johndglynn Posted January 16, 2007 Posted January 16, 2007 Silverstone has now been announced - £180 for IB supporters for a full day running on the GP circuit. Who is coming? Let's get a list together. So far off the top of my head: Me Bruce Ace Dick Twinny Jevvy Jez Andy T Andy M Jake OJT Tankman Davrian If anyone is interested in B&B the night before, with a 15 minute drive to the track afterwards, Crockwell Farm is a great place about two minutes from me, happy to get something organised for here and join you guys for brekkie. Their breakfast is absolutely fantastic They have a little cottage which sleeps 5 or 6, I rented it for a few days for my wedding last year, absolutely superb. Get enough people together and that would be a total winner. Pic:
johndglynn Posted January 23, 2007 Author Posted January 23, 2007 Pay attention chaps - any more names to add to the list above?
AirCooledExcellence Posted January 23, 2007 Posted January 23, 2007 That cottage sounds like a good idea! Anyone fancy it?
Tankman Posted January 23, 2007 Posted January 23, 2007 Pay attention chaps - any more names to add to the list above? Me!
johndglynn Posted January 23, 2007 Author Posted January 23, 2007 Bloody great, that is 12 so far, should be an excellent day if we are all gonna be there.
GaryH Posted January 24, 2007 Posted January 24, 2007 (edited) That cottage sounds like a good idea! Anyone fancy it? Add me to the list JG. ACE wants some people to go 'cottaging' with him ( ho ho ) !? But seriously I'd be up for staying locally the night before at that B&B, otherwise it's a long trek up in the morning ( before I even get on the track ). Remind me how do I get to be an IB supporter JG, is it by buying merchandise ? And I guess only 2 track days, both at Brands still puts me in the 'novice' group when I book ? Edited January 24, 2007 by Gary.H
JezHill Posted January 24, 2007 Posted January 24, 2007 That cottage sounds like a good idea! Anyone fancy it? Could you please tell me what time we have to be there ? I was planning on driving up in the morning but I guess it depends on what time it starts.
GaryH Posted January 24, 2007 Posted January 24, 2007 That's me booked for Silverstone Never driven there in the flesh, so... a quick spin round the track courtesy of Toca 3 (PS2) reveals a couple of handy memory aids about the track direction for the GP circuit. ( As long as the track furniture hasn't changed since the game was made (2005?) ) If you pass under a bridge then the next corner is always a right. If you pass a gantry ( only fixed at one side of the track ) then the next corner is always a left.
oliverjamesthomas Posted January 24, 2007 Posted January 24, 2007 As long as the track furniture hasn't changed since the game was made (2005?) Sort of off topic, but when I did Oulton last year, I went out with one of the circuit instructors to learn a few bits of the track. At one particular section there's a blind crest with a bridge over it. "Line the letter 'O' up with the tall tree on the horizon", he told me "and don't lift". Deep breath, lined up, arrrr5e clenched and keeping it planted, I ended up perfectly placed on the other side of the brow. Ten minutes later I was in the crew room having a brew; (Motorsport Vision really look after you on their days). One of the Marshalls asked me how the instruction was and I enthused, telling her about the bridge and the crest. She pi**ed herself laughing and told me a biker had been there and had realised the same. He went home and told his mate, who went to Oulton a couple of months later. They were picking his mate up and removing his mangled bike when they figured out the change of the Shell Oils sign on the bridge to the Silkolene one put him totally at the wrong side if the track Apparently, they change the signs around a couple of times a year
GaryH Posted January 24, 2007 Posted January 24, 2007 As long as the track furniture hasn't changed since the game was made (2005?) He he - always cover your arrrr5e ! This kind of thing needs verifying on the day.
johndglynn Posted January 24, 2007 Author Posted January 24, 2007 Deep breath, lined up, ar5e clenched and keeping it planted, I ended up perfectly placed on the other side of the brow. I have to be honest, this kind of chat really grinds on me and is exactly why so many people are scared of doing track days IMO. The days we are involved with have nothing to do with zero lift, brain out, buttocks clenched over a blind crest, hoping you land in the right place, or talking about mangled metal stuffed into a hedge because the circuit moved a sign. Anyone who has never been on a track day, pay close attention to the following! The idea on our days is to ENJOY YOURSELF. Take your time, get into it gradually, set your own pace and do not push beyond your comfort zone. If you think you are going too fast then slow down; there is not one person on the Goldtrack staff who will tell you 'speed up, you are holding the others back', and no matter how slow you think you are going, I guarantee there are at least five cars slower than you out there. The rules of engagement are very simple and are explained very clearly and very carefully in the drivers' briefing. Follow them and the day will be brilliant fun. The instructors who take the new boys around will never ever push them beyond what they feel is a reasonable pace based on their ability, not what the car is capable of. It is a lot of fun and there is NO PRESSURE to max yourself or the car at any stage of the proceedings. If you want to skip a session and chill for a bit same thing; no pressure to do anything. The beauty of a track is it is smooth, so it encourages you to be smooth too. You can get a rhythm going and start to feel your car talking, like you absolutely never will on the public roads. No matter how handy you think you are, a trackday will open your eyes to a lot of stuff about yourself and your car that you really never knew. Remind me how do I get to be an IB supporter JG, is it by buying merchandise ? Yes mate, buy a Grille Badge to support the forum and you are in the IBSC. Could you please tell me what time we have to be there ? I was planning on driving up in the morning but I guess it depends on what time it starts. Jez, first driver's briefing is usually about 8.30, but they can brief you at any stage when you turn up, though you might have to wait for a briefing if Andy is busy. I have had my event docs through so will check them later and give you exact times.
GaryH Posted January 24, 2007 Posted January 24, 2007 I have to be honest, this kind of chat really grinds on me and is exactly why so many people are scared of doing track days IMO. Hopefully basic advice about which way the track goes does not constitute banzaii, novice scaring chat though JG !
topcarrera Posted January 24, 2007 Posted January 24, 2007 The beauty of a track is it is smooth, so it encourages you to be smooth too. You can get a rhythm going and start to feel your car talking, like you absolutely never will on the public roads. No matter how handy you think you are, a trackday will open your eyes to a lot of stuff about yourself and your car that you really never knew. Absolutely! If you try too hard you end up getting ragged and this means loosing time. Best approach is to concentrate on enjoying yourself, go at your own pace, build speed at your own rate. Watch your mirrors but wait till the straights to let the GT3 past rather than panicking loosing your flow, hitting the rumblestrip and dumping your IB into the gravel trap. You will get faster and more consistent safely if you concentrate on doing things YOUR way and of cours enjoy it! Other than a bit of very minor grass edge trimming at Bedford I have not spun or had an incident at a trackday yet. (Cue for a major off at Copse!) I know it will come one day and hopefully I will know why it happened. I have been quite sideways and had a few wiggles in the more recent events I have taken part in. What I know is that I have learnt a lot about my car and how it handles over the last 18 months since I have been on track but made a conscious point of reaching the limit gradually i.e. pushing a little bit more each event as my confidence and knowledge grows. It takes an event or two to learn a circuit as well. I did Donnington three times in 2006 and got smoother and faster each time.
andy tims Posted January 24, 2007 Posted January 24, 2007 Watch your mirrors Best done on exiting each corner & on the straights, but NOT on the approach to a corner, or you could miss your braking point
MrPerkles Posted January 24, 2007 Posted January 24, 2007 please put me down as cheerleader for the day, can i scrounge a few passenger laps of anybody please
oliverjamesthomas Posted January 24, 2007 Posted January 24, 2007 I have to be honest, this kind of chat really grinds on me and is exactly why so many people are scared of doing track days IMO. Oops! I fear what was meant as an anecdotal warning may have been read in a way that it wasn't intended to Sorry chaps! I was intending to put a warning out about possible difficulties with 'prior learning'. Without wanting to stuff another of your threads JG, I agree fully that many newbies can be put off before they start. That session at Oulton was my first ever trackday and the bit I didn't explain was that that particular section of track is a very technical area and I'd spent quite a few laps 'dipping my toe', so to speak. What the instructor did was allow me to take the best line, (therefore the safest) and also keep the car more settled; his job done really, even though it was a personal leap of faith, (hence the arrrr5e clanched comment ). I'm still learning, but from my experience I'd strongly advise anyone to go out with an instructor as early as possible. You learn an awful lot with a good instructor, enabling you to both enjoy the day more and more importantly, potentially be safer. Obviously, the other element is to go at your own pace and not feel pressured into 'trying to achieve' - no argument there!
Engleflick Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 Is it okay to turn up and spectate? If so do I have to get there for 8.30am?
AirCooledExcellence Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 Is it okay to turn up and spectate? If so do I have to get there for 8.30am? Yes and No!
Engleflick Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 Cool... I'm not very good at time keeping anyway
oliverjamesthomas Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 Bring a lid or rent one and you'll no doubt get some pax laps too
Engleflick Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 (edited) Bring a lid or rent one and you'll no doubt get some pax laps too will do, thanks for the heads up Edited February 1, 2007 by Engleflick
davrian Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 Pay attention chaps - any more names to add to the list above? Me Too I just need to sort myself out as usual! :mad jg:
Dr_Danger Posted February 7, 2007 Posted February 7, 2007 I'm up for it but as usual 27th is Tuesday. I'll see if I can have some time off work and also if my car will be ready to face the track. What is an absolute deadline?
johndglynn Posted February 7, 2007 Author Posted February 7, 2007 What is an absolute deadline? How do you mean? For booking or for arrival on the day? Just get in before it's sold out, will be popular mate.
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