S2Ki Trackday - Donington 7th December
12-08-2008, 01:11 PM
#241
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Been and done my first s2ki track day, a frustrating day....but it was still fun! (Althought the 3.5hr drive down the M1/M25/M3 in stop start traffic was really really tiring! - MarkB, I hope it wasn't me holding you up in the middle lane, if so you should have just given me a nudge :-)
It was good to meet a few of you, apologies if I didn't hang around and chat that much and didn't get to meet more of the s2k crowd.... I was itching to get out on track even if it was icy and slow single file traffic.
Lower - I think you can beat the trackday weather stats on a technicality. The weather was spot on the whole day, not wet at all! The track conditions were crap from the previous evenings weather... BTW: I'll take the nutter statement as a compliment, although I'm happy to say I didn't get black flagged once all day and clearly wasn't the biggest s2k troublemaker ;-) (I still maintain that the small amount of heat generated from wheelspin on the frost accelerated the melting process)...
As for the time on the track.....far too short but perversely I probably stayed out too long and didn't think about what I was trying to do on track. It was crowded and did get very frustrating at times. The GT2 was a bit rude (I almost spun in turn 1 as I was looking in my mirror wondering why he was so far up my arse). Most were understandably frustrated by the day (weather not organisation) and quite a few guys were pushing for passes even in a queue of traffic.
As for the fun bit....driving round Donington (at speed). Nice track! The old hairpin and McLeans were straigtforward enough (I liked the fast left before braking into Mcleans). I like Craners but could feel I wasn't taking that fast enough. I liked Coppice and got reasonable drive out but need to have a faster entry. Redgate needed power on straight away to stop the back end sliding away but I didn't quite get that right. The chicane was ok, but wouldn't miss it if it weren't there. If it were closer to home I'd do this track more often!
Matt
It was good to meet a few of you, apologies if I didn't hang around and chat that much and didn't get to meet more of the s2k crowd.... I was itching to get out on track even if it was icy and slow single file traffic.
Lower - I think you can beat the trackday weather stats on a technicality. The weather was spot on the whole day, not wet at all! The track conditions were crap from the previous evenings weather... BTW: I'll take the nutter statement as a compliment, although I'm happy to say I didn't get black flagged once all day and clearly wasn't the biggest s2k troublemaker ;-) (I still maintain that the small amount of heat generated from wheelspin on the frost accelerated the melting process)...
As for the time on the track.....far too short but perversely I probably stayed out too long and didn't think about what I was trying to do on track. It was crowded and did get very frustrating at times. The GT2 was a bit rude (I almost spun in turn 1 as I was looking in my mirror wondering why he was so far up my arse). Most were understandably frustrated by the day (weather not organisation) and quite a few guys were pushing for passes even in a queue of traffic.
As for the fun bit....driving round Donington (at speed). Nice track! The old hairpin and McLeans were straigtforward enough (I liked the fast left before braking into Mcleans). I like Craners but could feel I wasn't taking that fast enough. I liked Coppice and got reasonable drive out but need to have a faster entry. Redgate needed power on straight away to stop the back end sliding away but I didn't quite get that right. The chicane was ok, but wouldn't miss it if it weren't there. If it were closer to home I'd do this track more often!
Matt
12-08-2008, 02:06 PM
#242
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Originally Posted by lower,Dec 8 2008, 10:16 AM
Guys, don't get to hung up about the holding people up comments.
I'm sure that the silver VW would have said i was holding him up at times. I wasn't, i just wasn't willing to let him past as there was someone holding me up. As soon as i was released i left him for dust
Unfortunately, everyone wanted to make the most of the very limited tracktime so everyone wanted to be on track at the same time.
That meant it was busy, and because it was busy the faster cars were getting stuck behind a series of slower cars who in turn were stuck behind another slower car and because the straights were icy and under yellow flag conditions there weren't many places were you could safely overtake.
What normally happens is that there is much more space on track and as long as people are considerate it all sort of shakes out right.
On a normal day, everything would have been very different.
I've started taking to Jonny about a S2ki trackday in April/May next year and i'm sure that normal service will resume and hopefully we'll see some of the new recruits there
I'm sure that the silver VW would have said i was holding him up at times. I wasn't, i just wasn't willing to let him past as there was someone holding me up. As soon as i was released i left him for dust
Unfortunately, everyone wanted to make the most of the very limited tracktime so everyone wanted to be on track at the same time.
That meant it was busy, and because it was busy the faster cars were getting stuck behind a series of slower cars who in turn were stuck behind another slower car and because the straights were icy and under yellow flag conditions there weren't many places were you could safely overtake.
What normally happens is that there is much more space on track and as long as people are considerate it all sort of shakes out right.
On a normal day, everything would have been very different.
I've started taking to Jonny about a S2ki trackday in April/May next year and i'm sure that normal service will resume and hopefully we'll see some of the new recruits there
too much stuff on in April/May Nother baby on the way and a series of weddings.Planning on doing a week in the summer with as many tracks as Jonny has on for the week
. Coming from Inverness proved to be far too much of a PITA at Anglesey so the plan is to take a camper van and just follow BaT around for a week or 10 days hopefully my wife will agree to this, then I just need to find someone willing to go with me
12-08-2008, 02:18 PM
#244
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Forgot to add a thanks to Lower for organising the day and apologies to ge2 for having to run back for a full face helmet which cost a couple of laps at the end of day (I didn't think they'd close at 3:30!)
Matt
Matt
12-09-2008, 04:34 AM
#245
Originally Posted by lovegroova,Dec 8 2008, 11:25 AM
The golden rule of track days is that if a car is behind you that wasn't behind you a corner ago, it's going faster than you are, so get out of the way as soon as you can. I apply this rule to my track driving.
It was like this. I caught the 350Z and the Silver S2000, which meant I was going faster than them. Not much faster, but faster nevertheless.
I then was behind the 350Z for 2 laps (in a black S2000) and had to brake much harder and in more places (Craner curves for example, where I don't brake) in order to avoid running into the back of the 350Z. This is very frustrating
I was then caught by the yellow Radical and knowing that it was much faster than I was, I let it pass me to see if the 350Z would let him past. It took nearly half a lap for that to happen, which was too long I'm afraid. Eventually I was part of a 5-car queue behind you.
You were by no means the worst I encountered (the silver Clio took that particular biscuit). The fact that a track veteran like MarkB also mentioned you two as not being good at moving over would also back up my position on this.
It is tough being a beginner and learning how to handle the traffic on a circuit can take a while, especially on a day as busy as yesterday was. Just keep an eye on those mirrors in future and remember the golden rule
It was like this. I caught the 350Z and the Silver S2000, which meant I was going faster than them. Not much faster, but faster nevertheless.
I then was behind the 350Z for 2 laps (in a black S2000) and had to brake much harder and in more places (Craner curves for example, where I don't brake) in order to avoid running into the back of the 350Z. This is very frustrating
I was then caught by the yellow Radical and knowing that it was much faster than I was, I let it pass me to see if the 350Z would let him past. It took nearly half a lap for that to happen, which was too long I'm afraid. Eventually I was part of a 5-car queue behind you.
You were by no means the worst I encountered (the silver Clio took that particular biscuit). The fact that a track veteran like MarkB also mentioned you two as not being good at moving over would also back up my position on this.
It is tough being a beginner and learning how to handle the traffic on a circuit can take a while, especially on a day as busy as yesterday was. Just keep an eye on those mirrors in future and remember the golden rule
track is corners, I would not give way in those place, you may want to give
way immediately when you see someone behind you, but I would wait until the
straight or when I feel safe to let anyone pass, infact on sunday, even on the
2 straights, a lot of the track was still covered in ice, so there was very little
place to give way really.
12-09-2008, 04:47 AM
#247
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Koing,Dec 9 2008, 01:40 PM
Thanks to Lower for organising it mate! Much appreciated.
Koing
Koing
just a shame that the weather let us down so badly.
Hopefully see you at the next one where we can have a full day's running!
12-09-2008, 05:06 AM
#248
Thread Starter
Originally Posted by Captain_Liu,Dec 9 2008, 01:34 PM
You can stick with wotever golden or silver rules you like, at least half of the
track is corners, I would not give way in those place, you may want to give
way immediately when you see someone behind you, but I would wait until the
straight or when I feel safe to let anyone pass, infact on sunday, even on the
2 straights, a lot of the track was still covered in ice, so there was very little
place to give way really.
track is corners, I would not give way in those place, you may want to give
way immediately when you see someone behind you, but I would wait until the
straight or when I feel safe to let anyone pass, infact on sunday, even on the
2 straights, a lot of the track was still covered in ice, so there was very little
place to give way really.
I'm guessing that this was your first trackday and your first trip to Donington?
Once you get a bit more experienced you'll have more time to keep an eye on your mirrors and have a better understanding of where its safe to let people past. There is still plenty of circuit to let people past on even without the main straights being usable, and the more experienced drivers will let people past safely on pretty much all of the circuit. For example, you can let people past all the way from Redgate through to the old hairpin, despite the section of track technically being the craner curves.
Queues on the circuit do complicate things a lot though.
Just an overall shame that the running time was so short and hence people get frustrated.
12-09-2008, 06:19 AM
#249
Originally Posted by lower,Dec 9 2008, 06:06 AM
The key rule of track day driving is that overtaking is by consent only, but then the driver in front does need to be considerate and you really want to be moving out of the way within a lap or so.
I'm guessing that this was your first trackday and your first trip to Donington?
Once you get a bit more experienced you'll have more time to keep an eye on your mirrors and have a better understanding of where its safe to let people past. There is still plenty of circuit to let people past on even without the main straights being usable, and the more experienced drivers will let people past safely on pretty much all of the circuit. For example, you can let people past all the way from Redgate through to the old hairpin, despite the section of track technically being the craner curves.
Queues on the circuit do complicate things a lot though.
Just an overall shame that the running time was so short and hence people get frustrated.
I'm guessing that this was your first trackday and your first trip to Donington?
Once you get a bit more experienced you'll have more time to keep an eye on your mirrors and have a better understanding of where its safe to let people past. There is still plenty of circuit to let people past on even without the main straights being usable, and the more experienced drivers will let people past safely on pretty much all of the circuit. For example, you can let people past all the way from Redgate through to the old hairpin, despite the section of track technically being the craner curves.
Queues on the circuit do complicate things a lot though.
Just an overall shame that the running time was so short and hence people get frustrated.
It's my second trackday and first to Donington yes.
I was definitely not holding him up for a lap, at most few corners IIRC, I can
understand the feeling when you get hold up as I was hold up by different cars
on sunday too, but I'm not so happy with the way Lovergroove was expressing
this at first. To be honest, I did have a good time on sunday afternoon and felt
happy until I saw his post yesterday morning, so as my friend driving the 350z.
12-09-2008, 08:49 AM
#250
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Originally Posted by chilled,Dec 8 2008, 03:15 PM
I'd jump in with you for one or maybe two depending on what's going on.
One of the days would have to be the R400 as well so that we can actually both sit in the car and get a little oversteer!
or you could go on a diet :b