trax !

just got back from trax and tottaly exhausted. Had my first ever session on a track for 20 mins and loved it.

sesion started at 9.20 ... and whilst in the pits waiting to be lead out was getting very nervous, to the point of thiking of backing out. It didn't help that the track was quite damp either.

first lap followed the instructor aroun in a big queue and instanly had to stop and some one had managed to spin coming out the pits !

once that was cleared we got released and I did the sensible thing of letting everyone sail past me to get a couple of corners away ... i thought i knew silverstone pretty well but nope not a chance ... there a corner in i think the hanger complx that i just couldn't get right and seemed to come from no where and no matter how i set myself up i always seemed inches from ploughing straight on.

and then it was over ... pulled up outside to get my breath back and get spotted .. i think it was raoul .. who came over siad mk4,net mate ? and then shot off for his own session.

one thinkg i noticed without the active spoiler theres alot more understeer than i expected. or maybe it's just i'mk rubbish !

waiting for people to send me pics and then i'll upload them lol

i'm tired but gawd it was great fun !

was a good show

absolutely knackered as we made a weekend of it camping and with a duck turning up at 5am and the airbed going down i didnt get much sleep

i only took one pic but spotted a couple of supes too. Next year there will be a club stand, i will make sure of it.

mnghghghgh sleep time

Thats the trouble with no stand - didnt even know you were going Daman ??? next year eh

good day!!!went round bout 1145am lefted the lotus behind on the strights but man when u think u have got rid its back on ya ass agin good day, ended up blowin the cap of the coolant bottle i think it got a bit hot

just got back from trax and tottaly exhausted. Had my first ever session on a track for 20 mins and loved it.

 

sesion started at 9.20 ... and whilst in the pits waiting to be lead out was getting very nervous, to the point of thiking of backing out. It didn't help that the track was quite damp either.

 

first lap followed the instructor aroun in a big queue and instanly had to stop and some one had managed to spin coming out the pits !

once that was cleared we got released and I did the sensible thing of letting everyone sail past me to get a couple of corners away ... i thought i knew silverstone pretty well but nope not a chance ... there a corner in i think the hanger complx that i just couldn't get right and seemed to come from no where and no matter how i set myself up i always seemed inches from ploughing straight on.

 

and then it was over ... pulled up outside to get my breath back and get spotted .. i think it was raoul .. who came over siad mk4,net mate ? and then shot off for his own session.

 

 

one thinkg i noticed without the active spoiler theres alot more understeer than i expected. or maybe it's just i'mk rubbish !

 

waiting for people to send me pics and then i'll upload them lol

i'm tired but gawd it was great fun !

I was there too...

Trax is always good, but I thought this year was not as busy or had as many trade stands as previous years

yes a long day and we got sunburnt too... worse still on way home the M1 South bound from 13 downwards was at a total stand still, so had to take the Scenic route back to Watford

Were you in the Grey Supra going around the track with the Skylines ??

just got back from trax and tottaly exhausted. Had my first ever session on a track for 20 mins and loved it.

 

sesion started at 9.20 ... and whilst in the pits waiting to be lead out was getting very nervous, to the point of thiking of backing out. It didn't help that the track was quite damp either.

 

first lap followed the instructor aroun in a big queue and instanly had to stop and some one had managed to spin coming out the pits !

once that was cleared we got released and I did the sensible thing of letting everyone sail past me to get a couple of corners away ... i thought i knew silverstone pretty well but nope not a chance ... there a corner in i think the hanger complx that i just couldn't get right and seemed to come from no where and no matter how i set myself up i always seemed inches from ploughing straight on.

 

and then it was over ... pulled up outside to get my breath back and get spotted .. i think it was raoul .. who came over siad mk4,net mate ? and then shot off for his own session.

 

 

one thinkg i noticed without the active spoiler theres alot more understeer than i expected. or maybe it's just i'mk rubbish !

 

waiting for people to send me pics and then i'll upload them lol

i'm tired but gawd it was great fun !

Hi Paul,

Yes it was me that came over to greet you. I noticed you in the pitlane (B25 i think) when i was registering. Well done for putting the supe through its paces Sorry I couldn't linger as I had to get ready for my session.

I did two sessions, the first at 10.00 with the rx-7s from FDUK where I brought up the rear admirably - well I did manage to pass 3 or 4 of them but the rest sort of edged away corner by corner. I did not feel confident in putting down the power out of the corners, and truth be told was a little over-awed at running on the full circuit for the first time (last run at silverstone was on the national circuit 5yrs ago at Trax!).

Ok, so onto the next session - this time with random(s). We were queued up 2-lanes and I was behind the stertegarage rx7... Now in the first session, whilst i was not the fastest I could be, it was an opportunity to 'feel' the track, build confidence in the car and myself. It seems something sunk in because I was braking later, I was accelerated out of the corners sooner and I managed to stay (about 4 car lengths behind) with that fire-breathing rex until about 2 laps from the end of session my temp guage suggested I ease off. I am of the humble opinion that the rex was just 'sightseeing' during that session whilst I was giving the supe some serious work Nevertheless, it was great great fun!

On previous trackdays I have done, the car has suffered brake fade. This was a worry for me which in part led to the timidity in the first session. But in the past I was running 2pot J-spec brakes (albeit with porterfield pads). This time I was running uk-spec brakes (with standard pads). Not even a hint of fade! I am still a little shocked at that to be honest.

The other thing that impressed me were the tyres. I use kumhos (Booo hisss) ku31 ecsta sport on OEM 17" wheels. All I can say is they gripped and gripped and ...wait for it...gripped and were nice and sticky to touch at the end of the session. I know some have a low opinion of them, but they did what was asked of them - kept me on the black-stuff and gave me confidence in planting the throttle earlier in the corners.

Low points: overheating. I was enjoying chasing the rex when I glanced at water temp guage - not too far from red:blink: so if I shudder to think what the oil temps must have been.

Oh yeah, had a go at the 0-60 sprint. Crap times as expected. Mis-shift (dont ask) on first run, crap second run, a bit less crap third run - 'best' time 5.99s. I blame the timing gear because I am certain I nailed 60mph in 3secs lolol!

Anyway compared to and because of the track time the rest of the show had no real interest for me (for the first time).

Night all.

Thats the trouble with no stand - didnt even know you were going Daman ??? next year eh

Nor did i untill the missus said "theres a car show on at silverstone at the weekend......can we go"?

Thats just it isn't it. J-spec brakes are still powerful enough to lock the wheels so are in effect providing nearly as much declerative ability as the UK spec ones, its the horrific fade that they suffer under determined driving like on a track that UK brakes come into their own.

ahh well I'm running huge KAD 6 pots up the front .. so didn't suffer from fade. but as i said i was very softly softly .... i would of loved to have done a second session but I think i was still recovinrg and would of made mistakes ...

looking at japfest at donnington though the end of the month !

A second session is usually what you need to settle in. I did 2 sessions at trax on the full circuit and the second session was the best. Confidence is up and you have little more knowledge of the track second time out.

Thats just it isn't it. J-spec brakes are still powerful enough to lock the wheels so are in effect providing nearly as much declerative ability as the UK spec ones, its the horrific fade that they suffer under determined driving like on a track that UK brakes come into their own.

Exactly so, I don't think my old j-specs would have lasted the first session never mind the latter one. Silverstone is fast with little run-off in places. Certainly not a circuit in which to discover the inadequacy of your brakes!

Rgds,

A second session is usually what you need to settle in. I did 2 sessions at trax on the full circuit and the second session was the best. Confidence is up and you have little more knowledge of the track second time out.

A few of the fduk guys had about 5 sessions and since some clubs were literally giving away slots (due to people backing out), I think it made for quite an inexpensive track day I very nearly went out for a third run, but was low on petrol and didnt fancy the hassle of going to look for a station...

Theres fuel available onsite. Race fuel as well if you feel rich enough.

Theres fuel available onsite. Race fuel as well if you feel rich enough.

Agreed for normal trackdays and proper race events e.g. timeattack yes, but it was not available for Trax.

i thought long and hard about a second session, but i think i may have been to confident and as you say its not the best place in the world to discover your limits as you hit the armco