Zandvoort - Holland - Fun Day Report and Video

[BigD]

To please Kenwood I decided to write down what I can remember that can be posted on a public forum.



Well what can I say, Awesome circuit!!!

One of Jamsie's friends who lives in Holland told us about this upcoming trackday and after carefull consideration though bugger it lets go. Not much on during winter anyway and it'll be a laugh no matter what.

So long story short, we arrive in a very misty Zandvoort, via the Newcastle ferry , with a bit of time to kill as the trackday is the following day.

So I check in to my digs which is a small self-catering apartment affair, basic but nice (Strangely after I booked it I noticed they advertise as gay friendly ). How relieved was I when we met the rather nice owner, Bebett and her resident dog Bono who showed his affection by trying to hump me. Took a bit of fending off too as he was a huge St Bernard. Anyway I told him I'd see him later and we went off to kill some time.

After driving from petrol station to petrol station following the sat-nav trying to find one with a jet wash. (My car hadn't been washed since Cadwell Park ) We finally give up on that after several u-turns causing bit of havoc but really anjoying just driving round a place we have never been. Now and again testing the cars against each other only to discover that my car is as fast as Jamsie's when mine is on low boost and his on high, wierd. (He gets me back for that later )

We then decided to go and visit the Circuit for some scouting. After causing more traffic chaos and being pointed in the right direction by a friendly 60 something woman who goes to Zandvoort and watches the racing all the time, good on ya love! I have to add at this point how friendly the locals were and indeed everyone we met in Holland.

So we arrive at the circuit and are instantly impressed by the setup. Having never been or really heard about it we were expecting alot less. Standing behind the pit garages you get an excellent view of the huge banked hairpin and the amount of run off there is everywhere, that would come in handy later Unfortunately because of the mist we couldn't see much else but have a walk round and find the entrance to the track is open. However not wanting to be banned from the trackday we decide against it.

Zandvoort itself was a bit of a Ghost town, with it's award winning beach it is geared up for the summer so very quiet out of season, apparently it's jumping in the summer. We go out for a few beers in the only bar that looks lively, music was excellent but I think we were there on gay night.

After a long night with Bono as my security we get fuelled up and head to the track. Thankfully the weather is much clearer and the mist has mostly gone. We are introduced to everyone and head in the direction of the driver briefing, best one I have had in a long time as we had our own English version which went something like "we don't have enough marshalls today so please don't crash, but if you do sort yourself out" " Oh and overtaking is on either side, just make sure the car infront has seen you, have fun"

Noticing that the ground is damp and the only tyres I have are bald 888's or soft tarmac rally slicks, I opt for the rally slicks. Knowing that Jamsie has full slicks with him I hope that it stays damp.

Having a scout around the car park I notice 2 Covette’s, one stunning black one and some BMW’s and porsche’s. Mental note to pass a Corvette.

Off I go to learn the track. First session was pretty slidey with a damp greasiness, which will disappear as cars are out on track. I do my bit by staying out for 30 minutes trying to learn this excellent circuit and manage to pass both corvette’s. Have a few slides about and almost a spin (at 8 mins on the first vid ) but nothing out of the ordinary.

First half of session 1 - http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?doc ... 3083916543

Second half of session 1 - http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?doc ... 5497030200

Session 2 - http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?doc ... 8367806587

Jamsie goes out and murders his marigold tyres again but as it is now pretty much dry he changes to slicks. I catch up with him as he is warming his slicks. He has a wee 360 at the chicane which almost causes me to rear-end the Corvette infront as I didn't see the spin, he pulls away from his spin rather well and lets me pass. We have a full on race with an M3 BMW. He was behind me and them Jamsie behind him. I was determined not to let him pass or at least not give up my place easily, we were on a similar pace anyway but I could tell he knew the circuit pretty well and was trying very hard with the odd run on the kerbs on the exits. Coming along the straight I give him space to pass but he doesn't have the straight line speed so I move back onto the racing line for the first corner, he tries a lunge up the inside but outbrakes himself, passes, but runs wide so I pass him back on the inside and off we go again. Jamsie, now with fully working slick passes him on the inside one lap later. I take a cool down lap as I've been out a while by this point and come in. One of the best battles I've had, hard but fair!!

I have the lead up to this on video but my tape ran out so didn't get the M3 lunge which was pretty amusing. Pretty sure Jamsie has it though.

Session 3 - http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?doc ... 4662758212

The part I was dreading, Jamsie now with fully working slicks says "Do you want to go out for a session and I'll follow for a couple of laps", exactly the words I said to him at Cadwell when I was on full slicks and he wasn't. It was a bit of a forgone conclusion but I had to let him have his day. So we go out and predictably he is all over me. My soft rally slicks sliding about a bit too much whereas he is cornering as if on rails. Now wishing I had more time to sort out proper slicks before we left but having a great time none the less. Jamsie builds a bit of a gap and then coming into the first bend again he overshoots slightly touches the gravel but carries on slowly. My first thought was brakes but hopefully not mechanical. Turns out it was a blow out on one of the front tyres which was pretty scary as we were hitting 135mph on that straight. Anyway I become his breakdown recovery as we change the wheel at the side of the track under waved yellows.

Session 4 - http://video.google.co.uk/videoplay?doc ... 4331338565

[ed]

Very jealous, cant wait to go there myself!

[kenny]

That's better

[mckeann]

Zandvoort is fantastic, and it sounds like you had a great time. Excellent write up

[Mike Scib]

Very jealous, cant wait to go there myself!

Looks like Excellent fun

ps. come on where are the rest of the Sessions

[mckeann]

Oh, what was your best corner of the circuit?? I loved the corner on the far right of your piccy, the one with the massive sand bank, as you pop up over the hill, and drop down to the right. Bloody excellent.

[BigD]

Zandvoort is fantastic, and it sounds like you had a great time. Excellent write up

Thanks, yeh I really liked the circuit. Couldn't get the line right at masterbackt or whatever it's called and the next one. 4th gear bend that you can take faster than you think and then into a third gear tightening bend then another third gear bend then the chicane. The problem was that if you ran out too wide on the exit of the first 3rd gear one, you would be on the wrong line for the next one. Gearing may be different for you but I don't know the names so the only way I can explain it.

[BigD]

Oh, what was your best corner of the circuit?? I loved the corner on the far right of your piccy, the one with the massive sand bank, as you pop up over the hill, and drop down to the right. Bloody excellent.

Yeh I know the one you mean the whole lead up to that bend is excellent as it almost a straight but not quite and pretty bumpy in places to upset the car. The ones I was talking about above are the 2 bends after the one you mentioned.

[BigD]

Very jealous, cant wait to go there myself!

Looks like Excellent fun

ps. come on where are the rest of the Sessions

Patience, patience ..........................

[H8OAG]

[quote][Oh, what was your best corner of the circuit?? I loved the corner on the far right of your piccy, the one with the massive sand bank, as you pop up over the hill, and drop down to the right. Bloody excellent.
/quote]

Zandvoort is Fab......SE boys need to include it any future European jaunts

I followed "Wank R" into this particular corner and witnessed his car "writhing " round that corner at a spectacular speed

[BigD]

All vids now up in the original post.

[mckeann]

Oh, what was your best corner of the circuit?? I loved the corner on the far right of your piccy, the one with the massive sand bank, as you pop up over the hill, and drop down to the right. Bloody excellent.

Yeh I know the one you mean the whole lead up to that bend is excellent as it almost a straight but not quite and pretty bumpy in places to upset the car. The ones I was talking about above are the 2 bends after the one you mentioned.

This is how I did that whole section in my elise (which is about same power to weight as your car I think). I was coming out the tight left concrete walled hairpin in 2nd gear, getting up to 5th gear up the hill, with all of those kinks flat on the throttle. I braked as i crested the last hill, where it drops into the massive sand pit, down to 4th, and once it was turned in, was back to full throttle. Slide out to the the nasty bit of dirt (after the official kerb ends) then hold 4th gear through the next right hander. I would take much more speed through the apex, still on throttle in 4th, and end up just holding the car on the very outside of the track, until it was time to brake for the 3rd gear right. Then i would aim straight for the apex, braking all the way, and once there, back on full throttle and let car run right out to the outside of track. Then you have a second or two to get car right over for the big left hand chicane.

blooming excellent track, and LOT are going there again this year

[BigD]

Oh, what was your best corner of the circuit?? I loved the corner on the far right of your piccy, the one with the massive sand bank, as you pop up over the hill, and drop down to the right. Bloody excellent.

Yeh I know the one you mean the whole lead up to that bend is excellent as it almost a straight but not quite and pretty bumpy in places to upset the car. The ones I was talking about above are the 2 bends after the one you mentioned.

This is how I did that whole section in my elise (which is about same power to weight as your car I think). I was coming out the tight left concrete walled hairpin in 2nd gear, getting up to 5th gear up the hill, with all of those kinks flat on the throttle. I braked as i crested the last hill, where it drops into the massive sand pit, down to 4th, and once it was turned in, was back to full throttle. Slide out to the the nasty bit of dirt (after the official kerb ends) then hold 4th gear through the next right hander. I would take much more speed through the apex, still on throttle in 4th, and end up just holding the car on the very outside of the track, until it was time to brake for the 3rd gear right. Then i would aim straight for the apex, braking all the way, and once there, back on full throttle and let car run right out to the outside of track. Then you have a second or two to get car right over for the big left hand chicane.

blooming excellent track, and LOT are going there again this year

Yep, sounds about right, I need more practice and full slicks.

Found this pic..............

[BigD]

Cheers, Paul.

This is Jamsie's view of the CSL battle. Very entertaining. The sound is a bit out of sink but excellent none the less.

http://video.google.nl/videoplay?docid= ... 2020081195

[rossybee]

Pack the broon troos at 9:13