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  • BoxheadTim

    Dec. 13, 2009 9:08 a.m. BoxheadTim Reader

    I've got a trackday booked for tomorrow at a circuit called Cadwell Park here in the UK. Also know as the mini-Nürburgring as it's tight, twisty and has quite noticeable elevation changes. It's on my todo-list before I move to the US and because it's winter, it's a little cheaper. Plus, car track days there don't come up that often - they mostly do bike track days there. So yeah, I'm looking forward to this.

    Trouble is, I'm feeling like E36 M3 warmed over right now. I crawled back into bed around noon feeling mighty sick and now I'm faced with a four hour drive in a tin can (aka the Elise - with the hardtop on it's so noisy that I have to wear earplugs for longer distances).

    Wish me luck...

  • pigeon

    Dec. 13, 2009 9:21 a.m. pigeon HalfDork

    If you still feel like carp when you wake to tomorrow am go back to bed. Sick + trackday = much higher likelihood of painful and/or expensive booboos.

  • BoxheadTim

    Dec. 13, 2009 9:26 a.m. BoxheadTim Reader

    Oh yes. That's the plan - I'm not going anywhere near a race circuit if I'm not feeling 100%. Fortunately it's open pit lane so I can get get on/off the circuit whenever I feel like it and if I'm still feeling ropey I'll just drive back straight away.

    Of course now the Lotus is waving a white flag - battery is feeling somewhat overwhelmed by my request to start the engine. This is not going very well so far.

  • NYG95GA

    Dec. 13, 2009 9:48 a.m. NYG95GA SuperDork

    That's a dang shame. You certainly want to be near the top of your game for an experience like that, but you don't want to be over-medicated or wired up on energy drinks, etc.

    Hope you catch your second wind soon!

  • mad_machine

    Dec. 13, 2009 9:49 a.m. mad_machine PowerDork

    Tim.. those are all little hints not to do it. Listen to those little hints. I learned to long ago.. saved me a LOT of pain, money, and heartache.

  • BoxheadTim

    Dec. 13, 2009 9:59 a.m. BoxheadTim Reader

    I've been wondering about that - if the car starts in the next hour then I'm going, but if I'm feeling a ropey tomorrow morning I'll just go back home. It's not worth sticking the car in the scenery for sure.

  • Woody

    Dec. 13, 2009 12:48 p.m. Woody SuperDork

    Please let us know how this turns out.

    Also, any track day in Great Britain demands photos.

  • sachilles

    Dec. 13, 2009 1:21 p.m. sachilles HalfDork

    Get in the car now, and head to a hotel closest to the track. That way you don't have to do the drive in the morning. This way you can sleep in and get some rest.

  • BoxheadTim

    Dec. 13, 2009 4:07 p.m. BoxheadTim Reader

    I am in a hotel about 10 minutes from the circuit now. There was no way I was going to drive up tomorrow morning as the trackday starts around 8am and it took me over 5 hours for the 200-odd miles.

    Can't promise any photos as I only have my video cam on me. Anyway I'll report back if it was worth the effort...

  • Adrian_Thompson

    Dec. 14, 2009 10:20 a.m. Adrian_Thompson Reader

    1. Forget about it if your sick at any track.

    2. Cadwell is an awesome place, but many drivers get motion sickness and throw up there when in perfect health anyway. It's so twisty with so many elevation changes that it kicks the E36 M3 out of people who don't normally get motion sickness. Do you really want to add that when your already sick?

  • BoxheadTim

    Dec. 14, 2009 2:33 p.m. BoxheadTim Reader

    Well, I'm back. I'm still in one piece but that's because I did take the advice seriously that if I'm not 100% I wasn't going to go/continue. Was feeling OK in the morning so I went, but after a few laps with an instructor something just didn't feel right so I decided to call it a day and went back home. Pretty much on the ropes atm so it was a good idea not to continue.

    The weather was bad - rain (OK, this is the UK, nothing to see, move on) but it was also foggy so they had to delay the track opening for a good two hours. Even then, I barely resist the temptation to switch on the rear fogs, it was that bad on one of the sighting laps. During that lap, the highest point of the track almost disappeared into the fog but fortunately it cleared up again.

    But OHMYGOD what a track. It's supposed to be one of the most technical tracks in the UK, it has roughly the same amount of runoff as the Nürburgring in a several of places (read: close to nothing - you come off, you meet the armco) and the elevation changes make things even trickier but when you get it right it feels sooooo good. I think it was the first time ever that I didn't feel I needed more power but it also showed that I do need to develop my driving skills quite heavily. Which is why I went there in the first place.

    Car-wise, we had the usual bunch of hot hatches, a couple of die hards in Caterhams (including two with no screen or roof), and a couple of proper race cars. Got a little video footage (no on-track one, though) and I'll check in the next few days if any of it is usable.

    There's another car trackday there next month, I'm considering to go there again even though I'm not keen on taking the Elise. It's great on the circuit but getting there and back is a huge PITA - thinking driving a completely stripped race car - no sound deadening or anything - 200 miles each way and you're pretty close.

    IIRC there are a couple of companies that hire out track cars. I'll have a look at that - a cheap stripped Miata for the day and driving to and from the circuit in something a little more comfy does appeal. Either that, or if I actually manage to get a decentish tow car for my DD, I'll borrow a friend's car trailer and tow the Elise up there.

  • sachilles

    Dec. 14, 2009 2:54 p.m. sachilles HalfDork

    is it cheaper to rent a tow vehicle than it is to rent a track car?

  • BoxheadTim

    Dec. 14, 2009 2:56 p.m. BoxheadTim Reader

    Renting a track car is cheaper - they really don't like renting out tow vehicles here. However I do have to get another DD for the next few months anyway so I'm toying with the idea to get a Land Rover Discovery or similar. One of those will tow a trailer with an Elise on without the driver noticing.

  • sachilles

    Dec. 14, 2009 3:05 p.m. sachilles HalfDork

    as long as they don't put the 3.5 in the disco's over there. Cheaper to rent a track car than a tow vehicle.....neat.

  • BoxheadTim

    Dec. 14, 2009 3:11 p.m. BoxheadTim Reader

    The more common engine is the 2.5 Turbo Diesel but you can get them with the 3.9 V8. Early ones have the 3.5 but I think the chassis of these has mostly fallen apart by now. Although, there was one of the surviving prototypes advertised on ebay a week or two ago.

    Gas mileage on the 3.9 is 'orrible but they tend to be cheaper. For 4 months with only 3-4 long trips I'm tempted to ignore the fuel consumption. And a V8 sounds so much better than the four banger diesel.

  • sachilles

    Dec. 14, 2009 3:19 p.m. sachilles HalfDork

    Either is fine, so long as you skip the 3.5. It's not that it isn't reliable, just they don't like tow duty all that much. I had a range rover with the 3.5 that I towed my mini with. You had to hope for a tail wind if you encountered an uphill section of road.

  • Keith

    Dec. 14, 2009 5:27 p.m. Keith PowerDork

    Brits have a different attitude towards towing than Americans. Around here, if you can't go screaming over a 10,000' pass at 65 mph with the biggest possible load on the truck, it's too small.

    I've seen video from Caldwell Park. It's probably the track in the UK I most want to drive, looks fantastic.

  • friedgreencorrado

    Dec. 14, 2009 5:46 p.m. friedgreencorrado Dork

    http://www.motorsportvision.co.uk/cadwell-park/index.asp

    Ye gads! Me likey. Can you imagine a horde of F2 cars around that place?

    Dang shame you were ill, Tim. But major respect for getting out. A lot of people would be more focused upon their egos (and their wallets) than looking out for other folks. It takes much more of an adult to walk away.

  • BoxheadTim

    Dec. 15, 2009 8:38 a.m. BoxheadTim Reader

    @friedgreencorrado: What you don't see too well in the picture above are the elevation changes and how narrow the track is. It's much more frightening in reality . I'll definitely go back once more! Thanks for the support btw. The way I look at it is that if you can walk away, you can usually try again whereas the cemeteries are full of people who can't. Plus I've got to pick up my wife from the airport tomorrow which is easier if you're not in hospital..

    @Keith, sounds like a good excuse for an FM sponsored trip? It's a track that really suits Miatas because you don't need big power. Very true regarding the tow cars, but some people over here are overdoing it in the wrong direction (using cars that are really a little too small to tow whatever they're towing).

    Oh, and the Land Rover Discovery seems to have morphed into a W124-series E280 wagon that was too nice to ignore. Picking it up tonight .

  • jpod999

    Dec. 15, 2009 11:14 a.m. jpod999 Reader

    That track looks like a great deal of fun.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpNANRj1kBU

  • Keith

    Dec. 15, 2009 12:24 p.m. Keith PowerDork

    A good view from an open car: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAkUvVV9lrw

    If only there were such things as FM sponsored trips overseas Someday I'll be back in the UK, and I'll see if I can somehow manage a trackday at Cadwell. Hopefully in a Caterham or Westfield.

 

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