Smashed Trophy @ Castle Combe (no 299)

[DCELEC 182]

Is it time for castle coombe to charge more or limit numbers on there action days?

They always have loads of crashes, maybe have graded sessions so you don't get the vast range of skill levels, car speeds on track all at the same time?

But everyone thinks they're 'advanced' that's the trouble.....don't think there's any way they could grade the sessions realistically but whilst the power/ability is a massive problem the number of cars is 100% the biggest issue on the day in my opinion, far too many on track at once giving people no space!
In my five sessions yesterday I overtook more people and had more near misses than I have at all the trackdays I've been on altogether haha....they're just manic. Great fun in one sense but inevitably lots of accidents waiting to happen, and they never disappoint which ruins everyone's session.
They must make a fortune in track time sales though.....

 

[Mr Burns]

There's definitely something about Combe... I did the Forge Action Day a couple of years ago and the briefing was a casual affair where they basically asked you nicely not to crash. I'd never seen so many tracksuits in one place. Nobody had listened to the briefing and within a lap or so someone was in the barrier.

 

[egor110]

That's the crux of the matter, coombe is a tricky circuit as nothing big can race here due to lack of space.
Bsb,btcc, british gt's not one of them can use the track and in turn bring in large amounts of spectators so the track has to make there money on action days.

 

[charltjr]

Briefing we had last time out was brilliant. He asked if there were any first timers and when a couple of people said yes he just paused for a few seconds, grinned and said "And you chose Combe? Brave."

Got the point across at least. Love that track but it's not somewhere to take liberties.

I'd spectate an action day quite happily, but track time? No bloody way!

 

[MarcB]

Love the fact the owner is more interested in going on holiday and then breaking the car LOL

and a picture of the 172

 

[McGherkin]

The old Peugeot estate thing pouring out black smoke nearly caused a few biffs. Only as it was so slow out of the corners everyone piled up behind it. . The black type r turbo overtaking on the grass passing 3 cars spread across the track looked ready to crash too

That throbber in the puma was on for a shunt at some point too - he got black flagged in the first session for almost rear ending someone whilst trying to intimidate them into letting him past.

 

[KitsonRis]

That throbber in the puma was on for a shunt at some point too - he got black flagged in the first session for almost rear ending someone whilst trying to intimidate them into letting him past.

Someone was actually black flagged at Combe?! In all the times I have been I have never seen a black flag and some people have deserved it. The number of time I have seen cars drift every corner lap after lap in normal sessions and not be flagged. And people nipping past through the chicanes up your inside and not be told about it eventhough in the briefing they say they will. But at Llandow you do something wrong John calls you in and embarrassing you over the tannoy! I think it is a better atmosphere at Llandow IMO because of how calm it is.

Towards the end of yesterday it looked like they were over filling the sessions and just getting people out as they were running very late. I was about 90mins late on the track for my session.

 

[McGherkin]

Someone was actually black flagged at Combe?! In all the times I have been I have never seen a black flag and some people have deserved it. The number of time I have seen cars drift every corner lap after lap in normal sessions and not be flagged. And people nipping past through the chicanes up your inside and not be told about it eventhough in the briefing they say they will. But at Llandow you do something wrong John calls you in and embarrassing you over the tannoy! I think it is a better atmosphere at Llandow IMO because of how calm it is.

Towards the end of yesterday it looked like they were over filling the sessions and just getting people out as they were running very late. I was about 90mins late on the track for my session.

He got black flagged but before he came round to the pit entry the clio above stuffed it and it was all red flagged, lol. Saw him get an ear-bashing from the marshal as he pulled off though.

 

[Lal B3N]

Love the fact the owner is more interested in going on holiday and then breaking the car LOL

Holidays are better thats why lol.

Breaking a car is nothing but s**t.

 

[bbracer16v]

Combes always messy and yesterday was bad!! I was on for 3.15 but just drove into the que and got sent in with 2pm 2.30 and loads others bout 45cars 3 lines got sent out on that session..

 

[steve_b9]

Combes better with less cars out. Ive done track days with combe them selves who let 20 cars out at a time for 15min sessions.
And javelin who let 12 cars out but open pit lane. So you get less conjestion behind slower cars.
Also theyve resurfaced most of the circuit. So in the wet youve got loads of grip. Apart from the last 2 corners. Where in my clio i couldnt get any power down at all. And just understeered through the corners.
which is where both these clios came off

 

[RS Charlie]

But everyone thinks they're 'advanced' that's the trouble.....don't think there's any way they could grade the sessions realistically but whilst the power/ability is a massive problem the number of cars is 100% the biggest issue on the day in my opinion, far too many on track at once giving people no space!
In my five sessions yesterday I overtook more people and had more near misses than I have at all the trackdays I've been on altogether haha....they're just manic. Great fun in one sense but inevitably lots of accidents waiting to happen, and they never disappoint which ruins everyone's session.
They must make a fortune in track time sales though.....

That is the biggest issue. People think they are Lewis Hamilton behind the wheel. I am far from a great driver myself but that is something to be factored in.

With the few trackdays I have done over the years there was certainly some testosterone fuelled drivers there driving a little too silly at times. Maybe I was lucky but the Turbo Civic on my lap didn't seem that silly! There was a bellend in a 106 GTi behind me (he was getting irate in the pitlanes at me moving slowly ; I was told to wait in my defence (due to someone stacking it in a previous session). He had zero regard for other drivers on the road and I am talking about overtaking a car to its left side when someone was overtaking on the right side and swerving around like a tool. I let him overtake me for the fear of him stacking my car.

A few other drivers also overtook in the chicanes but not quite as reckless as the above. My regret was letting a 300BHP Cosworth past. Sure he walked over me on the straights but I may as well been on a country drive in the bends with the speed I carried through! That is a mistake I shall not make again :/.

The organisation of the circuit is the crux with their sessions however, and the T&Cs are written clearly on the papers.

There's definitely something about Combe... I did the Forge Action Day a couple of years ago and the briefing was a casual affair where they basically asked you nicely not to crash. I'd never seen so many tracksuits in one place. Nobody had listened to the briefing and within a lap or so someone was in the barrier.

I got the impression that the briefing went in one ear and came out of the other with most of the people...

OTOH it was my first time taking the Clio out on the track. It really has surprised me with just how capable the car is! I was planning on going to Bilstein B14s next year and maybe 172 Cup wishbones (if the driveshafts can be kept). A stock car plan may end up taking place despite the smallish price difference if getting the bits from Renault. I actually wonder if the RST would be as good on track despite NS2-Rs and Leda all round.

 

[McGherkin]

Corsa's view of that turbo crash. Skip to 8:40ish.



I reckon he booted it, spun up causing full on understeer, realised he was heading for the grass and snapped the throttle shut giving instant grip to the front wheels.

 

[charltjr]

WTAF went on there, your idea does seem to make sense McG. Not sure if whoever was driving the silver clio had any track experience, some strange lines, braking in the middle of one of the chicanes, all a bit odd.

 

[_Tom]

Damn. I knew I should have gone..
Action day + rain = many crashes. What else crashed on the day?

 

[Advikaz]

Ouch

 

[R3k1355]

Clio driver didn't seem to have amazing knowledge of the track either, you could see him straying off onto the wet parts of the track quite often.
It almost looks like he lost concentration as well, or maybe just understeered horribly but on his last corner he just didn't follow the direction of the track.

 

[McGherkin]

if you light up both front wheels the amount of steering you lose can be very surprising, and if you wind on a load of lock before you come off the throttle, the tyres suddenly gripping and the forward weight transfer can make for some nasty snap oversteer.

I did lol at a civic jordan whose tactic for quarry was to keep adding more lock and power way beyond the point of understeer.

 

[Johnc172]

I just think that is really unlucky! If you look at the vid you can see a bump or dip on the track that he hits, that seems to chuck the car off course

 

[ilovewilly]

Combe on a standard track day is fine. Yes you can fall off at quarry or camp, but learn the track and you will be fine.

I am yet to grow the balls to do a Combe action day session as it's others around me that I fear, not myself. In fact - when I had my £200 Volvo T5 I was tempted - but that proves the point even more. You get more inconsiderate people at a £30 or whatever it is 15 minute session than you do from genuine enthusiasts who will take a day out and ~£180 to take it seriously. Yes at the full days you get people testing etc, but they are primarily more conscious of others around them rather than showboating at every corner.

 

[Sir_Dave]

Assume the silver clio also had a RWD conversion? Really odd place to crash, would be interested to know what actually happened!!

 

[charltjr]

Theres a pic from the photographers who covered the day of a black 1*2 with a smashed up front end being driven back into the pits, was still under it's own power but that had been boosted/charged too.

So that makes three!

 

[McGherkin]

Assume the silver clio also had a RWD conversion?

No.

 

[Gus]

Theres a pic from the photographers who covered the day of a black 1*2 with a smashed up front end being driven back into the pits, was still under it's own power but that had been boosted/charged too.

So that makes three!

got a link mate?

 

[charltjr]

got a link mate?

Saw it shared on Combe's Facebook feed - here it is:

 

[Daniel]

Saw it shared on Combe's Facebook feed - here it is:
View attachment 136485

That black Clio is silver mate...

 

[Mr Burns]

That's the silver one isn't it.

Edit, beaten to it.

 

[charltjr]

Ignore me, that's actually the silver one again, for some reason the side looks black in the photo to my aged eyes. Or I should blamed the iPad screen or something. b****cks........

Still, at least it was drivable!