trublustu
New member
On the Bank Holiday weekend, myself and my track buddies all took part in a Sprint competition at Cadwell Park with Javelin.
It was our first tentative step into competitive motorsport with scrutineering and proper race numbers.
The sad part is that I was painfully slow, nearly lost it and exploded my clutch (again) though this time it was my own fault.
Though I`ll come to that, I`ll try to describe how the day went and what it was like.
As the day drew near I thought I`d prep my car for sprinting.
First thing I did was lose the passenger seat and belt. With the passenger that`s probably 80+ kg weight saving straight off.
I also softened my suspension a little and adjusted my ride height a tad.
The coilovers are Gaz Golds and I haven`t had the chance to do an OPL trackday to fine tune them. Sessions and sprints are not an ideal way to set them up. But I went with it and didn`t crash!
I pumped out all the fuel and put 2 gallons in the tank, taking another two in a jerry would be plenty. (A lot less than a trackday)
I made the mistake of `showing willing` at work and agreed to help out on the Saturday, that turned into a 10 hour shift! Which wont be happening next time I have a 150 mile journey in the evening.
I arrived at about 11 o`clock and as I was just bivvying in the van, the security guard said I could keep my money (which was nice)
Now the `signing on` procedure was quite different to a regular trackday
and I needed to be ready to go, with the car at half seven in the morning.
So up at six, and prep the car (take stuff out, secure bumper and swap wheels)
Then first thing to do is get the car scrutineered. This gave me a little sticker and a signature.
Only then would the nice lady check my license and award me a wristband.
Then an even nicer lady awarded my with my A5 size race numbers. (I was 33 which matches my reg :grin: )
The briefing was a little different to a trackay as there`s no overtaking, warm up etc to cover, they just explained where the little gate we would be squeezing out onto the track and where the timing lights/timer display were and how the runs would be organised.
There were two sighting laps, which were all over the place speed wise. Then we were to wait for our numbers to be called.
The fastest classes went out first and as we were all 30`s we drove out together for our first un-timed practice run.
This is us.
After 16 regular trackdays I found blasting off, balls out, on cold tyres, strange.
It`s not just un-natural, but bloody scary too!
From the start line at the top of the `Mountain` I blasted off trying not to spin the wheels up (no TC) and hit the Hall Bends at 7000 revs in second. Perfect, I just needed to feather the gas and sit at 60+ all the way through the `Hairpin` and on to `Barn`. going up to third on the way out.
I could have changed up but would have been changing back down a second or two later and was paranoid about the tyres.
Then its the fast back straight and into Coppice, which at trackday pace is a 100mph corner.
Not on Sunday morning it wasn`t!
I still carried good speed and stated to relax a little about the tyres.
BIG mistake as the back end carried on when I tried to turn into the long right hander, Charlies!!
I got it back but was now going the other way on the grass but soon had it back on the black stuff with a different coloured stuff running down my leg!
This knocked my confidence and couldn`t stop thinking about it for the rest of the day, so my lines were awful and speed carefully applied and scrubbed off too soon.
By the time was hitting Park my speedo was past 110 with better exit speeds and none paranoid braking I could get to heady speeds!
By this point on the track the tyres were without doubt warm and attacking the last section down the hill was a hoot.
The finish line was just before the footbridge.
First 3 runs went 1:48.75 - 1:47.70 - 1:47.06 dropping nicely.
then I had a right moment in the Hall Bends which put me back on a 1:50.38.
This is where it went to pot.
I had put just 10 liters in and had done about 15 track miles which will have used over a gallon. I should have topped up another gallon nd avoided the following dramas..
after my best start so far I hammered through the first section and exiting Barn I lost all power for a second or so! It kicked back in so I carried on with my lap and went well untill I was exiting the long Chris Curve I lost all power again. It was fuel starvation with the pump sucking air in the hard corners.
Now I dipped the clutch and coasted (hurtled) through the gooseneck, then the engine came back to life and instead of slipping it into 3rd and cruising back to my jerry can, I found 1st and nearly blew my motor when I dropped the clutch. - 1:55.81
I got back to the pits okay and after a quick check over and fuel up I lined up for my 6th and last run.
As I went to change up coming out of Barn my clutch literally exploded.
Leaving me with very little drive.
Just enough to get me back to the paddock where I pulled up in gear, on tickover! - 2:16.96
Game over and I never really got to grips with the car/track.
this is where it stopped. didnt go again!
I wasn`t well placed but was not the slowest on the day.
Next outing will be at the old faithful Blyton for a half day trackday,
to set up my suspension just how I like it, and a Half day sprint in the afternoon.
Just gotta fit a new (better) clutch.
I really enjoyed the competitive angle and the social side of things between runs was great.
I`m thinking of competing in the Javelin Sprintday competition next year.
It was our first tentative step into competitive motorsport with scrutineering and proper race numbers.
The sad part is that I was painfully slow, nearly lost it and exploded my clutch (again) though this time it was my own fault.
Though I`ll come to that, I`ll try to describe how the day went and what it was like.
As the day drew near I thought I`d prep my car for sprinting.
First thing I did was lose the passenger seat and belt. With the passenger that`s probably 80+ kg weight saving straight off.
I also softened my suspension a little and adjusted my ride height a tad.
The coilovers are Gaz Golds and I haven`t had the chance to do an OPL trackday to fine tune them. Sessions and sprints are not an ideal way to set them up. But I went with it and didn`t crash!
I pumped out all the fuel and put 2 gallons in the tank, taking another two in a jerry would be plenty. (A lot less than a trackday)
I made the mistake of `showing willing` at work and agreed to help out on the Saturday, that turned into a 10 hour shift! Which wont be happening next time I have a 150 mile journey in the evening.
I arrived at about 11 o`clock and as I was just bivvying in the van, the security guard said I could keep my money (which was nice)
Now the `signing on` procedure was quite different to a regular trackday
and I needed to be ready to go, with the car at half seven in the morning.
So up at six, and prep the car (take stuff out, secure bumper and swap wheels)
Then first thing to do is get the car scrutineered. This gave me a little sticker and a signature.
Only then would the nice lady check my license and award me a wristband.
Then an even nicer lady awarded my with my A5 size race numbers. (I was 33 which matches my reg :grin: )
The briefing was a little different to a trackay as there`s no overtaking, warm up etc to cover, they just explained where the little gate we would be squeezing out onto the track and where the timing lights/timer display were and how the runs would be organised.
There were two sighting laps, which were all over the place speed wise. Then we were to wait for our numbers to be called.
The fastest classes went out first and as we were all 30`s we drove out together for our first un-timed practice run.
This is us.
After 16 regular trackdays I found blasting off, balls out, on cold tyres, strange.
It`s not just un-natural, but bloody scary too!
From the start line at the top of the `Mountain` I blasted off trying not to spin the wheels up (no TC) and hit the Hall Bends at 7000 revs in second. Perfect, I just needed to feather the gas and sit at 60+ all the way through the `Hairpin` and on to `Barn`. going up to third on the way out.
I could have changed up but would have been changing back down a second or two later and was paranoid about the tyres.
Then its the fast back straight and into Coppice, which at trackday pace is a 100mph corner.
Not on Sunday morning it wasn`t!
I still carried good speed and stated to relax a little about the tyres.
BIG mistake as the back end carried on when I tried to turn into the long right hander, Charlies!!
I got it back but was now going the other way on the grass but soon had it back on the black stuff with a different coloured stuff running down my leg!
This knocked my confidence and couldn`t stop thinking about it for the rest of the day, so my lines were awful and speed carefully applied and scrubbed off too soon.
By the time was hitting Park my speedo was past 110 with better exit speeds and none paranoid braking I could get to heady speeds!
By this point on the track the tyres were without doubt warm and attacking the last section down the hill was a hoot.
The finish line was just before the footbridge.
First 3 runs went 1:48.75 - 1:47.70 - 1:47.06 dropping nicely.
then I had a right moment in the Hall Bends which put me back on a 1:50.38.
This is where it went to pot.
I had put just 10 liters in and had done about 15 track miles which will have used over a gallon. I should have topped up another gallon nd avoided the following dramas..
after my best start so far I hammered through the first section and exiting Barn I lost all power for a second or so! It kicked back in so I carried on with my lap and went well untill I was exiting the long Chris Curve I lost all power again. It was fuel starvation with the pump sucking air in the hard corners.
Now I dipped the clutch and coasted (hurtled) through the gooseneck, then the engine came back to life and instead of slipping it into 3rd and cruising back to my jerry can, I found 1st and nearly blew my motor when I dropped the clutch. - 1:55.81
I got back to the pits okay and after a quick check over and fuel up I lined up for my 6th and last run.
As I went to change up coming out of Barn my clutch literally exploded.
Leaving me with very little drive.
Just enough to get me back to the paddock where I pulled up in gear, on tickover! - 2:16.96
Game over and I never really got to grips with the car/track.
this is where it stopped. didnt go again!
I wasn`t well placed but was not the slowest on the day.
Next outing will be at the old faithful Blyton for a half day trackday,
to set up my suspension just how I like it, and a Half day sprint in the afternoon.
Just gotta fit a new (better) clutch.
I really enjoyed the competitive angle and the social side of things between runs was great.
I`m thinking of competing in the Javelin Sprintday competition next year.
