Discussion
I have been invited to Castle Coombe for a track day. This will be my first go on the track so any advice from Castle Coombe vets would be great.
What I really want to know though is, will I be able to beat my mates 4.0 chim round the circuit or is he going to have me on the straights?
What I really want to know though is, will I be able to beat my mates 4.0 chim round the circuit or is he going to have me on the straights?
Yeah.
Point the car the right way round the track and keep it shiny side up
If you see lots of people in shiny/reflective tops waving madly at you, just keep driving. They are just enthusiastic fans
If they try to "herd" you in, either drive for a gap outta there or abandon the car and run for the hills
Ps you should kill the chim (if it's a twisty course)
Point the car the right way round the track and keep it shiny side up
If you see lots of people in shiny/reflective tops waving madly at you, just keep driving. They are just enthusiastic fans
If they try to "herd" you in, either drive for a gap outta there or abandon the car and run for the hills
Ps you should kill the chim (if it's a twisty course)
Take it easy into Quarry, seen a lot of accidents there. Past the main start/finish strait you head into Avon rise, as the car crests that rise it goes light, so if your travelling to quick, you just dont have the braking and you get yourself into trouble.
Take it easy until you are familiar with the course, its not that big or difficult to learn.
Take it easy until you are familiar with the course, its not that big or difficult to learn.
Dragster....
You should be a stand up comedian mate.
Thanks for making me laugh and making my day!!
Interesting advice though, he said it was his first trackday, and if your advice is followed; also his last !!!!
My advice
----------
1) Just remember have fun !!!
2)Wear as narrow shoes as you've got. I did my first Elise Trackday in a pair of walking boots. Christ! I must have nearly pooh'd my pants 5 or six times when I went for the brakes for a rapidly approaching bend and ended up pressing both the accelerator and brake pedal at the same time... You should have seen the look on my passengers face !!!!!!!!
3) Don't follow any type of TVR. I have had all sorts of them lose it on bends in front of me on various trackdays. It's scary flying around a bend being screamed at someone saying 'Don't lift off' or brake and then seeing a TVR Tuscan / Chimera / Griffith doing a 360 in front of you.
4) If you do follow a TVR doing loop the loops. Aim for where he is now, accelerate as hard as you can, take a deep breathe, tense your butt hole and close your eyes. Usually the TVR will have spun out of the way by the time you get there!!!
5) Take some warm clothes. Every trackday I've been on has been bloody freezing !!!!!!!!
6) Have a pooh before you leave home... You can have some scary moments mixed with the great fun.
Regards,
Rich Slaney.
You should be a stand up comedian mate.
Thanks for making me laugh and making my day!!
Interesting advice though, he said it was his first trackday, and if your advice is followed; also his last !!!!
My advice
----------
1) Just remember have fun !!!
2)Wear as narrow shoes as you've got. I did my first Elise Trackday in a pair of walking boots. Christ! I must have nearly pooh'd my pants 5 or six times when I went for the brakes for a rapidly approaching bend and ended up pressing both the accelerator and brake pedal at the same time... You should have seen the look on my passengers face !!!!!!!!
3) Don't follow any type of TVR. I have had all sorts of them lose it on bends in front of me on various trackdays. It's scary flying around a bend being screamed at someone saying 'Don't lift off' or brake and then seeing a TVR Tuscan / Chimera / Griffith doing a 360 in front of you.
4) If you do follow a TVR doing loop the loops. Aim for where he is now, accelerate as hard as you can, take a deep breathe, tense your butt hole and close your eyes. Usually the TVR will have spun out of the way by the time you get there!!!
5) Take some warm clothes. Every trackday I've been on has been bloody freezing !!!!!!!!
6) Have a pooh before you leave home... You can have some scary moments mixed with the great fun.
Regards,
Rich Slaney.
dont encourage me mate. I pi55 too many people off as it is 
Great circuit , spent many a day there!
there are only a few tricky places, that may catch you out. But the main issue is that you will be going a lot faster than you initially think, and this may catch you out. Combe is a very wide circuit, I think one of the widest in the country, and that helps for overtaking.
Just go there for yourself, and if you overtake someone then count it as a bonus...dont bow to peer pressure.
there are only a few tricky places, that may catch you out. But the main issue is that you will be going a lot faster than you initially think, and this may catch you out. Combe is a very wide circuit, I think one of the widest in the country, and that helps for overtaking.
Just go there for yourself, and if you overtake someone then count it as a bonus...dont bow to peer pressure.
you'll have great fun. i did my first trackday there last year with the tvrcc ( yes, alright, i span - but if you don't on your first day you're not trying hard enough, IMO 
).
if you're running a standard s1 you will probably have a run for your money, depending on loopiness factors.
i overtook a 5L griff, not that that's any indication, but it does depend on what has been done to the cars, and how good the drivers are.
after doing the day it made me think i'd never get by anyone in a proper race, though, it's hard enough when people are supposed to yield!
on the day though, there was a 190sport and an exige, and they were very, very, quick
). if you're running a standard s1 you will probably have a run for your money, depending on loopiness factors.
i overtook a 5L griff, not that that's any indication, but it does depend on what has been done to the cars, and how good the drivers are.
after doing the day it made me think i'd never get by anyone in a proper race, though, it's hard enough when people are supposed to yield!
on the day though, there was a 190sport and an exige, and they were very, very, quick
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