Ring vs Track day
Discussion
HI guys,normally lurk round the TVR/Porsche forums but having being fortunate this year to visit the Ring twice,my first vists ever,i wondered never been on a track day before whether
1 is it harder on the car,and
2 do you get the same buzz and atmosphere at a UK circuit as the ring
Cheers
1 is it harder on the car,and
2 do you get the same buzz and atmosphere at a UK circuit as the ring
Cheers
jvr said:
HI guys,normally lurk round the TVR/Porsche forums but having being fortunate this year to visit the Ring twice,my first vists ever,i wondered never been on a track day before whether
1 is it harder on the car,and
2 do you get the same buzz and atmosphere at a UK circuit as the ring
Cheers
1 is it harder on the car,and
2 do you get the same buzz and atmosphere at a UK circuit as the ring
Cheers
1- uk trackdays a lot harder on car- unless you are a many many many laps under yr belt 'ring god (Other then the Karusell which indeed is very very hard on cars- much harder than anywhere I can think of at any other track)
2- 'ring is unique & nowt to match it, but sheer variety of uk stuff means can pick & chose pretty much what suits you best & go a lot harder in more safety than 'ring.
3- you've gotta try some euro tracks for other unique experiences too.
Edited by iguana on Sunday 10th December 18:19
1) I find the ring is more like a country drive than a trackday, but I still think it is very hard on the car. Why else would BMW, Ford et al use the place to test their road cars?
2) The driving is just as much fun but the atmosphere is no where near the same. You are also unlikely to meet such a wide diversity of cars (stripped out 205s to Porsche Carrera GT) as you do at the ring, and the willingness of everyone to take you for a lap. The ring stands out on its own but is much more dangerous IMHO.
2) The driving is just as much fun but the atmosphere is no where near the same. You are also unlikely to meet such a wide diversity of cars (stripped out 205s to Porsche Carrera GT) as you do at the ring, and the willingness of everyone to take you for a lap. The ring stands out on its own but is much more dangerous IMHO.
Join the forum linked to www.northloop.co.uk and you can ask anything you like to loads of like minded individuals.
Gary
Gary
Firstly I highly recommend Northloop forum for all things ring related, its excellent!
Secondly:
1) There is no massive difference between "ordinary" tracks and the ring except the ring is longer. Therefore where you may do 4-5 laps before you give your car a rest on a conventional track, 1-2 laps of the ring and you may need to take a break before your brakes over heat!! The ring surface is also slightly rougher...but these are generalisms...
2) I don't think there is anything to match the ring because of the variation of the track ( elvations and types of cambers ) and because its so long its difficult to learn. Hence its seen as a bit of a Mecca for car lovers...
Doesn't mean Uk track days aren't fun though!! I'm booked onto a day and Donington soon and I'm very excited!!
Secondly:
1) There is no massive difference between "ordinary" tracks and the ring except the ring is longer. Therefore where you may do 4-5 laps before you give your car a rest on a conventional track, 1-2 laps of the ring and you may need to take a break before your brakes over heat!! The ring surface is also slightly rougher...but these are generalisms...
2) I don't think there is anything to match the ring because of the variation of the track ( elvations and types of cambers ) and because its so long its difficult to learn. Hence its seen as a bit of a Mecca for car lovers...
Doesn't mean Uk track days aren't fun though!! I'm booked onto a day and Donington soon and I'm very excited!!
It all depends how you drive.
Plenty of people go flat out round the Nuerburgring and can put the car under as much stress/strain as any other track. Due to the length of the 'ring you are commited to 22km if you look at it that way... where as if you feel like it on a UK track you can go out for one lap then come in ... 3to4km.
There is no track like the 'ring anywhere else in the world and if I were to choose or to say which is better.... then it would be the 'ring above any other circuit I can think of.
Plenty of people go flat out round the Nuerburgring and can put the car under as much stress/strain as any other track. Due to the length of the 'ring you are commited to 22km if you look at it that way... where as if you feel like it on a UK track you can go out for one lap then come in ... 3to4km.
There is no track like the 'ring anywhere else in the world and if I were to choose or to say which is better.... then it would be the 'ring above any other circuit I can think of.
I would suggest that until you start to really understand the 'ring', which way the track goes, where you can stay flat, brake wear will be reasonably low. You wont be nailing them hard enough to overheat them, you will be dabbing. The track also has a couple of really long no brake areas where your brakes will cool a little. This getting to know the place process takes 30 laps or so. The same process takes around 60 minutes on a UK track
The ring is also alot faster than most UK tracks, second gear is only needed when you leave the cones (IMHO)
The armco is alot closer at the ring (it's also damned expensive)
If you get it wrong at the ring someone will come and releave you of a wad of cash to take you off the track, charge you heavily for the armco and for any track closure time. This isn't to be sniffed at, charges are high.
You can watch from pretty much any point on the ring and wont be charged for the priviledge, it's only the money grabbing brits that do that.
You can get pax laps in all manner of exotica at the ring, it's never a problem.
It is however expensive and once you've been you will be addicted.........
Gary
The ring is also alot faster than most UK tracks, second gear is only needed when you leave the cones (IMHO)
The armco is alot closer at the ring (it's also damned expensive)
If you get it wrong at the ring someone will come and releave you of a wad of cash to take you off the track, charge you heavily for the armco and for any track closure time. This isn't to be sniffed at, charges are high.
You can watch from pretty much any point on the ring and wont be charged for the priviledge, it's only the money grabbing brits that do that.
You can get pax laps in all manner of exotica at the ring, it's never a problem.
It is however expensive and once you've been you will be addicted.........
Gary
Edited by gutmann pug on Wednesday 13th December 13:42
the 'Ring for sure...followed by Spa.
anywhere else is just practicing.
andy
see here
www.tvrmonster.co.uk/video/MonsteratRing.wmv
it was a year or two back, and i think thats bad_roo in the Beamer.
anywhere else is just practicing.
andy
see here
www.tvrmonster.co.uk/video/MonsteratRing.wmv
it was a year or two back, and i think thats bad_roo in the Beamer.
Edited by Guillotine on Saturday 16th December 22:00
Hi there
Well my experience of tracks couldn't be more different. 2 trips to Snetterton and one to the 'ring. With a track like Snetterton you can see all the way round the bends, as a novice will probably brake late and hard (my mate tried very hard to set fire to his) and generally go into what my mate called playstation mode. Its easy to find what you hope are the limits of the car without going over them.
At the ring the elevation changes, likely dampness, proximity of armco, blind bends and sheer volume of mad 911 drivers (as well as the taxi drivers) tends to instill a fear of god into you. I took it nice and easy for my laps despite having a ring expert as a passenger yelling at me 'you should be doing f**king 140 here!' coming up to SX.
my 2pw
Well my experience of tracks couldn't be more different. 2 trips to Snetterton and one to the 'ring. With a track like Snetterton you can see all the way round the bends, as a novice will probably brake late and hard (my mate tried very hard to set fire to his) and generally go into what my mate called playstation mode. Its easy to find what you hope are the limits of the car without going over them.
At the ring the elevation changes, likely dampness, proximity of armco, blind bends and sheer volume of mad 911 drivers (as well as the taxi drivers) tends to instill a fear of god into you. I took it nice and easy for my laps despite having a ring expert as a passenger yelling at me 'you should be doing f**king 140 here!' coming up to SX.
my 2pw
Go to the ring, soak up the atmosphere, chill out with hundreds of like minded people from all over Europe. Drive you car carefully, feeling embarrased at the focus estate which passes you on it's way for a shoping trip in Adenau. Go out in the evening and drink beer and eat steak in a place soaked in history, get passenger laps in what feels to you like lunatic driven cheap clutter ..........
Then a few months later, go back and do it all again
Gary
Then a few months later, go back and do it all again
Gary
gutmann pug said:
Go to the ring, soak up the atmosphere, chill out with hundreds of like minded people from all over Europe. Drive you car carefully, feeling embarrased at the focus estate which passes you on it's way for a shoping trip in Adenau. Go out in the evening and drink beer and eat steak in a place soaked in history, get passenger laps in what feels to you like lunatic driven cheap clutter ..........
Then a few months later, go back and do it all again
Gary
Then a few months later, go back and do it all again
Gary
Sounds familiar
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