it rains.
Mike…
Don't know what you will be driving but coming from racing a mini cooper there, these are the 3 things I see ppl getting wrong most often.
1.Tower is probably a much much later turn in than you think.
2.Line up your car for the turn in point of Sunny In, in a straight line even if this means hitting the brakes at the apex of Barcroft and crossing from the right to the left of the track. You don't want to be lifting off or trying to brake unless very gently while still turning through Barcroft.
3.Trying to take 5mph too much into Sunny In will hurt your exit speed from Sunny Out and down the back straight far more than taking 5mph less than possible into it.
Can probably find a video of an onboard lap of a mini to show you the lines if you want if you will be driving anything similar.
1.Tower is probably a much much later turn in than you think.
2.Line up your car for the turn in point of Sunny In, in a straight line even if this means hitting the brakes at the apex of Barcroft and crossing from the right to the left of the track. You don't want to be lifting off or trying to brake unless very gently while still turning through Barcroft.
3.Trying to take 5mph too much into Sunny In will hurt your exit speed from Sunny Out and down the back straight far more than taking 5mph less than possible into it.
Can probably find a video of an onboard lap of a mini to show you the lines if you want if you will be driving anything similar.
Tibs - see you there - we'll be hiring one of BaT's Caterhams that day.
Prior to this, I did the VXR trackday there in July. I was genuinely suprised by the amount of variety of corners there are - far more rewarding than I was expecting.
A few things I noticed...
Prior to this, I did the VXR trackday there in July. I was genuinely suprised by the amount of variety of corners there are - far more rewarding than I was expecting.
A few things I noticed...
- If you get the entrance to Chicane right, you can take the corner with hardly any steering input.
- The turn-in for Tower is suprisingly late.
- You can take the Jim Clarke esses & Barcroft pretty much flat out.
- The hairpin is Slowww
Tibs said:
Thanks for the info guys.
Will be in the Corolla, so the mini vid may be similar if you can find it?
Hopefully you can download from rapidshare.com alright.Will be in the Corolla, so the mini vid may be similar if you can find it?
First lap is a bit lairy but lap 2,3,4,5 are pretty good but then as the track goes from damp to dry I think i overheat the fronts and drop away.
http://rapidshare.com/files/265818528/croft1.wmv 98mb ish
xr287 said:
Tibs said:
Thanks for the info guys.
Will be in the Corolla, so the mini vid may be similar if you can find it?
Hopefully you can download from rapidshare.com alright.Will be in the Corolla, so the mini vid may be similar if you can find it?
First lap is a bit lairy but lap 2,3,4,5 are pretty good but then as the track goes from damp to dry I think i overheat the fronts and drop away.
http://rapidshare.com/files/265818528/croft1.wmv 98mb ish
It's interesting how you ignore the kink on the left hand side of Clervaux (just riding right over the rumble strip), and as mentioned the unnaturally late turn-in to Tower. Cheers!
kaese said:
Tibs - see you there - we'll be hiring one of BaT's Caterhams that day.
Prior to this, I did the VXR trackday there in July. I was genuinely suprised by the amount of variety of corners there are - far more rewarding than I was expecting.
A few things I noticed...
Thanks for the advice!Prior to this, I did the VXR trackday there in July. I was genuinely suprised by the amount of variety of corners there are - far more rewarding than I was expecting.
A few things I noticed...
- If you get the entrance to Chicane right, you can take the corner with hardly any steering input.
- The turn-in for Tower is suprisingly late.
- You can take the Jim Clarke esses & Barcroft pretty much flat out.
- The hairpin is Slowww
I'll be in the dog slow green Toyota trying to keep out of your way then!
I did my first few trackdays at Croft and loved it. Found sunny in/out harder than anywhere else on circuit let the car use all the track on exit/most peaople cut it tight including me but apparently wrong lol. Was really just getting used to track driving/watching mirrors/getting into habit of checking marshall posts e.t.c.
If its wet the long sweeping bend just after the straight/Clervaux?, which you will take a fairly central line on (sorry dont know the name), goes from one type of surface to another so can get a little unpredictable and is a little bumpy too. Also I found that if I went pretty much flat through Barcroft it was very tight trying to brake before sunny in and if I was ever close to going off this is where I would have for sure.
Will be down myself just to have a look about, was some really impressive cars/drivers last time I was there.
Watch out for a red e30 if he is there again wow he is good! Oh and a couple of 106's which kept lapping me lol.
If its wet the long sweeping bend just after the straight/Clervaux?, which you will take a fairly central line on (sorry dont know the name), goes from one type of surface to another so can get a little unpredictable and is a little bumpy too. Also I found that if I went pretty much flat through Barcroft it was very tight trying to brake before sunny in and if I was ever close to going off this is where I would have for sure.
Will be down myself just to have a look about, was some really impressive cars/drivers last time I was there.
Watch out for a red e30 if he is there again wow he is good! Oh and a couple of 106's which kept lapping me lol.
Well you have picked a pretty easy track to start off with IMO... Croft has quite a bit of run off compared to other tracks I’ve been on, and is quite a fast track (3 places to go flat out pretty much)
Start off slow, and build your speed up with every lap
If it’s wet, then its a whole different ball game. the track is like an ice rink on pretty much all the corners if its raining (the last track day I did here was really wet) if it is raining, early brake slow into the corner then accelerate smooth out.
On track days, the marshals usually put cones out for the turning points on the corners which is great, and its always good to have a passenger in the car to tell you off for when you are too far away from the turning cone (my lass is great at this lol)
I didnt realise this track day was on at croft, i thought the last one i did a few months ago was the last track day... cant beleve its fully booked not
- reserve list it is then
Think ill pop up and come watch though, as i only live down the road.
Start off slow, and build your speed up with every lap
If it’s wet, then its a whole different ball game. the track is like an ice rink on pretty much all the corners if its raining (the last track day I did here was really wet) if it is raining, early brake slow into the corner then accelerate smooth out.
On track days, the marshals usually put cones out for the turning points on the corners which is great, and its always good to have a passenger in the car to tell you off for when you are too far away from the turning cone (my lass is great at this lol)
I didnt realise this track day was on at croft, i thought the last one i did a few months ago was the last track day... cant beleve its fully booked not
- reserve list it is then Think ill pop up and come watch though, as i only live down the road.
supersport said:
I am surprised this one is still on, I was due to do PCGB day on Wednesday and effectively cancelled due since it got served with a court notice restricting its activities, and track days are the victim. F**king nimbies causing trouble.
Competed in a sprint for first time there this year, great track. But for info it's a spat between relatives & resulting court action that's behind all the new restrictions
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