Donnington - Sunday Feb 26th - £99

[jonb-]

Having just come back from bedford where they let 50 cars out over the 3.6 miles 30 won't be too bad. Still don't like sessions though!

[skinthespin]

Oh, and there were 16 cars going round that corner in 22 seconds, which means by my limited maths there were 14 spread around the rest of the track, which im assuming would be 1 min 20 seconds plus in that weather......

Make of that what you will.

[anna]

Sounds good to me....
but not going to be able to make this time, but let me know if they are doing any later in the year!

[Lauren]

Yeah they allow 30 cars on track at any one time, its a 2 mile circuit so shouldnt be too bad, plus its round the corner from me, so I dont have to trek half way across the UK to drive round a bumpy, twisty circuit such as Angelsey, which was £20 dearer and would cost me £50+ in fuel to get there, plus accomodation, £30 to sleep on the floor anyone?

So there you go, ive saved £100 and I get to drive round a proper track, i'll take my chances with the traffic, its not compulsory to go btw.

Oh, and I was there last sunday and it wasnt ANYTHING like that video, like someone has said something might have happened to bunch things up.

I still rate Angersea as a better circuit than Donny though.

[skinthespin]

I still rate Angersea as a better circuit than Donny though

Why?

[Lauren]

I still rate Angersea as a better circuit than Donny though

Why?

Just think its a better circuit to drive. Craner Curves are really good at Donny, but it doesn't flow like Angeresra does.

Plus Donny tends to have more stoppages because of the gravel traps.

Cadwell and Oulton are the best though.

[skinthespin]

I never liked Cadwell, just thinkits a bit mickey mouse, too tight and twisty through the mountain and round the wooded complex, even on a bike its a bit lacking, just too narrow, the mountain is fun on a bike though, carry that wheelie until the next corner! Mind you I did have a nasty crash at Cadwell........

I really like donny, I think its pretty flowing and has plenty of space for overtaking/being overtook, and the quality of the circuit is excellent, especially since they resurfaced it, oulton is similar to donny really, lots of undulations and very 3 dimensional.

Its one of the things that put me off about Anglesey is the limited space to get past stuff.

[Lauren]

I never liked Cadwell, just thinkits a bit mickey mouse, too tight and twisty through the mountain and round the wooded complex, even on a bike its a bit lacking, just too narrow, the mountain is fun on a bike though, carry that wheelie until the next corner! Mind you I did have a nasty crash at Cadwell........

I really like donny, I think its pretty flowing and has plenty of space for overtaking/being overtook, and the quality of the circuit is excellent, especially since they resurfaced it, oulton is similar to donny really, lots of undulations and very 3 dimensional.

Its one of the things that put me off about Anglesey is the limited space to get past stuff.

Really? I love Cadwell think its the most technically challenging circuit around and each part is so different but equally appealing, from the ballsy high speed coppice though to the swooping charlies, then Chris curve where you really have to balance the car, down into the 'pick your line' into the gooseneck and hope you have it right and then there is the excellent mountain section plus the hall bends which really get a rythm going. Only corner i don't like much is Barn.

Am guessing you don't like Cadwell because of the crash, i'm much the same about brands.

Would say Oulton is much closer to Cadwell in its feel than to Donny. Donny is okay, but apart from the Craners though coppice is fun the rest is a bit mediocre. Though you are right there is loads of space at Donny, maybe i've just got a bored of it, but i never seem to tire of anglesey. Also never had issues with being held up as there are 4 places to overtake and thats when i've been in caternails and the like.

How many times have you been to angersea?

[skinthespin]

never been to angelsey, its quite a trek from here, and i have Donny on the doorstep, I crashed as cadwell but i dont think thats the reason I dont enjoy it as much, its almost liek going round Donny, Silverstone, etc, places like that where you watch your heroes (rossi in the wet anyone?) makes it a bit of an 'event', if that makes sense.

I like the fast open tracks, hence I like donny, and to come down craner at 120+ on a bike is a real rollercoaster ride (I have ran off there twice on bike and nearly had 'big ones' but still love it!)

I think Cadwell just seems like an afternoon on a B-road, I dont do track days as much as i'd like cos of costs and other family commitments (the lad isnt old enough to passenger yet, hes only 2!) so i like it to be a special day out when i do.

[Lauren]

never been to angelsey, its quite a trek from here, and i have Donny on the doorstep, I crashed as cadwell but i dont think thats the reason I dont enjoy it as much, its almost liek going round Donny, Silverstone, etc, places like that where you watch your heroes (rossi in the wet anyone?) makes it a bit of an 'event', if that makes sense.

I like the fast open tracks, hence I like donny, and to come down craner at 120+ on a bike is a real rollercoaster ride (I have ran off there twice on bike and nearly had 'big ones' but still love it!)

I think Cadwell just seems like an afternoon on a B-road, I dont do track days as much as i'd like cos of costs and other family commitments (the lad isnt old enough to passenger yet, hes only 2!) so i like it to be a special day out when i do.

Fair comment, but its funny how perspectives differ... I think of cadwell as a real event and the best drivers circuit in the country. Donny is okay and its a good circuit if not IMO a great one... For Silverstone, read 'Boringstone'... that place has no soul, no atmosphere and is boring to drive with some terrible corners. Its good fun to race on though as its so wide plenty of overtaking is guaranteed.

Someday you must get to Spa, you would absolutely love that.... thats a true classic of a circuit and of course is synonymous with great racing and daring moves throughout its history... much more so than the frankly rubbish airfield we have as our current GP circuit, but thats another debate.

You should really try and get to angersea sometime... it is a much better circuit than most imagine it to be, okay there aren't really any straights to speak of but there are some fast corners, aka school for example.

[skinthespin]

Id love to do Spa at some point in my life, that would be an event! Isnt it part public road too?

I think part of my problem is ive done loads of trackdays on bikes and I find Cadwell, well, a bit scary cos I have some friends who have hurt themselves badly there, and I feel like at places like donny I can stretch the legs of a fast sports bike in relative safety, I know some people will call me a wuss but I have no desire to hurt myself (ill give the TT a miss ty!).

i will try and get to Anglesey this year definitely, I wanted to get the car better set-up too on a track I know, so I can concentrate on that rather than spend half a day learning where im going.

I dont mind silverstone, i can see why you would call it boring if you like tighter stuff like Anglesey though, I guess im a fan of 100mph+ corners!

[Lauren]

Id love to do Spa at some point in my life, that would be an event! Isnt it part public road too?

I think part of my problem is ive done loads of trackdays on bikes and I find Cadwell, well, a bit scary cos I have some friends who have hurt themselves badly there, and I feel like at places like donny I can stretch the legs of a fast sports bike in relative safety, I know some people will call me a wuss but I have no desire to hurt myself (ill give the TT a miss ty!).

i will try and get to Anglesey this year definitely, I wanted to get the car better set-up too on a track I know, so I can concentrate on that rather than spend half a day learning where im going.

I dont mind silverstone, i can see why you would call it boring if you like tighter stuff like Anglesey though, I guess im a fan of 100mph+ corners!

None of Spa is public road. Though you may mean the 'old' circuit which though not really a circuit anymore is public road.

I've been to Spa for the last 4years and love that place. The Ring is another experience altogether but Spa is a worthy second when it comes to ultimate circuits really.

I do actually prefer high speed corners, but the problem with boringstone is its so flat and the track is so wide that it just ends up flat out in most things. I drove an FR round there and though as you'd expect the car was mega and very quick, the national layout (i was on) was still poor with the exception of erm Copse and that was it.

I guess its different on a bike though.

Best corner i've ever driven has to be Eau Rouge for it being akin to a coronary every lap without fail... , Pouhon lives up to its name and is the ultimate in ballsy corners, thats why i love Spa so much. Eau Rouge is 110mph wet or dry in a MK1.

[skinthespin]

I think we should stop this conversation or im going to end up spending loads of cash on a trip to Spa!

I am planning on taking the MR2 to the Nurburgring this year too, want to get it handling properly first which means a few trackdays here first, what would be a reasonable lap time in an MR2 round there? 10.00 minutes (ish?)

[jonb-]

I'd have thought a 9 would have been closer to the mark

[Lauren]

I think we should stop this conversation or im going to end up spending loads of cash on a trip to Spa!

I am planning on taking the MR2 to the Nurburgring this year too, want to get it handling properly first which means a few trackdays here first, what would be a reasonable lap time in an MR2 round there? 10.00 minutes (ish?)

A bit of sound advice.

Don't aim for a time.

Up to you but not worth the risk and the very big potential expense if you get it wrong.

Just enjoy it for what it is.. driving mecca basically.

[skinthespin]

I know what you mean, as 'events' go the Nurburgring is the big one, but you can't really go there and not time yourslef can you?

I HAVE to be able to beat Clarkson in a diesel Jag!

[Lauren]

I know what you mean, as 'events' go the Nurburgring is the big one, but you can't really go there and not time yourslef can you?

I HAVE to be able to beat Clarkson in a diesel Jag!

Oh you can, I did!

It wouldn't have been feasible to time on my trip there because of the truck GP you had to go through the pitlane, so it would have added 30secs or so.

Thing is that place is amazing, but if you bin it, it will seriously affect your wallet. Learn it on GT4 first, it helped me a lot as i knew where the track was going and picked it up pretty quickly.

[tamiyauk]

How did you get on at Donny skinthespin? Was it really busy? Did you have a good day? I would love a go around there sometime!

[skinthespin]

It was an ace day mate, I was in the intermediate group which was just about right for my level of driving/car, I think id have been watching my mirrors too much in the advanced group as there were some serious cars in there, Ultimas etc, I was probably the 3rd quickest car in the intermediate group, an Evo 8 and a crazy 3 door sierra cossie being quicker, the cossie btw absolutely left me for dead on the straights, like I wasnt moving!

Traffic was not a problem at all, i was doing 1.30 laps and there were 30 cars per session, it was all prety much spread out, and as there werent any really slow cars there wasnt too much overtaking.

Bizarrely I was just about the quickest car out there in the morning when it was raining, overtaking the above Evo and having a good scrap with an Impreza P1, ended up out braking myself a couple of times and had a couple of moments in the morning, ive never known a road surface change so much when its wet, it was like ice!

Im doing Elvington 2 weeks saturday but using my mates TVR 350 as my car took a bit of a beating, gearbox oil needs changing, need to sort the handling and the exhaust is shot im assuming because of the 2 foot flames coming out the rear!

I was impressed by how quick these little cars are tbh, I reckon some decent track tyres (I have hankooks on the rear and there rubbish) and sorted handling the car would be a giant killer, I know it took a few people by suprise anyway!

Definitely do another day there this year, I think its an awesome track, craner curves at 100mph is ace!

[tamiyauk]

That sounds excellent, were there any other IMOCers there?
I'll be interested to know when you go again, although I'll be in the slow group with my MK1, I am pretty good at Donnington on TOCA race driver though
Looking at your garage your car looks to be modded for serious track use, is that the case? No sign of bling on that beast