Cadwell Park Yesterday

This is a long one, get yourself a cup of tea before you start.

Had a good couple of hours at Cadwell yesterday evening. The litrature they sent said club circuit, but we were actually on the full circuit. Result!!

First three laps were sighting laps behind the instructor, then open pit lane until 8pm. We lost 7:00-7:30 due to a thunder storm. I managed 4 sessions of about 20 minutes each.

It felt a lot less frantic than bike track days, probably due the open pit lane situation and having more space on the track (more cautious drivers v's gung-ho riders).

Also the strict rules about overtaking only on the left and only on the straights helps.

Speed wise, the Supra was only about 15mph down on the bike on the straights. I reckon if I'd had more confidence in the brakes (currently J spec) I could have squeezed a bit more from it.

The car behaved impeccably (sp?), it felt so 'planted' and inspired so much confidence I could really push (by my standards).

Hammering up through Coppice with the inside tyres just floating over the left hand kerb there was just the slightest hint of movement, but it never felt like letting go. Fantastic!

Even after getting it 'wrong' at the end of Park straight, I just threw it into the right hander expecting a slide / spin onto the grass, but the car stayed hooked up and tracked through the bend with just a hint of chirping from the tyres. Messy, but not 'off'.

I found it a lot easier to repeat lines lap after lap than on the bike, the car almost seemed to know where it was going. The set-up had been checked by the previous owner at SCA in Norwich (I believe it's on stock settings). It felt spot on (in my inexperienced hands),

For those who've never taken their Supra on a track, you don't know what you're missing.

Only one real near miss, following Rob Carvell's Golf (previous VW cup winner) through the Goose Neck (having let him past through Chris Curve). He lifted the left rear through the Gooseneck with me in hot pursuit (sort of:blink:). We get to Mansfield (the next left hander, not the town:)) and again he lifts the rear wheel through the apex. I think, "I must be able to get round like that......."

So I haul on the wheel but it all feels a bit 'oh shit'. Just at the apex the rear lets go and what do you know, I'm drifting (sort of...). Nothing major, it probably only moved a couple of feet and I caught it well before we reached the 'eyes closed' stage. I'd got my mates wife in as passenger at the time, she enjoyed the laps, last time she'd been for a 'high speed' trip with me was on a bike in the 80's. Her first words when shen got out of of the car? "You haven't change a bit, you're still a t0sser when it comes to speed."

I was complimented by one of the Lotus guys in his own 220hp Elise (drives development cars for them). He was clearly faster in the twisties, but couldn't overtake (rules are rules;)), but when we came onto the straights he dissapeared backwards (as you would expect). Classic concertina effect. I eventually let him through and he duly f*****d off when we got to Hall Bends.

On a tecnical note.

Running BPU at 1.25bar (although it may have drifted higher in the damp conditions, as I wasn't watching all the time)

Noise tested before the start, (Kakimoto cat back) 98db against a limit of 105, so no problems there. My mate and his missus reckoned it sounded like a Ducati going along the start / finish straight:blink:).

Oil temp stayed just under 120deg C (sensor in a sandwich plate, stock cooler)

Water temp stayed about 100deg C (top hose) with the leccy fan on. I toyed with the idea of refitting the stock fan but never got round to it. I'll do this next time I think, just for comparison.

I ran in manual mode (as advised), it felt perfect except for accelerating up the mountain. The nature of the climb combined with the weight of the car (and driver:innocent:) and a slow entry all added up to what felt like slow progress.

Stock slip control was switched off for more fun, but meant wheel spin on the bumps at the top of the mountain. With the SC on, the wheel spin caused the power to back off.

Brakes - stock J spec never gave me a problem, but I tried to be as easy as possible on them. Better kit would have been pushed a bit harder methinks.

Ealry on it felt wierd on the brakes (like a warped disc), but I think it was rippling of the track surface in the braking area on Park straight. I get a similar feeling into the hairpin at Mallory on the bike.

Sorry to go on, but I really enjoyed it and wanted to try and convey the feeling.

Pic's to follow.

Cool write up, look forward to the pics. Was your slow progress up the mountain to being in 2nd gear and to fast to use 1st?

Cool write up, look forward to the pics. Was your slow progress up the mountain to being in 2nd gear and to fast to use 1st?

Thanks.

Yes, it felt that way, in between gears. A better driver would make a better job of it by turning into it a bit quicker TBH.

Good write up. Sounds like you had a great day out. That autobox is a trick bit of kit eh?

Good write up. Sounds like you had a great day out. That autobox is a trick bit of kit eh?

I was impressed.

I love the whole thing, the looks, the power and the handling to back it up.

It's the first 'decent' car I've owned in 20 odd years of driving so I've nothing else to compare it to unfortunately. I can't compare it to bikes as it's comparing apples and oranges, but if I can carry on doing track days using both I'll be more than happy. I'm not sure how long finances will allow that though.

F**k knows how I'll decide if I have to drop one:cry:

Pics