182 rules on the track

[tinhead]

Just got home from my first trackday at TY Croes with the 182 and it performed superbly. In the wet it was among the fastest and most stable cars on the track seeing off a couple of caterhams, a lhd M3, imprezas, elise and a 911 turbo. A couple of the RWD cars spun in front of me as the Clio gained on them but the 182 hardly got out of shape once. When the track dried it was still overtaking plenty of cars - most track prepared- and was keeping the same pace as a Lotus Elise. The only problem encountered was the front tyres overheating- probebly my fault for staying out too long and messing up the hairpin a few times.

I have been a bit dissapointed with the Clio on the road after the Scooby but get it on a track and it shows its true pace.

If anybody is thinking about a trackday I would recommend Ty Croes as a good first track as its easy to learn and well suited to the Clio.

I hope to see more Clios next time and I hope it rains

 

[Pete]

Where is Ty Croes? What are the run off areas like?

[Edited by Pete_172 on 30 June 2004 at 9:28pm]

 

[tinhead]

Ty Croes is on Anglesey and it does have plenty of run off on most of the track. The top speed at the end of the pit straight is about 85-90 and all of the circuit can be done in second and third.

I booked through track-action and if you look at the website there are some videos of the cicuit.

 

[CocoPops]

Did you drive with the standard michelins?

How have they been with that kind of punishment?

 

[tinhead]

Yes CocoPops, standard 182 with cup suspension only done 1500 miles. The front tyres are looking a bit ragged but I think I overheated them on my first dry session as the pressure was up to 39.5 when I came off.

I may be looking for a spare set of wheels with tyres more suitable for the track and keep the PE2s for the road.

 

[Rich-D]

Those Exalto 2s are good in the wet I take it...

Did a trackday in my Cup on the ooh so grippy Contis and boy was that fun!

 

[tinhead]

superb in the wet, inspired a lot of confidence. I Kept the ESP on all through the session but I only noticed it through the hairpin and when cutting across the rumble strips in the wet, it is very unintrusive.

 

[telford_mike]

Nice one sounds great. Been meaning to do Anglesey for ages. Next time get some Yokohama A048R or A032R tyres and youll be a couple of seconds a lap faster still!

 

[huw182]

Doh! You should have said you were going - Id have popped round for a look!

Interesting what youre saying about the tyres in the wet. My initial thoughts on wet driving in the Clio were that it didnt inspire much confidence. I wasnt pushing it (on the raod), so they may improve as you push them. Maybe it was the fact that my tyres were cold.

Huw

 

[tinhead]

Sorry Huw ill mention it next time, do you live nearby.

It suprised me how safe it felt in the wet but like you say, on the track the tyre temperatures will be higher and the surface is probably grippier.

It was great fun following the RWD cars, a Porsche 911 even spun on the sighting lap when we were following the instructor.

 

[Pete]

Bit of a trek for me then (based in essex), looking forwards to bedford now to really give the 172 some stick.

 

[KDEANO31]

My Cup was also awesome in the wet at Silverstone a couple of months ago. I couldnt believe how quick it was in terrible conditions. 911s, Caterhams and Elises were all pulling over for me. Im no Schumacher either as it was only my second trackday. I was on the standard Conti sports too.

Looks like Ill be joining a few of you at Bedford on the 23rd. Itll be good to see how I go against some other Clios.

 

[Rich-D]

Quote: Originally posted by KDEANO31 on 01 July 2004


My Cup was also awesome in the wet at Silverstone a couple of months ago. I was on the standard Conti sports too.

Hmmmm... so why was my car sh!te in the wet with the Contis on?!

 

[paddymph]

mine is as well, i like them in the dry but wet? f**k me its dangerous.

 

[jon_r]

Ever tried Yoko A539s! Even in the slight damp its a mission to get it going round bends!!

 

[MarkCup]

Quote: Originally posted by jon_r on 01 July 2004

Ever tried Yoko A539s! Even in the slight damp its a mission to get it going round bends!!

As I found out at The Esses at Castle Combe yesterday...I was just commenting on how all the other cars with their specialised track-day rubber were going to really struggle in the rain and...woosh...round I went!

I was losing approx 10-15 seconds a lap in the wet...but it taught me how to be smooooooooooooth with the steering

 

[Jim172CUP]

Contis are not too bad in the dry as they give you a bit of feed back, saying "oooh hang on a min were not getting much grip here back off the loud pedal". In the wet though, geeez, its spin city.