A Mixed Day at Cadwell Park
Discussion
Fantastic Track day at Cadwell on Thursday with Circuit Days.
A horrifically wet track for most of the day and the first time I have driven the MK in the rain. A021s proved to be excellent after I had my doubts that the car would just be too hard and too unsuited!
Was lucky enough to get an hour of dry right at the end of the day so I rushed to get the Formula Renault slicks on and headed out for a session. Extremely grippy!!!
I was buzzing the limiter in 6th down both straights so a 3.38 final drive has been sourced to combat this along with refreshed oil cooler, rear diffuser, some wider rear wheels, wider rear arches (to fit the wheels) and a few other bits in time for Oulton in a few weeks time.
Hope you enjoy the footage...
Wet Laps...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gcFXWue9Q4&t
Dry Laps...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMgj65TKCQc&t
Edited by WillisRR on Tuesday 1st August 12:19
Thanks guys. Was hard work for me haha!
Yeah the damn mirror position was damn terrible!! Ididn't realise till i got home.
Agreed on the music on the first minute of the dry clip. Only meant as a quick intro into the main laps, but when the motor sounds liek it does I guess there is no point haha!
Yeah the damn mirror position was damn terrible!! Ididn't realise till i got home.
Agreed on the music on the first minute of the dry clip. Only meant as a quick intro into the main laps, but when the motor sounds liek it does I guess there is no point haha!
Totally understand that Jim. I often have the same feelings towards it. Luckily I had a 350z track car for Nurburgring, GT drives and winter track fun which made owning the MK applicable. Unfortunately the 350z has now been replaced with a 3 series as two seats wont cut it with a baby on the way! Hope to replace it early next year with a 335i or M3 in time for the annual Nurburgring pilgrimage!
What are you thinking of replacing it with as I find it tricky to know what I would want next? Exige, k20 Elise, f20c E30 BMW, E46/90 M3, mega powered Evo, 997 911 or Cayman all tickle my fancy! Still think MX5s take some beating for £ / fun.
My MK has a 2010 CBR1000rr motor setup. I have to run a mental final drive to keep up with the busa brigade mind haha! The engine was gifted to me...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt31xwpLZ2A&t
What are you thinking of replacing it with as I find it tricky to know what I would want next? Exige, k20 Elise, f20c E30 BMW, E46/90 M3, mega powered Evo, 997 911 or Cayman all tickle my fancy! Still think MX5s take some beating for £ / fun.
My MK has a 2010 CBR1000rr motor setup. I have to run a mental final drive to keep up with the busa brigade mind haha! The engine was gifted to me...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gt31xwpLZ2A&t
Edited by WillisRR on Tuesday 1st August 11:06
Yes Jim! Really are brilliant all rounders and makes complete sense. I bought the 350z late last year and the MK literally sat unloved for the last 8 months because I fell in love with the practicality of a 'normal' car. Something massively appealing about only having to take a helmet to a track day instead of trailering with all spares/gazebo etc.
Hehe I went out expecting to hate it in the wet but wow what a rush!! One of the most rewarding sessions I have done.
Bang on that mate. 1:40. Hope to improve this next time quite easily with a proper gear ratio and more seat time. I only had two sessions with the slicks at the end of the day and temps kept rocketing on the straights as i buzzed the limiter. Not to sound like a list of excuses haha.
Hehe I went out expecting to hate it in the wet but wow what a rush!! One of the most rewarding sessions I have done.
Bang on that mate. 1:40. Hope to improve this next time quite easily with a proper gear ratio and more seat time. I only had two sessions with the slicks at the end of the day and temps kept rocketing on the straights as i buzzed the limiter. Not to sound like a list of excuses haha.
Edited by WillisRR on Tuesday 1st August 12:22
Haha sorry to say i was setting within a second of the same time on semis... was just much easier on the slicks. As said, I was only just starting to scratch the surface of their ability.
A 1:50 takes some doing regardless!
Have managed a 1:48 in an 87hp Mazda mx5 at Cadwell on slicks and a 1:52 on semis.
The zetec MK was 1:44s but I was still massively learning the circuit then... not that I know it now as I have so much to learn! I think the car with the Fireblade motor has a 1:36 in it eventually, that is my aim anyways!
The 350z recorded a 8:37 with some traffic. A 8:29 is brilliant!! Absolute joy to drive! I ADORE Nurburgring...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL0NyyXFCy427Hy6a...
A 1:50 takes some doing regardless!
Have managed a 1:48 in an 87hp Mazda mx5 at Cadwell on slicks and a 1:52 on semis.
The zetec MK was 1:44s but I was still massively learning the circuit then... not that I know it now as I have so much to learn! I think the car with the Fireblade motor has a 1:36 in it eventually, that is my aim anyways!
The 350z recorded a 8:37 with some traffic. A 8:29 is brilliant!! Absolute joy to drive! I ADORE Nurburgring...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PL0NyyXFCy427Hy6a...
iguana said:
WillisRR said:
The 350z recorded a 8:37 with some traffic. A 8:29 is brilliant!! Absolute joy to drive! I ADORE Nurburgring...
That's good pace if you left it in top gear for the whole lap or something, tad lacking by a minute or so otherwise.
t the armco and be lumped with a several thousand € bill, stranded 600 miles from home with a fked car, thanks very much...Bully for you, your sub 7.30 BTG is bloody quick, wow! You're my hero!!!
Us sensible people aren't chasing times for a non existant prize, especially on TF!
Put simply, it's risk vs reward for me at Nordschleife. I never actively time at the Nurburgring. At UK circuits I will push and give it 10/10s because you can learn how to drive a short UK track defensively much faster... TF Nurburgring laps I just potter about enjoying the place at 6-7/10s for same reasons Jim has given. Plus traffic and many yellows really did put a stop to anything.
Would love to book a track day there and trailer the car over, the risk vs reward sure does change then. That said, I have only been twice, once in an 87hp mx5 and once in a virtually stock 350z. At this point I don't go to learn how to drive the Nordschleife fast, I go to learn how to drive it safely (boring I know
).
Would love to book a track day there and trailer the car over, the risk vs reward sure does change then. That said, I have only been twice, once in an 87hp mx5 and once in a virtually stock 350z. At this point I don't go to learn how to drive the Nordschleife fast, I go to learn how to drive it safely (boring I know
).Edited by WillisRR on Wednesday 2nd August 09:44
Excuse the slight aside but am thinking of going to Cadwell for the first time and just wondered if there are any parts that might bite a first timer? I'll be there in an old E30 BMW, with a view to having fun as opposed to ultimate lap times. Any pointers would be appreciated as it's a bloody long way from Cornwall. 
e21Mark said:
Excuse the slight aside but am thinking of going to Cadwell for the first time and just wondered if there are any parts that might bite a first timer? I'll be there in an old E30 BMW, with a view to having fun as opposed to ultimate lap times. Any pointers would be appreciated as it's a bloody long way from Cornwall.
All of it! That's why it's so awesome! iguana said:
e21Mark said:
Excuse the slight aside but am thinking of going to Cadwell for the first time and just wondered if there are any parts that might bite a first timer? I'll be there in an old E30 BMW, with a view to having fun as opposed to ultimate lap times. Any pointers would be appreciated as it's a bloody long way from Cornwall.
All of it! That's why it's so awesome! 
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