I'm so happy. Castle Combe TWICE!
Discussion
Not only am I doing the Porsche Club Castle Combe Track Day on Easter Satuday (April 19th) and hope to meet some PHers there....
I am doing Castle Combe on Monday 7th with bookatrack (hired their Caterham Superlight).
This should mean I've got enough practice on the circuit to able to scare the holy bejasus out of my sister and her boyfriend when they come along on the 19th.
Woohoo! My cup is full.
Anyone else going either day? I haven't driven CC before although I've spectated there a good deal - any tips from old hands...?
I am doing Castle Combe on Monday 7th with bookatrack (hired their Caterham Superlight).
This should mean I've got enough practice on the circuit to able to scare the holy bejasus out of my sister and her boyfriend when they come along on the 19th.
Woohoo! My cup is full.
Anyone else going either day? I haven't driven CC before although I've spectated there a good deal - any tips from old hands...?
Not only am I doing the Porsche Club Castle Combe Track Day on Easter Satuday (April 19th) and hope to meet some PHers there....
I am doing Castle Combe on Monday 7th with bookatrack (hired their Caterham Superlight).
This should mean I've got enough practice on the circuit to able to scare the holy bejasus out of my sister and her boyfriend when they come along on the 19th.
Woohoo! My cup is full.
Anyone else going either day? I haven't driven CC before although I've spectated there a good deal - any tips from old hands...?
Be careful of the off Camber Quarry Corner and the dip in the Middle of Bobbies, both renowned for un settling the car !!
Leadfoot said: I'll be there in the Griff.
I can 2nd the comment about quarry & also add that Avon rise needs treating with respect, the correct line thru there is a bit odd so I'd recommend a session with an instructor.
Why are you hiring a Caterham instead of using the Boxster??
Therein lies a story. I will be using the Boxster just three weeks later at the PCGB do there. I'm hiring the Caterham for a few reasons:
a) Its a really fun and different car to drive
b) The cost of hiring it is only marginally more than the cost of insuring the BoxsterS. When you take into account the excess its actually cheaper....!!!
c) The reason for (b) is that I get free Track Day insurance thrown in with my road cover - but only for PCGB Track Days. Bookatrack ones aren't covered.
Don, I'd treat Combe with a lot of respect if it's you're first time there.
It's a bit like Goodwood in respect of it being a very fast circuit but with little run off in places. A mate of mine wrote off his Tuscan there a couple of years back.
Re. Caterham I'm sure you'll enjoy the experience (see my profile
) but a Superlight isn't ideally suited to a power circuit like Combe, to fully appreciate it you should be coming along to Folembrey on the PH/Bookatrack weekend
Enjoy!
It's a bit like Goodwood in respect of it being a very fast circuit but with little run off in places. A mate of mine wrote off his Tuscan there a couple of years back.
Re. Caterham I'm sure you'll enjoy the experience (see my profile
) but a Superlight isn't ideally suited to a power circuit like Combe, to fully appreciate it you should be coming along to Folembrey on the PH/Bookatrack weekend Enjoy!
MikeE said: Don, I'd treat Combe with a lot of respect if it's you're first time there.
It's a bit like Goodwood in respect of it being a very fast circuit but with little run off in places. A mate of mine wrote off his Tuscan there a couple of years back.
I think you're right, Mike. I've seen a few rather sobering pictures of cars written off at Quarry...and seen some nasty prangs there on race days too. I'll be careful - but I'm not going to drive like a granny either, of course!
Re. Caterham I'm sure you'll enjoy the experience (see my profile
Enjoy!
I will enjoy, thanks! Yep. If I'd been thinking I'd have gone to Folembray and rented one of Bookatrack's cars. Perhaps next year...
T'was a good day wasn't it. Perfect weather for a track day, sunny for us & cool for the cars. Managed to get a sunburnt face tho'!
I saw your Boxter Don, and you driving the Bookatrack Caterham out on the circuit, but never a Don/Boxster/Cat combination in the pits to say hello to - I think we were in completely opposite sessions.
How did you find the Caterham compared to your motor?
I saw your Boxter Don, and you driving the Bookatrack Caterham out on the circuit, but never a Don/Boxster/Cat combination in the pits to say hello to - I think we were in completely opposite sessions.
How did you find the Caterham compared to your motor?
Leadfoot said: T'was a good day wasn't it. Perfect weather for a track day, sunny for us & cool for the cars. Managed to get a sunburnt face tho'!
I saw your Boxter Don, and you driving the Bookatrack Caterham out on the circuit, but never a Don/Boxster/Cat combination in the pits to say hello to - I think we were in completely opposite sessions.
How did you find the Caterham compared to your motor?
Sorry we didn't get to chat, Leadfoot. The Caterham is a seriously different beast to the Boxster S. For a start although it only has half the poke its about a third the weight - so its chuffin quick!
The grip seems very good as well - although at my level I'm not sure I gave it the full test - still Jonny's tyres looked decidely "scrubbed in" after ahem!
The Caterham is a light, nimble great fun car and I'd have one in a hot second if I didn't need my cars to be compromises (i.e. some semblance of practicality as well as fun).
At least by the later sessions I'd got quick enough not to be holding anyone up. Then I went out in the open pit lane session. Ooops. Not there yet!
Still - I'll look forward to taking the Boxster round Combe on Easter Saturday with the Porsche Club to see how it fares. I reckon it'll be quicker in Folly and Avon Rise as it'll handle the bumps better but slower everywhere else...
glad to hear you're a convert DOn.
...and this is food for thought, BookaTracks Superlight is a 135bhp 1.6 K-Series, image what the (slightly lighter) 190bhp Superlight R and 230bhp R500 go like
If you found you were holding a few people up I image it was probably your relative speed on the straights? As I said Combe is a little fast for a (135bhp) Caterham.
cheers,
Mike.
...and this is food for thought, BookaTracks Superlight is a 135bhp 1.6 K-Series, image what the (slightly lighter) 190bhp Superlight R and 230bhp R500 go like
If you found you were holding a few people up I image it was probably your relative speed on the straights? As I said Combe is a little fast for a (135bhp) Caterham.
cheers,
Mike.
Don
I may well pop up on the day to watch, I'll keep my eyes open for you.
At Last years Porsche day at the Combe a couple of traffic cops turned up just to see what was going on... They proceded to get the radar gun out and measure the speed of the cars coming round Tower, which obviously caused a bit of concern from the drivers.
It was interesting that the 2 coppers had no idea about trackdays and that you could even take your roadcar on the track!
Anyhow have a great day, I'll be the one in the subtle Griff
I may well pop up on the day to watch, I'll keep my eyes open for you.
At Last years Porsche day at the Combe a couple of traffic cops turned up just to see what was going on... They proceded to get the radar gun out and measure the speed of the cars coming round Tower, which obviously caused a bit of concern from the drivers.
It was interesting that the 2 coppers had no idea about trackdays and that you could even take your roadcar on the track!
Anyhow have a great day, I'll be the one in the subtle Griff
Dan said: Don
I may well pop up on the day to watch, I'll keep my eyes open for you.
Be sure to say hello...
At Last years Porsche day at the Combe a couple of traffic cops turned up just to see what was going on... They proceded to get the radar gun out and measure the speed of the cars coming round Tower, which obviously caused a bit of concern from the drivers.
MikeE
Your mate's Tuscan wasn't a tangerine coloured car was it? If so, I was at that track day. Any idea why the car was written off? Although the bodywork looked pretty knackered I'm surprised that the damage was so bad that they had to write off a brand new Tuscan (assuming that it is the same car).
I'll be at Coombe on the PCGB track day next Saturday. Hope to keep it on the track though.
Your mate's Tuscan wasn't a tangerine coloured car was it? If so, I was at that track day. Any idea why the car was written off? Although the bodywork looked pretty knackered I'm surprised that the damage was so bad that they had to write off a brand new Tuscan (assuming that it is the same car).
I'll be at Coombe on the PCGB track day next Saturday. Hope to keep it on the track though.
Hi Don, Combe is my local track so.....
Avon Rise/Quarry - build up to these, remember you're carrying a lot of speed and brake before Avon rise so that you've got the car settled going into Quarry. Aim for the traffic lights you see in front of you going up Avon, that'll give you a good line into Quarry. Don't turn in too early for Quarry or you'll end up on the grass at the exit which increases your chances of spinning.
Once you get your confidence up, you can brake later, but remember the car will be light when you crest Avon, so don't be braking at that point or you probably will lock up.
Depending on gearing, it's often best to leave changing down until you're over Avon as you might find you over-rev if you change down before the crest, as above, don't be doing it ON the crest as any lock ups can be painful and expensive.
The other corner to watch at Combe is Camp corner, the approach down Deans straight is downhill, the exit to Camp is bordered by the pit wall so make sure you get your braking right and in a straight line, mistakes at Camp can be costly.
Combe is an easy circuit to get round, but a difficult one to get round quickly, it rewards tidy driving. You don't need big horsepower to get round Combe quickly, but you should work your way up to things gently.
HTH
Avon Rise/Quarry - build up to these, remember you're carrying a lot of speed and brake before Avon rise so that you've got the car settled going into Quarry. Aim for the traffic lights you see in front of you going up Avon, that'll give you a good line into Quarry. Don't turn in too early for Quarry or you'll end up on the grass at the exit which increases your chances of spinning.
Once you get your confidence up, you can brake later, but remember the car will be light when you crest Avon, so don't be braking at that point or you probably will lock up.
Depending on gearing, it's often best to leave changing down until you're over Avon as you might find you over-rev if you change down before the crest, as above, don't be doing it ON the crest as any lock ups can be painful and expensive.
The other corner to watch at Combe is Camp corner, the approach down Deans straight is downhill, the exit to Camp is bordered by the pit wall so make sure you get your braking right and in a straight line, mistakes at Camp can be costly.
Combe is an easy circuit to get round, but a difficult one to get round quickly, it rewards tidy driving. You don't need big horsepower to get round Combe quickly, but you should work your way up to things gently.
HTH
John Prior said: MikeE
Your mate's Tuscan wasn't a tangerine coloured car was it? If so, I was at that track day. Any idea why the car was written off? Although the bodywork looked pretty knackered I'm surprised that the damage was so bad that they had to write off a brand new Tuscan (assuming that it is the same car).
I'll be at Coombe on the PCGB track day next Saturday. Hope to keep it on the track though.
Not the same car John, this one was a dark green 2000 car with the pre-spider 16" wheels - a real nail before the crash to be honest!
Thanks, Mark. I'm looking forward to my second day next Saturday. Quarry was certainly - errr - exciting. Didn't do it as fast as I was hoping that day...but we'll see what I can do in my Porsche at the end of the week.
What I was doing was braking up the hill and changing down from 6th to 5th (Caterham and a close ratio gearbox) then a trailing throttle over the crest before a firm brake/downchange in a straight line before turn in. I suspect the really fast guys simply lifted up the hill and braked hard but only once before turn in.
The gears being so different on the Boxster should mean I'm only in 5th going up Avon Rise and should probably be able to block change to third under braking.
At least - that's my thinking at the moment...anyone do it differently to that? Remember - I'm still a novice at this, really, and just want to build up pace gradually. I am also determined to keep both myself and the car in one, very shiny, piece!
What I was doing was braking up the hill and changing down from 6th to 5th (Caterham and a close ratio gearbox) then a trailing throttle over the crest before a firm brake/downchange in a straight line before turn in. I suspect the really fast guys simply lifted up the hill and braked hard but only once before turn in.
The gears being so different on the Boxster should mean I'm only in 5th going up Avon Rise and should probably be able to block change to third under braking.
At least - that's my thinking at the moment...anyone do it differently to that? Remember - I'm still a novice at this, really, and just want to build up pace gradually. I am also determined to keep both myself and the car in one, very shiny, piece!
Don said:What I was doing was braking up the hill and changing down from 6th to 5th (Caterham and a close ratio gearbox) then a trailing throttle over the crest before a firm brake/downchange in a straight line before turn in. I suspect the really fast guys simply lifted up the hill and braked hard but only once before turn in.
Quite probably, but if you're in your own car, I would stick with what you know!
Don said:
The gears being so different on the Boxster should mean I'm only in 5th going up Avon Rise and should probably be able to block change to third under braking.
Your ratios will be more widely spaced so I would leave downchanging until after Avon - the wost scenario is that moment's hesitation "will the revs match" followed by a slow and painful over-rev just at the point you crest Avon rise and the car goes light.....
Don said:
At least - that's my thinking at the moment...anyone do it differently to that? Remember - I'm still a novice at this, really, and just want to build up pace gradually. I am also determined to keep both myself and the car in one, very shiny, piece!
Sounds like a plan to me. If you get the chance to have an instructor with you, it's well worth it - they're good guys at Combe, they listen to what you want and give clear instruction. Most are happy to have a chat if you catch them in the cafe when they're 'off duty'.
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