Trackday god? - Not quite.

[jojo]

As some of you may know, I took my S3 out on the track yesterday and what an experience it was. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I learnt more about my car, my abilities and chassis dynamics in one day than I have done in the 3 years I've owned it!

The track was at Rockingham Motor speedway, it's a long track at 2.7 miles long and a twisty one too with 14 turns. Now my car was running standard suspension and handling ruining 19" wheels, so the thought of 14 corners wasn't in my favour. After a few practice laps to get to know the track, to my suprise(not!) my car understeered everywhere! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif, but luckily I came with a footpump to change my tyre pressures, after a few tweaks, I settled with 38psi up front and 36 on the rears which made my car handle pretty well from my point of view. Back onto the track, I don't think I did too badly keeping up with some more expensive machinery and disposing of some too(including a Porsche 911 lol - but he couldnt drive /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smirk.gif), but had no chance against the Radical SR3's(there was at least 3 of them) and well driven Catherams etc.

Well, what can I say, at £175 for the day, it's not cheap, but well worth it for the experience and something you can learn if you havn't already been to one. Just remember you are out there to have fun and maybe learn something, it's not a race! I recommend a trackday session to anyone whose serious about their motoring /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ok.gif

PS. Steph, you missed out big time on all the awesome machinery in action and the wonderful aroma of petrol in the air!, maybe next time mate. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[TDI-line]

Sounds great JoJo.

That is the name of the game, fun.
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ok.gif
But how much tread is left on your tires? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/lol.gif

 

[Rob W8]

Glad you had a good day Jojo /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ok.gif

 

[DavidR]

Interesting tyre pressures there. I was on track on saturday using 32psi front and 38 rear... Still understeering in the damp and cold, but an improvement nevertheless.

 

[Gambba]

[ QUOTE ]
Interesting tyre pressures there. I was on track on saturday using 32psi front and 38 rear... Still understeering in the damp and cold, but an improvement nevertheless.

[/ QUOTE ]

My thoughts exactly....

jojo if you do another track day then I think you need to revise the pressures and give yourself higher at the rear and less at the front somwhere around Davids set-up.

 

[The Slug]

Yeah, defo higher pressures in the rears will get that rear end sliding out nicely mate, good to hear u had a great time!!

 

[StephaneS]

Hey Joe!
Glad everything went fine but gutted I was not there with my pride and joy!!

So do you have any good stories to tell? like you being left for dead, or leaving others in the rear view mirrors?
What kind of cars were there? Also how did the long fast bend go? Not too scary?

Regarding the tyre pressure, I agree with the comments. Even I was running higher pressure at the rear all the time and believe me the understeer is greatly reduced. However I've that pressure should be higher than normal day driving...

As I dont have a car anymore I am booked for this weekend with track sense at Bruningthorpe airfield where I am gonna try 5 track prepared cars including the ariel Atom!!!
should be fun!

 

[jojo]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Interesting tyre pressures there. I was on track on saturday using 32psi front and 38 rear... Still understeering in the damp and cold, but an improvement nevertheless.

[/ QUOTE ]

My thoughts exactly....

jojo if you do another track day then I think you need to revise the pressures and give yourself higher at the rear and less at the front somwhere around Davids set-up.

[/ QUOTE ]

Interesting info there, lets start by saying that apart from being a passenger in RichA3Turbo's car, I'm a trackday virgin so no experience on track. My car was running 41/38psi F/R for road use, as I thought these gave me sharper steering without any oversteer for safe driving on public roads. During the induction laps, I was getting understeer as stated, but stuck with the same pressures for a proper run, which led me to a spin during the second lap on a hairpin. So reducing the front to 38psi gave me the much needed front end grip but mad the rear skittish which wasn't in my style of driving, so I reduced the rears to compensate. I could still get the backend out mildly when off throttle during a high speed corner, so maybe I need a bit more practice and bottle to drive with higher rear pressures. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

 

[jojo]

[ QUOTE ]
Hey Joe!
Glad everything went fine but gutted I was not there with my pride and joy!!

So do you have any good stories to tell? like you being left for dead, or leaving others in the rear view mirrors?
What kind of cars were there? Also how did the long fast bend go? Not too scary?

Regarding the tyre pressure, I agree with the comments. Even I was running higher pressure at the rear all the time and believe me the understeer is greatly reduced. However I've that pressure should be higher than normal day driving...

As I dont have a car anymore I am booked for this weekend with track sense at Bruningthorpe airfield where I am gonna try 5 track prepared cars including the ariel Atom!!!
should be fun!

[/ QUOTE ]

My mind is a bit blank at the moment Steph(conveneintly /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif), but there was a lot of quick machines out there, and moving over for them to pass was the right thing to do(trust me) apart from the Porsche which I thought was funny. Really wanted to give the ITR a run for it's money, but didn't see him anywhere on the track, The S3 had the legs on the banked corner/straight and hit 120ish(very close to a concrete wall /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif) before braking, you could do the whole thing at full throttle changing up, but could feel the car lean hard on the shocks/bearings, I'm sure the more exotic machines could hit 130+ if they had the bottle. My mate in his turbo's vectra gave a few cars a run, including a race prepped proton with stripped out interior and high revving engine etc, we kind of forced him off the track lol.

Hope you have a good time at Bruningthorpe , it's lots of fun! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yes.gif

 

[nervus]

Race prepped Proton? Oh my god what ever next? Was it one of those hideous silver things with the bolted on wheel arch extensions???

Please don't go on to defend them anyone, i know lotus tweaked the suspension etc but they are protons - nuff said.

Oh yeah, did i mention im a brand snob?

 

[RichA3Turbo]

Sounds like you had a good time Jojo! Looking forward to doing a few more track days this year. Lots to do before though!

 

[jojo]

[ QUOTE ]
Race prepped Proton? Oh my god what ever next? Was it one of those hideous silver things with the bolted on wheel arch extensions???

Please don't go on to defend them anyone, i know lotus tweaked the suspension etc but they are protons - nuff said.

Oh yeah, did i mention im a brand snob?

[/ QUOTE ]

It was a yellow one with lightweight everything, and we was all over him around the track up until he spun off lol... can't believe a road car can keep up with it, especially along the straights! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[jojo]

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like you had a good time Jojo! Looking forward to doing a few more track days this year. Lots to do before though!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hopefully get togo head to head with you sometime Rich, you need to give me a head start though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/fuck_you.gif

 

[RichA3Turbo]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like you had a good time Jojo! Looking forward to doing a few more track days this year. Lots to do before though!

[/ QUOTE ]

Hopefully get togo head to head with you sometime Rich, you need to give me a head start though. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/fuck_you.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ok.gif

 

[Gambba]

[ QUOTE ]
Race prepped Proton? Oh my god what ever next? Was it one of those hideous silver things with the bolted on wheel arch extensions???

Please don't go on to defend them anyone, i know lotus tweaked the suspension etc but they are protons - nuff said.

Oh yeah, did i mention im a brand snob?

[/ QUOTE ]

Hey don't forget the Proton Wira wasn't a bad Group N rally car fella......that doesn't make them good though i suppose /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh_roll.gif

 

[Gambba]

Oh yeah and P.S. Don't dis the Proton massive, my mum had one years ago...........but I guess the name said it all Proton Panache!! of which there was none! .....a bit like the Mitsubishi Carisma!!!

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bang.gif

off to hide now in case anybody from my company has heard I've been slagging offf a Mitsubishi /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

 

[JaminBen]

Glad to hear you had a great time, Jojo!

Wish I could have been there, along with Steph... Maybe some other time?

What tires were you running, and how did they hold up?

tia

 

[jojo]

[ QUOTE ]
Glad to hear you had a great time, Jojo!

Wish I could have been there, along with Steph... Maybe some other time?

What tires were you running, and how did they hold up?

tia

[/ QUOTE ]

No worries mate /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif

Running 235/35R19 Continental sports, swopped the front and rear around, as they were nearer the tread limiters on the fronts. Suprisingly, they are still legal after all the slithering I was doing and not 50p'd after a spin or two(second time wasn't me driving!), good tyres, but not the best for track work. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ok.gif

 

[StevieBogan]

Ace Jojo,

I had the S on the track around a year ago, for an advanced driving course I did.

Totally agree, let me get the best out of the car as after the track time, you are much more familiar with the cars limits.

Not into the tyre costs though, especialy when on the BLING 19" !

You'll know what I mean!