133 replies to this topic

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

It might be worth opening discussions with LoT again, as it will probably need to be done under the auspices of a recognised Track Day Organiser (and I think we're still on friendly terms with them after Rockingham). LoT would be handy as they seem to get decent rates at tracks and we can use their payment facilites again. August would be great but would probably be the most expensive time of year. Might be better trying for mid to late September when the weather is still decent but holiday season is mostly over.

As for tracks, I'm game for most places but wasn't Snetterton poo-pooed last year as being too far away/too hard to get to for lots of people and a more central circuit demanded? Somewhere on the M1/M6 corridor is probably easier for most to get to - excepting our friends in Scotland, who are going to find it a pain in the arse to get to anywhere in the Midlands.

OK, who dealt with LOT last time around??

I guess August would be a little expensive.... But are we that strapped for cash?? I'd be willing to pay a few bucks more if there's a better chance of decent weather.

I'm not treading on anyone's toes am I by trying to get the ball rolling like this?

[VIX]

I guess August would be a little expensive.... But are we that strapped for cash?? I'd be willing to pay a few bucks more if there's a better chance of decent weather.

Would you pay £299 to do Silverstone GP Circuit in August? If so you might want to try a block booking with GoldTrack.

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

I guess August would be a little expensive.... But are we that strapped for cash?? I'd be willing to pay a few bucks more if there's a better chance of decent weather.

Would you pay £299 to do Silverstone GP Circuit in August? If so you might want to try a block booking with GoldTrack.

Would it really be THAT bad..? That does take the p*ss to be fair.

Looking at Donningtons website, it's £150 during August...

Shall I set up a poll to discern which month we agree we should set the National up for?

[techieboy]

What I tend to forget is that not everyone wants to track (never worked that out meself! ) but I guess there's few places where other events can be set up. Of course Bruntingthorpe is pretty well suited for this sort of day but I don't know if the surface has continued to deteriorate.

Likewise, I always take it as a given that people will want to track it and kind of forget some other attractions might be nice. The two days at Brunters last year (in the Audi and the VX) shredded the tyres on both although those were courses about finding the limits of both cars. I fear the surface won't have improved as they seem to be decreasing the number of events there due to the locals bitching about noise.

I don't know whether somewhere like Pro-Drive's test facility in Warwick is available at a better rate than a full on track. Not only is it meant to be an interesting little track but they have other skidpan/wet handling facilities there. No idea whether they'll hire it out privately though.

I think the key thing is to arrange it through a TDO of some form so that we get the benefit of experienced instructors for those who want them. Not sure if anyone has a particularly good relationship with Paul at LoT (presumably not JT ) or whether Mick43 (I think he fixed us up last year?) has any different contacts?

Personally, I'd love to have a bash at somewhere slightly different like Cadwell but understand that that is not a circuit for novices and probably isn't suitable.

Fair play to you JJJ for trying to tackle this so early, this year.

[slindborg]

What I tend to forget is that not everyone wants to track (never worked that out meself! ) but I guess there's few places where other events can be set up. Of course Bruntingthorpe is pretty well suited for this sort of day but I don't know if the surface has continued to deteriorate.

Likewise, I always take it as a given that people will want to track it and kind of forget some other attractions might be nice. The two days at Brunters last year (in the Audi and the VX) shredded the tyres on both although those were courses about finding the limits of both cars. I fear the surface won't have improved as they seem to be decreasing the number of events there due to the locals bitching about noise.

I don't know whether somewhere like Pro-Drive's test facility in Warwick is available at a better rate than a full on track. Not only is it meant to be an interesting little track but they have other skidpan/wet handling facilities there. No idea whether they'll hire it out privately though.

I think the key thing is to arrange it through a TDO of some form so that we get the benefit of experienced instructors for those who want them. Not sure if anyone has a particularly good relationship with Paul at LoT (presumably not JT ) or whether Mick43 (I think he fixed us up last year?) has any different contacts?

Personally, I'd love to have a bash at somewhere slightly different like Cadwell but understand that that is not a circuit for novices and probably isn't suitable.

Fair play to you JJJ for trying to tackle this so early, this year.

to put "test" circuit costs into perspective. ITs cheaper to ship a car and 20 people to spain and use a facility there for 2 weeks than it is to use Mira or milbrook for 3-4 days....

[The Knobs]

Abbeville and Croix, good food, good wine, great little tracks, even the tightarse Pikey contingent could afford speedferries

[NickB787]

I think we just pay £150+ for snetterton each if we can get it, track days cost money, lots off it and LOT were great with us at Rockingham. However I don't think that kind of track was good for the level of drivers we had, sorry, It lot would let au book a track at standard rates I think it would be better. Me Snet, Bedford (for the run off) Silverstone

[slindborg]

combe would be good, and I dont think its "that" expensive to hire. We got Llandow for 20 cars @ £120 (inc a few admin overheads) each mid summer, OK its facilities arent the best and its in sarf whales. But its a damn good track and good fun.

[techieboy]

What I tend to forget is that not everyone wants to track (never worked that out meself! ) but I guess there's few places where other events can be set up. Of course Bruntingthorpe is pretty well suited for this sort of day but I don't know if the surface has continued to deteriorate.

Likewise, I always take it as a given that people will want to track it and kind of forget some other attractions might be nice. The two days at Brunters last year (in the Audi and the VX) shredded the tyres on both although those were courses about finding the limits of both cars. I fear the surface won't have improved as they seem to be decreasing the number of events there due to the locals bitching about noise.

I don't know whether somewhere like Pro-Drive's test facility in Warwick is available at a better rate than a full on track. Not only is it meant to be an interesting little track but they have other skidpan/wet handling facilities there. No idea whether they'll hire it out privately though.

I think the key thing is to arrange it through a TDO of some form so that we get the benefit of experienced instructors for those who want them. Not sure if anyone has a particularly good relationship with Paul at LoT (presumably not JT ) or whether Mick43 (I think he fixed us up last year?) has any different contacts?

Personally, I'd love to have a bash at somewhere slightly different like Cadwell but understand that that is not a circuit for novices and probably isn't suitable.

Fair play to you JJJ for trying to tackle this so early, this year.

to put "test" circuit costs into perspective. ITs cheaper to ship a car and 20 people to spain and use a facility there for 2 weeks than it is to use Mira or milbrook for 3-4 days....

Ahh but thats for proper manufacturer testing. Prodrives facilites are used for public tuition days, as well. I'm toying with the idea of a DriverDP day there later in the year, as I've heard good things about it.

If I were a manufacturer, given the chance I'd be hiring Ascari or somwhere. Beats the hell out of the West Midlands any day of the week.

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

combe would be good, and I dont think its "that" expensive to hire.

We got Llandow for 20 cars @ £120 (inc a few admin overheads) each mid summer, OK its facilities arent the best and its in sarf whales. But its a damn good track and good fun.

Easy Slind

<-------


Coombe sounds good though!

[slindborg]

combe would be good, and I dont think its "that" expensive to hire.

We got Llandow for 20 cars @ £120 (inc a few admin overheads) each mid summer, OK its facilities arent the best and its in sarf whales. But its a damn good track and good fun.

Easy Slind

<-------


Coombe sounds good though!

I meant from the distance POV I've done my time in Swansea to know how lovely the rest of whales is lol
I intend to do Pembrey this year (with some luck) as I've only ever set cars up there and never driven the circuit myself.

[JimmyJamJerusalem]

LOT were great with us at Rockingham. However I don't think that kind of track was good for the level of drivers we had,

Me Snet, Bedford (for the run off) Silverstone

Lets try and establish which venues would be suitable for the next National.

Bedford is ticking alot of boxes to be honest!!!!!

Fairly central location, ultra safe track ie huge run offs, flexible track configuration, right by Thorneys if anything goes wrong, lol.

Would anybody object to Bedford?

Edited by JimmyJamJerusalem, 12 January 2008 - 05:28 PM.

[PaulCP]

Abbeville and Croix, good food, good wine, great little tracks, even the tightarse Pikey contingent could afford speedferries

Noooooo

We don't want everyone discovering the immense cheapness & enjoyability of these 2 tracks

[ianrm]

I am not having a dig or getting at anyone but would just like to point out that you are not going to be able to please everybody on here. What is cheap enough for one will be to far away for another and on the wrong date for another....the list would go on. Trust me I have organised things for 20 friends before I suggest if you want to go ahead and organise it JJJ, for which I you, then I would do some research on prices say up to £150 for tracking, availabitlity of circuits make a short list of three or four places and dates post them up here as a poll and go with the majority. I personally would not like Brunters, track is braking up, circuit gets a bit boring and there are poor facilities. Mick43 did a sterling job last year but he is racing this season so may not have the time to devote to it. I would suggest getting hold of Paul Golding at LOT and seeing what he can do for us. He knows us and our needs and they did a great job at Rockingham. Any of the circuits should also have enough room/car parking for the non tracking folks to get together anyway.

[Mick43]

there's an ex-VX owner working at Bedford who said he could do a deal for us last year, but we were already sorted with LOT. It may be worth calling Bedford and asking for this ex-VX chap to gain prices and options.

[james141]

Another vote for Bedford from me It is an excellent, safe track and the hospitality is top notch

[Mick43]

there's an ex-VX owner working at Bedford who said he could do a deal for us last year, but we were already sorted with LOT.

It may be worth calling Bedford and asking for this ex-VX chap to gain prices and options.

agree with talking to Paul @ LOT again... he did a great deal for us last year as he booked both days of weekend.

[Angelplayz]

Another vote here for Bedford (I've wanted to do this track for a few years now, but never got round to it) and June/July/August or even September sounds good too!

[techieboy]

I'd love it to be at Bedford, for obvious reasons! Bedford is definitely a mega-safe track but there isn't anything else there (I think that was a complaint about Rockingham) and spectating isn't really encouraged as there is only the hospitality suite in the pitlane that you can really use. That may mean that only people in cars to be tracked will be allowed trackside and others, not so keen to track, may be stuck at the main suite and car park. Proper onsite catering is handy though! A member on another forum enquired about hiring the circuit for exclusive use last year and I *think* he was quoted £10,000 for a late summer day. Can't remember whether that was a weekend but assume it was and not really sure what comes as part of that (instructors, refreshments, etc). So, assuming we could get a decent date, we'd need at least a similar amount of cars to Rockingham to make the cost reasonable. I don't mind giving them a call on Monday to see what they've got to say, if that helps? Still think that doing it under the auspices of LoT probably makes more sense - so stand up anyone with a good relationship with Paul.

[james141]

I'd love it to be at Bedford, for obvious reasons!

Bedford is definitely a mega-safe track but there isn't anything else there (I think that was a complaint about Rockingham) and spectating isn't really encouraged as there is only the hospitality suite in the pitlane that you can really use. That may mean that only people in cars to be tracked will be allowed trackside and others, not so keen to track, may be stuck at the main suite and car park. Proper onsite catering is handy though!

A member on another forum enquired about hiring the circuit for exclusive use last year and I *think* he was quoted £10,000 for a late summer day. Can't remember whether that was a weekend but assume it was and not really sure what comes as part of that (instructors, refreshments, etc). So, assuming we could get a decent date, we'd need at least a similar amount of cars to Rockingham to make the cost reasonable.

I don't mind giving them a call on Monday to see what they've got to say, if that helps? Still think that doing it under the auspices of LoT probably makes more sense - so stand up anyone with a good relationship with Paul.

Thats true about the spectators, allthough you can see a fair bit from the pit lane as long as they will let spectators up there.

£10k is nearly doable if we had the GT circuit and 60 cars @£150 that makes £9k that is about the going cost for a summer GT day there IIRC

It would be good if we could get LOT to organise it again