Easytrack @ Brands
Discussion
Went to Brands Indy last Friday. First trackday in the Tuscan S ...
Couple of vids from the morning there (they are a little big though):
www.sixspeed.nildram.co.uk/TVR/brands-tuscanS-driveby.wmv
www.sixspeed.nildram.co.uk/TVR/brands-tuscanS-incar.wmv
-andy-
>>> Edited by sixspeed on Tuesday 23 April 01:47
Couple of vids from the morning there (they are a little big though):
www.sixspeed.nildram.co.uk/TVR/brands-tuscanS-driveby.wmv
www.sixspeed.nildram.co.uk/TVR/brands-tuscanS-incar.wmv
-andy-
>>> Edited by sixspeed on Tuesday 23 April 01:47
Deeply jealous of your car sixspeed. drool drool.....
What did you think of the open pit lane in the afternoon, better or worse (after we asked easytrack/brands for it)? Not sure it worked too well, maybe the indy circuit is too small for it?
Amazing how tame paddock looks on screen isn't it. I couln't believe it first time I went into the bend & saw the road disapearing!
>> Edited by Leadfoot on Monday 22 April 21:27
What did you think of the open pit lane in the afternoon, better or worse (after we asked easytrack/brands for it)? Not sure it worked too well, maybe the indy circuit is too small for it?
Amazing how tame paddock looks on screen isn't it. I couln't believe it first time I went into the bend & saw the road disapearing!
>> Edited by Leadfoot on Monday 22 April 21:27
In car setup is a Panasonic NV-DS28 MiniDV camcorder (about £500) and a B-Hague (www.b-hague.co.uk/)suction-mount that was attached to the rear window.
As it's a digital camera, just a case of a firewire port and cable, and used Adobe Premier to pull the video off and encode into .WMV format...
Didn't start off the day as well as that. The in-car session was about my third/forth that day, and I had got the hang of it a bit more by then. I have done about 12 trackdays before in my old MX-5, but that was my first in the Tuscan. First session out, I didn't know the track (not done Brands before) and I didn't know the car and I felt very off the pace and very nervous. But once I worked out where the corners went I was able to work out my lines, and then once that was done, start getting to grips with the car. Felt very capable actually, a lot better than I thought it would be.
More than happy to follow some people around at the next one if you're in the same session. Happy to give a few passenger laps next time too
Oh... and if you listen carefully on the in-car session, I'm sure I can hear the tyres squealing..
Leadfoot, you had the Griffith yes? I have a couple of drive-by shots if so. I'll put that on the webpage as well - just go to www.sixspeed.nildram.co.uk/TVR/ . As for the open-pit - in the end I think the sessions did work out better...
-andy-
>> Edited by sixspeed on Tuesday 23 April 01:47
As it's a digital camera, just a case of a firewire port and cable, and used Adobe Premier to pull the video off and encode into .WMV format...
Didn't start off the day as well as that. The in-car session was about my third/forth that day, and I had got the hang of it a bit more by then. I have done about 12 trackdays before in my old MX-5, but that was my first in the Tuscan. First session out, I didn't know the track (not done Brands before) and I didn't know the car and I felt very off the pace and very nervous. But once I worked out where the corners went I was able to work out my lines, and then once that was done, start getting to grips with the car. Felt very capable actually, a lot better than I thought it would be.
More than happy to follow some people around at the next one if you're in the same session. Happy to give a few passenger laps next time too
Oh... and if you listen carefully on the in-car session, I'm sure I can hear the tyres squealing..
Leadfoot, you had the Griffith yes? I have a couple of drive-by shots if so. I'll put that on the webpage as well - just go to www.sixspeed.nildram.co.uk/TVR/ . As for the open-pit - in the end I think the sessions did work out better...
-andy-
>> Edited by sixspeed on Tuesday 23 April 01:47
I might have to come along on 2nd May - but only to have a look. Think the day is booked up now, and probably couldn't afford another trackday yet. Also, anyone think the evening's are damn expensive?? The website says its running from 18:00 to 20:00 with 3 sessions going out an hour. Unless I've missed something, that means you'll only get two sessions on the track..... for £105???!?!???
Can bring the camcorder though and set it up in a few cars if you want to video your laps?
-andy-
>> Edited by sixspeed on Tuesday 23 April 15:56
Can bring the camcorder though and set it up in a few cars if you want to video your laps?
-andy-
>> Edited by sixspeed on Tuesday 23 April 15:56
Andy..
You've just made my night mate!!
Don't the V8's just sound brilliant down the straight?
I'm in for the day at Silverstone and that's about as far as the budget will allow for now..
As for the open pit lane, well I may get flamed here
but I now read that as 'those with race cars can just stay out as long as they like', sort of cheap testing for them for a race day, as the end result was them having to red flag the course when the queue in the pit lane got too long. I just didn't think that it was in the spirit of things, maybe too naive and only my opinion.
That said, at the end of the day @ 4:30 I enjoyed nearly half an hour on the track, in the sunshine, with virtually no other cars... which was
.
On balance, I preferred the sessions.
Craig
You've just made my night mate!!
Don't the V8's just sound brilliant down the straight?
I'm in for the day at Silverstone and that's about as far as the budget will allow for now..
As for the open pit lane, well I may get flamed here
but I now read that as 'those with race cars can just stay out as long as they like', sort of cheap testing for them for a race day, as the end result was them having to red flag the course when the queue in the pit lane got too long. I just didn't think that it was in the spirit of things, maybe too naive and only my opinion. That said, at the end of the day @ 4:30 I enjoyed nearly half an hour on the track, in the sunshine, with virtually no other cars... which was
. On balance, I preferred the sessions.
Craig
After Friday I reckon the "open pit lane" option only works well at longer circuits. Brands Indy just doesn't have the track space for a reasonable number of cars to be out at once. IMHO
As for some of the less courteous driving
of the racecars after lunch - a couple of them look to have been banned from future Easytrack events. There's a thread about this running on Easytrack's forum at the mo'.
As for some of the less courteous driving
of the racecars after lunch - a couple of them look to have been banned from future Easytrack events. There's a thread about this running on Easytrack's forum at the mo'.Ah no, I should have said that's how I interpret it.
However, a few people have pointed out to me that they are not normally like that. And from what I have read on easytracks' site action has been taken.
I'm sure there are a lot of guys out there with race cars that do enter into the spirit of the day, and this was just a case of the minority spoiling for the majority..
But bear in mind, I did have a GREAT day.. and can't wait for Silverstone in July...
... so I might not... 
However, a few people have pointed out to me that they are not normally like that. And from what I have read on easytracks' site action has been taken.
I'm sure there are a lot of guys out there with race cars that do enter into the spirit of the day, and this was just a case of the minority spoiling for the majority..
But bear in mind, I did have a GREAT day.. and can't wait for Silverstone in July...
... so I might not... 
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