Anyone doing Donington this Sunday?

Pointless asking, I know, but is anyone doing Doningtons track say this Sunday? If so come and say hello, I am testing some oil breather mods on my Skyline. Surely SOMEONE takes their Supra on track days.... ???

You must have missed the countless Nurburgring posts over the last 2 years

I'd love to do Donington one day, I'm going to try and do Brands Hatch sometime this year too, hopefully when the weather's better.

There's a few of us making the trip over - what's the crack for taking the car round Chris? Does it have to be prebooked?

Oops, ignore me, its 2 weeks on Sunday we're over there - doh!

There's a few of us making the trip over - what's the crack for taking the car round Chris? Does it have to be prebooked?

Bookatrack, Easytrack, Gold Track, and quite a few others all do Donington track days. Donington themselves are running Sundays, only 40 cars of a possible 95 are booked so it's a VERY quiet day. You COULD turn up and book, you need a helmet and, of course, money.

http://www.donington-park.co.uk/trakzone/

They don't LIKE people arriving late (after 8.30 AM), but WILL give briefings to people who arrive part way through the day. I just can't believe how few Supra people do track days, there are far more Skyines, Evos and Subarus, VERY few Supras indeed. I don't fancy paying for a blown up car to come back from the Nurburgring, it's bad enough when something goes wrong over here! Sounds a good trip though, but being tied to out wildlife here (that's wildlife, not wild life, sadly) it's not as easy as it once was for me to galavant off abroad!

I don't fancy paying for a blown up car to come bacj from the Nurburgring, it's bad enough when something goes wrong over here!

Now there's a persuasive argument.

So what time will you be there then, Pete?

I don't fancy paying for a blown up car to come back from the Nurburgring

Maybe you should buy a Supra then

Off topic a tad but Mr. Wilson, what cars do you own?

I might pop down if the weathers ok, just to watch and maybe chat about some de-cat pipes

I'd love to do a trackday .. I'm just sooooo frightend of totally screwing it up and everything going Pete Tong .. and killing my car.

I'd love to do a trackday .. I'm just sooooo frightend of totally screwing it up and everything going Pete Tong .. and killing my car.

That's where I'm at too.

Doing a track day obviously wears everything out quicker too and I'm worried I'll cause problems by thrashing the nuts off it round a track...just after I've nearly got the car how I want it.

...but then as Chris said to me recently "you worry too much"...

The story of Chris killing his pride and joy Lotus Elan (I think) at Oulton park on one of his first track days is in the back of my mind too. I'll use the kitcar more for track fun this summer. It's not such a nightmare if that breaks something then, at least I can still get to work and back!

I can be a little too competetive and see me pushing myself beyond my own capabilities too quickly.

The Elan was a full blown race car, and it was in a race... Why not come over tomorrow and see if you fancy it? I'll give you a few laps as a passenger. Jane's going, she's taking her medication first thing, she's not a good passenger...Let me know. Cheers.

Off topic a tad but Mr. Wilson, what cars do you own?

Rear wheel drive R33 Skyline, with a few mods, and two Zeus Le Mans prototype looking sports GT race cars. I think there are pics of the Zeus cars at ftp://ftp.chriswilson.tv in likely sounding folders. I used to have a GTR (4 WD) but it ate brakes and tyres as it was damned heavy. I also had e Supra TT for about 18 months, quite a few years ago. Did MANY track days with that. AFAIK someone on the list here still has that Supra and it's still going strong.

The Elan was a full blown race car, and it was in a race... Why not come over tomorrow and see if you fancy it? I'll give you a few laps as a passenger. Jane's going, she's taking her medication first thing, she's not a good passenger...Let me know. Cheers.

Ok, sounds like a good idea. I'll drive across tomorrow. Got a spare (large) helmet? I've got a fat head.

Ill come chris , done Donnington before but wont be able to track it as i need new tires . But would be good to come and say hello !

I'll bring an older one of mine, if it doesn't fit you may be able to hire one.

I'll bring an older one of mine, if it doesn't fit you may be able to hire one.

I posted that before we spoke in case you think I'm going mad.

I couldn't possibly comment.....

If I have learnt anything form the day it's that Toyo 888's (road legal, E marked, low tread depth perfomance tyres) are TOTAL AND UTTER JUNK if it's wet. They were not very impressive in the dry, in the wet they are just a joke, similar tyres from Michelin (Pilot Sport Cup) and Pirelli (P-Zero Corsa) are in a different league. None of these tyres is a good choice for wet conditions, it's true, but these were simply dire. The Toyos were cheap, but I should have heeded my oft quoted own advice, you get what you pay for. So if you are thinking of trying these on your Supra I'd say forget it unless you limit yourself to doing dry track days, and dry weather road driving. Probably an ideal tyre if you are into drifting, I am not, but it was forced upon me by Mr Toyos product

Interesting. TBH wet track days are a waste of time, unless you want to play with getting sideways a lot. I thought it was a given those tyres are pretty much a liability in the wet anyway? All those sorts, like why BMW get you to sign acknowledgement that when you buy the CSL it'll be crap in the wet!

Probably an ideal tyre if you are into drifting, I am not, but it was forced upon me by Mr Toyos product

But you were so good at it!

TBH wet track days are a waste of time, unless you want to play with getting sideways a lot.

I wouldn't say wet days are a waste of time, there was a lot of fun to be had. It was a bloomin' shame as all that power just couldn't be even slightly used though. The FWD cars seemed to be quite happy, as did the Volkswagen Beetles (with flat 4 scooby power?)

As for the rain - it saw a front ended M3, a broken front and trashed clam on a Ginetta, a Ferrari 360 modena track beastie had a visit to the gravel pit too. The grass was starting to look like Famer Giles had strayed of course with a plough.

I wouldn't say wet days are a waste of time

You know what I mean tho right?

I do know what you mean, but to be honest I LOVE racing in the wet, I have had some noteable successes in wet conditions, but in this instance the tyres were SO bad in even damp conditions as to be a joke. If I hadn't done hundreds of wet laps on similar tyres from other makers I would have accepted they were ALL like that, but they are not. Must be the compound as the tread depth and pattern on most are very similar. Michelins were definitely the best on a GTR.

I also think that until you have tested a cars et up in the wet you haven't really finished developing it. A poor set up can work well in the dry, but be dreadful in the wet, although, in an ideal world, one would have a set up for the wet and another for the dry, but it's a bit impractical given the tediously slow adjustments possible on most road cars, and for track day fun.

I suppose the best thing about wet sessions is at least the tyres dont get eaten too badly

AWD cars can have as much fun for sure