37 replies to this topic

[LazyDonkey]

Can't f*cking wait !

[captain]

you'll enjoy it mate

[LazyDonkey]

Oh

my

fcuking

god !




What a thrill

Warning this post may take some time !

Been back for over an hour now and still talking 10 to the dozen!

From a horrible start the sun came out and by the time I got to knockhill it had been sunny for hours and the track was bone dry (surely a record!)

As Captain (Iain ?) said we did two laps first with the instructor (Harry in my case) talking you round and telling you what to do. I thought i was going fairly fast and the adrenaline was pumping

Then we nipped into the pits, all the instructors laughed at Harry (who must be late 40s) tries to get out and then in my car with the roof on. He then says (and I remeber this clearly) "Dont worry i won't be pushing you car hard"












Fcuk me !

I was sure we were going to die on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th corner.

He was then airbourne over the last bit of the chicane, all four tyres chirping as we landed. The guy can really really drive and once the initial shock of speed wears off you start to get an idea of what the car can actually do.

Next I had 2 lots of 5 laps, then finnally a 10 lap session.

Harry was great, very very encouraging, even holding on to the wheel to get me to use all of the track and shouting "more gas, more gas, full throttle" at the hairpin and the chicane.

We shared the track with a Renault Modus ( ) at the start, and then for the rest of the session it was just me, a Ferrari 355, some single seaters, an MGF and a race prepared XR2.

Much to my amusement I passed the Fezza twice and was all over the MGF though the corners.........it was only when i went past that Harry mentioned it was being driven by the instructor!!!! There is no way she can have been trying that hard, but it was a great feeling anyway.

Best bit, above all was passing the single seaters tho, all with the car singing and feeling composed and happy!

Harry was very complimentary about the car, saying it was a lovely car to play with but did notice it was a wee bit more understeer-y than the last Elise he drove............might let him off with that !

Car seems to be totally fine after the experience, and I now feel soooooooooooooo much more confident with it. Even just feeling what happens when you overcook a corner, what the understeer feels like, how it picks up the oversteer itself.

Just amazing.

Anyone who has never tracked their car, and (like me) was terrified at the prospect of damaging it, HAS TO and I really really mean HAS TO go on this day. Mine was a pressie, but I'd happily have paid £90 for it.

But do you know what the best bit was ? The look on the spectators faces when i got in it and drove off - the two guys I spoke to on the pit wall were even asking how the car drove and what I drove myself. Not a poser myself (ok maybe a bit) but god it felt good saying it was mine.

Sorry for going on a bit - but I LOVE my car - what a fantastic day.

Oh and here are some pics..







....now just go and book it !

Martin

Edited by LazyDonkey, 27 April 2005 - 07:44 PM.

[nakajima]

sounds a good day out.... who did you book it through?

[LazyDonkey]

Its booked directly though Knockhill - so the instructors are all local guys / girls who really really know the track

[ShinyAndy]

*sniff* I remember those days/feelings too

[Bengie]

I *need* to do a track day soon.

[captain]

Sounds like you had a great time and the weather certainly went your way! It's bloody great ain't it? Top Marques night 6th June??

[LazyDonkey]

Definately be there ! ....and seeing the weather this morning I think I was REALLY lucky with the weather. (Oh I've only been in work an hour and a half and my collegues are bored stiff of me talking about it already!)

[garyk220]

Nice one mate Takes me back to my first Knockhill experience event with Ian Forrest a long, long time ago. There's another track day (well half day really 09:00-13:00) on Thursday 19th May. Details are a little further down the list. I'm using this as practice for the KH MSA Sprint on the 28th

[Joss]

Can't find this one on the site, Gary. Have you got a link?

[garyk220]

Not sure whether you meant the track day or sprint, so have posted both:

19th May track day details here

Sprint regs are on the Wigton MC website here

[captain]

I can't wait to get back there

[caleebra]

Yikes, might have to try that out Nice write-up Martin.

Have cancelled my 1st Lotus day Not worth taking the risk paying for then ending up having no car... Iain, you should give them a call if you're still up for it. AFAIK there are three slots left...

http://www.carlimits.com/

Edited by caleebra, 28 April 2005 - 11:50 AM.

[captain]

is that the actrivity day or the instruction day? What date was yours mate??

[caleebra]

Instruction day... mine was the 20th, but I believe one of the Elise guys wanted that date and was able to swap his. Give them a ring and see what days they have left.

[captain]

I called them yesterday and somebody was going to return my call...but still waiting. I would rather do it at a weekend, just starting a new job on Tuesday and I don't want to start taking time off straight away...

[LazyDonkey]

They are dead friendly but aren't always the best at getting back to you - so you may have to persist! IIRC the crail days are tues, wed, thu and possibly Fri ....but I might be wrong.

Edited by LazyDonkey, 29 April 2005 - 07:10 AM.