Croft in a slow(er) car?
Discussion
I have a stock MR2 which isn't very quick, and would like some opinions on how well suited it would be for croft please?
I've done a few days now, I thought Cadwell and Oulton were by far the best for the car, Donington is local so have been 3 times but it always feels a little numb in the MR2
I've done a few days now, I thought Cadwell and Oulton were by far the best for the car, Donington is local so have been 3 times but it always feels a little numb in the MR2
Edited by BackUpTerry on Saturday 1st July 21:09
BackUpTerry said:
I have a stock MR2 which isn't very quick, and would like some opinions on how well suited it would be for croft please?
I've done a few days now, I thought Cadwell and Oulton were by far the best for the car, Donington is local so have been 3 times but it always feels a little numb in the MR2
Croft is absolutely a fine track. We've done it in our MX-5 NC1 which had only been moderately "warmed up" with a BLiNK modification and shared the track with all manner of "supercars".I've done a few days now, I thought Cadwell and Oulton were by far the best for the car, Donington is local so have been 3 times but it always feels a little numb in the MR2
Edited by BackUpTerry on Saturday 1st July 21:09
Track days aren't just about smashing' land speed records, as you'll know doubt be aware.
If you think the track is too fast for your car, you should try Three Sisters in Wigan......like trying to ride a pushbike around your living room.
All cars are suited to all tracks. For me, it's all about the fun factor...
Cadwell is a particularly good track for those of us without a 200 mph top speed and a gazillion bhp for a number of reasons:
1. It is interetsing - it is in a natural bowl in the Wolds, so goes up and down hill and you cannot see more than half the track from anywhere on it.
2. There are no long boring straights - my car's top speed achieved is 15 mph slower at Cadwell compared to Snetterton or Donington, and even the longest straight has a curve in it and goes down and then up, with a fairly tight bend at each end.
3. There are 14 bends in 2.1 miles - total bliss.
4. Once you have learnt WTF if it goes next, it actually flows rather nicely.
5, Being in north Lincolnshire it is cheaper than other MSV tracks, but being MSV it is properly maintained and well run.
6. The food in the caff is decent and you can get fuel on track.
7. It's not yet another converted airfield.
Here's a clip of an MX5 following me around a few years ago. I wasn't concentrating, as you can tell
, but it gives you an idea of the geography
Cadwell clip
For reference, I was doing just over 100mph at the end of the start finish straight.
1. It is interetsing - it is in a natural bowl in the Wolds, so goes up and down hill and you cannot see more than half the track from anywhere on it.
2. There are no long boring straights - my car's top speed achieved is 15 mph slower at Cadwell compared to Snetterton or Donington, and even the longest straight has a curve in it and goes down and then up, with a fairly tight bend at each end.
3. There are 14 bends in 2.1 miles - total bliss.
4. Once you have learnt WTF if it goes next, it actually flows rather nicely.
5, Being in north Lincolnshire it is cheaper than other MSV tracks, but being MSV it is properly maintained and well run.
6. The food in the caff is decent and you can get fuel on track.
7. It's not yet another converted airfield.
Here's a clip of an MX5 following me around a few years ago. I wasn't concentrating, as you can tell
, but it gives you an idea of the geographyCadwell clip
For reference, I was doing just over 100mph at the end of the start finish straight.
Croft is on my list and I'm driving a Suzuki Swift, so good to hear it'll be a good track.
I did three sisters recently and it was hilarious, at best you'll get into 4th for a few seconds 🤣 There were a few mx5s there going very well. Think spaghetti dropped on a pan lid.
Donny is my local but not been in the car yet, though have been several times on a motorbike. Not sure if I'll feel disappointed at donny because it's a fast open track, which is fine on a bike or fast car. Hopefully I'll get to cadwell and croft soon.
I did three sisters recently and it was hilarious, at best you'll get into 4th for a few seconds 🤣 There were a few mx5s there going very well. Think spaghetti dropped on a pan lid.
Donny is my local but not been in the car yet, though have been several times on a motorbike. Not sure if I'll feel disappointed at donny because it's a fast open track, which is fine on a bike or fast car. Hopefully I'll get to cadwell and croft soon.
only done croft once (its a long way north for me) but the jim clark esses and sunny in and sunny out are both epic fun. also tower is a decent corner too.
the bit at the start of the lap is a bit weird, but ok. i vividly remember chasing a honda civic type r which we were driving a ratty old BMW 328i - we were way faster through the corners, but civicboy refused to lift on the straights so we were stuck behind him for some time.
still, fun track. would like to go there again someday for sure.
the bit at the start of the lap is a bit weird, but ok. i vividly remember chasing a honda civic type r which we were driving a ratty old BMW 328i - we were way faster through the corners, but civicboy refused to lift on the straights so we were stuck behind him for some time.
still, fun track. would like to go there again someday for sure.
QBee said:
Is Croft harder on tyres than most tracks?
I have a few tracks still on my "before I stop doing track days" list, and Croft and Oulton Park are the top two of them.
No problem with tyres at Croft. You must get to Oulton - fantastic circuit I have a few tracks still on my "before I stop doing track days" list, and Croft and Oulton Park are the top two of them.
Problem was that Porsche's set-up for track use. Excessive camber angles due to insufficient roll stiffness and the wrong tyres. Typical problem of using a standard road car on circuits.
Most of our tyres reach end-of-life due to heat cycling not wear (currently R888R but AR1 next). Tyres on both E30 and M3 were fine at Croft. But they are set-up for track use.
bigothunter said:
QBee said:
Is Croft harder on tyres than most tracks?
I have a few tracks still on my "before I stop doing track days" list, and Croft and Oulton Park are the top two of them.
No problem with tyres at Croft. You must get to Oulton - fantastic circuit I have a few tracks still on my "before I stop doing track days" list, and Croft and Oulton Park are the top two of them.
Problem was that Porsche's set-up for track use. Excessive camber angles due to insufficient roll stiffness and the wrong tyres. Typical problem of using a standard road car on circuits.
Most of our tyres reach end-of-life due to heat cycling not wear (currently R888R but AR1 next). Tyres on both E30 and M3 were fine at Croft. But they are set-up for track use.
QBee said:
Thanks - mine has sufficient extra negative front camber to not excessively wear the tyres on track, but still be fine on road. I will give both a go when the car is back on the road again.
Are you the TVR chap we met at Snetterton back in 2014? We had the dark red Sierra V8. If so, hello again 
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