What next after Bedford?

[ajudd]

Hi

Firstly I'm new here, so hello, and secondly hello to anyone who was at Bedford 24th April - I was there in my blue GTO.

Now that I've had a taste of how much fun track days are I'm looking to do more, however the only next Bedford day is in July which I can't make.

So..... I'm looking for recommendations of where else to go the summer instead that's

a. Driveable from central London < 2 hours
b. Good for beginners (and heavy cars with hot brakes!)
c. Not a track with cones around it (I'd like it feel like a race track)

I've been doing a fair amount of research and I've been looking at Silverstone (not too far out of London), Bassingbourne (near Bedford) and Goodwood but would appreciated any tips the gang have here about what and where to go.

Kindest regards

Alex

[DoctorD]

Alex, Donington is an excellent track, very technical and nice when you get it right, good run off areas and corners that require courage and skill to tackle correctly. Get yourself an instructor for the first few sessions and thereafter it's a joy to learn.

[instructor]

I would recommend Goodwood. I had never raced there and was invited to instruct on a trackday there for the first time in March 2003 and I loved the place straight away; since then I have done several trackdays there and will go as often as I get the chance despite the 250 mile three-and-half hour journey from Cheshire! Goodwood is fast, relatively safe, but challenging, has a great mixture of corners and long straights, one with a flat out kink in it that I drove through at 140 MPH in a 911, drifting, with a touch of opposite lock! Here's a pic of me flinging it through Woodcote (there's a Woodcote at Goodwood as well as Silverstone) with a passenger on board - I'm in the left seat as it's a left-hooker: www.timarnold.com/images/911_carrera2_goodwood.JPG

But, the best circuit on our little island (in my opinion) is local to me... if you can live with another hour travelling, Oulton Park in Cheshire is the most demanding, but most satisfying circuit in Britain... they nick-name it 'the mini Nurburgring'... the one drawback is there isn't much room for mistakes in a lot of places there.

Whichever of the two you choose, I would advise getting at least one session of instruction from an ARDS instructor... not only will it help keep your motor in one piece, it will make you a bit quicker and increase your enjoyment substantially.

[DoctorD]

I've shyed away from Goodwood in recent years after starting my racing career there over 20 years ago. It's fast, but there's little run-off areas and an accident there is likely to be a bad one (as I've witnessed myself). I seem to remember that Goodwood was one of the fastest circuits in the country with no really slow corners and plenty of fast ones. Oulton Park is an epic circuit as is Cadwell Park which is perhaps closer to the ideal of a mini-Nurburgring. Closer to London, Brands Hatch can be fun but I prefer the full Grand Prix Circuit which is rarely used these days (especially after they murdered dingle dell).

[Melv]

I'd recommend Goodwood for you as a next step.

However, Oulton my all time favourite in UK, but not a 'beginner's' track, IMNVHO. But don't let that put you off!!

RMA are at Brands Hatch GP June 7. Dingle Dell has been altered again, DrD -'straightened' out for the Yanks last year -can almost be taken as one continuous right-hander.

Mel