Kick Those Shoes Off and Relax. It's the Delta 2017 Tea Break

[PeterMorley]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

I read that Ford have perfected a device for detecting if the driver is drowsy at the wheel. It's in the form of headgear- or baseball cap to be precise. This presumably has a sensor which is linked to the car by Bluetooth or something. So that's all good for young drivers with Fiesta STs, Focus RSs and the like, but what about old / older drivers in Bmax etc? Maybe a version using a trilby will follow, or a flat cap for Goody regulars, or......

Fast Ford drivers with baseball caps are likely to have the volume on the stereo so high they're rather unlikely to nod off!

As I've said before I think a huge pointy spike in the middle of the steering wheel would do more for safety than airbags and such like, the resulting pain from nodding off would wake someone up!

I just saw an advert for a pre-war car with a 'discretely fitted' USB port.
Couldn't help but wonder how many people old enough to appreciate the car would have any need for such things!

[Colin McKay]

[QUOTE=PeterMorley;3779482]Fast Ford drivers with baseball caps are likely to have the volume on the stereo so high they're rather unlikely to nod off!
[/QUOTE

The exact circumstances of my first shunt....Deep Purple (or whoever) so loud that when the Corsair - with the towbar - in front stopped at a roundabout, my Escort didn't. Too busy headbanging. Although not sure if my 1100 counts as a Fast Ford.

[delta]

I think some one said I would struggle here in N Y . Your right . And the beer is crap .

[MGDavid]

settling in for the night in Anglesey paddock (Race of Remembrance this weekend) - and, yes the rain is horizontal and it's blowin' a hooley...

[356sc]

I recall convincing my wife and kids to camp at Anglesey when I was racing there....it will be nice I said....it wasn’t!

Funnily enough that was the last time they came to watch me!

[morninggents]

Not surprising being so far west and open to all that the Irish Sea/Atlantic has to throw at it, but it looks to be a great circuit. I was in Anglesey in September for the first time ever and decided to go to the circuit on spec to have a look around and the place was quite busy with what looked like an ARDS session and some free practice going on on different circuits. It is quite hilly but nothing like as narrow and tight as Cadwell and what a magnificent view! What a shame that more clubs don't use it (hint to HSCC - how about a Welsh Historic Festival) perhaps the distance from the south is a problem.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by morninggents

Not surprising being so far west and open to all that the Irish Sea/Atlantic has to throw at it, but it looks to be a great circuit. I was in Anglesey in September for the first time ever and decided to go to the circuit on spec to have a look around and the place was quite busy with what looked like an ARDS session and some free practice going on on different circuits. It is quite hilly but nothing like as narrow and tight as Cadwell and what a magnificent view! What a shame that more clubs don't use it (hint to HSCC - how about a Welsh Historic Festival) perhaps the distance from the south is a problem.

I suspect the distance from anywhere might be a problem, sadly.

[Colin McKay]

Only raced there once, in my JEC days, and it was wet & windy but there was a weather & tide window on the Saturday evening and me, Mrs M and the kids trekked out to the little chapel off the beach. They still remember it now, magical.

Slightly further west than Anglesey, here's a pic of a car Iain might recognize racing at Vineland - not far from NY - in 1960. Soon be home Iain

[gary396]

Originally Posted by delta

I think some one said I would struggle here in N Y . Your right . And the beer is crap .

I didn't expect to like New York either - we only tagged it on the end of holiday in Florida one year just to see what the city was all about. Expected it to be too noisy and brash - which it was, but we absolutely loved it!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by delta

I think some one said I would struggle here in N Y . Your right . And the beer is crap .

Hopefully Mrs Delta is enjoying the visit more.....

[delta]

Getting a bit more used to all the hustle and bustle now . I'm going for a run tomorrow round Central Park Mrs Delta coming on push bike . Mike you would loved today we have been on the Intrepid air craft carrier. Just going on submarine now . I just can't get my head around having to have tickets for everything. Sometimes you need a ticket to get a ticket and then you need that ticket to get the ticket you need to get into what you want to see . Also everyone is on their mobile phone all the time .

[andy97]

Originally Posted by morninggents

Not surprising being so far west and open to all that the Irish Sea/Atlantic has to throw at it, but it looks to be a great circuit. I was in Anglesey in September for the first time ever and decided to go to the circuit on spec to have a look around and the place was quite busy with what looked like an ARDS session and some free practice going on on different circuits. It is quite hilly but nothing like as narrow and tight as Cadwell and what a magnificent view! What a shame that more clubs don't use it (hint to HSCC - how about a Welsh Historic Festival) perhaps the distance from the south is a problem.

Anglesey is the best circuit in the uk bar none (and I say that as near neighbour of Donington Park!), and I think the second widest after Sillystone. I have only ever been there in good weather and the circuit, and the views are well worth the travel time. It really is a fantastic place to race, with some real challenging corners. It's the one circuit where MrS 97 actually wants to go and spectate.

It's funny, people moan about the distance, but will then happily travel to Spa without complaint. OK, Anglesey is not a GP circuit, but if it was situated in a similar type location in the SE, it would be. The circuit is that good.

From the Midlands its easier to get to than Brands Hatch, and if clubs ran a festival weekend it would be worth the travel time.

If you haven't raced there, please find an excuse to do so. People who go are rarely disappointed and go back.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by delta

Getting a bit more used to all the hustle and bustle now . I'm going for a run tomorrow round Central Park Mrs Delta coming on push bike .

Watch out for rental vans in inappropriate places!

[delta]

Flyping eck . Mrs Delta spotted Christmas Market . FFS .!!!

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by delta

Flyping eck . Mrs Delta spotted Christmas Market . FFS .!!!

hope you've got some spare baggage allowance for return flight then.....

[GORDON STREETER]

Don't forget that the final MotoGP race is on this weekend in Spain that is going to the last round to decide the champion. none of this mamby Pamby 4 wheeled stuff enclosed in a safety cell but "hard" men bashing fairings at ridiculous lean angles while on the limit of adhesion !

[Mike Bell]

Originally Posted by GORDON STREETER

Don't forget that the final MotoGP race is on this weekend in Spain that is going to the last round to decide the champion. none of this mamby Pamby 4 wheeled stuff enclosed in a safety cell but "hard" men bashing fairings at ridiculous lean angles while on the limit of adhesion !

Sounds like me on a 50cc (restricted) paddock scooter at Dijon in June- I'm still recovering!

[356sc]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Sounds like me on a 50cc (restricted) paddock scooter at Dijon in June- I'm still recovering!

Stick to the non powered version Mike

[terence]

Originally Posted by delta

Flyping eck . Mrs Delta spotted Christmas Market . FFS .!!!

We came across a christmas shop in Florida that was open all year round Ian.
It aint wot it used ta be.

[Mike Bell]

Terence, there’s a possibility I’ll be at the Oldtimer next Aug. Assuming no Marathon on the Friday, do they run ‘taxis’ that day? Want to have a lap or two....

[morninggents]

It's a 'must do' Mike, even if you have to rent a car from Avis, etc. to do it.

I went to the truck meeting with a neighbour and his son in July and did a lap in the neighbour's car for about 30 euros. Seeing the circuit on TV no way prepares you for the real thing and I couldn't believe how blind most of the corners are either through elevation change or how close they are to each other. No wonder it takes hundreds of laps to even begin to learn it properly.

My one lap was probably one of the slowest ever as the neighbour's car (a Skoda, nice car) was his company car (and he'd just started a new job!), I'd never driven it before except for a short part of the journey there, and it was absolutely ****ing it down. Because of the weather there were few cars on track and apart from being passed early in the lap by 3 other cars the circuit was empty so I didn't have to spend the entire time looking out the rearview mirror and, at his urging, I just touched an indicated 105 mph on the long uphill straight at the end. Would like to go back one day and have another go in the dry.

[terence]

Originally Posted by Mike Bell

Terence, there’s a possibility I’ll be at the Oldtimer next Aug. Assuming no Marathon on the Friday, do they run ‘taxis’ that day? Want to have a lap or two....

We sometimes run "Race Taxis" Mike.
But I think you would benefit more from a couple of laps instruction.There are a lot of faster ways through various sections that are not always apparent.😉😉

[terence]

Originally Posted by morninggents

It's a 'must do' Mike, even if you have to rent a car from Avis, etc. to do it.

I went to the truck meeting with a neighbour and his son in July and did a lap in the neighbour's car for about 30 euros. Seeing the circuit on TV no way prepares you for the real thing and I couldn't believe how blind most of the corners are either through elevation change or how close they are to each other. No wonder it takes hundreds of laps to even begin to learn it properly.

My one lap was probably one of the slowest ever as the neighbour's car (a Skoda, nice car) was his company car (and he'd just started a new job!), I'd never driven it before except for a short part of the journey there, and it was absolutely ****ing it down. Because of the weather there were few cars on track and apart from being passed early in the lap by 3 other cars the circuit was empty so I didn't have to spend the entire time looking out the rearview mirror and, at his urging, I just touched an indicated 105 mph on the long uphill straight at the end. Would like to go back one day and have another go in the dry.

In general,most of my clients get to know/remember it in around ten laps.
BUT it takes a lot more to actually learn it to be quick and safe.Minimal driver input is the key😉

[Lancsbreaker]

I'd echo Andy's comments about Anglesey - as we are based in NW its almost "local" but still about 2.5 - 3 hours away - but well worth it. I know many from the South whinge about travelling to Oulton, and Anglesey (Trac Mon) is maybe a couple of hours on from there, but really, in the context of a racing weekend, its well worth it.

I've been lucky that most of my trips there have been in dry (if sometimes windy!) weather, and on a good day its a great place with wonderful views....in fact the biggest drawback is that you can get so distracted by the views of Snowdon as you head back from the top of the circuit at Peel bend that arriving at the Gooseneck can be something of an eye-opener

Spent most of the weekend marshalling on Rally of the Tests - some great cars, and one of my beloved Alfas won the overall award (Only pre 63 cars eligible), with Alfas also taking second and fourth overall Friday was an easy control - Time control and allocated start to a Regularity, based inside the Turnpike, a hostelry just off the highest point of the M62 on the Yorks/Lancs border (but on the wrong side ). Saturday early evening was a tad different - perched in a cold and windy Regularity start on Shap, under a bridge under the M6 which acted as a convenient wind tunnel.......and the event was running a bit late so we were standing around for quite a while
Also many of the crews were a bit grumpy as the devious organisers had sited a control which was approached through the back way into Tebay services, continuing with a Regularity up the M6......and an awful lot of the navigators got caught out by that and missed it........

[Alan Morgan]

In my experience, there are just as many people from the NW who whinge about driving to Brands Hatch...

This isn't the time or place to go into detail but suffice it to say that planning a race calendar is much more difficult than you would imagine. F1, BTCC, BSB, Blancpain etc etc etc all have an influence on what is available to us further down the food chain.