View Full Version : New Drift venue??
LexDakarDatsun
23-08-2004, 13:48
hi all,
just got this mail :cool: sorry if it been posted already :rolleyes:
spoke to them and they said that rd tyres would be ok :thumbs:
DRIFT CLUB DAYS
We are excited to announce our first ever DRIFT CLUB DAY on September 25th at Heyford (near Bicester in Oxfordshire).
This exhilarating form of motoring is a rapidly growing worldwide pastime that now attracts a keen following in the UK. Drifting is all about practising the art of car control and holding an oversteer slide in as impressive a manner as possible! Some of the skills of Drifting are practiced on our ever popular Driver Training Academy Days, but the DRIFT CLUB DAYS will allow you to practice time and again.
There will be two different tracks to drive during the day as well as a level 2 version of the brilliant Driving Challenge activity. Guests will be able to drive the different courses as and when they like and can even practice the difficult art of 'donuts'. As always our expert team of coaches led by Ed Moore will be on hand to offer lessons and tips.
A few rumours about this event have escaped and already there has been massive interest, so to ensure you don't miss out then contact us as soon as possible. The inaugural event is fantastic value at just £75! For more information or to book places please call 0870 787 2116 or for more information please email us at trackdays@motorsport-events.com
I've emailed them asking about noise regs for exhausts...
LexDakarDatsun
23-08-2004, 14:18
len,
im up for it :nod: the fact that we can use rd tyres is a big bonus as im gona ave trouble finding and affording rally spec rubber for future conedodgers events :cry: :rolleyes:
cheers Lex
I reckon i'll go along if my finances hold up, it will be fun to see how a different venue is. :)
:thumbs:
Im up for this. Good news about road tyres too, I have got some cheap rally ones that I can now save for the "special" places and loads of road ones to use up that i got before the old biddies complained about the noise.
right I've signed up for this, I think its going to be very very well organised having spoken to natasha about it.
Signed up as well. Should be a good day as they are setting up two courses I believe.
Yeah theres caterhams and TVR's etc signing up as well :) and theres lots of instructors available. They are going to cover all the basics and more advanced bits too :)
I wonder if they will let me use the e-brake......
Hey even monkeys fall from trees :)
bugger, ANOTHER event when i'm on holiday!
LexDakarDatsun
26-08-2004, 13:32
hi all,
i had a quick chat wiv natahsa today who said that there were only a few slots left :nod:
we will have to pull our fingers out :whip: or it will be full of kit cars :rolleyes: and Trevors :ghey: :p ;)
cheers Lex
Theres loads of caterhams but I'm sure she said there was only 3 ppl booked on at the moment. Or was that 3 places left ?
Its a business remember ;)
http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cgi?client=public&X=451445&Y=226912&width=700&height=410&gride=&gridn=&srec=0&coordsys=gb&db=freegaz&pc=&zm=0&scale=5000&multimap.x=494&multimap.y=11
Oh man, you could design such a wicked drift track from those aprons!
Theres loads of caterhams but I'm sure she said there was only 3 ppl booked on at the moment. Or was that 3 places left ?
Its a business remember ;)Only 3 left. When I called on Monday they had 7 places left.
As for the e-brake its the only way to drift IMHO. Just watch D1 in Japan, they grab it all the time...
its gonna rock :) they only charged a tenner for me to add more drivers to my car as well which was nice :)
almeraTastic
26-08-2004, 13:50
I've been to loads of the round and round type airfield days with MSE and they are very well organised, relaxed and bloody good fun.
plus Natasha is a babe ! :thumbs:
normal noise restrictions are around 100db
if only I had RWD...... :(
normal noise restrictions are around 100dbI asked about this and said their limit on the day will be 103-105db...
I asked about this and said their limit on the day will be 103-105db...
how loud are hard compound tyres ? :D
[QUOTE=Lenagh]I wonder if they will let me use the e-brake......[QUOTE]
I'd be surprised if it aint seized on ;) :D
hmmmmm yoinking the HANDBRAKE on strikes me as a tad 'man about McDonalds car park'
Have you not watched the drift bible its technique 1 of 6 :)
[QUOTE=Lenagh]hmmmmm yoinking the HANDBRAKE on strikes me as a tad 'man about McDonalds car park'If you watch the professionals in a D1 comp you'll see them constantly pulling on it to start their drift and control it.
many times, that's what's formed my opinion
I've just provisionally booked a place but i have to find £75 by tomorrow and i don't fancy my chances. :(
If you watch the professionals in a D1 comp you'll see them constantly pulling on it to start their drift and control it.
there's just something very crude and boy-racerish about it
to me (who's never driven in a drift event) weight transfer techniques seem more skillful - such as Scandinavian flick, trail-braking of lift-off oversteer
We all start somewhere e-brake is fine for dealing with understeer, powerover and braking drift will be a fave, but the low speed tight stuff will demand some handbrake, shift locking etc.
Get booked on si.
I just this minute booked. she said there were only 4 or 5 200sx's booked? cmon lads and lasses get booked :)
The lady I spoke to seemed excited about it and understood that drifting isnt "out of control" driving. We had a good 5 minute chat about it [:D]
Im looking forward to it now :)
My aim for the day is to drift whilst waving out the window - genjuro stylee, I've pointed natasha to the thread. Can't believe the home of drifting SX land has only got 5 of us going :)
Yeah, she said its going to be up to us really to show them how its done! :D
My aim for the day is to drift whilst waving out the window - genjuro stylee, I've pointed natasha to the thread. Can't believe the home of drifting SX land has only got 5 of us going :)
There is a very slim chance I can get out of my holiday early to go...
My aim for the day is to drift whilst waving out the window - genjuro stylee
I don't remember ever waving out of the window, i can't drive with both hands on the wheel let alone only one. Bob Myers is the king of :wave: out of the car.
I don't remember ever waving out of the window, i can't drive with both hands on the wheel let alone only one. Bob Myers is the king of :wave: out of the car.Just say it was you and take the credit! :D
You can even gift some people hehe :D
well, there are defo two white ones booked :D
Where you getting this info btw ?
Mines red :)
No u tard get back in ure mr2 :p
well, there are defo two white ones booked :D
myself and carl, on #SXOC irc :D
LexDakarDatsun
26-08-2004, 16:34
si, i agree that at a basic level e- braking is quite crude :nod:
however most of the jap pro d1 drivers will use the ebrake to initiate the drift well before the corner entrance meaning that they actually drift the corner as opposed to using power over mid corner as we tend to see in the uk :rolleyes:
phatty has fitted a fly off ebrake to his s14 :nod: and kiki took me out in his dori s15 @ silvetone that also has a fly off :rolleyes:
there is lots of talk about "crude e- braking" on this and many other forums - however what is rarely mentioned is that e -brake technique also involves dipping thwe clutch - similar to a clutch kick - but is not a harsh on the transmission :D
(flame suit on for all the e-brake haters :p )
cheers Lex
Ahhhh bit of rally equipment creeping in eh, good idea.
After years of driving fwd cars I forget about the dipping the clutch bit for rwd (not that I would in the 200 - clutch kick is more fun)
Are they doing passenger rides at the finals? I'm gonna have to book miself onto one.
what about peeps with no dritable car? are spectators welcome? and is there a charge if so??
L.
p.s.
(not read al the thread so if this has been covered then tell me to sling my hook :whip: )
what about peeps with no dritable car? are spectators welcome? and is there a charge if so??I doubt spectators can come as it's an airfield day and not a normal track, but I could be wrong! :)
Spectators aren't allowed but I have 3 named drivers on my car.... :)
So they will have to spectate at some point, but they are all driving.
what time is this starting and is it a deffo no to spectators?
Theres no spectators allowed unless your name has been on the security teams list for the previous 48 hours mate.
Theres guard houses and all sorts of crazy stuff apparently down there. The instructions to get in the place make it sound like area 51 !
Theres guard houses and all sorts of crazy stuff apparently down there. The instructions to get in the place make it sound like area 51 !I've been there before and it seriously is area 51! Its very very spooky. Loads of massive concrete bunkers, hangers and deserted guard posts...
What is it used for currently ?
Its meant to be raining tomorrow so I am hoping that it won't be to harsh on tires.
Its meant to be raining tomorrow so I am hoping that it won't be to harsh on tires.
Is it? The weathers quite nice today so i was figuring it would be a dry session, but given i've got an open diff it will probably be better for me if its a little damp. That and the fact i've only got one set of tyres so if they die quickly then its hometime for me. :(
Local forecast for oxford area is light rain and 14 degrees :)
perfect :)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?id=2954
apparently it'll be heavy rain in bicester....
SteveCarter200
24-09-2004, 17:36
perfect :)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/5day.shtml?id=2954
apparently it'll be heavy rain in bicester....
Not.:( I hate wet drifting. Apart from anything else you get wet when changing tyres.
I'll be annoyed if its wet :cry:
What is it used for currently ?
Its meant to be raining tomorrow so I am hoping that it won't be to harsh on tires.
its not far from me,i think a lot of it is used for car storage,aston martin store cars out there,the old squaddie houses are all rented out privately
if its on a runway it shouldn't be too harsh on tyres,it might be in a carpark though,dunno
I was there a few weeks back on a MSE day :)
The surface is well worn concrete, not a lot of grip. I shouldn't think it would be that hard on tyres drifting in the dry.
The place is rather spooky :eek: as people have said, guardposts, bunkers the lot - and it's huge! I don't think sneaking in would be an option. Any drifiting is going to be well into the middle so you won't be able to see anything from the peri roads.
Most of the old runway seems to be used to store MG's, I wondered where they were all going to! Quite a few vans / X-trails there too.
Say :wave: to Natasha :)
Cheers
:down: Didnt really enjoy today much.
Low grip concrete? Ive never driven on a surface with more grip than that, if roads were made out of that stuff no one would ever slide.
Figure of 8 was too stretched, it was more drive round this roundabout, drive over to that one over there and drive round that one too. And you only had a car length from the side of the cones to the grass. Just not wide enough for it.
"Drift Internation" circuit as they called it wasnt much better. it had 1 long good corner that i liked drifting on but that was basically it, a small flick at the far end which was too tight to drift in.
Then about 10 people decided they had enough and packed up and went home.
Then it rained, it was a bit better but there were cones everywhere, no one ever picked them up so i just thought f**k it and made up my own course in my head :D
a bit of fun was to of had on the donut section, people seemd to enjoy that more than anything.
then it was lunch at about 13:30 and thats when I left.
No disrespect to MSE the organisation was good, catering van was good, tyre man was good and they had the drift bible playing in the tent. But they cant setup a drift event. Im sure it will be better in the future. Please dont take offence to my review if your reading this :)
At the moment it has nothing on andover or north weald(R.I.P)
I hope they take on some of the suggestions that many drifters said next time.
Best part was meeting the SXOC'ers ive never met before, and seeing the usuals again. :wave:
I am iching for an andover event now :D
Peter Young
25-09-2004, 20:09
Great to see you,Carl, and Lex and the other SXOC guys today, that went some way to make up for what was basically a mess of an event. I have never, ever put a car back on its trailer early before without having comprehensively blown it up first! Nick and I feel a little cheated by the organisers today, as they sold this event as a 'drifting day' when in fact it was a remodelled version of one of their car control days. Ed Moore's response to our suggestion that he might have got it a bit wrong was to say that he didn't agree (with steely glare), and if we were leaving early, had we settled up yet...
PhilMorrison
25-09-2004, 23:24
I can't say I'm suprised. I am however sorry to hear that people wasted their money on this. Drift events should be run by people who drift, not corparations trying to latch on to something to make a quick buck..
There's not much I could add or detract from the previous three posts. We sorely need a new north weald-alike corporate-faced (yes sir, no sir, three bags full) but entirely drifter-driven event.
Come on phatty :) I'm sure you've got an ace along these lines up your sleave :D
Drift events should be run by people who drift, not corparations trying to latch on to something to make a quick buck..
Phil
I don't think this is entirely fair. Ed can't be described as a 'corporation' and if you see how hard he and Tasha work to put on an event, you'd agree that it isn't a quick (or easy) way of making a buck.
We need to encourage the likes of Motorsport Events, who are actually trying to organise safe events at suitable locations which won't get shut down.
We've lost N Weald and, mark my words, we WILL lose other venues unless it's done right from the start. That means understanding the local issues, building relationships with landowners and all the other things that come with experience.
Motorsportvision IS a corporation but it seems that they didn't do such a great job at Brands last week even though they've got their own circuit to play with.
One thing I can tell you is that Ed is much more likely to listen to what you have to say than Mr Palmer is.
Can't we have a few more constructive comments rather than just :down: 's?
Peter Young
26-09-2004, 10:52
It's fair to say that Ed and Natasha are new to drifting, and that perhaps they need the time to sort it out. I'm not sure though whether they would even wish to become part of the drifting scene in an SX200 or other jap machinery sense, that would require a quantum leap from Ed,s background in top level corporate instruction and Formula Ford.
I'm a big fan of their track days, but I would need to be convinced after yesterday that they have the capacity to let their hair down enough to make a drift event work.
Ed would certainly have the ability to Drift well, I've watched him storm round Hullavington in a customers M5 V8, But that's still the trackday-course-with-power-oversteer-corners thing, no links, no transitions, just like yesterday. It's not drifting in the true sense. It's a shame that they didn't do a workshop event at Heyford in advance, with some drifters invited. they still need to do just that before the next one, that is unless they are trying to develop something that true drifters might not be interested in anyway. their brand of drifting. I had a good chat with one of the instructors as we left yesterday, he understood exactly where we were coming from. Apart from that, I just haven't got the money to p*ss away on a non event, sorry.
Regards
Peter
Like I said I am not knocking ed and natashers hard work and enthusiam for the event, it couldnt of been better in that respect. But we have tried upper heyford and it is clearly not sutable for any decent drifting. the runways are far too thin for it, the only good corner was the crossroad where 2 runways met.
It wasnt dynamic enough, drifters like to make their own way into the corner, but with the course too thin we only had 1 way in which wasnt exactly exciting :)
Got a couple of nice photos out the day though :thumbs:
http://www.ur-ban.com/albums/driftclub0904/DSC00030.jpg
Thats a cool photo. Have you got lots more from the day, if so it might be worth sticking them on the net somewhere. I'll post later about what i thought of the day but i pretty much agree with all thats been said really.
Considering if was their first drift day, it was alright, and I mean "alright". It would certainly seem that they are open to suggestions to make it better in the future at least.
The figure of 8 was a disaster in the morning as cones where just everywhere, so it was more of a figure of cones rather then an 8. This improved later in the day when they just used to place cones, but they were still too far apart to be able to link them. I didn't like "Drift International" that much. The first sweeping right was too narrow and having the cones on the outside meant I was more worried about wiping out every cone insite rather then just going for it and giving it everything.
I fear that perhaps the day was staged more around "Power Oversteer" rather then proper drifting.
I ended up just doing doughnuts for most of the day... ;)
yes, the drift international course consisted of too many cones, too many "fit through this caterham-sized gap and power-over once you've cleared it" followed by a long (and unnecessary) straight.
the only corner ideal for drifting was the one on the right that you drove up to at the start, but it wasn't nearly wide enough (many cones on one side, tall grass on the other) :( so I didn't bother.
drift courses are meant to be like an endless series of mixed-length corners ... it doesn't get much more simple than that. 3 year olds can draw that sort of thing. it goes without saying that you need a modicum of insight to actualy make a good one, but yknwim.
the course largely reminded me of that 'long' section on the first or second nw drift course, before the 'top corner'.
anyway, I do hope the organisers rethink their courses and try again :) and thank you for organising the tyre man too!
i would say it's more likely for the beginners. personally, i think their organizing was alrite considering it was their first time. hope they will organize more drifting venues and take some advises from the drifters in the future.
PhilMorrison
26-09-2004, 20:03
Hi John, I didn't go myself because I think £75 to drive round cones is terrible, I can't comment on the day as I wasn't there, but the reactions so far are exactly as I thought they would be.. Peter Youngs post above, has confirmed my thoughts exactly.. It seems like cashing in to me, which is okay in a way if the event listens and adapts to the people that attend, but it sounds like the people doing it 'know' that what they are doing is 'correct', and what we do is just skid about' which to be honest is a tired argument with me. No offence to you or them, as they are obviously succesfull when running the corporate events where companies pay big money to put their monkeys in fast cars, but surely running a drift event should require 'some' knowledge of the scene?
Maybe we can get the list of the "drifting terms" they read out that no one heard of :)
Re the Motorsport Events "Drifting" day at Heyford
I really don't know where to start when describing this day. I'll post a message later, when I have had time to think about it, but just wanted to ask everyone who went to send their feedback, good or bad, to Ed Moore at this address: trackdays@motorsport-events.com
If they get enough feedback I'm sure they will consider whether they should run another day and still describe it as a "Drift Club"
I spoke to both Ed and Natasha on the day, right before I left at 12 o'clock, so please give feedback so they understand what you liked and didn't like about the day. I will email them and will post my email and the reply here so you can see it
Nick Froome
SteveCarter200
26-09-2004, 23:36
Copied from Driftworks........
As said the 8 was either too narrow or the cones were too far apart depending on how you look at it.
The track was waaayyy too narrow. The first RH turn was ridiculous. The only way you could drift it was to plough through the cones on the exit. The first U turn was OK if you like handbrake turns and powering out in 1st gear. I liked the next right as I was at the top end of 2nd and could get a nice brake drift into the right and keep on the brakes to flick it left. Was actually quite chuffed with that.:D The rest of it couldnt be drifted IMO, power out perhaps but not drift. Then finish with another handbrake/1st gear U turn.
The venue has potential but it needs someone who knows drifting to set it up which the organisers just didnt.
The oldish marshal chappy there (ex 60s/70's race driver and tutor of Great Train Robbery getaway driver:wack: made me laugh. He was getting all excited about a Bimmer just doing power over coming out of the first right hander "oooh, look, look, hes got it sideways!!!" while pointing with his flag. Me and Jenks (riding shotgun) were like "uh, yeah, nice" :indiff:
Not worth £75, not worth the travel apart from the fact that theres no where else even remotely near me to drift.
Oh, and bad luck to Matt_S. He went off onto the grass, smacked his down pipe on a hidden drain cover (thanks for letting us know about the hazards Mr Organiser) and sheared his turbo in half. :wack::( oh, and Stidi, he totally toasted his clutch, no drive at all.:(
In addition........
I hope they do another one BUT with some help from people that know drifting. I'm fairly sure the space available could be used in a better way. Less cones, make the 'track' wider, more thought into whats supposed to be happening. If they fancy putting me up in a hotel and giving me a free day there;) I'll come along and help set it up (then everyone can blame me if its shite:D).
The oldish marshal chappy there (ex 60s/70's race driver and tutor of Great Train Robbery getaway driver:wack: made me laugh. He was getting all excited about a Bimmer just doing power over coming out of the first right hander "oooh, look, look, hes got it sideways!!!" while pointing with his flag. Me and Jenks (riding shotgun) were like "uh, yeah, nice" :indiff:I had this too about the white bimmer... "Did you watch him, he had it sideways all through the chicane.". I was all "Yeah, great" but watching and thinking but thats not what I'd call drifting :confused:
Despite being originally annoyed at missing it, I'm now actually a little relieved.
It's their first event, surely (with constructive feedback) they'll realise it wasn't a complete success and will change things for the next event.
Maybe Declan would let the organisers at Motorsport Events attend a ConeDodgers day and see how that's run. I know it's "competition" but there simply aren't enough drift events to go round at the moment. The market is nowhere near saturation so it wouldn't be an issue.
If Motorsport Events are willing to expand into this type of motorsport then they'll be prepared to learn and take something away from the ConeDodgers success story. If not, by nature Heyford won't be held in very high regard.
Speaking of ConeDodgers ... any news on future events Declan?
I emailed Declan last night and he's got a few things up his sleeve
Nick Froome
I emailed Declan last night and he's got a few things up his sleeve
Nick Froome
Thank god for that, i'm at that scary stage where i don't know when and where the next drift event i'm going to is and i need my fix! :wack:
(Copied from what I sid on Dritworks)....
Well,
After the biggest "BIG UP" I have heard for ages ("Drift International Circuit" - pfft Ive seen bigger scalextric tracks!!!) :wack: It was very dissapointing imho.
A lot of us trundled over to the F of 8 to start with - me so I could "warm up" before tackling the "Drift International"...
In the end I got stuck there all morning as they wouldnt let me back to the pits. This was OK in the dry, but I ended up trying to drift on slicks in the pissing down rain :wack: . The Ozzy marshall was well impressed especially at the state of my rear rubber, but eventually it got the better of me and I ended up shooting off into the grass and called it a day just before lunch…
After lunch I thought Id have a go at the "Obstacle Course" - err I mean Drift International.... :wack:.
I talked the train robber guy into giving me a practice lap aswell (so I got 4 laps ;) ) and went about knocking the cones out of the way on the first bend asap :rolleyes:. It was waaaaaaaaaaay too narrow, and as has been said - if it was continued up the runway towards the F of 8 area could have been a 3rd gear bend :thumbs: but, as it was, I thought it was shit. The hairpin was too close to be able to link it nicely... The rest of the circuit I didnt really get to grips with. On my third lap, coming out of the top end towards the smaller chicanes towards the pit, the back was out and holding a good line, got the flick back and also got the grass which I straightened up on. I thought it would be OK to divert a little - that is until I took about 3" of air after hitting a dip, then an almighty bang! and the car was then very very very loud and some severe vibrations... I thought (and hoped) Id just snapped the manifold studs.... futher inspection revealed that the back housing had taken such a whack that I had actually snapped the rear housing in two.... The front half of the flange where it bolts to the manifold is still attached to the manifold. The rear 2/3rds are attached to the dump pipe...
Not good. Luckily after a call to Phil I sourced a new turbo :) (Cheers Phil) :thumbs: . I just hope that thats all thats gone wrong... I have now driven about 270 miles or so with the turbo housing jubilee clipped to the manifold... A PROPER BODGE :D:D:D
So, I think they need to have a bit of a rethink... If it can be improved (the layouts) I "may" consider going again as long as it remains a "loud" tyre day...
I emailed Declan last night and he's got a few things up his sleeve
Nick Froome
Tell him from me we miss him up north hehehe :D
Here is the link to the driftworks thread about the day with all our other comments...
http://www.driftworks.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=694
also copied from driftworks... :D
Oh, and bad luck to... Stidi, he totally toasted his clutch, no drive at all.
I ended up getting home fine in the end
joined the AA (went on with my parents cover) and they came out to pick me up without any hassle at all £43 for membership til next year
beats the quote of £330ish that i got anyway
SteveCarter200
30-09-2004, 06:38
also copied from driftworks... :D
I ended up getting home fine in the end
joined the AA (went on with my parents cover) and they came out to pick me up without any hassle at all £43 for membership til next year
beats the quote of £330ish that i got anyway
Thank fook for that. :thumbs:
hopefully get Danny down to do the clutch soon too ;)
he should be coming over to do Matt's turbo swap (when he finds one :p ) so i'll kidnapp him and get him to do my clutch at the same time :D
sunnybono
01-10-2004, 13:51
sorry to bring back a dead thread. and hijack the past posts...
but i was out driving over lunch time a guy i work with said why dont you pop into kempton race course parking lot, its HUGE and in the middle of nowhere. I havent been by yet, but from the way he described it, it would be perfect. He said its nearly always empty on weekends (bar race season) and anybody can go in. He has been teaching his gf to drive there most weekend and has also had the odd bit of fun while there :D . I know that they have had some car meets there in the past. Would be worth trying to organize something? I would email them but i dont really know what to say to them. Would anybody with any more experience fancy getting in touch?
Link to map (http://www.streetmap.co.uk/newmap.srf?x=511250&y=169750&z=2&sv=511250,169750&st=4&ar=N&mapp=newmap.srf&searchp=newsearch.srf)
DragonAE86
02-10-2004, 18:36
there's just something very crude and boy-racerish about it
to me (who's never driven in a drift event) weight transfer techniques seem more skillful - such as Scandinavian flick, trail-braking of lift-off oversteer
WRC drivers will always use the handbrake around hairpin bends, either that or the super understeer technique :D
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