What a weekend!

[Guest]

Had a fantastic weekend. It all started off with the superb Arctic Circle Run, which was just fantastic, and being up front with 3 other TT exhausts going through the tunnel was just outstanding!

Then today, I have been at North Weald with MGs On Track. It was an activity day for absolute beginers to give them confidence to move on to a proper track day. As some will know, I have a reasonable amount of experience of racing, so I went to just give it hell, and to write an article for Safety Fast!

My car took one hell of a beating! My lovely new Marangoni Zeta Linea tyres performed amazingly, and enabled me to put in some cracking times in the morning, however, it didn't take long for them to start blistering, and then get shredded! The tyres are now pretty shot, and ok for some careful road driving, but will now probably have to get out and by another set! I've also broken my plunger for the brake lights. My brake lights were flickering as I was going along, so at lunch time, I thought I would reset the plunger, and sadly, the thing just snapped in my hand! I had to drive home without any brake lights! And to top it all off, I also split my rear screen! So, need new tyres, new brakes, new plunger, and a new hood!

All of that aside, what a fantastic day. Huge open airfield to just do what the hell you like! Kathryn just wanted me to drift constantly, so I obliged! I also set some cracking times, equaling Dave Livingstone for the fastest time on one of the circuits, and setting 2nd/3rd fastest on the other 2. Considering my car was the lowest spec one there, and I set these times straight away when the tyres were good, I was pretty pleased with that. After that, it just became a show of me drifting and of course sometimes losing it completely! Quite a lot of people were taking pictures of me in big clouds of smoke, going sideways.

One youtube clip has made it up, which was an initial training exercise where you had to accelerate up, and then go through a 90 degree bend with an imaginery wall, without hitting it. People started on 55, then 60, then 65. I started on 60, 65, and then I did a final one at 70, and failed to control the drift! Once I told the guys whatching that I did it at 70, they were a little shocked. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nWlaJ4awb3Y

If you've not done anything with MGs On Track before, you should. You don't have to go nuts like me, and it's great fun, as well as giving you an opportunity to know yours and the cars limits. Remember, as a member of the MGCC you get a discount!

[Nick]

Looks like ridiculous fun mate

I'm so jealous, I keep promising myself I'll do a track day with MGOT but never have the time or finances available. That North Weald day looks ideal for me as a 'novice' just need to put cash aside maybe next year?

[Guest]

Nick, looks like the next Activity Day will probably be in July. For only £35 as an MGCC members, it's a bargain. It's still provisional at the moment, but keep an eye on http://www.mgs-on-track.com

Kathryn is quite keen for me to do the proper track day at snetterton in April, so if I get on and improve my car a bit, as well as fixing the new problems, then I might consider it!

[dressur]

Cool - I'm even more jealous now!!!!

[Guest]

Cool - I'm even more jealous now!!!!

Well, if I can afford the rubber, I might be up for going again in July, you could use my car, and I'll just have a few goes for the fun of it!

[Nick]

Bargain I thought it'd be a similar cost to the track days! at £35 I'm a definate, give me nudge if I forget, I'll keep an eye on the site. just need to hold off getting my new toyos for the rear 'till after the track day then.

[Guest]

just need to hold off getting my new toyos for the rear \'till after the track day then.

Depends, do you want to play silly buggers like me, or do you want to get good advice and set some good times, and get good experience for going out on the track....

I have an idea, I could email Dave Livingstone, and say that we want to bring along a few SMS members. The provisional date at the mo is 24th July. Lets get some names down, then I can email him requesting a block booking.

The costs today were £35 MGCC members, £40 non-MGCC member (if you aren\'t a member, then you really should think about signing up!). Passengers/Second drivers are free. You can also pre-order an MGOT cap for £10. So, add your name if you are interested, and whether you are a member or not. BTW, this is any MG or even Rover! Today there were some MGB\'s, Midgets, a Rover 220 coupe, ZT190, ZS180, etc....

Most of todays cars were green, so lets make the next one a Charcoal day!


Stewart (Member)
Ally (almost a Member)
Nick (Member)
Seb (non-Member)
Paul - Possibly

[dressur]

Cool - I'm even more jealous now!!!!

Well, if I can afford the rubber, I might be up for going again in July, you could use my car, and I'll just have a few goes for the fun of it!

Hmm - tempting!! Have kind of promised my chap that he can do a silly day in Wriggly once he's got the hang of driving a RHD drive! That might be the perfect day for it! I might just watch while you boys battle for supremacy - he's a bit of a speed freak too!

[Guest]

You'd have to have a go. Ok, so I've added you seperately to the list above!

[dressur]

You'd have to have a go. Ok, so I've added you seperately to the list above!

I noticed!! I think I'd be perfectly happy being a passenger thanks!! Hans can do the honours while I ride shotgun and scream at him for doing mad things with my car!!

[Seb]

Add my name to the list I'm defo up for it! It sounds like a good day and reasonably priced!

What about protective clothing, helmets etc do we take our own?

I'm not a member of MGCC!

[Dark Knight]

now this sounds fun!

only problem is it falls one week before my wedding! Best make sure i don't have to do anything that weekend, before i say for definate!

[Guest]

What about protective clothing, helmets etc do we take our own?

You don't need any!

[Seb]

Even better!

I have just had a look on the MGs On track website and they have one at Silverstone on 23/3/09. quite pricey for that one though!

[Guest]

Even better!

I have just had a look on the MGs On track website and they have one at Silverstone on 23/3/09. quite pricey for that one though!

That's because it's a proper track day, using the full GP circuit. For that you do need to have your arms covered, and crash helmets. Plus it is 'sessioned', as opposed to a free for all. It's also sold out!

The North Weald day is not a track day, but an activity day. It has instructors there, and besides the one main training exercise of the high speed bend, it offers a couple of layouts which are very much like 'autotests'.

The track days cost quite a lot more compared with an activity day, and to be honest I would recommend doing an activity day first so you understand the limits of yourself, the car, and can 'run off' without there being any barriers or other vehicles that you are going to hit!

The next available proper track day is Snetterton in April if you wanted to jump straight out onto a circuit!

[Seb]

No I wouldnt want to go straight on a proper track day, however i would like to get some kind of track experience! I'm defo up for the activity events they sound like a brilliant deal!

As the Grape is my only car I wouldn't want to go out straight on track and write it off!

[Rich]

It's an excellent feeling... especially Silverstone! Way back in '93, I had the chance of driving the GP circuit flat out in my modified MG Maestro 2.0i along with a few others and an RV8 up front. We were supposed to be doing a display for the 10th Anniversary of the cars and our orders were not to overtake the RV8. He said he was sticking to 50mph, but like anyone given the keys to a V8 sportscar, he just couldn't do it... and neither could we! I still remember flying out of woodcote onto the start/finish straight and under the bridge past the show crowds in the grandstands. Not quite Lewis... we could still see their faces!

Oh, and nobody overtook the RV8...

Rich

[Guest]

Some pictures have now appeared online! They were all taken on the high speed bend. I'm still waiting for the chap who took pictures of the autotest to put them up.

[Seb]

Looks like a fun day! I will have to try it when the next closest activity day comes round!

Have you changed the suspension on shaggy or is it still standard? Looks like you had quite a bit of 'roll' coming round them bends?

[Dark Knight]

Pics are awesome looks like you had some fun.....

Seb as for the suspension i think he's just had it pumped!

[Guest]

Yes, the suspension is standard, but just before that day, i had been to the MGF Centre and had loads of work done, but it's not quite finished, so they just pumped me up until I can get back up there to finish everything off. So, yes the car was riding a bit high, and I def had a lot of roll, but that will be sorted soon! Also worth noting that I was doing 70mph round that bend, so a lot of forces on the car. I think the fastest anyone else went was 65, with most people starting at 55 and dabbing the brakes before turning in.

I have actually emailed Dave Livingstone at MGs On Track to ask about a block booking for the next day which looks like it will be in July. I'll let you know more when I hear back.

[MeetwithDamien]

Hi Stewart ,, Im up for this next track day your organising.... let me know when and where details.... seems like a Blast

[Guest]

I got a reply from Dave Livingstone at MGoT. If everyone that wants to come to the next North Weald day could go onto their website http://www.mgs-on-track.com/ and register. You will also need to enter your vehicle details. When they open the day for booking, you will all get an email so you can go on and book yourself on and pay your money.

Make sure when you register that you do put in your vehicle details or else when it comes to booking you won't be able to complete it. Also, if you are an MGCC member, you will need to go back to your profile and edit it and find the box to enter it. This will then automatically pass through for your MGCC discount to be applied.

Now for the down side, the one in July is going to be on a Friday, so that may mean taking a day off work. Alternatively we could leave it until the next day they arrange after that.

Oh yeah, another thing is that this IS a day for giving people confidence to move onto doing a track day, so if that's what you fancy doing, then you definitely want to book onto the activity day.

[Nick]

Yup I'm still up for this! one day off work is no biggy, I'll go and sign iup on the Forum, thanks for the info stewart much appreciated...

[MeetwithDamien]

Ok guys have registered with them and entered codes , its gonna be my first track day ...yeahhhhhhh..! Stewart took a look at a youtube clip of you on track... lol

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