Donnington yesterday

Donnington yesterday

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jassihayre

Original Poster:

94 posts

192 months

Tuesday 10th January 2023
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I was at Donnington yesterday and felt it was a really poorly run day. It was like being in a race series with full bumper to bumper action all day. There were red flags pretty much every hour due to people going off. A couple of cars were damaged in the morning and a couple more in the afternoon and the day ended with one being rolled.

TheLoraxxZeus

401 posts

26 months

Tuesday 10th January 2023
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What rolled?

Kswap

191 posts

48 months

Tuesday 10th January 2023
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Donington seems to be the worst. Not sure if it’s always the same TDO. The evenings are even worse.
People were fighting in the pits a year or so ago.

jassihayre

Original Poster:

94 posts

192 months

Tuesday 10th January 2023
quotequote all
It was run by OpenTrack. I got the feeling a lot of the guys were in groups and regulars at the track. I felt the day should have been run in sessions for begginers/ intermediates and experienced / high power cars.

In the morning it was a GR Yaris and I think mx5. Afternoon was a silver EP3 and black car of some sort. Was a grey saloon that was rolled. Think it was a Rover.

anonymous-user

61 months

Tuesday 10th January 2023
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Donington is quite poor for red flags due to the amount of gravel traps, and is very easy to get stuck in a procession if nobody feels like moving over. I've lost count of the amount of times that I've seen 6+ cars stuck behind one or two cars oblivious to those behind. It's a shame as I quite like it as a circuit if you can get a bit of space.

Edited by anonymous-user on Tuesday 10th January 16:04

Kswap

191 posts

48 months

Tuesday 10th January 2023
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I’ve only ever used Opentrack for Anglesey and it’s run very well. Can’t remember the TDO owners name but he’s a nice, approachable guy.
MSV do well run novice days at Donington. Three groups an hour at 20 mins each. Usually two car groups and one bike.

Glenn63

3,107 posts

91 months

Tuesday 10th January 2023
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Opentrack days (run by Dave) have been well run on all the ones Iv been on.
Donington is notorious for incidents especially in the wet, ‘some say’ it’s the planes above dropping fuel on the circuit.
First day of the year maybe people getting over excited.

Krikkit

26,995 posts

188 months

Tuesday 10th January 2023
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Would echo the same thoughts on Opentrack - done a couple of days with them and always run as you'd expect.

I think the Donington fuel slippyness has some merit, it does seem extraordinarily slippy in damp (not wet) conditions...

NoBrakesWC

398 posts

56 months

Tuesday 10th January 2023
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My dad was there yesterday and just said it was great fun. I've been to Donnington a couple times and the times I've been same thing a fair few red flags. With different tdo's as well.

brillomaster

1,396 posts

177 months

Tuesday 10th January 2023
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Standard donington... every corner has a gravel trap, so more red flags as everyone who goes off needs a tow.
Also, redgate to coppice is really one long sweeping section, easy for processions of cars to form
Lastly, its actually quite a short track, so can get quite congested.

If you want a sessioned day then do that. Most msv circuits offer them. Also try bedford... very few gravel traps means there are hardly any red flags, its a very long lap so plenty of space for cars to spread out, and there are plenty of long straights for cars to pass easily.

LowTread

4,455 posts

231 months

Wednesday 11th January 2023
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Last time i was there with Javelin it was rubbish.

Lots of lads with M3s with big wings, jumping out of their cars in the paddock and shouting lap times to their mates, in full view of everyone. Lots of bullying to move over. And very very busy.

Back in 2003-2004 when i it was trackzone (donington's own TD company), it was worse. The highlight/lowlight being a lad in a sierra doing doughnuts in the paddock. Also a Citroen AX GT with a roll cage made of pallet wood.

Dynion Araf Uchaf

4,683 posts

230 months

Wednesday 11th January 2023
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LowTread said:
Last time i was there with Javelin it was rubbish.

Lots of lads with M3s with big wings, jumping out of their cars in the paddock and shouting lap times to their mates, in full view of everyone. Lots of bullying to move over. And very very busy.

Back in 2003-2004 when i it was trackzone (donington's own TD company), it was worse. The highlight/lowlight being a lad in a sierra doing doughnuts in the paddock. Also a Citroen AX GT with a roll cage made of pallet wood.
in certain directions of force, wood is a very strong material...

sanguinary

1,401 posts

218 months

Wednesday 11th January 2023
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Dynion Araf Uchaf said:
LowTread said:
Last time i was there with Javelin it was rubbish.

Lots of lads with M3s with big wings, jumping out of their cars in the paddock and shouting lap times to their mates, in full view of everyone. Lots of bullying to move over. And very very busy.

Back in 2003-2004 when i it was trackzone (donington's own TD company), it was worse. The highlight/lowlight being a lad in a sierra doing doughnuts in the paddock. Also a Citroen AX GT with a roll cage made of pallet wood.
in certain directions of force, wood is a very strong material...
Especially when it breaks free and gives a good wallop to the head!

Hammersia

1,564 posts

22 months

Wednesday 11th January 2023
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LowTread said:
Last time i was there with Javelin it was rubbish.

Lots of lads with M3s with big wings, jumping out of their cars in the paddock and shouting lap times to their mates, in full view of everyone.
Prison is too good for them.

Chunkychucky

6,083 posts

176 months

Wednesday 11th January 2023
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Hammersia said:
LowTread said:
Last time i was there with Javelin it was rubbish.

Lots of lads with M3s with big wings, jumping out of their cars in the paddock and shouting lap times to their mates, in full view of everyone.
Prison is too good for them.
And no doubt these will be the people that 'can't afford to go racing', shame really the comedy value would be immense.

Krikkit

26,995 posts

188 months

Wednesday 11th January 2023
quotequote all
Chunkychucky said:
Hammersia said:
LowTread said:
Last time i was there with Javelin it was rubbish.

Lots of lads with M3s with big wings, jumping out of their cars in the paddock and shouting lap times to their mates, in full view of everyone.
Prison is too good for them.
And no doubt these will be the people that 'can't afford to go racing', shame really the comedy value would be immense.
Yep the scourge of the track days - source of half the red flags and all the aggression

MrNoisy

530 posts

148 months

Wednesday 11th January 2023
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Just wanted to say i've been with opentrack many times and find they are one of the best in all honesty. I have no connection and will book with whoever has a date that works for me but - OT is one of the first sites I check...

It has been getting progressively worse over the last few years for the 'track build' types behaving badly, regardless of track or organiser in my opinion.

PGNSagaris

2,991 posts

173 months

Wednesday 11th January 2023
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Agreed. Dave is a gentleman and his days have always been well run in my experience.


DD3566

87 posts

81 months

Wednesday 11th January 2023
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TheLoraxxZeus said:
What rolled?
MG ZS, looks like it had a cage luckily!

Can also attest to Opentrack events generally being very well run, sounds like they had to send several drivers home due to poor driving standards on the day so at least they are keeping an eye out


Tommie38

803 posts

201 months

Thursday 12th January 2023
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jassihayre said:
It was run by OpenTrack. I got the feeling a lot of the guys were in groups and regulars at the track. I felt the day should have been run in sessions for begginers/ intermediates and experienced / high power cars.

In the morning it was a GR Yaris and I think mx5. Afternoon was a silver EP3 and black car of some sort. Was a grey saloon that was rolled. Think it was a Rover.
If you want sessioned days I’m sure you can find them.
Donny can often be a pain, stuck behind slow cars, red flags etc.