Donington with a Morgan roadblock
Discussion
Spent most of Friday watching the back of a variety of Morgans at Donington on a trackday. I guess they were all 'practising' for their race on Saturday but nonetheless i have never seen such a group of rude and ignorant drivers who fail to look behind them and give way to faster cars.
had a few sessions where Morgan drivers were taking a lap and a half to get apst and still then they were not doing it easily.
Shocking driving and they probabaly will say it was them trying to practice for the race and get some laps in but NO EXCUSE.
If anybody knows the agricultural green or the blue/silver ones please give them my best regards and tell them they owe me £100.
had a few sessions where Morgan drivers were taking a lap and a half to get apst and still then they were not doing it easily.
Shocking driving and they probabaly will say it was them trying to practice for the race and get some laps in but NO EXCUSE.
If anybody knows the agricultural green or the blue/silver ones please give them my best regards and tell them they owe me £100.
shim said:
Spent most of Friday watching the back of a variety of Morgans at Donington on a trackday. I guess they were all 'practising' for their race on Saturday but nonetheless i have never seen such a group of rude and ignorant drivers who fail to look behind them and give way to faster cars. had a few sessions where Morgan drivers were taking a lap and a half to get apst and still then they were not doing it easily.
Shocking driving and they probably will say it was them trying to practice for the race and get some laps in but NO EXCUSE. If anybody knows the agricultural green or the blue/silver ones please give them my best regards and tell them they owe me £100.
The first race of the Morgan Challenge was held at Donnington on Saturday. They are a very sweet bunch of people. It is a pity you didn't approach them directly rather than writing here. I am sure they would have welcomed you, fed you, bought you a pint, and helped you with your grammar and spelling.Shocking driving and they probably will say it was them trying to practice for the race and get some laps in but NO EXCUSE. If anybody knows the agricultural green or the blue/silver ones please give them my best regards and tell them they owe me £100.
Lorne
Edited by gomog on Monday 6th April 23:09
SpeedMog said:
gomog said:
I am sure they would have welcomed you, fed you, bought you a pint, and helped you with your grammar and spelling.
and fyi we did go and see them in the paddock and let them know that it was a track day not a race or test day and they seemed to have no idea what we were talking about but somehow that didnt surprise me
anyway i suppose when i get old and deaf and blind i might get a morgan and start a roadblock just to know i am still alive
Being a longish term Morgan owner (13 Years) and a Track day enthusiast (approx 20 trackdays) I can honestly say the worst track day I have ever been involved with in terms of driver etiquete was a Morgan only one. The poor driving was from both those driving slower than the average and not alowing others to pass and from the faster drivers thinking it was some kind of qualifying session. Luckily those in charge hauled us all in and gave us a good talking to. Order was then maintained for the rest of the day.
To be fair to some: If you aren't used to track day driving, either because you race or you haven't done any of track work before, you may not realise how bad you are being. I only got realy hot under the collar when I started to edit the video I took of the event a few months later and realised what people were doing(makes good video though!).
It is with some trepidation that I am attending the Morgan only event at Castle Combe.
If you ask why I am still attending: Morgan people are great the organisation at the events is allways great and you can't let one bad track session put you off.
To be fair to some: If you aren't used to track day driving, either because you race or you haven't done any of track work before, you may not realise how bad you are being. I only got realy hot under the collar when I started to edit the video I took of the event a few months later and realised what people were doing(makes good video though!).
It is with some trepidation that I am attending the Morgan only event at Castle Combe.
If you ask why I am still attending: Morgan people are great the organisation at the events is allways great and you can't let one bad track session put you off.
whyohwhy said:
shim said:
i'll try not to let it cloud my judgement and they did have a nice paddock set up with the wives making tea and cakes, which looked good.
good luck with your td and make sure your headlights are working before you go out!
Were you the guy in the BMW M3?good luck with your td and make sure your headlights are working before you go out!
Nice car BTW
For someone who has never done a trackday , but might well do so - what were the problems referred to?
I always thought that overtaking was an issue for the overtaker. Sure if you are feeling particularly gentelmanly, you could indicate and move aside but no compulsion to do so. And you drive at your own speed even if thats quite a bit slower than others - as it will be on my first outing. After all, you're not racing.
Or was that the problem - Morgan owners racing each other and getting in the way of faster cars?
I always thought that overtaking was an issue for the overtaker. Sure if you are feeling particularly gentelmanly, you could indicate and move aside but no compulsion to do so. And you drive at your own speed even if thats quite a bit slower than others - as it will be on my first outing. After all, you're not racing.
Or was that the problem - Morgan owners racing each other and getting in the way of faster cars?
overtaking on most Uk trackdays are by consent only from the driver in front. this means the driver in front has firstly o recognise that he car behind is going faster (usually the case if he has been caught), secondly indicate that he can be passed, thirdly on a straight move to the right side and back off maybe a little, fourthly let the car past.
so most of the work is done by the car in front really.
most track organisers recognise that all have paid for a days driving and cars behind and quicker shouldnt hassle cars in front or drive recklessly and by retunr cars in front but slower should yield on a straight to let cars past.
This doesnt have to be immediately or they could spend the whole day poncing around on the wrong side of the track BUT it ought to be after 2/3 corners really
The Morgans in question were holding a race line and not allowing cars to pass for lap after lap after lap. They were clearly slower than a whole host of cars and wasting alot of time and hence money of the same guys on that track day.
As 'racers' they should, and probably did, know better and tbh where just plain rude
so most of the work is done by the car in front really.
most track organisers recognise that all have paid for a days driving and cars behind and quicker shouldnt hassle cars in front or drive recklessly and by retunr cars in front but slower should yield on a straight to let cars past.
This doesnt have to be immediately or they could spend the whole day poncing around on the wrong side of the track BUT it ought to be after 2/3 corners really
The Morgans in question were holding a race line and not allowing cars to pass for lap after lap after lap. They were clearly slower than a whole host of cars and wasting alot of time and hence money of the same guys on that track day.
As 'racers' they should, and probably did, know better and tbh where just plain rude
Interesting. I have only been on a couple of track days and don't remember the onus being so heavily on the driver in front to move out of the way. Though that could well be my memory of the events as they each have slightly different rules - but it is plainly good manners and sensible to wave a faster car past.
When testing (for which you need a race licence) there are of course no restrictions on overtaking and generally slower cars are told to keep to the racing line and not jump out of the way if they see a faster car behind (on the basis that the faster car can choose his overtaking point).
Sounds as though there was a lack of understanding on this track day - maybe the briefing wasn't explicit enough. But certainly frustrating when everyone just wants to drive the track at a pace at which they are comfortable.
When testing (for which you need a race licence) there are of course no restrictions on overtaking and generally slower cars are told to keep to the racing line and not jump out of the way if they see a faster car behind (on the basis that the faster car can choose his overtaking point).
Sounds as though there was a lack of understanding on this track day - maybe the briefing wasn't explicit enough. But certainly frustrating when everyone just wants to drive the track at a pace at which they are comfortable.
Shim I agree with your comments regarding correct track day etiquete (sp?). Sometimes I feel track day organizers don't emphasise the responsibilty of the slower car. This can become more obvious with mixed vehicle trackdays where some of the small engined CaterFields are quicker round a lap than most cars but don't have the grunt to overtake the larger engined cars on the straights. Some organizers also say however, that if you feel that you are being held up by slower cars, come into the pits during the session and come backout straight away/when released and you will be in a clearer part of the track. The advantage of that is that if you are behind a whole line of cars you don't have to waist track time passing each one. The problem of course is if there are too many cars on the track you may never get a reasonable series of laps strung together before having to come into the pits!
By the way I speak from the position of someone who is usually one of the slower cars on the track (I can only remember going into the pits to wait for a gap once)!
By the way I speak from the position of someone who is usually one of the slower cars on the track (I can only remember going into the pits to wait for a gap once)!
yep pulling into pits is an option but is usually last resort especially if asessioned day as this was.
much easier to do if open pit lane as you have more time to play with
i think next time i see a load of Morgans in the paddock on a test day i might go over and speak first before the track opens;)
much easier to do if open pit lane as you have more time to play with
i think next time i see a load of Morgans in the paddock on a test day i might go over and speak first before the track opens;)
Don't let the previous comments put you off. I guess for a newbie I would recommend going to a reputable organiser. Going on a day which does sessions (like the Morgan ones) is also a good idea as you will be put in group of like experienced people and there shouldn't be as much chance of really fast cars catching you up.
Looking behind isn't too dificult either.
Just go for it!
Looking behind isn't too dificult either.
Just go for it!
Was there a grading system in operation for things such as
novices
experienced
cars of similar speed etc?
I know this leads to discrete sessions for similar cars as opposed to an open pit lane etc but at least it controls the mix of cars together on the track.
I am morgan owner - only this year - but have been on track days in other cars and seen different set ups etc. the less enjoyable being those with no "seeding" of ability/performance etc. where there have been huge mis-matches of cars/abilities and this leads to frustration.
It pays to go to the better set up days as the more organised track sessions lead to greater enjoyment but at a loss of track time. Gaps between sessions allows the car and driver to recover anyway - brakes to cool, driver to have a break etc
novices
experienced
cars of similar speed etc?
I know this leads to discrete sessions for similar cars as opposed to an open pit lane etc but at least it controls the mix of cars together on the track.
I am morgan owner - only this year - but have been on track days in other cars and seen different set ups etc. the less enjoyable being those with no "seeding" of ability/performance etc. where there have been huge mis-matches of cars/abilities and this leads to frustration.
It pays to go to the better set up days as the more organised track sessions lead to greater enjoyment but at a loss of track time. Gaps between sessions allows the car and driver to recover anyway - brakes to cool, driver to have a break etc
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