I can't believe how much that sounds like my Trophy:
So similar!!
Did a trackday too!! forgot about that
So. My first MK4 track day.
This was only my 3rd trackday.. ever, and my First in the MK4. Needless to say I was quite nervous about taking a pretty much brand new car on track. then we pulled in and there was a brand new cayman GT4, boxster Spyder, Megane Sport and a new shape Exige V6.
no pictures of the Megane because they bore me.
anyway. Me and Joe started off the morning as we do at every track day (because we've done loads) absolutely bricking it, our other friend (Donato on here) on his first track day was totally fine. We arrived at Oulton Park at 7ish so before pretty much everyone and before briefing which meant signing on was really easy. Joe needed petrol so we addressed that issue and shuffled into out garage for the day.
at about 9 the day started after the 8.30 briefing. Keen to get a feel for the car and calm my nerves we all check our wheels were firmly bolted up, let some air out of the tyres and headed out into the second of three sighting sessions. The car felt really really really soft, but I knew that so cracked on, there was however some mouth breather in a saxo "race car" behind me who despite us only being out for three half pace laps, was weaving everywhere like he was playing whack a mole with his shitty saxo, only to add to my frustration when as we pulled into the pits he was doing burnout launch type things in his moronic FWD s**t box... Never mind.
After the third sighting session we headed out, and I let Joeyd take the lead, now I wasn't expecting to be fast in the MK4 and here are my reasons..
- Its new and expensive
- it was wet
- its on standard tyres
- have I mentioned the body roll?
the first 20 minutes or so were wet but I was happy to push on a little, much to my delight no scary moments. after which we came back in, re checked pressures and nuts and went back out, at this stage a dry line had started to form and I started to really push on and the car felt, to my surprise very very good, now of course the roll adds this sense of inertia in fast corners thats enough to make me feel queasy, but otherwise it was awesome. Throughout the day the laps got quicker. I was quicker then the other two guys in the mk2.5 and mk1 and had a proper blast, yes the tyres are awful and squealed round a lot of corners, and yes it rolls like something crazy, but what an awesome little car.
Titch who joined us will testify that for how standard it is, it's pretty damn good. I had to keep sessions short relative to the MK1 I had before, due to the known issue with oil cooling but I can say I was suitably impressed. The Exige V6 was on a whole other level of fast though.
Unfortunately I couldn't (be arsed) find a way to mount my go pro so no videos from me but hopefully some from joeyd in the MK1 (trying) to follow me. I forgot to ask for a decibel reading but I certainly didn't get warned of being close and apparently you couldn't actually hear it as it went past the start/finish line so thumbs up on that!! means I can add manifold etc and not be too worried.
Next up tyres, suspension and fixing this noodle of a steering wheel.
Pictures from the photographer have landed.
Like this one of the three different models