Choose a circuit

[MassiveJim]

Quite a simple thread, have been gifted a 4 supercar driving experience and need to book the event.
I have the choice of the following circuits (in order or distance from me)
which one is the best from the list ?

- Seighford (Drive me Stafford)
- Prestwold Hall - Prestwold Driving Centre, Prestwold Lane, Prestwold Hall, LE12 5SH
- Everyman – Mallory Park
- Three Sisters Circuit, Three Sisters Recreation Area Ashton-in-Makerfield, Three Sisters Circuit, WN4 8DD
- Everyman Moto Racing – Shakespeare Country Raceway (Stratford on Avon)
- Everyman Motor Racing - Yorkshire Air Museum, Yorkshire Air Museum, Halifax Way, Elvington, YO41 4A
- Heyford Park Circuit – Oxford
- Drift Limits, Bovingdon Airfield, Upper Bourne End Lane, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 2RR


There are a few more further afield if these above are all poor locations.

 

[jpaul]

probably too far, unless your're making a multi-day trip, with other half, but the
Anglessey one http://www.motorsportcircuits.co.uk/html/anglesey_track_guide.html as shown on fifth gear looked memorable.

 

[tsinc80697]

Three Sisters is tiny and would probably be a waste in anything with decent power.

 

[paradigm]

As above, you want the biggest circuit on the list (regardless of how far it is away from you), with decent run off and (probably) the least elevation changes. The more complex the circuit, and the worse the run off then the more chance there is of you being massively restricted in terms of being allowed to use the throttle properly.

I’ve not actually come across a decent Supercar “experience” day, I’d rather spend the extra on a PalmerSport day, whereby you are actually taught how to drive and encouraged to give it death.

 

[MassiveJim]

I’ve not actually come across a decent Supercar “experience” day, I’d rather spend the extra on a PalmerSport day, whereby you are actually taught how to drive and encouraged to give it death.

done 2 in the past, 1st one in an F360 at Silverstone was excellent, it was pretty much as you described, just not long enough as only got 3/4 laps of the half circuit, but still loved it.
2nd one was very poor, dual controls and instructor was braking for me in some instances, being forced to change gear around 7000RPM, getting stuck behind other drivers, etc.

 

[Chris Wilson]

Donington is pretty safe, lots of run off and wide, Oulton much more fun but needs a good deal of respect. Three Sisters in a decent car is like trying to fly a fighter plane around your bedroom, as is Curborough. Choose a proper motor racing circuit where you can at least get something wound up a bit.

 

[ahar]

Mallory Park is a decent circuit. Not sure about any of the others

 

[On Holiday]

 

[MassiveJim]

Booked Mallory Park
Should be doing 4 laps in each of the following
Nissan GTR
Audi R8
Ariel Atom
Porsche 911

Haven't driven any of them before so looking forward to it.

I just hope it isn't one of those experiences that don't allow you to push the car.
Anyone done one of these through Everyman Racing before ?

 

[kindai]

Unfortunately everyman are really harsh on their in car guys, for every cone you hit or if you spin out they fine the person with you. As such it depends on how much confidence the guy in the car has with you pushing on and if its going to cost him money.

 

[dacads]

Unfortunately everyman are really harsh on their in car guys, for every cone you hit or if you spin out they fine the person with you. As such it depends on how much confidence the guy in the car has with you pushing on and if its going to cost him money.

I guess that explains why people aren't allowed to push on!

 

[kindai]

Supercar drive days (https://supercardrivedays.co.uk/) are one of the few they will let you really open them up as long as its done safely, or so I have been told from one of their top guys.

 

[Housey]

Booked Mallory Park
Should be doing 4 laps in each of the following
Nissan GTR
Audi R8
Ariel Atom
Porsche 911

Haven't driven any of them before so looking forward to it.

I just hope it isn't one of those experiences that don't allow you to push the car.
Anyone done one of these through Everyman Racing before ?

Mallory is the right choice from the list. It is at least a proper race circuit though I suspect you will not be getting a full lap and Mallory is the simplest full track in the UK, if still challenging at pace with a couple of balls out bends. Sadly you won't get close to finding that however as these events are highly limited typically I believe.

 

[MassiveJim]

Mallory is the right choice from the list. It is at least a proper race circuit though I suspect you will not be getting a full lap and Mallory is the simplest full track in the UK, if still challenging at pace with a couple of balls out bends. Sadly you won't get close to finding that however as these events are highly limited typically I believe.

4 laps in each car.

 

[Ev0]

I did an Everyman single seater day at Mallory in 2006 so a fair while ago, was bought as a present.

Have to say it was a fantastic day, had sessions in an Impreza STi for the initial track familiarisation, then formula ford, formula Vauxhall Lotus, a Caterham and a Focus RS.

Was able to give it hell in all the cars, was a fun day!

 

[MassiveJim]

so did this today, have to say it wasn't that great.
drove (in order)
Audi R8
Nissan GTR
Ariel Atom
Porsche 911

They put 3 sets of cones on the main straight to create a chicane which obviously hugely slows you down.
having watched the videos back at home I just about managed 80mph (no telemetry in ariel atom, and not working in porsche)

instructors getting annoyed when you didn't change gear on command which was at 5000rpm
ariel atom, instructor said get it in to 5th gear and leave it there, it will accelerate from 10-15mph in 5th, so really didn't get to feel the benefit of having 600bhp/ton at all
although it is the hardest car to drive and you could tell they were super nervous about letting people drive it.
was doing 30 - 40mph on most corners, one corner I was slightly faster got told "that was bit too fast"

1st instructor got out and said you don't look very happy, is everything ok, I said just let me rev the car a bit more, he replied you don't need to all the torque is between 3 - 5000rpm

It wasn't all bad, just not able to stretch the legs of the cars at all.
I will say though that the porsche's power delivery and cornering felt sublime, massively let down by a very poor gear box, took a good 1 - 2seconds to react to gear changes. Didn't get much out of this drive as it started raining and they just kept telling everyone that because of the amount of rubber on the track when it rains its super slippy, so he really held me back in this one.
Nissan GTR absolutely brutal acceleration, I am sure it is amazing when you get to fully witness it.
Ariel atom, i really want to spend some more time in this car but in a lower gear than 5th
Cant say much about the R8 as the instructor for that one was about 70 and probably the most careful of them all and we really didn't stretch it much at all.


not once did any of the cars feel pushed, i am pretty sure that I could have beaten all the lap times in my mondeo if they let me out on my own.

 

[Mucky_Pup]

Sounded like a typical supercar experience day then.