RE: PH Visits: Blyton Park Circuit
Wednesday 3rd August 2011
We wrote about the opening of Blyton Park back in May and, with the track now open for business and having hosted its first round of track days, we thought it time to have a go ourselves, courtesy of Audi and the launch for the R8 GT. So, what's it like?
That's fine - it's a track day venue, not a racing circuit and one that's been designed to be fun in a road car. It's been MSA-certified for sprints, too, complementing Blyton's existing facilities for grass track and rallycross events. And while it's not - yet - in the Bedford league of slick presentation, it's a huge step up from weaving around cones on a wide expanse of old runway.
It's a big stop for The Wiggler chicane and then a short squirt to Bishops and another quick run to the long, double-apexed Bunga Bunga (that's not the real corner name is it? - Ed). Port Froid is a committed right/left before the slower right/left Ushers/Twickers complex at the track entry point. The surface is generally pretty smooth and there's not much in the way of elevation change (it is Lincolnshire, after all) but there's enough to challenge any car and driver combination.
PH Visits: Blyton Park Circuit
PistonHeads takes a trip to deepest Lincolnshire to drive Britain's newest track day venue
Well, the aerial photos will probably have brought to mind a Bedford Autodrome-esque combination of wide concrete runways overlayed with a tarmac 'line' to create suitable wiggles with plenty of run-off. And that's more or less what it's like at the wheel; the first impression is that it's quite a narrow track.
There are no kerbs to speak of (other than at the chicane on the back straight) so there is little to punish you if you go off line, and there's a good flow to the 1.6-mile track. Turn one - Jochen - is a fast entry with little in the way of camber and unforgiving of over-ambitious entry speeds as a result. It doubles back on itself for 'The Ump' and then turns into the long, opening Lancaster, named after the bombers based here during the war.
We did film a lap aboard the R8 GT, but thought you'd be more interested in an on-board with the rather more skilled Marino 'brother of Dario' Franchitti in the R8 LMS GT3. Though even Franchitti got caught out, two interweaving black lines and a long R8-shaped corridor disappearing into the corn at Port Froid attesting to the fact Blyton can challenge pros as well as have-a-go-heroes...
Discussion
Don't forget Cadwell is Lincolnshire too and that isn't exactly flat!
Blyton is a great little circuit, unusual in being anti-clockwise, and with great TD availability at the weekend, which is great. Personally I found there to be a lack of grip compared to other venues (even on R888's), but this isn't necessarily a bad thing, just needs some learning around. I wasn't a huge fan of the Wiggler, but then I probably wasn't doing it right. The complex following Bunga Bunga is great fun, with massive run-off if necessary.
Definitely worth a look!
Blyton is a great little circuit, unusual in being anti-clockwise, and with great TD availability at the weekend, which is great. Personally I found there to be a lack of grip compared to other venues (even on R888's), but this isn't necessarily a bad thing, just needs some learning around. I wasn't a huge fan of the Wiggler, but then I probably wasn't doing it right. The complex following Bunga Bunga is great fun, with massive run-off if necessary.
Definitely worth a look!
I really enjoyed Blyton, I had a go late June. I must admit, I thought it was very grippy, interesting that I found it different to Flash above. 
Well, in the wet I didn't seem to be much slower, the grip was still great. For me at least, after I built some confidence Port Froid was flat out even in the wet, although I guess that should be expected in an mx-5! 
Damp laps
Well, in the wet I didn't seem to be much slower, the grip was still great. For me at least, after I built some confidence Port Froid was flat out even in the wet, although I guess that should be expected in an mx-5! Damp laps
300bhp/ton said:
What sort of money is it for a Track Day @ Blyton?
£120ish for most I think. I wonder if that will be cheaper in the winter?I did mine Apex trackdays, they have one at £115 in September. May book it, but I've already got another day there in October, back to back with Cadwell. Win win!
Dimski said:
I really enjoyed Blyton, I had a go late June. I must admit, I thought it was very grippy, interesting that I found it different to Flash above. Well, in the wet I didn't seem to be much slower, the grip was still great. For me at least, after I built some confidence Port Froid was flat out even in the wet, although I guess that should be expected in an mx-5!
Damp laps
To be fair I am really comparing it to Cadwell where the Clio hardly moved, but I was at Blyton in June, really hot day and I found the car was understeering quite a lot, despite carefully monitoring the tyre pressures. Well, in the wet I didn't seem to be much slower, the grip was still great. For me at least, after I built some confidence Port Froid was flat out even in the wet, although I guess that should be expected in an mx-5! Damp laps
As above there isn't a huge amount of room for stretching the legs, my car has quite a short box and I was only just getting into 4th between Lancaster and the Wiggler, and also between Bunga Bunga and Ushers. Also seemed to be very hard on brakes, though this could have just been my perception.
At the time I got a bit frustrated, partly due to it being REALLY hot, but reflecting later that day made me look forward to going back before too long.
Definitely a great track for MX-5s as most of the corners are 60mph. The owner was there when I went at the end of June with Mazda on Track and he seemed a really good bloke who got completely involved in the day.
Here's my video from the day
Here's my video from the day
I missed this announcement back in May but I'm pleased to see this as I remember going to Blyton as a kid in the 60's (ok,ok !) to watch karting there & had a few early "unofficial" goes in the family car on part of the old airfield. I lived in S
horpe at the time & the 2 brothers who owned Rileys crisps were keen karters & were pretty competitive.
I assume the track is largely on the same part of the old airfield but is almost unique in the UK for being anti-clockwise ?
Shame it's a bit featureless but might improve. Anybody know if they will be doing bike days there?
horpe at the time & the 2 brothers who owned Rileys crisps were keen karters & were pretty competitive. I assume the track is largely on the same part of the old airfield but is almost unique in the UK for being anti-clockwise ?
Shame it's a bit featureless but might improve. Anybody know if they will be doing bike days there?
looks a nice driving track, but and this is a big but, there seems to little in the way of passing places that leads to frustration with faster cars and or people getting pushed into going faster than they feel comfortable and making mistakes. The direction doesn't help either as if you are passing someone on the left you are on the inside of the track possibly approaching fast on the bend in the wrong position on the road.
It looks a possibly dangerous track for a track day despite the run offs.
It looks a possibly dangerous track for a track day despite the run offs.
Is it my imagination or is this track rather narrow and would it be fair to describe the track surface as "undulating"? (I'm trying to be kind)
There just seems to be a lot of movement in both the videos. I can appreciate the GT3 moving around a lot but even the GT seemed quite unsettled in places.
How old is the tarmac there?
There just seems to be a lot of movement in both the videos. I can appreciate the GT3 moving around a lot but even the GT seemed quite unsettled in places.
How old is the tarmac there?
The tarmac was laid at the end of March and, yes, it's not totally smooth so it does test the car somewhat. There are lots of high frequency undulations and ripples but it's way, way better than running on a bare runway surface and all adds to the fun.
And, yes, the R8 GT did move around a fair bit, especially with an over-excited hack at the wheel! Ahem, etc... Braking for The Wiggler was particularly involving - you're carrying top end of 4th into it out of that long left-hander (Lancaster) and it's a big stop and some very intimidating raised kerbs to give you added incentive to make sure you get it slowed enough.
Richard from Blyton did comment on the width and said it's comparable with Cadwell, albeit with rather less to hit if it all goes wrong. Franchitti did go a long, long way into the corn when he came off at Port Froid going by the evidence I saw!
And, yes, the R8 GT did move around a fair bit, especially with an over-excited hack at the wheel! Ahem, etc... Braking for The Wiggler was particularly involving - you're carrying top end of 4th into it out of that long left-hander (Lancaster) and it's a big stop and some very intimidating raised kerbs to give you added incentive to make sure you get it slowed enough.
Richard from Blyton did comment on the width and said it's comparable with Cadwell, albeit with rather less to hit if it all goes wrong. Franchitti did go a long, long way into the corn when he came off at Port Froid going by the evidence I saw!
clanger said:
Did a Blyton trackday a couple of weeks ago - seems narrow at first but after a few laps it seems more than wide enough
Great track for the Lotus and as previously stated very grippy.
Will be doing another trackday there in a couple of weeks time.
No noise police either
It only needs to be the width of one car Great track for the Lotus and as previously stated very grippy.
Will be doing another trackday there in a couple of weeks time.
No noise police either
They could put straw bales around it and pretend it's a street circuit?
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