Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

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System-G
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by System-G »

Tomiam wrote:
Only gripe about the day was the lack of respect for overtaking by consent. Twice I nearly side swipped a caterham, both times they were trying to overtake on a corner without consent. I heard of a Lotus 2-11 than got hit by a caterham too (damaged his front wheel badly).
There were also a couple of cars who must have broken indicators (not the caterwestfieldhams) as they refused to move over.


Not one of the BaT team had a mention of this from you??? All you needed to do was have a chat with me or Jo and the pitlane exit or gone and seen Jo or Jonny in the briefing room :wink:

I black flagged a couple of cars I saw attempting overtaking manoevers without concent, but we can't all see all of the circuit all the time and rely on you (the drivers) to report anything you are unhappy about.

I had a chat to a couple of drivers that were reported to us by other drivers too. One of the wrong doers were strongly advised it be best to take on tuition although he never did :?

All in all there were only 5 black flag incidents all day - considering the amount of cars and mixed ability, that was nothing, we have had far busier days in the past.

The 2-11/BaT1 incident was lack of observation basically. The damage was very minor to both cars. It was so minor the flimsey mudflap on BaT1 did not break off or even crack - although it will need a new toe arm and/or wishbone as they have a slight kink. Both cars were drivable after the incident. Both were lucky as it could have been a lot worse.

We had a number of opposite and complementary comments at the end of the day by both professional race teams and 1st timers on what a well run and controlled day it was.

But it does put things into perspective - motorsport regardless of it's guise, can and always will be dangerous regardless how well run the day was.

Glad you enjoyed your day though :thumleft:
85 MK1 MR2 Track N/Ail | 99 528i SE Touring | 01 Mandarin VX220
System-G
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Joined: Tue Dec 28, 2004 10:50 am
Location: Leicestershire

Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by System-G »

Forgot to add -

Thanks to Karen and Richard (Squiz) for the drive of the Challenge car :thumleft:

Only managed to get one full lap in. But it reminded me so much of our old track car. Can't wait to get Bolly up to spec again 8) :mrgreen:

I hope Karen's drive of our SC wasn't too scary :lol:
Sorry we forgot to tell you of the little "niggles" :oops:
85 MK1 MR2 Track N/Ail | 99 528i SE Touring | 01 Mandarin VX220
Squizz

Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by Squizz »

Sorry we didn't come to say hi, but we were kept busy too!

We had a bit of a nightmare start to the day. Spent 1/2 hour on the motorway before realising we'd forgotten ourt driving licenses. Went home, collected them and drove to the circuit to find we didn't need them after all! :evil:

Anyway, the day was great. Karen drove most of the day and enjoyed herself. She's happy with the grip from the A048R's and the better braking it provides, etc. I think she got to drive on circuit with you and David Bryant in his red MK2 Championship prepared car. :D

Agreed on the Caterhams. later noticed that some of them aren't even equipped with brake lights!!! That's the Bookatrack cars!!! :shock: [-(

Great to see garrick and Jo and swap rides for a short while to check things out. \:D/ Nice to see Tom too, and give him some rides. Poor chap managed to skin his knuckles just before getting in with me and began bleeding profusely. All Karen saw was me stop the car in the pitlane and Tom jump out and rush to the toilets. She wondered what I'd done to him!! :lol:

Even the weather was kind to us... 8)
jonb-
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by jonb- »

Annoyed I didn't get chance to come up and say hello.

Garrick, for future reference if I'd turned up on the day would I have been able to get out in the afternoon? (through dropouts or noshows)
System-G
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by System-G »

jonb- wrote:Annoyed I didn't get chance to come up and say hello.

Garrick, for future reference if I'd turned up on the day would I have been able to get out in the afternoon? (through dropouts or noshows)


Jon, you probably would have been able to.

The day had sold out in advance. But there were at least two dropouts.

Although I would suggest is calling Bookatrack before leaving home to save a wasted journey though :thumleft:

We are back at Rock next Sunday and there are still places available :wink:
85 MK1 MR2 Track N/Ail | 99 528i SE Touring | 01 Mandarin VX220
Squizz

Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by Squizz »

System-G wrote:
We are back at Rock next Sunday and there are still places available :wink:


Ung! Musn't let Karen know! :roll:

When are the pics likely to be up?

Garrick - Thanks again for letting Karen out in the SC. We had a great day and were greatly impressed by the organisation. I think I saw one stoppage all day for a matter of 5 minutes. Brilliant! :clap:
mr2mk1chick
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by mr2mk1chick »

jonb- wrote:Annoyed I didn't get chance to come up and say hello.

Garrick, for future reference if I'd turned up on the day would I have been able to get out in the afternoon? (through dropouts or noshows)


Hiya Jon

funnily enough all the 60 bookings turned up, so no dropouts, but most times i guess its worth a shot - ring first maybe.
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mr2mk1chick
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by mr2mk1chick »

Squizz wrote:Sorry we didn't come to say hi, but we were kept busy too!

We had a bit of a nightmare start to the day. Spent 1/2 hour on the motorway before realising we'd forgotten ourt driving licenses. Went home, collected them and drove to the circuit to find we didn't need them after all! :evil:

Anyway, the day was great. Karen drove most of the day and enjoyed herself. She's happy with the grip from the A048R's and the better braking it provides, etc. I think she got to drive on circuit with you and David Bryant in his red MK2 Championship prepared car. :D

Agreed on the Caterhams. later noticed that some of them aren't even equipped with brake lights!!! That's the Bookatrack cars!!! :shock: [-(

Great to see garrick and Jo and swap rides for a short while to check things out. \:D/ Nice to see Tom too, and give him some rides. Poor chap managed to skin his knuckles just before getting in with me and began bleeding profusely. All Karen saw was me stop the car in the pitlane and Tom jump out and rush to the toilets. She wondered what I'd done to him!! :lol:

Even the weather was kind to us... 8)


hiya

thanks so much again for letting me have a few laps driving your car Karen - Brill
It handles like our old track nail, but stiffer with the race rollcage in, and braking better due to the sticky tyres.
The handling is really progressive and 'kind'. the car is quick too.

Karen thought out SC's handling was scary - but i did say that it would be 'different' and 'interesting' in comparison to a track car
(basically our sc is a bit washy to say the least! LOL. hope we get a track car sorted again soon)

re: the BAT cats and brake lights: many caternails etc that are not for road use dont use barke lights. Jonny took them off the BAT cars, as other heavier cars kept having braking nightmares when they copied the braking of the caterhams and kept stacking into them as they couldnt brake as late. the accident rate has gone down since, as cars can't use the caterhams as a braking guide, they have to use real judgement instead.
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System-G
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by System-G »

mr2mk1chick wrote:
jonb- wrote:Annoyed I didn't get chance to come up and say hello.

Garrick, for future reference if I'd turned up on the day would I have been able to get out in the afternoon? (through dropouts or noshows)


Hiya Jon

funnily enough all the 60 bookings turned up, so no dropouts, but most times i guess its worth a shot - ring first maybe.


Dropout = DNF = mechanical failure/retirement/gone home early
85 MK1 MR2 Track N/Ail | 99 528i SE Touring | 01 Mandarin VX220
Squizz

Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by Squizz »

mr2mk1chick wrote:
re: the BAT cats and brake lights: many caternails etc that are not for road use dont use barke lights. Jonny took them off the BAT cars, as other heavier cars kept having braking nightmares when they copied the braking of the caterhams and kept stacking into them as they couldnt brake as late. the accident rate has gone down since, as cars can't use the caterhams as a braking guide, they have to use real judgement instead.


Very good point. Yes, I can certainly see that! :shock: :pale:
Simarshy
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by Simarshy »

Well must admit I had a great time yesterday, first time driving the car in angry since I've stripped it out and added some suspension upgrades.

Really sorry I didn't get to around to meeting you lot I was so busy getting on the track and chatting to other people before I knew it, was time to go :(. Hope I can catch up with some of you at the Toyota Sprint!

Regarding track etiquette there were one or two being a pain (I can remember one of the caterham guys swearing at the guy in a white caterham with IT something written on it) ,which I found quite funny ;) but I'll have to get around to reporting it next time :)

Spent all day in amazement of what the car is capable of, didn't fiddle around with any of the setting it just felt so right, all that’s lacking is my driving skill.

Some of the things that stuck in my mind from the day.

1. Nervous thoughts going through my mind as we line up waiting for the pacecar to show us the track.
2. Chasing down and overtaking the Evo FQ340 despite him pushing it hard enough to start going sideways down Oval Turn 4.
3. Seeing that Bugatti EB110 in the flesh, amazing stance from the rear
4. Following the Dax into Graceland’s and thinking hmm I’m going in a bit fast, only to him nearly go off into the grass in front of me.
5. How annoying it is when your clutch goes to the floor after 3 hard laps

Great track tbh, I will have to revisit it there's alot to learn!

Si
Tomiam
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by Tomiam »

System-G wrote:
Tomiam wrote:
Only gripe about the day was the lack of respect for overtaking by consent. Twice I nearly side swipped a caterham, both times they were trying to overtake on a corner without consent. I heard of a Lotus 2-11 than got hit by a caterham too (damaged his front wheel badly).
There were also a couple of cars who must have broken indicators (not the caterwestfieldhams) as they refused to move over.


Not one of the BaT team had a mention of this from you??? All you needed to do was have a chat with me or Jo and the pitlane exit or gone and seen Jo or Jonny in the briefing room :wink:


Tbh, I did consider it and then thought I would only be causing trouble and perhaps it was just me.... Didnt want to feel like I was the new school kid telling tales etc. Looking back on it, yea I will have a word next time.

Disappointed I didnt get a proper chance to chat to you - and now I know thats Jo (sorry!!! I know.. I know..) I will say hello too :)
Please dont get me wrong - I REALLY enjoyed the day, if not more so than my last time at Rockingham with BaT.
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mr2mk1chick
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by mr2mk1chick »

Simarshy wrote:Really sorry I didn't get to around to meeting you lot I was so busy getting on the track and chatting to other people before I knew it, was time to go :(. Hope I can catch up with some of you at the Toyota Sprint!

Si


Hi Si

apart from the sign on, where in the mad rush i realised it was you too late, i didn't get to say a proper hello either.

yesterday i asked Garrick if you left early or something, as i didn't see you amnywhere! you must have been on circuit loads LOL

see you at the sprint anyhow :thumleft:
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jason_pmr2
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by jason_pmr2 »

Got to meet the chap in the red mr2 challenge car, was a very busy day, i found myself constantly wanting to be out on track. However the oil temp reaching close to 150 after 10 minutes got quite annoying, spent more time cooling down in the paddock i think.

Really enjoyable day, gunna try and do it monthly now, I found my handling setup was great (Although tyres were a let down(Nankangs :-k )). The brakes were fantastic, never once showed any sign of fade, even though i wasn't giving them any respect.
Just felt that i need more power, especially in the power slides (or not so powerslides). I wanted to drift, car just didnt have the horses to carry it through on the faster bends, instead just wanted to spin out. Have been looking at RX7's :mrgreen: Did you see the flames from the red one on sunday?I need one of those :evil: !
mr2mk1chick
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by mr2mk1chick »

jason_pmr2 wrote: Have been looking at RX7's :mrgreen: Did you see the flames from the red one on sunday?I need one of those :evil: !


yep - that guy was having fun :thumleft:
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Squizz

Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by Squizz »

Apparently the RX7 was running 400bhp. :-s
MartG
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by MartG »

Squizz wrote:Apparently the RX7 was running 400bhp. :-s


...and 3 gallons per mile :lol:
Squizz

Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by Squizz »

The non-Buddy Club integra being driven around Rockingham from Sunday:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90yXu3_eJdE

Piloted by Dixon Cheng, a class winner of last years Time Attack.
jonb-
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Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by jonb- »

I know Dixon, great guy, really friendly
Squizz

Re: Rockingham International 24thFeb '08 BaT

Post by Squizz »

jonb- wrote:I know Dixon, great guy, really friendly


I wanted to say hello as he and Karen are going to be competitors in the nippon Challenge, but with one thing and another we didn't get the chance. :(
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