Gravel pit - CLEAN YOUR CAR - Donington evening 23/08/21
Discussion
Just got home from an evening track day at Donington with Opentrack. It was a bit busy and a couple too many red flags but otherwise a really enjoyable evening.
But....
Just before the end a scruffy white Ginetta G40 ended up in the gravel at Redgate and needed a tow back to the pits. No harm done but the owner must have just put the car on his trailer without another thought. Unfortunately I followed it of the circuit and at the roundabout just as you're driving out of the circuit a shower of gravel came bouncing off the trailer. Massive chip in my windscreen, smashed headlight and several large stonechips on my bonnet. (I was in the yellow Westfield)
To say I'm pi%%ed is putting it mildly. You accept when you go on a track that you may suffer damage to your car. But I do not accept that down to the irresponsible and lazy way which the car was packed up, that I should suffer damage on the way home. Unfortunately, even if I could trace the owner, how could I prove that they were responsible?
This is now going to cost me quite a lot to get fixed, thankfully my MOT was last week so I have a little time.
If you end up in the gravel, can you ensure that you remove all the gravel from your car before driving it. And if you are trailering your car, use a little common sense and don't leave loose gravel on your trailer.
But....
Just before the end a scruffy white Ginetta G40 ended up in the gravel at Redgate and needed a tow back to the pits. No harm done but the owner must have just put the car on his trailer without another thought. Unfortunately I followed it of the circuit and at the roundabout just as you're driving out of the circuit a shower of gravel came bouncing off the trailer. Massive chip in my windscreen, smashed headlight and several large stonechips on my bonnet. (I was in the yellow Westfield)
To say I'm pi%%ed is putting it mildly. You accept when you go on a track that you may suffer damage to your car. But I do not accept that down to the irresponsible and lazy way which the car was packed up, that I should suffer damage on the way home. Unfortunately, even if I could trace the owner, how could I prove that they were responsible?
This is now going to cost me quite a lot to get fixed, thankfully my MOT was last week so I have a little time.
If you end up in the gravel, can you ensure that you remove all the gravel from your car before driving it. And if you are trailering your car, use a little common sense and don't leave loose gravel on your trailer.
Sorry to hear the damage op ruins the day especially when it happened off track as well.
I was there tonight also, there was a few ‘offs’ early on seemed to be alright towards the end.
Thought the driving on track wasn’t to bad everyone seemed to be on the ball letting people past etc, just one moron who was doing the sighting laps about 2 foot off my bumper.
Some proper fast and well set up cars, fast group of e90 m3’s, I was in my new to me standard m140 was keeping on the straight with them but under braking and corners I didn’t stand a chance! A very fast m2 out as well. First mod is brakes they are pretty poor on track tbh.
I was there tonight also, there was a few ‘offs’ early on seemed to be alright towards the end.
Thought the driving on track wasn’t to bad everyone seemed to be on the ball letting people past etc, just one moron who was doing the sighting laps about 2 foot off my bumper.
Some proper fast and well set up cars, fast group of e90 m3’s, I was in my new to me standard m140 was keeping on the straight with them but under braking and corners I didn’t stand a chance! A very fast m2 out as well. First mod is brakes they are pretty poor on track tbh.
Glenn63 said:
Sorry to hear the damage op ruins the day especially when it happened off track as well.
I was there tonight also, there was a few ‘offs’ early on seemed to be alright towards the end.
Thought the driving on track wasn’t to bad everyone seemed to be on the ball letting people past etc, just one moron who was doing the sighting laps about 2 foot off my bumper.
Some proper fast and well set up cars, fast group of e90 m3’s, I was in my new to me standard m140 was keeping on the straight with them but under braking and corners I didn’t stand a chance! A very fast m2 out as well. First mod is brakes they are pretty poor on track tbh.
Was yours the one with the M140I plate, or I think it saw a blue one too? I was there tonight also, there was a few ‘offs’ early on seemed to be alright towards the end.
Thought the driving on track wasn’t to bad everyone seemed to be on the ball letting people past etc, just one moron who was doing the sighting laps about 2 foot off my bumper.
Some proper fast and well set up cars, fast group of e90 m3’s, I was in my new to me standard m140 was keeping on the straight with them but under braking and corners I didn’t stand a chance! A very fast m2 out as well. First mod is brakes they are pretty poor on track tbh.
Donington is a great track, plus living in Derby it's local to me. But my road focused low power Westfield does feel a bit lost on it! There were some quick cars and I spent a little too much time watching the mirrors and keeping out of the way meaning I couldn't get the flow round the track. Towards the end of the session it was a bit quieter on track and much easier to put some good laps together.
Just frustrated that the evening ended in a bad way, simply as someone didn't think to clear the gravel of their car before loading it on a trailer.
No I was in a white one, I saw the orange m140 plate one come on a trailer but never saw it on track thought it may have been highly modified and I wanted to a have a play with it 
My last session was about 7:15 and it was pretty quiet on track didn’t catch anyone and no one caught me was the best session of the day to try and properly get to grips with the track, only my second time there and the first was about 5 years ago!
My last session was about 7:15 and it was pretty quiet on track didn’t catch anyone and no one caught me was the best session of the day to try and properly get to grips with the track, only my second time there and the first was about 5 years ago!
E-bmw said:
Glenn63 said:
First mod is brakes they are pretty poor on track tbh.
Don't forget brake cooling also, it will help to allow you to use them better.OP commiserations, sounds like a s
t situation. Must make a note of that next time I'm out.Krikkit said:
E-bmw said:
Glenn63 said:
First mod is brakes they are pretty poor on track tbh.
Don't forget brake cooling also, it will help to allow you to use them better.OP commiserations, sounds like a s
t situation. Must make a note of that next time I'm out.Krikkit said:
OP commiserations, sounds like a st situation. Must make a note of that next time I'm out.
Thanks, it's a bit st situation. Must make a note of that next time I'm out.t happens now. But my main reason for posting is spot on with what you said. To highlight the need to ensure that the gravel has been cleared out, and that there is nothing lose on the trailer.Hopefully that will prevent this happening to someone else
If you’ve ever buried your car in any gravel (as I also have at Donnington) you’ll know that it takes about 3 years to get all of it off the car, it sits in the suspension, undertrays, exhaust heat shield, in grilles, in brake backing plates, in control arms, in bumpers, in battery trays… shall I go on?
It sucks picking up damage on your car, I feel for you, but in the same respect you’ll stop worrying about the aesthetics if you push hard enough anyway as the gravel is almost a rite of passage.
Also, you 100% certain it was that ginetta? Not a touch from earlier? Or another car from all the many red flags that happen at donnington every session?
It sucks picking up damage on your car, I feel for you, but in the same respect you’ll stop worrying about the aesthetics if you push hard enough anyway as the gravel is almost a rite of passage.
Also, you 100% certain it was that ginetta? Not a touch from earlier? Or another car from all the many red flags that happen at donnington every session?
1781cc said:
If you’ve ever buried your car in any gravel (as I also have at Donnington) you’ll know that it takes about 3 years to get all of it off the car, it sits in the suspension, undertrays, exhaust heat shield, in grilles, in brake backing plates, in control arms, in bumpers, in battery trays… shall I go on?
It sucks picking up damage on your car, I feel for you, but in the same respect you’ll stop worrying about the aesthetics if you push hard enough anyway as the gravel is almost a rite of passage.
Also, you 100% certain it was that ginetta? Not a touch from earlier? Or another car from all the many red flags that happen at donnington every session?
The OP said he suffered the damage to his car as he left the circuit.It sucks picking up damage on your car, I feel for you, but in the same respect you’ll stop worrying about the aesthetics if you push hard enough anyway as the gravel is almost a rite of passage.
Also, you 100% certain it was that ginetta? Not a touch from earlier? Or another car from all the many red flags that happen at donnington every session?
1781cc said:
If you’ve ever buried your car in any gravel (as I also have at Donnington) you’ll know that it takes about 3 years to get all of it off the car, it sits in the suspension, undertrays, exhaust heat shield, in grilles, in brake backing plates, in control arms, in bumpers, in battery trays… shall I go on?
It sucks picking up damage on your car, I feel for you, but in the same respect you’ll stop worrying about the aesthetics if you push hard enough anyway as the gravel is almost a rite of passage.
Also, you 100% certain it was that ginetta? Not a touch from earlier? Or another car from all the many red flags that happen at donnington every session?
How did your best friend find Donny in his Ginetta?It sucks picking up damage on your car, I feel for you, but in the same respect you’ll stop worrying about the aesthetics if you push hard enough anyway as the gravel is almost a rite of passage.
Also, you 100% certain it was that ginetta? Not a touch from earlier? Or another car from all the many red flags that happen at donnington every session?
MrC986 said:
1781cc said:
If you’ve ever buried your car in any gravel (as I also have at Donnington) you’ll know that it takes about 3 years to get all of it off the car, it sits in the suspension, undertrays, exhaust heat shield, in grilles, in brake backing plates, in control arms, in bumpers, in battery trays… shall I go on?
It sucks picking up damage on your car, I feel for you, but in the same respect you’ll stop worrying about the aesthetics if you push hard enough anyway as the gravel is almost a rite of passage.
Also, you 100% certain it was that ginetta? Not a touch from earlier? Or another car from all the many red flags that happen at donnington every session?
The OP said he suffered the damage to his car as he left the circuit.It sucks picking up damage on your car, I feel for you, but in the same respect you’ll stop worrying about the aesthetics if you push hard enough anyway as the gravel is almost a rite of passage.
Also, you 100% certain it was that ginetta? Not a touch from earlier? Or another car from all the many red flags that happen at donnington every session?
And no, I don’t know anybody with a ginetta
1781cc said:
If you’ve ever buried your car in any gravel (as I also have at Donnington) you’ll know that it takes about 3 years to get all of it off the car, it sits in the suspension, undertrays, exhaust heat shield, in grilles, in brake backing plates, in control arms, in bumpers, in battery trays… shall I go on?
It sucks picking up damage on your car, I feel for you, but in the same respect you’ll stop worrying about the aesthetics if you push hard enough anyway as the gravel is almost a rite of passage.
Also, you 100% certain it was that ginetta? Not a touch from earlier? Or another car from all the many red flags that happen at donnington every session?
A shower of gravel came bouncing off the trailered car as it left the circuit It sucks picking up damage on your car, I feel for you, but in the same respect you’ll stop worrying about the aesthetics if you push hard enough anyway as the gravel is almost a rite of passage.
Also, you 100% certain it was that ginetta? Not a touch from earlier? Or another car from all the many red flags that happen at donnington every session?
I get what you are saying about how long it takes to clear the gravel, but this was dangerous.
I need a new headlight and a new windscreen. It's not about aesthetics, although it is a road car, but it will not pass an MOT in its current state.
My point for raising this was to flag what can happen and increase the awareness and perhaps make other drivers show a bit more care and attention when they load their cars. Many drivers will swerve if they see stones flying towards their car, this can cause an accident.
Evoluzione said:
Burgerbob, can you please try to find out the differences between of, off, loose and lose please.
It would give your posts a lot more gravitas.
Note: Not gravel.
Really? Is there any need?It would give your posts a lot more gravitas.
Note: Not gravel.
The key part of language is to communicate. Did you understand what my post was saying?
I spend all day writing formal letters and to be quite frank, in the evening I'm quite happy letting my phone's corrective text sort out the grammar.
What is the benefit to anyone for you posting patronising messages? If you are that offended by grammatical errors then why read publicly written informal forums? You should focus purely on reading newspapers like The Times which will use editors to correct people's grammar.
If you don't like what I've written, don't read it and keep your opinions to yourself.
My aim in highlighting the damage to my car was to try and prevent it happening to someone else, not to give the opportunity for someone who clearly has nothing better to do than moan about grammar.
Forums are here to encourage people to share and communicate with others. There is no place for people who have nothing better to do than try and take a pop at others.
Edited by Burgerbob on Monday 30th August 11:05
About 5 years ago I had one of my first track days at Donington. Quite a few cars spun off into the gravel, luckily not me as I don’t think I went fast enough to have a spin!
Anyway time to go home and I was in the car with my brother just about to leave the circuit when he suggested I hang back a bit and not follow behind the BMW on the trailer as it had been in the gravel. Didn’t have a clue what he was on about until he explained that he had almost exactly the same experience as you some time previously resulting in a ruined windscreen and badly stone chipped bonnet!
I don’t always remember now but reading your experience has reminded me to do so.
P.S I I understood your thread perfectly well and there was absolutely no need for the pedantry from the other poster.
If we want grammar advice I am sure we can all book a night class session!
Anyway time to go home and I was in the car with my brother just about to leave the circuit when he suggested I hang back a bit and not follow behind the BMW on the trailer as it had been in the gravel. Didn’t have a clue what he was on about until he explained that he had almost exactly the same experience as you some time previously resulting in a ruined windscreen and badly stone chipped bonnet!
I don’t always remember now but reading your experience has reminded me to do so.
P.S I I understood your thread perfectly well and there was absolutely no need for the pedantry from the other poster.
If we want grammar advice I am sure we can all book a night class session!
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