Bored at work this week so booked on to today's Evo magazine / ClubMSV evening event at Bedford Autodrome, using the SW circuit. I'd done Palmersport there a few years ago, but I'd not done any trackdays in a car I actually owned in nearly a decade (my old 106GTi).

Car held up OK, did just one or two full-on laps per session but there was no point flooring it on the straights and torturing the brakes to slow down again - I'd have just have just ended up with no brakes. Have to say, they don't make brilliant track cars, the ESP can feel very odd at the limit as it thinks you're crashing and tries to brake individual wheels to try to help. These aren't likely to be regular things though (I have a bike for track fun these days) but fun enough for an everyday modern shopping car, especially if you just focus on driving smoothly just within it's limits.

Probably wasn't the best of ideas to track it right before it was due the 10k service, but it's hardly using any oil (still) and I was checking between sessions just in case. Still very happy with it!

Bedford 1 by kiteless, on Flickr

Bedford 2 by kiteless, on Flickr

GoPro footage of a lap:

lol - tyres look a bit buggared!

Good footage, the ESP takes some getting used to its limits.

yup, nice smooth drive :thumbup:

As above, smooth drive, buggered tyres!

Is the car stock or have you done any mods?

Stock they are pretty good on a wet trackday, but in the dry it highlights all the weaknesses.

Too soft, over heating, , heatsoak, brake fade, crap braking power.

Modified its a different matter. You just have to read about the polo gti from apr australia which mullered pretty much everything on track in the group test which included modified focus ST, modified mazda 3mps, focus RS, and a 380hp Golf gti. And that was with only 220hp, coilovers, anti rollbars and brakes

Yeh was a good smooth drive.

I really enjoyed the SW track when I went on it recently. Instructors teach you to abuse the curbs quite a bit. They had me going into the chicane off the 1km straight at 70-80mph.

Long circuit but it's surprising how quick you remember the corners and pick things up.

Your tyres look like mine did. Shoulders looking smooth. How much tread left? Still got a good 5-6mm left on mine.

Edited 19 May, 201214 yr by Reavenger

Im going to Bedford In a couple of weeks but I shall be using my mates seat Ibiza. Never done a track day before so I'm quite nervous.

Looked like a good day! Your video quality is amazing what you use to record that? You had any modifications to your car?

Yeah, tyres look worse than they are, still deep tread left and they have 9k miles on them already. No mods, it's an everyday car and most things I could change to make it better on track would either have no effect or make it worse for the other 99.9% of the time. Might consider a rear ARB though.

It's a GoPro Hero HD2 on a Delkin Gecko suction mount. Tried a few positions but was happiest with that one - good view out but can see enough of the inside too. I removed the passenger headrest and stuck the camera to the top corner of the rear window.

Bedford is great, probably the safest circuit going with loads of run-off, much of it concrete. There's a few more evening events this year which isn't as hard on the car as a full day but a really fun way to spend a few hours!

Used to do track days alot during my Impreza ownership. Doing morning and afternoon sessions could easily see me through two tanks of fuel, a set of tyres and a set of brake pads. Oh and an oil change after a full track day.

Then as track day insurance started to sky rocket I called it a day, just too expensive.

Had some great passenger rides though, Ferrari, Supercharged Lotus Exige, big power Skylines, all manner of Evo's and other Jap stuff and a mad cossie powered Mk2 Escort.

Three things make a good track car, Tyres, Suspension and Brakes and I'd pick those over raw power. But the biggest difference to laptimes is driver skill. A guy called Steff used to organise the Scooby track days and his car had big 6pot brake conversion and slick tyres he could brake so late it was insane, I have a picture of his car with glowing front brakes at the end of the pit straight and the rear wheels were nearly off the floor.

Even low powered MX5's in track trim can be great fun, it's nearly as much fun keeping speed through the bends as laying 500hp on the tarmac down the straights.

Donnigton is my favourite circuit.

Nice smooth lap by the way

Cheers

Lee

Edited 20 May, 201214 yr by logiclee