I've booked Cadwell!

I've booked Cadwell!

Author
Discussion

Z4MCSL

Original Poster:

548 posts

90 months

Sunday 10th January 2021
quotequote all
Very excited

I'm actually rearranging the date but any tips?

I've only done 3 days at Abingdon and 1 at brands hatch.

I have another Abingdon day booked in for once it reopens..

Cadwell looks really interesting, ups and downs, very narrow.

I've got project cars 2 so will start driving it a lot but any general tips?

Will be in my clio 182 which is relatively standard (whiteline ARB, PMS top mounts and front strut, PMS gear linkage, upratded brakes, pads and lines, half stripped with buckets...that's it)


Thanks

Turn7

24,157 posts

228 months

Sunday 10th January 2021
quotequote all
Gooseneck is way steeper than it loosk....

Hall barns is pretty narrow for cars.

Not yet got my Caterham up there but have been round it on bikes.

Great track.

Some people do get travel sick driving it though.....

nickfrog

21,955 posts

224 months

Sunday 10th January 2021
quotequote all
Good move. After 20 years of talking about it I eventually booked Cadwell a few weeks ago. It's brilliant but very narrow in places. I was first even surprised how narrow the pit lane was but realised it was the track. The Clio will be great in terms of size. It's very good fun but my main tip is to bring a healthy dose of humility and slowly build up the pace.






Edited by nickfrog on Monday 11th January 10:31

andy97

4,742 posts

229 months

Monday 11th January 2021
quotequote all
Get instruction.

Don’t go too quickly, it bites.

E-bmw

9,976 posts

159 months

Monday 11th January 2021
quotequote all
Cadwell is totally epic & VERY VERY infectious.

You will love it but get instruction 100%

Cylon2007

545 posts

85 months

Monday 11th January 2021
quotequote all
Great track, bikes and cars, takes a while to learn but bloody great fun - one of my favourite tracks. Mainly bikes but driven in a car as well.

Steve H

5,783 posts

202 months

Monday 11th January 2021
quotequote all
Clio will go well round there, listen to the advice about tuition.

nickfrog

21,955 posts

224 months

Tuesday 12th January 2021
quotequote all
Damn, I probably should have got an instructor on my first time there in the wet. I was probably scaring myslef at 6/10ths instead....

F12 Josh

820 posts

149 months

Tuesday 12th January 2021
quotequote all
Avoid the grass, if it's wet definitely avoid the grass. smile

In all seriousness just don't try overdo it, majority of my days have been there (Including my first) and as along as you're sensible it will be fine.

Terminator X

16,339 posts

211 months

Tuesday 12th January 2021
quotequote all
nickfrog said:
Good move. After 20 years of talking about it I eventually booked Cadwell a few weeks ago. It's brilliant but very narrow in places. I was first even surprised how narrow the pit lane was but realised it was the track. The Clio will be great in terms of size. It's very good fun but my main tip is to bring a healthy dose of humility and slowly build up the pace.






Edited by nickfrog on Monday 11th January 10:31
Car looks cool

TX.

Steve H

5,783 posts

202 months

Tuesday 12th January 2021
quotequote all
nickfrog said:
Damn, I probably should have got an instructor on my first time there in the wet. I was probably scaring myslef at 6/10ths instead....
I’ve found Cadwell one of the best/easiest places to instruct at.

The drivers are already pre-terrified so they are guaranteed to be paying attention and there’s a bunch of hidden secrets that can transform how you drive the track. They seem obvious once you know them but they can take ages to spot without help.

nickfrog

21,955 posts

224 months

Tuesday 12th January 2021
quotequote all
Steve H said:
I’ve found Cadwell one of the best/easiest places to instruct at.

The drivers are already pre-terrified so they are guaranteed to be paying attention and there’s a bunch of hidden secrets that can transform how you drive the track. They seem obvious once you know them but they can take ages to spot without help.
It's good to hear Steve, I'll probably get a quick sesh with one next time so that I can move up to 6.1 tenths.

Someone here said that his son was an instructor but refused to instruct there as it was too dangerous. That surprised me a little.

Steve H

5,783 posts

202 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
The biggest off I’ve had while instructing was at Cadwell and I have seen plenty of other weird incidents there but I don’t have any issue with working there.

The emphasis can to some extent be about dealing with particular danger points and avoiding common mistakes that can lead to an off but that tends to go hand in hand with going faster anyway.

Yazza54

19,402 posts

188 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
As others have said the main thing is to build up to a comfortable pace and respect the width of the circuit, if you don't it will bite you.

Hall bends is a section that I find very inviting to hammer the car in as fast as possible into the first part but this can make the back end loose as you navigate through the rest of the section, and if it goes wrong there is literally nowhere to go. Hall bends can also be pretty slippery in poor weather.

That's the main part that sticks in my mind, the mountain isn't a big deal you just need to pick a line on entry giving yourself some space and stick to it.

Gooseneck is fantastic, like a rollercoaster ride. You'll want to keep your inputs nice and smooth and feel your way around.

Edited by Yazza54 on Wednesday 13th January 07:36

ESD1711

390 posts

58 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
Drive within yourself. No shame in starting off slow while you get a feel for it.

It’s a track I’ve not had the pleasure of driving yet, but have been round as passenger. It’s quite a place!

Will depend when you’re going and what the weather is like but be careful with the section under the trees just after the mountain through the Hall Bends and hairpin - known a few folk come unstuck there.

Use common sense as you would at any other track, stay humble about your abilities and drive with consideration to others who might have more experience of the place than you.


Mr MXT

7,711 posts

290 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
Great track. As has been said be careful through Hall Bends as there isn’t a great deal of room to save it if it goes wrong before you end up backwards in the wall.

You’ll have a blast compared to an airfield day!

gruffalo

7,686 posts

233 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
Cadwell is my favourite track in the UK.

Get instruction and build up speed gradually, the first time you manage copse flat in 4th will leave a grin on your face for weeks after.


Mr MXT

7,711 posts

290 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
gruffalo said:
Cadwell is my favourite track in the UK.

Get instruction and build up speed gradually, the first time you manage copse flat in 4th will leave a grin on your face for weeks after.
Coppice smile


gruffalo

7,686 posts

233 months

Wednesday 13th January 2021
quotequote all
Mr MXT said:
gruffalo said:
Cadwell is my favourite track in the UK.

Get instruction and build up speed gradually, the first time you manage copse flat in 4th will leave a grin on your face for weeks after.
Coppice smile
Oops, yes of course Coppice

PTF

4,455 posts

231 months

Thursday 14th January 2021
quotequote all
Love buzzing round Cadwell in my MX5. It has naff all power but makes up for it elsewhere.

https://youtu.be/rDUkcMxf6oM