lydden winter series

[The Hat]

What a great day!!!!!
It was my first rallycross event as a marshal & I thoroughly enjoyed it, as did the other first-timer on post with me. I hope to be back next month, depending on training days etc.
I thought the standard of driving was first class, given how slippery the track was in the morning-more like iceracing than anything else.
My congratulations to the Dorans, they have taken a great little circuit & made it even better.

[BOY BLUNDER]

I ,dont think the joker lap needs to be changed at all,it worked well and the feedback that i got from drivers myself was that once they new which line to use it was good.And you could see how it worked well in the finals,especially in the supercar final,once againit was great to see winter rallyx at lydden again.

BB....

[rx-guru]

Copied from the current FIA rules:

6. Joker lap
Characteristics:
Length: must be such that the time needed to
cover a lap is at least 2 seconds longer than the
best lap time achieved in Division 1. at least 2 sec
longer than the time needed for the replaced
distance of the circuit.
Width: minimum 10 m, maximum 12 m.
The entry and the exit cannot be on the racing line.
A safety protection, to separate the two roads,
must be in place. At the exit it must be possible for
the cars to have the same speed as on the
traditional circuit.
A marshals’ post will be put in place if judged
necessary for safety reasons.
An Approval by of the FIA circuit safety inspector
is required.

[brands hatch]

anyone have any pictures of the joker section?

[brands hatch]

I know it is is very early days but does anyone have any more info about the 7th? more entries expected? etc?

[daz2202]

An excellent day racing.

Marshalls, drivers and organisers were all in great spirits (maybe xmas booze hasn't dried up yet)

I think all involved in organising and running the day put on a very well organised stress free day. Well done Lydden people.

Best race was the modified final and best drive was Stu in the 306 drove well and timed the joker spot on for 2nd behing Julian.

[bigted]

good to see you ironed out them panels daz

[daz2202]

Originally Posted by bigted

good to see you ironed out them panels daz

Panels ironed, resprayed, and even cleaned out 2 year old blyton dust from inside. I have been thinking of changing the oil as well as thats now 18 months old !!! Just dont like touching things that work incase i break them.

[westfieldbend]

all in all great improvements to the circuit but i feel the following things need to be looked at:
- how are the quoted 30,000 spectators going to gain access to the circuit by a narrow backroad
- The speed of cars rejoining from the joker lap
- The part of chessons used to park rescue vehicles etc. has nothing (except some plastic blocks) diving it from the circuit (joker lap), not sure the fia will like this!
- the startline - 5 cars abreast!?

I expect these changes are already in the pipeline, but it looked to me that the circuit is going to be undergoing many further improvements before the fia round

Apart from that perfect!
looking forward to 7th February

[rx-guru]

30,000 spectators...?
The spectator record at Lydden is said to be 8,000 since Easter Monday 2007...

[bigted]

Daz, typical plumber, doesnt do any work, but charges you!

[Stephen H]

Originally Posted by westfieldbend

all in all great improvements to the circuit but i feel the following things need to be looked at:
- how are the quoted 30,000 spectators going to gain access to the circuit by a narrow backroad

Have you never tried to access Essay or Mayenne? very narrow access road, cars are parked a long way from the circuit! Lydden has a dual carriageway on its doorstep to get traffic in and out. Both French tracks don`t have that advantage.

Plus weren`t 278 works carried out on the A2 about ten years ago, when Ron Dennis planned to build the factory there, to provide a different entance into the track.

What ever happens nothing can be as bad as the traffic management to the Renault World Series at Donington in 2007!

[Hickey]

I had an idea as to how to reduce the exit speed from the joker lap...

The reason the cars can exit it much faster, is because they can straight-line the esses leading onto the normal track by taking a very wide line on the tarmac (and it being tarmac they can brake later and corner faster).

If cars were forced to come on the inside of tarmac section (the right-hand side) then they would not be able to straight-line the esses and would have to exit at a slower speed (and on the outside of Chessons)

I trust this is as clear as mud! Would draw a picture if my boss couldnt see my computer screen!!

adam

[King Arthur]

February 7th entry form should be available later today or at latest tomorrow. Strictly first come first served.

[HairyDJ]

For those who would like to see the new layout in action, one of my Scooby chums has posted videos of the finals - if mods prefer to kill the external link, then search youtube for username of tbtstt.

http://uk.youtube.com/profile?user=tbtstt&view=videos

[BOY BLUNDER]

I dont think there was anything wrong with the joker lap,and if they change it then it wont work.

BB....

[westfieldbend]

didnt you think there was anything wrong with it effectivly being the same speed?

[jonbryant]

I had about the best view of the joker lap for the finals as I was snapping about 6ft from the gap in the armco. For me it blends a great mix. The car on the joker lap has a greater exit speed but the car on the normal loose has the line.

Works well for me. Try a tweak at the Feb meeting perhaps (last chance to try it) and then decide which was best.

[BOY BLUNDER]

I noticed drivers taken different lines in and out of the joker lap,espscially the supercars,and when powels over took steve hill,steve drifted wide then tried to close the gap,but was to late,so no i dont think anything was wrong with the joker lap.

BB....

[westfieldbend]

i like the way it didnt make much difference, but kind of defeats the object of it. hill and pouwels confronatation was certainly entertaining - doorhandle to doorhandle - litrally... But like it has been stated that is not the intention of the joker.

I dont really like the 'you lose 2 seconds' part of the joker as i thought it spread the field out a little

Also when all the buggies did it on the same lap it was sort of pointless

[BOY BLUNDER]

Yes but it is up to the driver when he takes the joker,i think liam played it right he built up a bit of a gap then took the joker,yes it might make a difference when there is a full grid of cars doing it.

BB....

[chunder]

I think it works fine

You can seemingly get a slingshot off the joker run and that will lead to overtaking perhaps into the Elbow?

I Only hope the normal users of the track dont complain too much about the mud!! Looked like a picture from the 70's, was half expecting a DAF to come bounding into view!!

[leonidas]

I'm not a massive fan of the 'joker' but it seemed ok at Lydden. Does anyone know of the joker lap v. ordinary lap times for Div 1? Will it 'officially' make the FIA 2 secs requirement or will further changes need to be made to slow the joker lap?

[BOY BLUNDER]

I think by the time it comes to the 1st circut race you will be able to see the black stuff,i cant wait for feb7,bring it on.

BB....

[HairyDJ]

Anybody else double take when this afternoons newsletter said ERC was 19th / 20th? I've just had confirmation from Amy that this was a typo & that Easter Sunday / Monday 12th / 13th is still the real deal. Phew, nearly changed my accommodation booking