Motors and Me

Long time, no trackday. Two years, in fact. Mortgages suck. This was my first time on track in the 350Z and, while it was enjoyable, it might end up being the last time too. The car's just too heavy. While it made an admirable fist of changing direction when asked, it didn't take long to overheat its brakes, resulting in most runs being curtailed long before I felt I'd pushed it enough. Same old story, eh? Even with upgraded pads with which other users had reported a complete absence of fade. Am I just too aggressive? I don't think so; braking's where you make up most time and where you feel you're really racing. Why lose the fun? That aside, my lack of recent track experience, coupled with my sedate, petrol-saving everyday driving, saw me making loads of mistakes. I suspect it was largely down to me not sighting the track far enough ahead. The lack of discipline in my lines was appalling. Frankly, I was all over the place. My positioning approaching corners...

Earlier today, I started to get excited for no apparent reason. It suddenly dawned on me that the trackday season is approaching. Most petrolheads reading that would think I’m nuts. Au contraire. I’m simply tight and fearless. ;-) Yup, for me, winter is the best time of year for trackdays, not least because the costs plummet. But it’s not just the cheaper ticket prices that attract me. In winter, you’re more likely to get a damp track, making it much more of a challenge and much more fun in the process. Thanks to global warming, the UK’s winters are increasingly mild too, so the chance of getting an icy track is greatly diminished. Other benefits include: Fewer cars on track (most people are shy of booking wet trackdays) Reduced tyre wear (can’t corner as quickly on wet surfaces) Reduced brake wear (can’t brake as aggressively on wet surfaces) The car’s more powerful (thanks to the colder, denser air) All in all, it’s ...

Trackday: £170. Accomodation: £75. Fuel: £160. New front pads, brake lines, fitting and retro-fitting: £320. Wheel refurbishment to fix scarred alloys: £110. Keeping up with a Porsche round Snetterton in the rain: priceless. *stops to reconsider* No, scratch that. It’s not priceless. It’s bloody expensive and it’s consumed a huge chunk of this year’s trackday budget (which was roughly £1500). What the hell was I thinking? Back to the matter in hand, though: Snetterton. It was... ok. In terms of layout, it has to be the least interesting, least technical circuit I’ve yet driven (mental note: avoid Mallory). The straights were nothing but points at which I got out of the way of faster cars and the tighter corners were pure frustration as I struggled for any kind of grip. Riches was fun and Coram was ok, but the rest — even the Bombhole — was remarkably unremarkable. Anyway, here are some of the high and l...

Things to do in 2007: new circuits... tick! A couple of months back , I made a typically rash, half-hearted commitment to increase my attendance at trackdays. Finally, I’ve begun to act upon it. Last weekend it was the Gallardo experience, if that counts, and now I’ve just booked myself in for a trackday at Snetterton . Up until now, I’d been holding off for a couple of reasons: I’m buying my first house and somewhat naïvely expected to be busy. I’m not. And neither, it appears, are my slacking solicitors. :( I don’t want to wreck the Mini’s tyres and brakes, as I aim to sell it soon after I’ve moved into the house. In the end, the frustration became too great. It seems there’s always something stopping me doing a trackday, but in reality, I’m the one holding myself back. Sod that. I’m rather looking forward to Snetterton. It’s not a circuit I’d really considered much before — Oulton wa...

Yesterday, James and I spent the day blatting our cars round Cadwell Park and, despite a spin each, survived unscathed. All things considered, I reckon that’s a pretty good result. Here’s how it went... First impressions The first thing that struck me when we turned up was just how narrow the track was. The videos we’d watched on YouTube simply didn’t do it justice. It looked more like a kart track than a proper race track. The next surprise was finding out that we were using the full circuit, including the Woodland section under the trees. I knew this was a tight, twisty, undulating section of track, so the prospect of doing it in the wet with autumn leaves around was a daunting one. Once the regulation safety briefing was out of the way, we got out on track for a few sighting laps behind a pace car. It was immediately apparent that learning the best lines was going to take a while. The Mini felt horribly twitchy and the blind crests and curved braking z...

Earlier this year, I’d planned to move house to somewhere with a private garage so that I could take the next step on the sportscar ladder. I even had various bits of work done to the Mini to prepare it for sale, including the refitting of standard-issue run-flats. Given my subsequent failure to move, I’ve still got the Mini and the trackday hiatus has become too much to bear. In light of this, Friday 24th sees me heading off to Lincolnshire to take on the challenges of Cadwell Park . The trackday will probably use the Club circuit, as the Woodland section will be treacherous at this time of year. (Track map nicked from www.msport-uk.com .) I use the word “challenges” advisedly. Cadwell is often referred to as Britain’s mini-Nürburgring and for good reason. It’s a very narrow circuit, with lots of crests, swerves and alarmingly track-hugging Armco and tyre walls. Parts of the circuit are also underneath or close to trees, which should make i...

Another trackday, another great sense of relief that I’ve not bankrupted myself by crashing into a Porsche. More than that, though, Donington was a great learning experience. The trackday used the National circuit, missing out the Melbourne loop. (Track map nicked from www.msportuk.com .) All other tracks I’ve driven have been fairly flat, former-airfield affairs. Well, with the exception of Rockingham, but even that was pancake-like. Donington, on the other hand, is full of swoops and sweeps just waiting to catch you out. And catch me out is exactly what they did. None moreso than Craner Curves. I’d been warned by a friend (and former racer) not to lift off at Craner Curves, as I’d soon be facing the wrong way. Well, I didn’t lift off, but I did overestimate the Mini’s ability to take corners whilst simultaneously underestimating the effect of the track’s gradient changes. Consequently, the car oversteered and lurched sideways onto the...

It’s winter trackday time again and this time I’m off to Donington Park on Sunday 29th. While the prospect of Craner Curves on a wet circuit may well be one to put your heart in your mouth, I really need a wet track if I’m not to be thrashed by all-comers. Yes, I know it’s not a race, but it is bragging rights. If I can bag one Porsche and one TVR, I’ll be a happy bunny. Humbling a Noble, however, would be a new experience. I just hope the weather lends me the helping hand I’ll need.

Yesterday saw the Mini back on track (Croft) for the first time in almost a year. With replenished reserves of brake pads and rubber, it should’ve been a stroll. As it was, the searing heat made things wilt like I’ve never known before. It was scary. Perhaps, in hindsight, putting fresh tyres on the car just a week or so beforehand wasn’t a good idea. Hard on the brakes into Clervaux for the first time and the car squirmed around alarmingly. Not quite enough to make me think I’d lose it, but enough to scare me. Back in the pits after a few more exploratory laps, it was clear that the depth of tread on the tyre combined with the soaring track temperature had just melted the rubber. What I first thought was marbles caked onto the tyre was in fact my own rubber, brushed from one side of each tread block to the other. Little wonder the car felt a little unpredictable beneath me. Then came my salvation: thunder showers. As we sat queued in the pit lane, ready to ...

Wow, what a day. What a day! The trackday at Rockingham this last weekend was really something special. I think I’m hooked. So, where to start? I guess the thing that made the biggest difference from last year’s disappointment at Croft was my brakes. Last time, the car had only standard BMW equipment and the brakes went squashy after just a few laps. This time out, I’d upgraded to Mintex pads at the front, braided lines on all 4 corners, higher spec brake fluid and some prototype cooling ducts from Robertshaw Racing. Needless to say, it did the trick. There was only one point in the final session when I felt them fade a bit. That was quickly fixed by slowing down for a few corners and then I was free to hammer it again. Impressive stuff for a total outlay of around £150. Another thing that never fails to please is when you get good feedback from those you’re with. Three things stick out in my mind: Grant’s cry of “SHIIIIT!!!” as w...