Winter trackdays 2012

In a fit of organisation, I've booked a trackday at Snetterton 300 on 3 November (Saturday) with OpenTrack having read good things about them

OpenTrack

and am looking at doing Brands Indy on 1 December (again a Saturday) with EasyTrack.

Can I interest anyone in some slippy winterish track action? Give you something to look forward to.

Just a quick bump for this - I'm booked in on both events now, hoping the weather holds to allow dry Caterham use!

Quick bump - anyone planning on coming to Snetterton tomorrow?

I can't make it, Neal ... and it's a fair old drive from here. Even further from you! I hope you have a trailer and some overnight accomodation sorted

Have a great day

Thanks Dave

It's only a couple of hours actually, and I'm driving the car up tonight and staying locally. Not looking forward to the cold M11 trek later, I must admit, but I do at least have a windscreen.

How did you get on, Neal? Hope the weather was good for you!

Superb day thanks Dave, dry in the morning, then it rained late morning and over lunch, then gradually dried out again.

The Caterham racked up between 40 and 50 laps (so c.150 miles) on track, in all conditions, and we (myself and my co-owner Suresh, who you've met) really started to get to grips with the car.

The wet weather actually really helped, as we could concentrate on our lines and being smooth, and the track was very quiet too as lots of people stayed in their garages! I was very pleasantly surprised how much grip the R888s seem to have in the damp too - we had the odd lock-up and small slide, but no spins.

All in all, a top day - it's a great track, mixture of technical and ballsy corners, driving standards were very good, and facilities and staff/marshalls were all excellent. I'd highly recommend Opentrack as a track day organiser too, friendly and professional, and with nice touches like free hot drinks and snacks all day.

I can however report that 4 hours on the M11/A11 in c.5 degree temperatures in a Caterham is a bit chilly/tedious. Worth it though!

Sounds like to did have a great day out on track

I've always found R888s to be good in wet weather, provided that there is no standing water. If there is, then they aquaplane quite readily

The thing that made the biggest difference on my recent track day to Oulton in the rain was using a trailer! It sounds like you could have done with one. Being warm and dry on the way there/ back was wwell worth the £80 to DIY fit a towbar and £40 for a days trailer hire

We really must try to get all the ex-Coupe 7's out on track together next year

I was avoiding the (minor) bits of standing water like the plague!

Trailer's a good idea, but driving up the night before made it more manageable. Coming back I was tired, and had to contend with London firework display traffic, so that wasn't great, but at least I could drive at 70mph, and it kind of seems a shame to trailer a road-legal car to a trackday.

That said, for Oulton or anywhere further afield it may be well worth it - Suresh has a Defender with towbar already fitted, so it'd just cost a couple of days trailer hire.

I absolutely agree, some kind of kit-car get together on track next year would be great

You clearly have a windscreen, doors and a roof!

And aren't worried about how to get home after running out of talent and bending the thing!

What can I say? I like to live on the edge

Also, I drive round tracks like Miss Daisy is in the passenger seat drinking a cup of tea, so that helps.

BUMPY BUMPY - Anyone going to Brands with Easytrack on 1 December?

I'll be there in the Caterham, no doubt freezing half to death

No, I'm working and can't get out of it. By then the car will be less engine as it's going for a rebuild with DVA Power to fit my old Supersport cams, solid lifters and Trophy pistons. That should be the end of my performance issues at higher revs and keep the engine safer for race use.
Have a good time Neal

Thanks Dave - sounds like a good spec, and excellent that you're going back racing next year.

Winter upgrade on my side is most likely going to be an lsd, and I've just picked up some 6" wide wheels for a decent price. Going to try and do some drift days with the club next year, as well as more track work

Excellent, you'll love that. Keep an eye out for the Supercar event next year, a brilliant weekend best of the year (except for the wedding obviously ;)).
Clip here with a bit of drifting from Beth at 2mins - You Tube
It's free to attend, you have the pleasure of taking passengers out all day for charity and by the end of the weekend you will be a drifting god (maybe)