Oulton Park, 21/2/09 & Anglesey Coastal, 22/2/09

[mckeann]

my car broke a little bit, then it broke a little bit more, then robins car broke a little bit, then my car broke a lot.


In between that, we had great sunny blue skies, dry tracks, lots of honda's (NA and SC) to scalp and general banter to enjoy. It really was a great trip despite the car breakages.

a photo from the day of me not paying much attention:

[campbell]

a photo from the day of me not paying much attention:

Is that why the car broke a bit then a lot?!

[mckeann]

i was just anticipating the next toe link breaking

[mckeann]

Me driving someone elses car for a change

[wheelie]

Robin, Neil & Frank

Thanks again for all the PAX laps - was a really good day out. Next LOT Oulton isn't until October.
Sorry to hear about the excitement in Wales, I had hoped to come along but there were no places available.

/Dave

[robin]

Excellent day at Oulton Park. As Neil says the weather was great and we had hardly any red flags - just one unfortunate into the barriers at Old Hall, but that was an honest accident rather than people driving beyond their limits I think.

Druids was dry and grippy for a change which certainly gave the advantage to the brave as this is one corner where the range in cornering speeds translates into car lengths of distance on the track.

They've resurfaced Lodge and in the wet it'll be slippery as hell I think - there didn't seem to be the same level of grip as there used to be - but then maybe the tarmac improves after a while? On the plus side I remember that corner as being bumpy which will unsettle any car with non-road suspension, whereas now it's mirror smooth.

They've also renamed some corners ... the Fosters chicane is now called Brittens or something like that ... Knickerbrook has been renamed to Dezzys?

Managed to burn two tanks = 200 miles on track Got 35l into the tank the second time around (I think the limit is 36l including the filler neck ).

Anglesey was a new circuit for me. I really enjoyed it, though was suffering from lack of technique into the really twisty bits - I needed to control the understeer and just couldn't quite get it together. From the pitlane around the banked hairpin and the really fast right hander up to the top of the hill is just a blast 100mph+ braking down to 40 but on a fairly steep uphill section so actually you can brake insanely late. From there on round to the corkscrew is where the understeer fest begins - two medium speed right hand 180s followed by the downhill corkscrew which is like going down Ventoux

However, the day was cut short before lunch for me when my exhaust manifold broke a weld around the hanger and I ended up having to limp it back to Bangor to get a Halfords repair kit - with the hanger broken off, I need to do something to repair it - just haven't worked out what yet!

Neil's car ended up going home with the AA after another toe link failure and so he had the pleasure of my passenger seat for the trip home

Cheers,
Robin

[Andy G]

good report Robbin

All this chat of track days has inspired my Cadwell mission

[campbell]

Appreciate the review Robin.

If an extra pair of hands will help with the manifold repair, let me know.

[mckeann]

We did a proper £5.99 halfords bodge. I suspect it will easily last FF8