Castle Combe GTs - Novice friendly?
Discussion
Hi,
Having done my ARDs in October, I want to enroll in a few races for 2023. I'll be racing a Ginetta G40 Cup (135bhp and 960kg with fuel and driver) and am keen to do the Castle Combe home series due to convenience, time and cost.
The car will fall into Class E (modified up to 2000cc) and with a decent driver would probably be quite competitive. Herein lies the issue... I'm not yet a "decent" racing driver and am still learning my way around this car.
This will be my first season and first competitive race and whilst I thought I was pretty fast on track days, my F1 driving coach friend has helped me to see that I still have a way to go before I am fast by race standards (although in fairness, I think he is comparing me to the pro-drivers that he usually coaches).
As such, I want to know whether CCRC GTs is reasonably novice friendly? I'm not expecting to win but I equally don't want to end up becoming a rolling roadblock to GT cars on slicks.
Having done my ARDs in October, I want to enroll in a few races for 2023. I'll be racing a Ginetta G40 Cup (135bhp and 960kg with fuel and driver) and am keen to do the Castle Combe home series due to convenience, time and cost.
The car will fall into Class E (modified up to 2000cc) and with a decent driver would probably be quite competitive. Herein lies the issue... I'm not yet a "decent" racing driver and am still learning my way around this car.
This will be my first season and first competitive race and whilst I thought I was pretty fast on track days, my F1 driving coach friend has helped me to see that I still have a way to go before I am fast by race standards (although in fairness, I think he is comparing me to the pro-drivers that he usually coaches).
As such, I want to know whether CCRC GTs is reasonably novice friendly? I'm not expecting to win but I equally don't want to end up becoming a rolling roadblock to GT cars on slicks.
mat205125 said:
Exactly this!
It's a great bunch of competitors, and the grid sizes mean that it's not a terrifying place to start; I did my ARDS last year, and raced in three rounds of the GTs during the year in my Mk2 Escort.
Whilst consistently at the bottom end of the timing sheets, I had great fun and learnt a lot, and would definitely recommend it as a place to start.
I shared a bit of a write up on the second page of the "Tell me about your first race " thread below if you fancy a read:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I think that all of this year's rounds are double headers, so two signatures per meeting if all goes well, and the races are also rolling starts, which massively reduces the risks of a start line incident.
Have to ask ........ what car do you have, and do you have any pictures ???
Brilliant. I'll give it a go then. Are you planning to race again this year? It's a great bunch of competitors, and the grid sizes mean that it's not a terrifying place to start; I did my ARDS last year, and raced in three rounds of the GTs during the year in my Mk2 Escort.
Whilst consistently at the bottom end of the timing sheets, I had great fun and learnt a lot, and would definitely recommend it as a place to start.
I shared a bit of a write up on the second page of the "Tell me about your first race " thread below if you fancy a read:
https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
I think that all of this year's rounds are double headers, so two signatures per meeting if all goes well, and the races are also rolling starts, which massively reduces the risks of a start line incident.
Have to ask ........ what car do you have, and do you have any pictures ???
The car is a Ginetta G40 Cup car which is currently a fetching combination of burgundy, silver and white (not my first choice of colours but I got it for a good price and don't want to invest too much in a paint job prior to my first season). I don't have any decent photos of it in its current state as my kids are usually desperate to crawl all over it and get into any photo I am taking but once the weather improves and I've tidied it up a bit, I'll get some posted.
mat205125 said:
You can enjoy it more if you don't have a nagging concern about a fresh paint job in the back of your mind
I'll definitely be doing a few rounds this year, and barring any problems, will be entering the Easter Monday double header in April.
Get yourself registered, and Cat will get you included into the Whatsapp group chat, which is very valuable and informative. Cat and the team at the circuit are really helpful, and supportive. One of the clerks took 20 minutes of their morning on my first race, to give me a one-to-one and help with any questions are queries. There's also a Facebook group to join too, appropriately titled "Castle Combe GT Championship"
Great. You've convinced me! I'll get my form sent off.I'll definitely be doing a few rounds this year, and barring any problems, will be entering the Easter Monday double header in April.
Get yourself registered, and Cat will get you included into the Whatsapp group chat, which is very valuable and informative. Cat and the team at the circuit are really helpful, and supportive. One of the clerks took 20 minutes of their morning on my first race, to give me a one-to-one and help with any questions are queries. There's also a Facebook group to join too, appropriately titled "Castle Combe GT Championship"
ajh349 said:
Hi,
Can agree that Castle Combe is a great paddock and all competitors are welcoming. I have raced there for the last 20 years and always found it to be a wonderful Club.
I race my blue Westfield in Class B and live near the circuit, so if you need any advise or help, just let me know.
Looking forward to meeting everyone again through the season.
Alan Hamilton #56
Is that Class B in the GTs? Due to Ginetta's low road car build numbers, that will be the class I'm in. I think my first race will be in May (travelling for work + angry wife means I can't make the April one) but hoping to get along in March for the media day and will do a few track days at Combe before then as well. Feel free to offer unsolicited advice - I need all the help I can get Can agree that Castle Combe is a great paddock and all competitors are welcoming. I have raced there for the last 20 years and always found it to be a wonderful Club.
I race my blue Westfield in Class B and live near the circuit, so if you need any advise or help, just let me know.
Looking forward to meeting everyone again through the season.
Alan Hamilton #56
Well as conclusion to this thread, I had my first race meeting yesterday and absolutely loved it. I got absolutely dusted in both races (I'm blaming lack of power, lack of slicks, and lack of talent) but I enjoyed every second and was quite proud of not qualifying last in the torrential rain we had in the morning.
The other racers in the GTs were a great bunch and it felt like a good environment for a novice (as in, nobody punted me off the track)
I'm now watching back my footage and trying to work out where I can find another few seconds before the next meeting!
The other racers in the GTs were a great bunch and it felt like a good environment for a novice (as in, nobody punted me off the track)
I'm now watching back my footage and trying to work out where I can find another few seconds before the next meeting!
mat205125 said:
Was pleased in the second race to get my fastest lap into the 1:23's, and getting down into the teens still feels doable, albeit with some work to do to get there ...... setup and growing a pair mainly
What's the spec of your Escort? Best I could manage in my Ginetta was a 1:23.8 on semi-slicks. That's with 135bhp and ~900kg without driver. Like you I reckon there's a few more seconds in it - I kept braking too early/over slowing for both chicanes. I think I can also take a straighter line to the first apex of the Esses.Petrus1983 said:
Eta - maybe try posting some of the onboard on here and see if anyone can notice a few areas to gain the extra few seconds? My initial guess without having seen it would to be a bit braver on the brakes - which is very hard to master on a grotty Wiltshire day!
My 7 year old daughter has "borrowed" the SD card (I stupidly left it on my desk last night) but if I ever recover it I will. I think you are probably right though - I'm definitely braking too early for the Esses and probably too much for Camp. I also want to try and smooth out all of my lines - I was watching the onboard from one of the other GT racers and he's doing less turning than I am.Edited by Petrus1983 on Wednesday 12th April 11:11
Can't wait for the next race and will hopefully be able to start chipping away at all of these areas for improvement.
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