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Thread: Amateur track day, are they normally this busy?

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    Guest Carta's Avatar
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    Amateur track day, are they normally this busy?


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    No, funny you should post that, it was made by a friend of a friend. It's the Spring Action Day, which is just 15/20 min pay as you go sessions. Personally I think they're a disaster waiting to happen and it's a pretty decent indication of why track day cover no longer covers Castle Combe.

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    Guest Carta's Avatar
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    There is no way I would be on track with that many cars so close, I agree an accident waiting to happen. Its like the drivers would rather save face and get back on the track at speed rather that wait till its safe.

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    Now with 400bhp....
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    The issue is they let up to 40 cars out on track in one lump. It can look a little hairy at times.

    It's a small world as I was stood just behind these guys taking pictures of the drift demo.
    1998 Nissan 200sx s14a , 2000 std 5 speed with nismo supercoppermix clutch bn6 Sapphire Blue

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    how on earth did no one hit each other .... nice vid though, enjoyed that !

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    Flamethrower def's Avatar
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    That was awesome.

    Thought the S13 drifted well and got away with only a missing bumper!

    The rest was what i imagine the next Mad Max movie to be like

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    Engine Builder Mark's Avatar
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    Events like this (Japfest, Trax etc) are a good way of writing your car of as people are trying to get as many laps as poss for their 15mins so no warming up laps, no learning the track, no learning the limit of the car, just out the pits and flat out all the way round. Its piss funny for spectators but i wouldnt want to be out there.

    Evening sessions are a good way to enjoy cheap track days.
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    Guest zeppelin101's Avatar
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    One of the only tracks in the UK I have absolutely no desire to drive on.

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    Graphics Guru Davus200's Avatar
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    How did I miss all this!

    I braved it out on track and did feel a lot more crowded than usual...

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    Outstanding demonstration of good driving there!

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    Guest BLAKTOOTH's Avatar
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    I used to wonder why open pit track days were so expensive. I wonder no more, it's to deter d'heads. That's not to say you don't get them on OP/expensive track days but it does tend to limit them.

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    Guest Zornyan's Avatar
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    Hope my first day isn't like that as above though, most idiots that want a cheap thrill won't be prepared to spend £200 odd for a trackday I imagin, hence why drift days are popular to some assholes as their ononly £40-50 odd for the day.

    If I was in the middle of that I would truly be shitting myself...

  13. #13
    Guest Si's Avatar
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    That looks like one of the JapFest public track sessions If you want to see lots of crashes, stand at Quarry during an event like that and just wait for the carnage to unfold. Or if you want high speed smashes, stand at Camp...
    Was it an NSX that speared into the barrier at camp about 8 years ago? Trying to remember. Was pretty nasty, whatever it was.
    I remember just standing at Camp wincing as you watched the Evo track sessions, which mostly consisted of watching the electronics continually correct the cars' trajectory, it was an impressive display of technology!

    It's the reason I now resolutely avoid track sessions at shows.

    Some of the 'skills' on display during the drift demo are, errr, intriguing. What exactly were the qualifying criteria to be part of it?!
    Last edited by Si; 29-04-2015 at 11:06.

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    Guest Ralz's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Si View Post
    Was it an NSX that speared into the barrier at camp about 8 years ago? Trying to remember. Was pretty nasty, whatever it was.
    This one?


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    This is precisely why i don't want to drive at combe, even though its one of the closest main circuits to me. I am really worried about taking my car on track days due to seeing video's like this. Hence why i'm going to start myself off on a small sprint circuit where its one at a time. Hopefully i'll be able to really enjoy the weekender track day and get the most out of the car and myself

  16. #16
    No, the other one. Pete C's Avatar
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    Those days are how I started doing track back in about 2001, was hilarious at the time in a £200 Sierra XR4x4 because we didn't care if we crashed or not, and that's the problem with most people out there

    Once I started doing properly organised days I realised just how dangerous an action day is, and more than that, you sometimes don't get to go fast at all because there's too much traffic, it's like the M25

    Combe is a great circuit however, I've been there on a couple of properly organised open pit lane days and really enjoyed myself, it's very fast and very challenging/satisfying. Motorsport Events run some great days there, and they are very very disciplined, check out their website - I've also done loads of airfield days with them, which are fun and inexpensive and a great way to start because there's nothing to hit except cones

    http://www.motorsport-events.com

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    Looks like the main smash & crash scene from the Blues Brothers film. Certainly makes our Weekenders' look like a Sunday Drive rather than a Combe based amateur taster day for Rally Cross!

    Mind you, me saying that has probably just cursed me for Rockingham

    I'll get mi tow truck...

    R.

  18. #18
    Guest fullmetalgasket's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by adamrps13 View Post
    This is precisely why i don't want to drive at combe, even though its one of the closest main circuits to me. I am really worried about taking my car on track days due to seeing video's like this. Hence why i'm going to start myself off on a small sprint circuit where its one at a time. Hopefully i'll be able to really enjoy the weekender track day and get the most out of the car and myself
    This isn't indicative of the standard you get at a proper trackday at Combe - the action days are full of idiots in general - if the SXOC doesn't have it's own session then I won't consider going on track unless I'm driving the Ambulance
    Do a proper day at Combe and all you have to worry about is yourself and the barriers

  19. #19
    Guest sparkyhx's Avatar
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    people are normally spaced out more on open pitlane. Sometimes you do get bottlenecks of half a dozen cars, but it rarely lasts. Sometimes its nice to follow a faster driver, pushing your own comfort envelope. Last year at Snetterton I learnt I could go a lot faster than I was doing round the long right hander, the car was fine it was myself and my lack of gonnads that was limiting me.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by fullmet***asket View Post
    This isn't indicative of the standard you get at a proper trackday at Combe - the action days are full of idiots in general - if the SXOC doesn't have it's own session then I won't consider going on track unless I'm driving the Ambulance
    Do a proper day at Combe and all you have to worry about is yourself and the barriers
    Definitely, but i've seen a few of my mates cars written off at combe, driver error as well as 1 being taken out by a complete muppet. Not ever been fussed about it as a track. Donnington, rockingham, snetterton, oulten park and cadwell are the ones i want to do

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