FPA Day - managed to spin off a porsche etc

Caporegime
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well yesterday i went on an acer sponsored Palmer Audi Race day down in bedford on the autodrome!

what a day, we got to do offroading, caterham peruit (with a half wet circuit to make it really tricky).

http://img72.imageshack.us/img72/6955/dsc00139dr2.jpg


Clio cup cars, which i hated as i just couldnt get into the sequential box, i just couldnt figure it out. didntg help that the car was left hand drive either!

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/2997/dsc00145wx4.jpg

i got to drive the porka 911 round the circuit for like 8 laps or whatever, and managed to overcook thinggs a little bit in one of the corners spinning it right round and nearly off the circuit! (tip tronic paddle shifters, man i love them).

http://img177.imageshack.us/img177/2653/dsc00144nj7.jpg

also got to lap in a "race" prepped XKR - they were awesome too (and also paddleshift). hit 120mph+ down the back straight and hit many an apex/went off road cutting the chicanery in that. very very nice car to drive. felt quite nimble and light with enough power to push the tail out. the TC kicked in a few times to stop me from totally spinning off but it was an awesome ride.

http://img106.imageshack.us/img106/6059/dsc00150ol7.jpg


then went in th Jag JP3 (3litre cosworth 2 seater). again sequential gear box that i couldnt figure out and brakes with zero travel -and zero stopping power too. i didnt even make the hairpin on 2 consecutive laps, as the car wouldnt wash the speed off quick enough. (apparently its not good to clip the throttle while breaking down from 130mph to 40mph...)

http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/4064/dsc00160lb4.jpg

and finally we got let loose on 15 mins of FPA single seater action. i excelled in this, overtook everyonein my session (from leaving the pits last) and had an absolute blast hurling it around the circuit. i didnt stray off the tarmac once and tbh it was simply breathtaking how has and how much grip they had in the long sweeping corners.

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/7125/dsc00157jr4.jpg

what a day. i would highly recommend it if you want to do a driving day "proper". ive done a ferrari experience and the VXR day and this was leagues ahead of both, in terms of the vehicles and how the professionals push you to get the most out of the day/cars.


edit; 3 low quality vids;

1, XKR at the hairpin

http://www.zippyvideos.com/3719986597214056/mov00152/

Caterham H2h
http://www.zippyvideos.com/1499140257214016/mov00140/

Caterham track
http://www.zippyvideos.com/5277932537214036/mov00148/
 
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yea it was a sales incentive prize at work, but due to the amount of people on holiday etc the sales manager couldnt sign off 2 people to go, so somehow i managed to blag my way onto the trip. :):)
 
ahh nice, i had to rek down from manc chester th night before.

about £700-£800 i think for the full day. although im not sure if u can just turn up pay and drive because that specific lineup of cars is only available under the corp hospitality package!

anyone know where i can host a gp3 video without signing up to utube or similar?
 
Ive done this.. :D.

What laps times did you post up?

I cant agree about the XKR.. as i thought i was horrible to drive.. there was just no feed back and steering was ssooo light.. and too many electrionic aids.

Clio was fun i though. and the brakes on the JP1 were fine :p

Unfortantly when i went my first event was

The formula audi!!!

i was shaking sitting in the thing lol until i got going.

Keith-1.jpg


:)
 
lol, the ones from the top of my head were;

caterham 57 secs LOL
porsche 62 secs (best in session got 60~)
fpa - 1.27.5

the FPA was confidence inspiring once you were rolling for sure. i was a bit worried, especially after i missed the corners in the Jag JP1, but it had a better gearbox that i preferred in the FPA. as i say i was the quickest of our 5 but nowehere near in the total group of about 37 people.
 
Did you change gear? as i stayed in 3rd lol.. and got lap time of 1.29 which i thought was good :D

What was your fav car to drive? mine was easy the caterham 7 :D

cant remember my time in it.. ill have to find my time sheet..

I is an amazing day.. fav day of my life so far lol
 
yea definately - i actually came LAST in the caterham timed lap out of 37 people - which was shocking cos ive driven caterhams before!

yep i changed into 4th gear twice in my FPA lap. i wasnt the fatest overall but i felt like i was onfire in that car, overtaking 2 cars in a single straight etc on one lap, and no one ever came back to me.

i do have the full telemetry with mark wilson overlay for anyone who disbelieves my time!

edit my faves in order;

1,Palmer Audi
2,Porsche
3,XKR
4,Caterham

didnt like the clio or the JPA, i just couldnt do the clutch properly.
 
He aint lieing.. im gonna post mine up now.. and we can compare lol..

First person ive found thats done this track day lol. so forgive me being excited.

My lap times (can post them up)

Porsche 911 JP3 - 70.02 (wet) and very slow :(

Palmer Jaguar JP1 - 80.7

Renault clio cup - 64.98 (wet) same track as the JP3!! thats how slow i was in the porsche :(

Jaguar XKR - 71.03

Caterham 7 Sprint - 52.10

Karts - 30.51

Formular audi 1:28.990

They are the ones that matter lol

I loved the caterham.. its made me want to buy one! :D

Edit:

audi.jpg


Colour Lines are my lap and the grey ones are the pro.. as you can see i was miles out lol.. but not bad for my first ever time on a race track lol

:)
 
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Nickg said:
hi, they may have changed the tracks a little from when you went but my times are;

XKR 74.67
clio 64.83
porsche 62.16
Cat 57.73
Jap JP1 88.2
Kart 32.24
4x4 29.81
JPA 127.57

caterhams = so much fun but also = understeer!!!

I only went 2 months ago :)... understeer in the caterham?.. you sure lol.. they are over steer beasts lol :D

Not bad times there... not bad at all :) well done
 
ZG002 said:
I only went 2 months ago :)... understeer in the caterham?.. you sure lol.. they are over steer beasts lol :D

Not bad times there... not bad at all :) well done

oversteer, understeer same thing to me!!

posted my telem now, on that lap i only hit 4th once but on another i did hit it twice, but probably botched up the early chicane - so they cut power...
 
Nickg said:
yea it was a sales incentive prize at work, but due to the amount of people on holiday etc the sales manager couldnt sign off 2 people to go, so somehow i managed to blag my way onto the trip. :):)


Its not a certain Audio & Visual company begining with S and ending in Y is it ? ;)
 
You did same as me and came off gas on the big sweeping corners on that lap.. i didnt even once think you could take them full on... but it would seem you can lol..

seen how simular our graphs are?
 
Some people have problems with them.. as its just pull back for up a gear and clutch forward for down a gear.. with all thats happening and a instructor shouting in your ear it gets abit hectic..

Its an amazing day tbh..

Im busy booking myself on the caterham drift day :D.. god i love those things.
 
ZG002 said:
Some people have problems with them.. as its just pull back for up a gear and clutch forward for down a gear.. with all thats happening and a instructor shouting in your ear it gets abit hectic..

Its an amazing day tbh..

Im busy booking myself on the caterham drift day :D.. god i love those things.

yea definately, and in the clio, you dont fully depress the clutch, only to half way and then bang down a gear, lift, and then depress hal;f again and bang down another.

it didnt help that i thought they said "dont use the clutch on up or downshifts" and suddewnly half way into my laps the guy was telling me to press down on downshift so it just totally threw me off and out of my comfort zone.

where are you booking the caterham day?
 
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