Summary: Brands Hatch 12th October 2009.
Discussion
Brands Hatch 12/10/09
A summary of the day:
In attendance was, Bondy, Supergrass, SimonJW, Nicksy and Stella Artois. With a nice mixture of 2.5's, GTO3's and an M400.
For myself, it started early, I left the Hotel at 06:45, 7 miles from the circuit. My Sat Nav immediately told me it was 21 miles and proceeded to direct me North bound over the Dartford crossing,
which was a bit of a pisser really as the hotel was situated on the A2! so I blatantly ignored it and paid for a second crossing, at least the tunnel made me grin. I arrived at Brands at 07:30 and found that I had left all the details back in the hotel room.... Handy! 
I'd only been there a few minutes when 2 other Nobles turned up. After a few minutes of guessing where we had to go, we followed a group into the pits area where Bondy was already doing a minor service on the car. The briefing started at 08:30 and by that time we were all frozen, lovely and sunny, but bitter cold. It was a relief to get into the briefing room.
After a half hour brief, we were taken around in a minibus for a couple of familiarisation laps, after which we were directed to our vehicles to follow a safety car for 2 sighting laps, watching the safety cars lines. As we managed to get out on the second set, I managed a "Pole Position" directly behind the safety car. The first thing that caught me by surprise was the drop into paddock - its a bloody steep hill that! so we drove Miss Daisy for 2 laps and then back into the pits, eagerly awaiting the tannoy for the last group to do sighting laps.
I spent 15 minutes setting up the camera and stowing all my rubbish, and the obligatory nervous loo visit. Then we had the go ahead. We were fortunate that due to the numbers, they had elected for an "open pit" rather than allocating sessions
So when we finally got to roll, I ventured out on a warm up lap to get some heat in the tyres (Bridgestone SE-02's) I've always found them quick to heat and well grippy. With Paddock being such a steep drop, the rate of pick up was cracking and I let the old girl get settled, taking a mental note of the braking points up Hailwood, into Druids. The apex of Druids, for the Noble just sat nicely for the downhill approach for GHB, even getting on the power early didn't upset the back end.
The instructor advised lifting for Surtees until confident, as the back end can get very loose and the most incidents either happen on the exit from Druids, Surtees or the second apex on Mclaren as it transits to Clark. I opted for the lift on the first lap, as I had not done Brands before. Mclaren and Clark can catch you out, and it did on a couple of occasions later in the day, going in too hot.
Second lap, and I was happy with the route, time to open it up. I had been a bit anxious having not had it back long after Mike had done the rebuild, but I shouldn't have worried one bit, she was pulling like a train. The 2.5's seemed to hit the braking maker in 4th, Simon managed 5th a couple of times, but was short changing whilst building his confidence. Martin managed 107mph before reeling it in, whilst Kev reported a 120+
, No idea what Stephen managed as one minute he was behind me, and the next he was just a blur as he wasted me on the Cooper straight, damn those M400's.
I'd always planned a warm up, 5 lap and cool down for the day, as it doesn't take its toll on the car too much, that kind of went out of the window later on. There was quite a variety of cars on the circuit, Scoobies, a 1974 Mini, MX5's, AMG6.3, Superlights (He frightened the life out of me on the third lap, as I crested Paddock only to be greeted by him facing towards me, right on the exit line. Quick thinking on his part, he nailed it with full lock on and drifted clear onto the grass on the inside of the track.) I was by this time starting to get the feel of Brands and progressively left my braking later, however it is safe to say that hitting the 50 to go sign at Druids with over a ton on the clock is being a little adventurous, resulting in a little offside locking of the front. I wouldn't be doing that again!
Time to pit. Martin was all linked up, like NASA, data logging and utilising his I-computer/phone/thing to plot his course and being able to tell what speed he was doing wherever on the track, whilst Stephen and I took the opportunity to grab a tab and have a look at the tyre wear. Bondy's RE050 were holding up well, doing what they should, I had just migrated a lot of rubber from one edge to another! Stephen I have to say, excelled in the tyre department, as he had managed to shred the inside edge of the passenger rear, not wear it!, delaminate it!, the ply and braiding broken. "I thought it was a little loose" was the understatement of the day!
We got to discussing power outputs and was approached by a chap, with a 200SX and he was surprised that the 2.5's were leaving him for dead, as he was running 360 bhp and we kept on getting the drop on him at Cooper We got several sessions out and I got a bit paranoid by this flag waving the marshal's kept doing, as each time I approached a marshal point, they kept waving a blue flag at me. Look in the mirrors, no bugger behind, but a car in front usually a Scooby or a Volvo (that was a sleeper, 300bhp and 4WD, no bloody wonder it cornered well). So I reckoned, it was starting to come together. We were then red flagged, oh... oh.... don't let it be expensive, I thought. As it happens it was Martin's doing, as a coolant hose rupture on the rad, but a quick fix was carried out, but Martin missed the last 45mins. He elected to Pax with myself, whereby he made a few observations as to my driving style. "Can't you hear that squealing".... "nope"..... That's you! "No.... (window down) "oh, so it is". By all accounts, its not the done thing to drift a Noble through GHB and Surtees! 
A great day, with great company and no expensive incidents. For those, who have not yet taken the plunge and been on the track, its fully recommended, irrespective of what your driving style is.... with the exception of Kamikaze!
Marc.
A summary of the day:
In attendance was, Bondy, Supergrass, SimonJW, Nicksy and Stella Artois. With a nice mixture of 2.5's, GTO3's and an M400.
For myself, it started early, I left the Hotel at 06:45, 7 miles from the circuit. My Sat Nav immediately told me it was 21 miles and proceeded to direct me North bound over the Dartford crossing,
which was a bit of a pisser really as the hotel was situated on the A2! so I blatantly ignored it and paid for a second crossing, at least the tunnel made me grin. I arrived at Brands at 07:30 and found that I had left all the details back in the hotel room.... Handy! I'd only been there a few minutes when 2 other Nobles turned up. After a few minutes of guessing where we had to go, we followed a group into the pits area where Bondy was already doing a minor service on the car. The briefing started at 08:30 and by that time we were all frozen, lovely and sunny, but bitter cold. It was a relief to get into the briefing room.After a half hour brief, we were taken around in a minibus for a couple of familiarisation laps, after which we were directed to our vehicles to follow a safety car for 2 sighting laps, watching the safety cars lines. As we managed to get out on the second set, I managed a "Pole Position" directly behind the safety car. The first thing that caught me by surprise was the drop into paddock - its a bloody steep hill that! so we drove Miss Daisy for 2 laps and then back into the pits, eagerly awaiting the tannoy for the last group to do sighting laps.
I spent 15 minutes setting up the camera and stowing all my rubbish, and the obligatory nervous loo visit. Then we had the go ahead. We were fortunate that due to the numbers, they had elected for an "open pit" rather than allocating sessions
So when we finally got to roll, I ventured out on a warm up lap to get some heat in the tyres (Bridgestone SE-02's) I've always found them quick to heat and well grippy. With Paddock being such a steep drop, the rate of pick up was cracking and I let the old girl get settled, taking a mental note of the braking points up Hailwood, into Druids. The apex of Druids, for the Noble just sat nicely for the downhill approach for GHB, even getting on the power early didn't upset the back end.The instructor advised lifting for Surtees until confident, as the back end can get very loose and the most incidents either happen on the exit from Druids, Surtees or the second apex on Mclaren as it transits to Clark. I opted for the lift on the first lap, as I had not done Brands before. Mclaren and Clark can catch you out, and it did on a couple of occasions later in the day, going in too hot.
Second lap, and I was happy with the route, time to open it up. I had been a bit anxious having not had it back long after Mike had done the rebuild, but I shouldn't have worried one bit, she was pulling like a train. The 2.5's seemed to hit the braking maker in 4th, Simon managed 5th a couple of times, but was short changing whilst building his confidence. Martin managed 107mph before reeling it in, whilst Kev reported a 120+
, No idea what Stephen managed as one minute he was behind me, and the next he was just a blur as he wasted me on the Cooper straight, damn those M400's. I'd always planned a warm up, 5 lap and cool down for the day, as it doesn't take its toll on the car too much, that kind of went out of the window later on. There was quite a variety of cars on the circuit, Scoobies, a 1974 Mini, MX5's, AMG6.3, Superlights (He frightened the life out of me on the third lap, as I crested Paddock only to be greeted by him facing towards me, right on the exit line. Quick thinking on his part, he nailed it with full lock on and drifted clear onto the grass on the inside of the track.) I was by this time starting to get the feel of Brands and progressively left my braking later, however it is safe to say that hitting the 50 to go sign at Druids with over a ton on the clock is being a little adventurous, resulting in a little offside locking of the front. I wouldn't be doing that again!
Time to pit. Martin was all linked up, like NASA, data logging and utilising his I-computer/phone/thing to plot his course and being able to tell what speed he was doing wherever on the track, whilst Stephen and I took the opportunity to grab a tab and have a look at the tyre wear. Bondy's RE050 were holding up well, doing what they should, I had just migrated a lot of rubber from one edge to another! Stephen I have to say, excelled in the tyre department, as he had managed to shred the inside edge of the passenger rear, not wear it!, delaminate it!, the ply and braiding broken. "I thought it was a little loose" was the understatement of the day!
We got to discussing power outputs and was approached by a chap, with a 200SX and he was surprised that the 2.5's were leaving him for dead, as he was running 360 bhp and we kept on getting the drop on him at Cooper
We got several sessions out and I got a bit paranoid by this flag waving the marshal's kept doing, as each time I approached a marshal point, they kept waving a blue flag at me. Look in the mirrors, no bugger behind, but a car in front usually a Scooby or a Volvo (that was a sleeper, 300bhp and 4WD, no bloody wonder it cornered well). So I reckoned, it was starting to come together. We were then red flagged, oh... oh.... don't let it be expensive, I thought. As it happens it was Martin's doing, as a coolant hose rupture on the rad, but a quick fix was carried out, but Martin missed the last 45mins. He elected to Pax with myself, whereby he made a few observations as to my driving style. "Can't you hear that squealing".... "nope"..... That's you! "No.... (window down) "oh, so it is". By all accounts, its not the done thing to drift a Noble through GHB and Surtees! A great day, with great company and no expensive incidents. For those, who have not yet taken the plunge and been on the track, its fully recommended, irrespective of what your driving style is.... with the exception of Kamikaze!
Marc.
really sorry, and gutted, i couldnt make it (irrellevant of possibly needing different wheels). Work got in the way as usual although the chrisp morning did make me think about doing a sickie.
i have only driven Brands once (in my old caterham roadsport) but it is an excellent track and paddock is soooo scary the first time you approach it having nailed it along the main straight.
I fancy a crack at Snetterton and Silverstone if anyone has any desire to do likewise......
i have only driven Brands once (in my old caterham roadsport) but it is an excellent track and paddock is soooo scary the first time you approach it having nailed it along the main straight.
I fancy a crack at Snetterton and Silverstone if anyone has any desire to do likewise......
Great write up Marc:
I would just like to add that the 107 I hit before Padock was 3yrs ago when I was only running 260bhp.
This time I was in 5th at about the start finish line and on the GPS I hit 113mph (It may have been a bit more but I needed eyes on track as it was very scary having to brake for Padock).
I think I always breaked to early for Padock as I never found myself stapping on the brakes rather a gentle squeeze but not fully down (too much road driving me thinks).
I glad to say that GHB did not cause me the grief it has done in the past where I would turn in to early and be almost on the grass on the exit.
Durids was much better for me and the car pulled lovely out of those bends.
Max air temp ever recorded was 44, this was once with all other temps being around 40deg.
Is there a higher temp steering fluid as most of us were getting some kind of noise from over stressing it. I (on the same lap of trying to match the Caterham when the hose went) managed to cook it a bit and it sprayed some out the top of the header.
Great day and boy was that Volvo hard to get past
Bondy
I would just like to add that the 107 I hit before Padock was 3yrs ago when I was only running 260bhp.
This time I was in 5th at about the start finish line and on the GPS I hit 113mph (It may have been a bit more but I needed eyes on track as it was very scary having to brake for Padock).
I think I always breaked to early for Padock as I never found myself stapping on the brakes rather a gentle squeeze but not fully down (too much road driving me thinks).
I glad to say that GHB did not cause me the grief it has done in the past where I would turn in to early and be almost on the grass on the exit.
Durids was much better for me and the car pulled lovely out of those bends.
Max air temp ever recorded was 44, this was once with all other temps being around 40deg.
Is there a higher temp steering fluid as most of us were getting some kind of noise from over stressing it. I (on the same lap of trying to match the Caterham when the hose went) managed to cook it a bit and it sprayed some out the top of the header.
Great day and boy was that Volvo hard to get past
Bondy
Stella Artois said:
ThatPhilBrettGuy said:
Looks like you had great weather. I was there on Friday doing my ARDS test, in the wet, in a Renault Meganne!
There was a blokey from Blue Peter doing his ARDS on the day, he needed it to take a truck around.Mike.
mgbond said:
Bondy.Excellent lines there, fantastic groundwork for being ultra fast.
Mike.
I only had 3 tyresMike Tuckwood said:
mgbond said:
Bondy.Excellent lines there, fantastic groundwork for being ultra fast.
Mike.
I have RE050's and he has S02's.
But As it hardly ever sees a track and I often drive in the wet, I think I'll stick to these tyres. Once in OZ though its semi slicks
Bondy
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