OTHER PARTS TO GO RADICAL WITH
Discussion
You'll find a similar thread to this I've started in the Track Day Forum.
Circumstances allow and I'm of a mind to relocate out of (this over-priced, interfering Nanny State) the UK.
Not quite random thoughts are Northern Ireland/Eire, France perhaps Normandy or well south or well west or Spain.
Associated with this and no surprise at all, my definite preference is to 'keep on tracking', indeed to do more...............and in our dearly loved Radical SR4 : This 'weapon of choice' is salient; not road registered, trailered to track (ideally, wouldn't want to do much more than 100 miles each way), as we all know, best on up to 105 db noise limits, but capable of just about meeting 98 dB running a quiet exhaust.
So where to go? From a cursory surf, France looks favourite in terms of track day locations (although that isn't always that easy to tell as the French often don't feel the need to have a worldwide in English Version), but most seem to be in north eastern France, between Calais and Paris and the Belgian border. 'Problem' is, France is a huge country (compared to our Land of Ants) and over to there from Normandy-ish way. particularly the further west one goes towards Brittany is one heck of a trek.
From the point of view of both people and place, I really love Ireland, but there seem to be very few tracks / Trackday opportunities?
As we all know, with an open to sky Radical, Spain would seem the best of the lot weather-wise, but I simply don't know enough (anything) about Track day opportunities; like France, it is a huge country, albeit the urban bits are generally much more coastal orientated.
Look forward to hearing from anyone who has recent, sound and firsthand knowledge of the locations I have in mind: In the version of this that I've posted under Trackdays, I said "Note recent, sound and firsthand knowledge please; not stuff like "I remember my brother did a Trackday somwhere near Paris about ten years ago and I think he enjoyed it, can't tell you much else". I know us Radical Chaps will stick to facts. Perhaps some of our Irish, French and Spanish Pistonheads / Radical or similar Friends can give some useful input on this, please?
Thanks in anticipation
And let's look on the bright side; if I can pull this off, what fun we can have increasing the Brit Based Radical Web
Circumstances allow and I'm of a mind to relocate out of (this over-priced, interfering Nanny State) the UK.
Not quite random thoughts are Northern Ireland/Eire, France perhaps Normandy or well south or well west or Spain.
Associated with this and no surprise at all, my definite preference is to 'keep on tracking', indeed to do more...............and in our dearly loved Radical SR4 : This 'weapon of choice' is salient; not road registered, trailered to track (ideally, wouldn't want to do much more than 100 miles each way), as we all know, best on up to 105 db noise limits, but capable of just about meeting 98 dB running a quiet exhaust.
So where to go? From a cursory surf, France looks favourite in terms of track day locations (although that isn't always that easy to tell as the French often don't feel the need to have a worldwide in English Version), but most seem to be in north eastern France, between Calais and Paris and the Belgian border. 'Problem' is, France is a huge country (compared to our Land of Ants) and over to there from Normandy-ish way. particularly the further west one goes towards Brittany is one heck of a trek.
From the point of view of both people and place, I really love Ireland, but there seem to be very few tracks / Trackday opportunities?
As we all know, with an open to sky Radical, Spain would seem the best of the lot weather-wise, but I simply don't know enough (anything) about Track day opportunities; like France, it is a huge country, albeit the urban bits are generally much more coastal orientated.
Look forward to hearing from anyone who has recent, sound and firsthand knowledge of the locations I have in mind: In the version of this that I've posted under Trackdays, I said "Note recent, sound and firsthand knowledge please; not stuff like "I remember my brother did a Trackday somwhere near Paris about ten years ago and I think he enjoyed it, can't tell you much else". I know us Radical Chaps will stick to facts. Perhaps some of our Irish, French and Spanish Pistonheads / Radical or similar Friends can give some useful input on this, please?
Thanks in anticipation
And let's look on the bright side; if I can pull this off, what fun we can have increasing the Brit Based Radical Web
whilst i wouldn't complain about the quality of life here (N Ireland) in terms of work/life generally... i certainly woudln't move here for our fine circuits to go play on :-(
up north we have kirkistown - a fun circuit, long, fast with technical sections.. but it is a converted runway from the war.. so not exactly designed as a race track, and has no elevation changes etc.. there are other circuits up here - nutts corner - short and twisty, bishopscourt - fast and flowing (but very limited availability) aghadowey - not my cup of tea.. tight, bumpy poor surface and probably thankfully no real track days there either...
down south you have mondello - national (shorter) track and the international track - limited opportunity to get on the big track...
If you want to break away go to Oz - either around melbourne for philip island (lovely track) or sydney and go to eastern creek - another lovely track..
good luck in your search...
Mark.
ps should have said - one advantage of over here is the relaxed attitude and the great availability of the circuit - and at very reasonable (compared to UK mainland) costs......
up north we have kirkistown - a fun circuit, long, fast with technical sections.. but it is a converted runway from the war.. so not exactly designed as a race track, and has no elevation changes etc.. there are other circuits up here - nutts corner - short and twisty, bishopscourt - fast and flowing (but very limited availability) aghadowey - not my cup of tea.. tight, bumpy poor surface and probably thankfully no real track days there either...
down south you have mondello - national (shorter) track and the international track - limited opportunity to get on the big track...
If you want to break away go to Oz - either around melbourne for philip island (lovely track) or sydney and go to eastern creek - another lovely track..
good luck in your search...
Mark.
ps should have said - one advantage of over here is the relaxed attitude and the great availability of the circuit - and at very reasonable (compared to UK mainland) costs......
nick997 said:
Oi, no disappearing off to sunny Spain before our meet up at Silverstone next year! I'm looking forward to that particular day out. I'm afraid I can't add any meaningful fact based info on your original question.
Nick
No chance! Whilst the date remains to be agreed, we'll definitely have that meet up @ Silverstone Spring-ish next year. BTW, got to got to got to be the full GP Circuit. Nick
gixermark said:
whilst i wouldn't complain about the quality of life here (N Ireland) in terms of work/life generally... i certainly woudln't move here for our fine circuits to go play on :-(
up north we have kirkistown - a fun circuit, long, fast with technical sections.. but it is a converted runway from the war.. so not exactly designed as a race track, and has no elevation changes etc.. there are other circuits up here - nutts corner - short and twisty, bishopscourt - fast and flowing (but very limited availability) aghadowey - not my cup of tea.. tight, bumpy poor surface and probably thankfully no real track days there either...
down south you have mondello - national (shorter) track and the international track - limited opportunity to get on the big track...
If you want to break away go to Oz - either around melbourne for philip island (lovely track) or sydney and go to eastern creek - another lovely track..
good luck in your search
Mark.
ps should have said - one advantage of over here is the relaxed attitude and the great availability of the circuit - and at very reasonable (compared to UK mainland) costs......
Cheers Markup north we have kirkistown - a fun circuit, long, fast with technical sections.. but it is a converted runway from the war.. so not exactly designed as a race track, and has no elevation changes etc.. there are other circuits up here - nutts corner - short and twisty, bishopscourt - fast and flowing (but very limited availability) aghadowey - not my cup of tea.. tight, bumpy poor surface and probably thankfully no real track days there either...
down south you have mondello - national (shorter) track and the international track - limited opportunity to get on the big track...
If you want to break away go to Oz - either around melbourne for philip island (lovely track) or sydney and go to eastern creek - another lovely track..
good luck in your search
Mark.
ps should have said - one advantage of over here is the relaxed attitude and the great availability of the circuit - and at very reasonable (compared to UK mainland) costs......
Much as I really like NI (had some great times at the NW200, swaning around Yer Man's home town etc), as there's still that undertone of P versus C, given the choice, I'd prefer further south.
Mondello sounds the most promising of what look to be pretty limited opportunities, but I know nothing about it, never even been there. Relative merits & details of national and international tracks as far as tracking a Radical is concerned?: Much as I try/intend I never get as many trackdays in as I'd hope and like, so if it turns out that the international track is much the better, how many times a year could I get to do it? Like, if I'd been located over there this year, how many times could I have got to Trackday it?
Sorry if I'm asking you too many questions, so if you just want to direct me to a website, I'll quite understand!
PS I'll bear in mind OZ for a holiday: Willbee wouldn't fancy 'commuting' there for a Trackday!
splitpin said:
gixermark said:
whilst i wouldn't complain about the quality of life here (N Ireland) in terms of work/life generally... i certainly woudln't move here for our fine circuits to go play on :-(
up north we have kirkistown - a fun circuit, long, fast with technical sections.. but it is a converted runway from the war.. so not exactly designed as a race track, and has no elevation changes etc.. there are other circuits up here - nutts corner - short and twisty, bishopscourt - fast and flowing (but very limited availability) aghadowey - not my cup of tea.. tight, bumpy poor surface and probably thankfully no real track days there either...
down south you have mondello - national (shorter) track and the international track - limited opportunity to get on the big track...
If you want to break away go to Oz - either around melbourne for philip island (lovely track) or sydney and go to eastern creek - another lovely track..
good luck in your search
Mark.
ps should have said - one advantage of over here is the relaxed attitude and the great availability of the circuit - and at very reasonable (compared to UK mainland) costs......
Cheers Markup north we have kirkistown - a fun circuit, long, fast with technical sections.. but it is a converted runway from the war.. so not exactly designed as a race track, and has no elevation changes etc.. there are other circuits up here - nutts corner - short and twisty, bishopscourt - fast and flowing (but very limited availability) aghadowey - not my cup of tea.. tight, bumpy poor surface and probably thankfully no real track days there either...
down south you have mondello - national (shorter) track and the international track - limited opportunity to get on the big track...
If you want to break away go to Oz - either around melbourne for philip island (lovely track) or sydney and go to eastern creek - another lovely track..
good luck in your search
Mark.
ps should have said - one advantage of over here is the relaxed attitude and the great availability of the circuit - and at very reasonable (compared to UK mainland) costs......
Much as I really like NI (had some great times at the NW200, swaning around Yer Man's home town etc), as there's still that undertone of P versus C, given the choice, I'd prefer further south.
Mondello sounds the most promising of what look to be pretty limited opportunities, but I know nothing about it, never even been there. Relative merits & details of national and international tracks as far as tracking a Radical is concerned?: Much as I try/intend I never get as many trackdays in as I'd hope and like, so if it turns out that the international track is much the better, how many times a year could I get to do it? Like, if I'd been located over there this year, how many times could I have got to Trackday it?
Sorry if I'm asking you too many questions, so if you just want to direct me to a website, I'll quite understand!
PS I'll bear in mind OZ for a holiday: Willbee wouldn't fancy 'commuting' there for a Trackday!
won't comment on the p&c thing here, but suffice to say things have moved on a huge amount in recent years... and to be honest when we cam back from Oz in 2005 after 4-5 years away i noticed a HUGE difference.. ultimately though its small town stuff here, same down south really - although dublin is great - but HUGELY expensive to live..
with everything its a compromise - depends on your needs of work, salary, amount of free time, commute/travel, then the cost of playing etc !!
good luck with it - but i must say the circuits in UK and the relative proximity are hard to beat.. e.g in oz i travelled ~700 miles to drive from sydney to philip island for a track/race wk end...
with everything its a compromise - depends on your needs of work, salary, amount of free time, commute/travel, then the cost of playing etc !!
good luck with it - but i must say the circuits in UK and the relative proximity are hard to beat.. e.g in oz i travelled ~700 miles to drive from sydney to philip island for a track/race wk end...
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