Croft - Renault clio cup winter series/track day

[Harry_manback]

Went along with rob to see the clio cup racing at croft. we got the bug and signed up for some track time which was £10 for 20 mins, and there was 4 sessions.

the first session lasted about 3 laps before it was called to a stop and this came in the pits.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFjcV0ecUoA

It was part of some clio scholarship program, couldnt decide if it were the owners having some fun in thier cars or the students shitting out of luck.

either way when the cliocups went out it was obvious that grip was low.
ill sort that video out later.

me and rob went for the 3rd session which was held behind a safety car, which sounds shite but the guy assured us hed be going quite fast.
50mph on the straighs and 30mph on the corner meant i ended up with my stereo on and chance to practise my wet weather cornering, leading to some impressive slides. allthough im not sure if rob was as happy trying to avoid me. my petrol average only went from 32.5 to 32.2 after 20 mins on track, kinda shows how bad that was!

so anyway everyone was pissed off being held up by a SLOW 197 and a SLOW 182. so me and rob did abit of racing of our own, leading to us getting a telling off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5t0jJDUmN8

shame they didnt tell the cliocup owners off when they were doing the same in thier AMG mercs and brand new M3's!
oh well rules is rules i guess.


Still pretty good fun, and another circuit ticket off my list.

 

[.Gem.]

Oh mannnnnnnnnn!!! Gutted i didn't come!!!! Pffft! How gutted must that crushed clio owner have been!!! Baaaad!! :S

 

[Rob's172]

yer was a good day really! would of liked to have more fun on track tho! spent most of my time in 2nd booting it then slaming on so i dint go in to the back of you goin sidewards

really found it hard to get the power down with it been wet and worn tyers new pe2's fitted monday

gonta get on track gain tho, the bug has got me :race:

 

[Harry_manback]

u get any decent pics mate?

i wonder if we can find the site where all the pros were taking pics. interested to see if they've got me hedge bound!

 

[Beef-Mc]

Ouch, is all I can say for that ph1.

Nothing like a bit of second gear action though

 

[Rob's172]

not looked at my pics yet, dint take many anyway

 

[Michael172]

how dare ye.
lol. wish id of come to this.

 

[Mikey]

doh, wish id of come and co-pilot for you Dave

 

[philmots]

Sounds like a bit of a laugh. Croft have open track days pretty often anyway so it's not a bad idea for next year!

 

[Rob's172]

^^ good coz i really want to do more track time next year, in the dry

thats if me and dave are not banned

 

[Neal 182]

was the driver ok that looks bad

 

[Rob's172]

^^ yer he was fine! the passenger side roof was caved in bad! lucky really

 

[YorkshireDaz]

That poor Clio.. Did you all have to sign a disclaimer before they let you on? I would have been so gutted!! :approve:

 

[Rob's172]

yep we had to sign our lives way

 

[Ad]

oops that quick is a mess!

 

[philmots]

Anyone else recognise the reg on the Quick?

 

[Harry_manback]

That poor Clio.. Did you all have to sign a disclaimer before they let you on? I would have been so gutted!! :approve:

the briefing was very brief.
no mention of flags, didnt say anything about safety. not even a word about overtaking, very poor.

 

[SCOTT_182CUP]

look like a decent day out. what is the camera your using for the video. was looking for something to put on or in my car for next year

 

[Christopher]

gutted

 

[Alex H]

To be perfectly honest the last thing I expected to see when exiting Tower was yellow flags, the next last thing I expected was to see aforementioned car on it's roof in the cornfield. How? Why?

I was in a piddly 1.2 on "four for £100 fitted" tyres, which weren't grippy at all! Was out as well in session 3 and had to quit before the end - no grip, didn't want to trash the car like the previous guy.

 

[banx22]

It was a good day dispite the weather. must remember not to set off so early next time!!

Good to meet Dave and Rob.

There was really no grip on the circuit, one of the formula renault boys spun straight after the pit exit on his out lap !!!

The clio cup cars are very nice though. they sound really nice, and look the nuts.

One guy in an orange coloured one was hanging it out in qualifying at the first corner, always caught it as well.

 

[Harry_manback]

Track footage!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ALuQAz9QDh0

 

[Track'd]

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=272410

Spotted 3 of those stickered up 172's a few weeks back, surely weren't getting ready for this that long ago?

 

[Harry_manback]

there was 4 of them lol.

 

[Rob's172]

To be perfectly honest the last thing I expected to see when exiting Tower was yellow flags, the next last thing I expected was to see aforementioned car on it's roof in the cornfield. How? Why?

I was in a piddly 1.2 on "four for £100 fitted" tyres, which weren't grippy at all! Was out as well in session 3 and had to quit before the end - no grip, didn't want to trash the car like the previous guy.

to be fair looks like you had the most fun coz you could use all the power from your 1.2! i also had no grip so was fun tryin to get power down out of turns thanks for lettin us buy as well

http://www.cliosport.net/forum/showthread.php?t=272410

Spotted 3 of those stickered up 172's a few weeks back, surely weren't getting ready for this that long ago?

these guy's have got a race at crof in Jan so wanted to get to know the track!

there was 4 of them lol.

not any more!

 

[GarethM]

nice vids harry

was a good day out, i came with the missus just missed the 1st session and the ph-quick rolling
saw it straight away when we got there though.

i ended up doing the last track session as by them the track was dry and the pace car came off after 2 laps.

was my first ever track day, and really enjoyed it. could have done with someone in front of me to see which lines they were taking, i mis judged a few corners through the complex lol

ill upload my pics in a mo

 

[Rob's172]

^^ i should of stayed til the end then oh well next time:rasp:

 

[Rob's172]

only pic thats not blured

 

[Alex H]

All the power? I daren't. It'd have been quite anal of me not to let you all past, it would have ruined your fun. I'm sorry I didn't properly introduce myself, was too mentally occupied with not crasing (not my) car

 

[Rob Clark]

Cracking day for me especially @ 10 quid a session. Thankfully that chap (i think his name was rob too) was ok with just his pride hurt.
Big thanks for Harry for lending me your camera mount even if i did video nothing for that 2nd session got some reasonable footage from the 3rd tho.
tut tut Rob for drag racing 'This is not a drag strip you know!'
4th session was much better as circuit was much dryer and we were allowed loose after 2 laps with the safety car. 3 laps in I got a bit of a shock when my brakes were cooked trying to keep up with that r26, vee and trophy so I had to calm down a bit - still didnt stop the 'SLOW DOWN' boards weing waved tho.
Didnt stop for the 5th session as had a 2hr drive home and was booked for a meal.
Great day and good to meet some of you

 

[Harry_manback]

no worries mate,

how did you compare to the other cars??

 

[Rob Clark]

ok i think. for saying it was my 1st trackday i was impressed. we had just about caught up with the backmarkers by the end of the session. im glad i gave up keeping up with the meggy and vee as would have ended up in a ditch.
We were all fairly spaced out so no one to really follow or overtake by a stray ford probe which i encountered not long from the end.
btw which mount have you got as im considering buying one ?

 

[Harry_manback]

http://www.b-hague.co.uk/camera_suction_pads_vacuum_mounts.htm

first one mate.
based in nottingham too.

 

[Rob's172]

yer whish i got a dry sess next time, next time! then me and dave would not a titted about after

All the power? I daren't. It'd have been quite anal of me not to let you all past, it would have ruined your fun. I'm sorry I didn't properly introduce myself, was too mentally occupied with not crasing (not my) car

i gave u a cheeky smile b4 goin on track

 

[Cue]

the organisation wasn't the best. The green track was tricky on semi slicks but the thing that annoyed me the most was being limited to silly speeds on track, being limited to 50 on a main straight is pointless - you could have driven off track and gone quicker on the derestricted b road.

It wasn't even heavy rain, just damp with drizzle. I ended the 3rd session early as it was more dangerous driving on a drying track with cold tyres (can't get them up to temp driving rounds corners at 30) than on a wet track with moderately warm tyres.

 

[Rob's172]

^^ 2nd that, pissed off that was had to go so slow! but we did catch up to the other group, so they must of been goin really slow

 

[GarethM]

yeah they were going really slow

a few people weren't happy after the 3rd session

 

[Harry_manback]

i said it there and ill say it again.

for years young drivers have been told by police to stop speeding and racing about on public roads they all say "go on a track" and we get there an were doing 50!!!!!!

the organisers have abit of an obligation to let the ones go who feel safe and lead the not so confident.

then its up to the drivers.
id rather roll in a gravel trap then down a railway enbankment or into a bus stop full of kids!!!!


saying that though i lost control on track in situations i have never b4 so i guess i leant something, namly what to do if you loose the back end when your accelerating out of a bend. which kept rob guessing!

 

[GarethM]

for my first time on track i enjoyed it

i could do with alot of pratice though with the racing lines and i need to be more confident in putting the car through the corners. i was lucky i got out on the last session and it was dry and not behind a pace car

 

[Leeshez]

nice