Speed Season 2006

Castle Coombe was enjoyable.
beaten by the 2 scoobys, 2 evos an M3 coupe (veteren competitor) and we were all whooped by a Noble M12-3. I beat the scimiter GTE, E type, TVR and two TR7V8s.
Sort of finished in car-age-order.
Drama on the way home, handed back my air filter on exit from circuit (it fell off on last run), used 10 gallons of Optimax in 170 miles(only 8 miles on circuit) and lost reverse, 1st and 2nd gear and gear stick return spring. Probably a linkage problem, but too hot to look at it so far.

result

[simontaylor]

Did a sprint at longcross today, near Cherstey, M3 J11.

FANTASTIC venue, it is the MOD testing ground but we did not use the 1:4 steep slopes.

From the start a big sweeping left hander with banking,(just like Brooklands but not as high) you enter at about 60 and just keep winding it up and as the grip begins to go you drift out and up the banking, then a straight to the first corner, approaching at 100-110 mph, left 90, right 90, up a slope over brow down to the right, 120 deg left, unable to see round it for the trees but it tightens and rises again, then right opens out big hill ahead, 1:6 maybe flat out still accelerating...... airborne....... weeee, back of car tugs on landing, brake hard down the other side, sweeping left up again, tightens on exit, over another brow, righed and down into a chicane, back onto main track again...flat out to 120, brake hard for a 90 left 50 meters then 90 right and 100meters to the finish.

http://www.scmc.co.uk/Scorpion_2006/Scorpion_home.htm select Course Map on the left.

An absolutely great circuit.

Charge Cooler worked a treat and I got quicker every run. However it was only on the last run that I did go airborne. My best time was 109.01 seconds, beat the e type, TVR V8S, supercharged mini, but again the EVOs, Scoobys and Cossies were ahead of me, but only by 7 seconds. Normally they are that far ahead on a 50 second course.

We got 2 convoy runs, 1 slow and then a faster one, 2 practice runs and 3 timed runs. Food was good, lots of hard standing, good toilet block and the sun brouth out quite a few bikinis.

If anyone fancys a try, the next one at Longcross is in the spring. There were 2 A110 competing today.

Sounds like you had a great time
Bruntingthorpe was less testing but did show why the std GTA is best suited to short sprints 15/20 mins and it was not liking the heat Could be my aircon setup interferring a tad

[simontaylor]

How did you do in the 0-60? Was anyone else there?

While queueing for the start line I turn of the engine, but leave the CC fan and pump on. Luckily we had a nice breeze too today.

Oh yes, I was beaten by an R5GTt, but only by a couple of seconds.

Didn't do the 0-60 .I couldn't get 1st to 2nd gear when it got hot ended up moving off in second as once on track you didn't need 1st .



I was billy no mates
GT5's dad and bro, T2 & 5gtt ,were there but not the blinger himself
The Prima gold plated GTA was there also ,I think it's still for sale

Nice one Simon! You'll catch the japanese stuff sometime! I usually outrun standard and mildly tuned Scoobies but struggle with the monster tuned ones and the Evos. Knowing your car and the course youre on is worth as much as a power hike!

[simontaylor]

Thanks Peter, I'm getting to know the car, but know none of the courses so far, and the EVOs do seem to lead the Scooby's.

Nice to hear that you enjoyed Longcross,
I was at GD on Sunday and it was VERY hot even with some shade and a breeze. Only managed to get a 4th out of six, but 2nd to 5th places were covered by 0.39s and I was only 0.41s off my Pb, which if I managed to get would have given me 2nd.
What I can not understand is that the season has gone very quickly (quicker than me!!) and I have only four more planned events to do then it's all over for another five months

[simontaylor]

Well done Red21, I'd suspect that the heat of the day is not to your advantage either.
Of the 4 events I have done this year, I'd have to put Longcross first and Gurston second as courses. You really should do Longcross, I'll keep you posted next year.

3 Sisters on Sunday.....massive entry, but only 5 cars in my class....strange. The track is very tight and twisty so not ideally suited to the GTA, but I'll give it a whirl. The supercharged Elise that won an event or two earlier this year (on the event I missed and at Elvington where I went home early with clutch trouble) is going to be there so it'll be ionteresting to see if I can beat him with my car working....not a good circuit to try though....his car will be the perfect tool!

I managed not to come last in my neighbours standard 1.6 205 GTI!!!! I rung its neck round the circuit and at one point I was 7th out of 14 Unfortunately I couldnt make it go any quicker and pretty much everyone else did I was only 2/10ths (on a 90+ second course) slower than a 1.9 GTI which had a suspension kit (god how I would have loved one of those.....might have combated the terminal understeer......front wheel drive!!! ) and I came in ahead of a modified 2 litre Capri....I am a racing god!!!!!!

Modified Crapi Modified to go round corners
Racing minor deity methinks ,Lord Petesh

[simontaylor]

Jenson had a pretty good weekend too!
1st grand prix for ages that had lots of over taking.

[Alpineandy]

standard 1.6 205 GTI!!!! I rung its neck

So your now a master of left foot braking then

Unfortunately not.....I dont think yesterday would have been the time to practice either!!!!! Watching some of the well sorted Pugs (106,205) and the GT5 that was there, they managed to get them drifting nicely.....sadly my standard car wasnt having any of it. I even tried letting the front tyres down to 20PSI and pumping the rears up to 35PSI to try and encourage it. Roll on having my GTA back!