First time at Donington on the 13th...HELP!!

1 Oct 2003, 21:42 (Ref:737210)

My very first outing on a circuit is on the 13th October in my BMW 325 which I am preparing for racing. I haven't been on a circuit before, haven't driven this car for any length of time on the roads before and yet have offered to take customers of the company I work for around the circuit in it as it is stripped, has a roll cage, harnesses etc and should be more of an experience than using a standard car!!

If anyone can offer some advice it will be greatly appreciated and even better, if you are going to be there....better still!!

Maisie · 2 Oct 2003, 11:54 (Ref:737865)

Advice?

Bring a change of trousers!!

Seriously, I hope you have a good time and don't scare the customers or yourself too much!

**Peter Mallett** · 2 Oct 2003, 14:01 (Ref:738064)

The Old Hairpin is flat in third. McLeans is a top gear feathered throttle and stay off the brakes at Coppice.

This advice is given in good faith and the writer accepts no liability for the accuracy of the statements herein.

That'll impress your customers.

AlexF · 2 Oct 2003, 15:32 (Ref:738153)

or kill them... one of the two

Alex

ginettag27 · 2 Oct 2003, 16:27 (Ref:738213)

Shame you didn't get in on the Test Day on the 3rd... always better to get accquainted with a track (or any track come to that!).

You say it's your first time on a track, just make sure you know the schedule, when you're supposed to turn up, sign on, have got the right clothing (although I guess you'll only need a helmet).. plus of course for your passengers. Think there's a 98Db noise limit, you need to make sure you'll pass this otherwise the day might be over before you start, ahem..

Hopefully you've driven the car before as well.. that would help! Getting used to the steering, brakes and gear changes.

Other than that, remember it's for fun, you're going racing next year, or whenever, so no need to set fastest laptimes and so on.. Plus there might be a load of 'wannabe' racing drivers with road cars who should know better..

Ideally get hold of an Autosport Guide, which will tell you a bit about the track and each corner.

I would suggest playing yourself in, in the first session (I guess it's sessioned and not open pitlane.. although would depend on the popularity.. ) Maybe with no one else in the car at first, or someone you know is going to help/not hinder.

Suspension setup? Tyres? might be worth thinking about these esp. for the weather conditions. Have enough fuel for the day!! Plus some food/drink, unless you want overpriced burgers

Presume you've driven with a helmet on before - as before I started I'd only ever worn one for go karting and found it very odd.. Noise is totally different and you don't always hear other cars near you, they should wait for a good opportunity to pass, but probably won't.. Spend a bit of time in the first session working out who to avoid and who seems to know what they're doing and what you're doing..

Most of all though you've paid your money, so make sure you get tracktime and enjoy yourself, haven't meant to rant on, but some trackdays have real numpties on them.

Have you taken your ARDS yet? That would have been good to get out of the way, plus get you used to being on a track. The last thing you want is to lunch the car or for some tw@t in a Max Power Nova to stove in to you!

If you're free on Saturday, you could come along and have a look and possibly a ride - we've got some race prepped Ginetta's going round, it might cost you a tenner for a few laps, but would be well worth it.

hth

EPS

www.epsracing.co.uk

2 Oct 2003, 21:13 (Ref:738489)

Thanks for all that info!!

Maisie - I have a feeling I'll scare myself just as much as the customers!

Peter, Thanks for those tips on those corners, I'm going to print this thread and take it with me as a reminder!!...p.s. i like the disclaimer!! lol

ginnettag27 - I really wanted to get some track time before this, but a host of problems building the car has meant that it'll be finished the night before I think!

Although I've driven this car, I haven't driven it much so I'm hoping to get some time by myself on the track first, but w'll see how it goes. I'll have an excuse to take it easy at first anyway as the car will have new discs and pads all round so I can say I need to bed them in first!! (whilst secretly getting to know the car and track!!)

Food and drink should be sorted as it is a suite holders day and they provide a marquee apparently! I have a thing against paying for paper thin cheeseburgers anyway!!

Daft as it sounds, I haven't driven with a helmet on other than karting! As I mentioned, I've never even driven on a circuit before! (best not tell the customers that!) so thanks for the heads up on what I will or should I say won't be able to hear!

I'm booked in to take my ARDS on the 15th November at Mallory Park so I'm deep into my Blue book at the moment!

I'd love to come over on Saturday, but I will be franticly finishing off the car! I have loads to do including applying a load of Decals for the company I work for!! I saw you guys racing at Oulton Park earlier in the year as I have been following the Kumho BMW championship who I think are also going to be there at the weekend. It's my local track and I will have to miss this one unfortunately!

JohnMiller · 2 Oct 2003, 21:16 (Ref:738497)

I think I'm glad I'm not a customer!

I'm not sure Donington is the best place for such a 'first run.'

2 Oct 2003, 21:54 (Ref:738543)

Thanks for the vote of confidence!! I can assure you I will be taking it VERY easy!!

ginettag27 · 3 Oct 2003, 08:00 (Ref:738935)

pmoloney

As I said if you're free tomorrow, come along, we'll get you in a car for a few laps - passenger only.

Play yourself in, build up. You haven't been on a track before, but then again neither have your passengers either!

Check and double check everything on the car!! I can't remember if the BMs (Kumho championship) are with us this weekend, but they usually are - you might be able to get some pointers from some of them on Sunday.. again if you're free and have the time to spare of course (guess you don't!!)

Blue Book - no real need, learn your flags, all of them! and some of the parts specific to your type of racing (presume it's circuit based, something like the Kumho championship). Plus watch the video.

I'm sure you'll be fine, it's more the other people around you that you might need to watch out for!! Most trackdays split those who have and those who haven't to keep people apart for a bit in the morning anyway.

Hospitality! sounds good!

You might even be able to get someone to either drive you around or be a passenger who knows the circuit - enquire about this, it might cost a bit more/extra or maybe not and would give you some time on track with someone who knows the circuit. Most organisers have that.

EPS

ginettag27 · 6 Oct 2003, 12:57 (Ref:741888)

Just had our trackday at Dono. First time I'd raced there.

Interestingly..

First corner, right hander, quite quick, but entry makes you think it's slower than it is.. Although build up to using a bit of the exit kerb..

Second corner/Craniers.. Should be quite quick, plastic post indicates where the kerb is on the lefthandside of this! Camber changes just after this, in your favour.

Old Hairpin, relatively quick, need to be right over to the entry kerb on the lefthand side, aim for and make the apex kerb and also use some of the extra width and a bit of the exit kerb.

Under Blue Bird bridge, move to right of track.. then aim for post and bit of kerbing there. Keeping the kink as straight as possible.

Up to first uphill right hander, quite difficult at first, but buildup, gradient works for you under braking, but can hamper progress through the corner..

After this slight downhill part, then uphill, of course car should be on lefthand side of track. Aim immediately for the apex kerbing when you see it, possibly partially before if you're in a really quick car.

Chicane.. braking can be started close/after the turn off that would take you to the Melbourne loop.. Use the right hand kerb and left hand kerb to straighten it up, then use some of the kerb on the exit and you're along the start-finish straight.

This of course is in the dry!! Although there seemed to be quite a lot of grip even when it drizzled a bit - although the tyres had some residual heat in them by this time which probably helped.

Watch out for sound.. There's a sound meter on the circuit, just after the chicane.. 98 decibels... I got black flagged after about
two laps!! For noise level!! The mechanics did some work on it, but still went over..

Tried not revving so hard/shifting up early plus also keeping on the right hand side of the track.. All to no avail..

Although they may have singled out the race cars over the road ones.. Then fitted a mesh 'baffle' over the exhaust which seemed to diffuse the sound...

Superb track, on which you can really get in to a good rythmn. It would have helped if we'd had headlights on the cars as some road drivers didn't notice us for quite a few corners.. Think we surprised them as to how fast a Ginetta can go (tyres helped a lot!), and also under braking.

Day was well run, they've got some Marshalls, plus lots of cameras (so no getting away with anything). People generally seemed to behave themselves. Overtaking on the left hand side only.. We had 3 cars with two seats in and they were full most of the day!! Try and get a good clamp and a video camera, potentially Jessops or other retailers. That would make a good record of the day and cameras of course!!

Hope it doesn't rain for you - we had blue sky on both days!!

Although there was a bit of drizzle now and again, but not for long at all.

Good track to drive on.

EPS

www.epsracing.co.uk

matt_tentenths · 10 Oct 2003, 14:09 (Ref:746343)

Good luck Paul!! Hope the car goes well - let us know how it went. Looking forward to seeing you in Class C next year.

My only advice would be to build up SLOWLY!! and keep an eye on your mirrors. Do a session or two on your own first before you scare your customers.

We did a corporate track day with clients/prospects the other week. We made one of them throw-up !! But he loved the day, so relief all round!

pmoloney · 10 Oct 2003, 15:54 (Ref:746438)

Cheers Matt (Seldon?)

The car is pretty much ready (for the track day at least...still some work to do for racing)!! I just bought a camera bracket to clamp the video camera to the cage too, so I should have some footage to put up here assuming all goes to plan!!

I hope they didn't throw in the car...douldn't deal with that...what a mess!! lol

Paul

matt_tentenths · 10 Oct 2003, 17:18 (Ref:746538)

Paul, btw yea it's moi, send me your address offline via PM and I'll send you a DVD of 4, perhaps 5 of the races this year - should help you to learn the circuits as well. I'll have to ask for a small fee though.

Nah, he waited until the session stopped then hurled over the pitlane!! Whoops!

ginettag27 · 13 Oct 2003, 14:57 (Ref:749706)

I hope they didn't throw in the car...douldn't deal with that...what a mess!! lol

Of course I'm sure they were wearing a helmet at the time... ew!

EPS

www.epsracing.co.uk

pmoloney · 15 Oct 2003, 11:27 (Ref:752002)

Well what can I say...Donington rocks...but it wasn't all plain sailing....read on!

Sat - Mate comes over...welding the cage starts in earnest...full day till the light ran out!

Sun - Carried on with the cage then finished off everything else. At midnight I went to bed.......at 2am I woke up in sheer AGONY!! My eyes felt like they had been dipped in acid.....you've guessed it...arc eye!! So two hours later, I come back from A&E with eye patches on thinking there's no way I am going to Donny now

Morning came (at 6am) and I thought bugger it, I'm going anyway as they had eased off a lot and my eyesight was fine so at 8:30, the car was on the trailer and we were of! My neighbour came too as he had a day off!

On the track, the car was good, but wasn’t pulling anywhere near as hard as I thought it should. It was struggling to pull past 100mph so I think there’s some work to do there at least. Highlight has GOT to be taking Redgate (the bend at the end of the straight) completely sideways after loosing it, and being in a line of 2 ferraris, two, TVR speed 6s and a Subaru going under the Dunlop bridge!! I have to say I haven’t had that much fun for years. The car drew lots of attention off the circuit too…especially when I told one guy that I had bought it for £250 a month ago!

It wasn’t all good though. The engine went pop down the main straight and that was the end of the day for me…..I’m guessing it’s a snapped rocker, but what the hell….I have a spare engine!!

Brakes held out well, but took a while to bed in. The suspension worked very well but there's a little too much body roll for my liking, so I'll be going down the LEDA road me thinks!

AlexF · 15 Oct 2003, 12:51 (Ref:752108)

looks great!!!!

Glad you had fun

Alex

pmoloney · 15 Oct 2003, 17:22 (Ref:752461)

Thanks Alex - Having never been on a track before I was loving every minute of it!! Even when the engine went pop half way through the day I was still happy as I'd made it to the track and driven it round.....most gratifying experience I've had in ages!!

Now...where's my ratchet so I can go check the damage!!

AlexF · 16 Oct 2003, 07:44 (Ref:752956)

The bimmer def looks the part... whats the Siera running?

Alex

pmoloney · 16 Oct 2003, 10:02 (Ref:753054)

it's a standard 2.9 4x4. They are selling it on now that the day is finished..."One careful owner...." etc etc!!

Hobson · 17 Oct 2003, 08:32 (Ref:754125)

Thanks for sharing your experience!

Keep us updated with the Bimmer damage........

17 Oct 2003, 18:24 (Ref:754630)

I took the rocker cover off last night and luckily (as it could have been much worse) it's only a snapped rocker! They're about £12 from BMW and about 3 hours to fit (according to the guys on www.e30zone.co.uk forum!)

Looks like I have another job to add to the list before going back out there!!

ginettag27 · 20 Oct 2003, 10:39 (Ref:756791)

Sounds good. Reminds me of a day I had at Spa, although it was a lot more costly in engine replacement terms than yours.

Good to hear you enjoyed yourself.

EPS

www.epsracing.co.uk

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