Rallycross - Knockhill - Sunday 30th May

Rallycross - Knockhill - Sunday 30th May

Author
Discussion

mcecm

Original Poster:

674 posts

274 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
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Anybody else going? Planning going up from Edinburgh. Does anybody know what the Forth Bridge queues are going to be like? I've heard horror stories of 1 hour delays but others say it was ok.

renny

206 posts

246 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
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The traffic is not too bad in the morning if you get up for practice (about 09:00) and the return is fine if you come down to the FRB via Dunfermline and Rosyth (avoiding the M90 altogether).

On the F3 weekend I got home (N Queensferry) without any delays by taking this route, whilst there were reports of 60min delays both ways for the bridge.

davefiddes

846 posts

267 months

Tuesday 25th May 2004
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That's what I did at the F3 meeting and it worked both days. Getting up early is the only way to avoid the queues coming from the Edinburgh side of the bridge. Leave it till late morning/early lunchtime and it's pretty bad.

I'm definitely going. It was a cracking meeting last year with some spectacular machinery and good racing....hopefully they can keep the dust down on the shale again!

zeolite

5 posts

246 months

Wednesday 26th May 2004
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Definately going. Best event of the year IMHO

mcecm

Original Poster:

674 posts

274 months

Friday 28th May 2004
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So what lap do they use? Is it down Duffus then off road? Anyone got reccomendations for spectating spots?

davefiddes

846 posts

267 months

Friday 28th May 2004
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Yep. Basically. The go round the top of Duffus then half way down they turn hard right into a hairpin at the start of the shale section which weaves round the back of the hill to rejoin in the middle of railway straight. They don't use the hairpin but just head up the hill with some fantastic 4 wheel powerslides as they rejoin the main straight.

The best place to watch is the middle of the circuit. I was right up at the inside of the hairpin in the middle of Duffus last year. You get a virtually 360 degree view of the action as they come off the tarmc and onto the loose stuff. There are other good places to watch the action on the shale section and the start/finish is pretty good too.

As the races are only 3 laps there usually a lot going on. Tactical driving in rallycross seems to be get in front and stay in front and don't cook the tyres!

mcecm

Original Poster:

674 posts

274 months

Tuesday 1st June 2004
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Had a great time, nice weather too! Shame that it finished early, why didn't they just spray the off road section with water again? Nevermind! The earlier action was enough to make me go again.

davefiddes

846 posts

267 months

Wednesday 2nd June 2004
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mcecm said:
Shame that it finished early, why didn't they just spray the off road section with water again?


The KH water bowser (an ex muck spreader) broke down which left them with not very many options as their other water tanks were too puny for the job (didn't stop them trying though). Bit of a shame really. I hope KH get it sorted for next year...

zeolite

5 posts

246 months

Wednesday 2nd June 2004
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Actually 2 water bowsers broke! When the competitors said it was too dusty to see they were watering the track. However when the first bowser got a puncture they sent for the backup and it broke it's PTO. So that was that. they hung on to see if it would rain but no joy.

Bad luck really.

gdr

589 posts

267 months

Wednesday 2nd June 2004
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They should have been there on Saturday morning if they wanted rain. Had a track day with SIDC crowd. It was a p!ssing down - credit to all concerned only a few minor slides into the bog and no major mishaps. Rallycross boys would have loved it.

davefiddes

846 posts

267 months

Wednesday 2nd June 2004
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That'll have been an handful in the wet with the Ultima! I'll bet the scooby guys were happy though.

gdr

589 posts

267 months

Thursday 3rd June 2004
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davefiddes said:
That'll have been an handful in the wet with the Ultima! I'll bet the scooby guys were happy though.

It was not happy in the wet - no front end grip at all. Needs a more skillful driver than me to make it go quick in these conditions. A brake bias knob would have been useful as I was having to brake 1/2 way down the straights to avoid embarassment. Couple of big moments when rear let go under power too. But good things were a) it didn't leak and b) I didn't crash. And towards end of session it dried out and the car was transformed, braking & handling spot on and I got a few quickish laps which restored confidence. SIDC are top bunch.

zeolite

5 posts

246 months

Thursday 3rd June 2004
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I was at the SIDC day and I saw the Ultima and was wondering why it didn't get opened up
Nice sound though!

davefiddes

846 posts

267 months

Thursday 3rd June 2004
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gdr said:
SIDC are top bunch.


Sounds like it. I'm kicking myself for not coming up to watch. Must get myself organised and get out on track now that my car is a bit more run in too.

gdr

589 posts

267 months

Thursday 3rd June 2004
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Dave
Let me know if you hear of any KH trackdays other than SIDC which would take Ultima. I might try the next Hot Marques. SIDC back in July (unfortunately during my hols). Hot Hatch trackdays apparently to be avoided, too many nutters.

davefiddes

846 posts

267 months

Thursday 3rd June 2004
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Other folk on here have mentioned the Dreadnought track evenings which are supposed to be pretty quiet and reasonably priced. See www.dreadnought-tvr.co.uk/ for contact details. There's on towards the end of this month I think.

BrianJ

256 posts

249 months

Friday 4th June 2004
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On Trackdays, you must try them if you haven't already Do avoid Hot Hatch days. Knockhill's Hot Marques are being more tightly controlled after complaints. My experience of SIDC, Dreadnought and Glenvarigill days/evenings all excellent.

Brian (Another Scottish PHer - ex-Elise, now Noble)

fergusd

1,247 posts

277 months

Saturday 5th June 2004
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Aye . . . dreadnought evenings are great, track is usually very quiet . . . good price to . . . I plan to be at the next one . . . ;-)

Fd

gdr

589 posts

267 months

Saturday 5th June 2004
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fergusd said:
Aye . . . dreadnought evenings are great, track is usually very quiet . . . good price to . . . I plan to be at the next one . . . ;-)

Fd


Me too. Might see some of you chaps there then. Hope its dry, had enough of honing my wet weather technique last time (with little success).

fergusd

1,247 posts

277 months

Sunday 6th June 2004
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Time and you permitting . . . I'd love a couple of pax laps in your Ultima . . . one of my objectives to owb one of these machines . . .

Fd