Need more power
Discussion
112 bhp definitely not enough. There were only about three places all the way around Cadwell that I needed the brakes, and I had to use second gear up the Mountain.
Other than that, fabulous. The Golf ran better and better all day, nothing broke or fell off, and I don't think I got in anyone's way too much. Apart from fuel starvation on right hand bends in the fifth session (with the gauge still showing half full - quick trip to a petrol station fixed the problem) I couldn't have had a more perfect introduction to track days.
I don't really want to drive on the road any more. It's boring...
mikeww said:
Glad you had a good time. Sounds like something is wrong though if you only found 3 braking points!
MikeW
Slight exaggeration - but the only places I really had to brake hard were the end of Park Straight, the entry to Mansfield (which I never quite got the hang of - must go back and work on it some more), the Hairpin, and Coppice, where I had to lose more speed than I would have wanted to be able to change down to 3rd without over-revving for the climb up to Charlies. My Golf turned out to be well overgeared for Cadwell, 5th was pretty much unusable and there's a big gap between 3rd and 4th. I tried taking Coppice in 4th but everything went flat (no power below 4500 rpm in a 1600 Golf) and I bimbled round like a little old lady in a Morris Minor. Most embarrassing.
On the plus side, the car felt beautifully stable, it gave me plenty of warning when the tyres were running out of grip, and when I really needed the brakes, they were always there.
I fear this new hobby is going to be horribly addictive.
Before you spend money on the power upgrade have a session or two with an instructor. 
In fact, if you think the car needs more power in your hands invite the instructor to drive for a few laps .....
Oh, and welcome to the world of track days where (as you've found) driving elsewhere just isn't the same.
>> Edited by jeremyc on Thursday 6th May 10:03
In fact, if you think the car needs more power in your hands invite the instructor to drive for a few laps .....
Oh, and welcome to the world of track days where (as you've found) driving elsewhere just isn't the same.
>> Edited by jeremyc on Thursday 6th May 10:03
jeremyc said:
Before you spend money on the power upgrade have a session or two with an instructor.
That sounds like an excellent idea. My fiancee suggested the same thing, but I felt that while I was still trying to get used to the whole idea of circuit driving, and familiarising myself with a car that I had only driven on the road at much lower speeds, an instructor alongside me might have been more information than I could cope with. Looking back, I was probably wrong, and should have taken advantage of the opportunity. But for my next track day - yes, definitely.
I won't be doing anything major to the Golf this year anyway, unless it blows up - I've spent too much on it already...
10'ish years ago we organised a day at cadwell. The evening before in a local pub/B&B one of the guys said that he needed more power from his BDA engined 7. The next days we put an instructor with him.
2 laps later they swap seats, 2 laps late they come back in. The guy 'now in the passenger seat' says "I don't need more power, I need bigger balls!"
Definitly worth it if you haven't done much track driving before, and still worth it if you have!
2 laps later they swap seats, 2 laps late they come back in. The guy 'now in the passenger seat' says "I don't need more power, I need bigger balls!"
Definitly worth it if you haven't done much track driving before, and still worth it if you have!
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