Been a busy few weeks for me with events so I thought I'd post up a few videos of the fun. Sadly I missed out on the French hillclimb due to crash damage at Loton park and had to miss another couple of events due to mechanical issues otherwise it would have been even busier. Car still has an issue with positive camber on the left rear and a geo done by eye but otherwise going ok.

Here's recent sprint at Lydden in Kent (as raced at by GE2 and Dreamer). My first time there this year and will only be going back 1 or 2 more times this year. It was a bit slippy on this occassion and I was a sec away from my PB. This vid isn't the fastest run of the day but not far off but probably the most fun. Best time was 86.81. Not many entries from the usual classes but it was also a round of the Caterham Academy so heaps of idenitcal 7's. Ended up 1st in class (of 1!) but also beat all the >2000cc roadgoing (inc a GT3) and beat all the caterhams so got a top 10 result from 80 odd entries.
(BTW: The vids look much better in HQ)
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xSmvYRK6XNo [/media]


After Lydden was Pembrey which was my first time there so I was going in a bit blind. The practice run (1.5laps) was dry but it started raining heavily right at the start of my first run so it was wet about halfway through the run. I'd like to get more time at the track to pick out better lines and get more speed through the fast corners. I didn't do a second run as I had to run home. Overall I was reasonably happy with my one timed run only literally only had a sighting lap. Best time was 1:31.94. A lucky 2nd in class as the others got a much wetter track.
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkTPsJcZ8F4 [/media]


Last weekend was my clubs big event the Abingdon Car-nival at Abingdon airfield. Lovely weather for the day where we get two courses to run on which means a busy day (sprint wise) with 8 runs.

This is the 'Abingdon' course - fairly fast corners with a tricky chicane in the middle. Best time was 50.34 which just made a PB but I wanted sub 50.[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrEA9dGBocE [/media]

The second course is the 'Bentley' course - fairly straight forward, just got to get through the cones as quickly as possible. Time on this course was 53.36 which was a much better PB (by 1.5secs).
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aii_IPBPrhA [/media]

Overall I didn't hit my target but did ok. 1st in class, 2nd in >2000cc road going (3 secs behind a tuned GT3), 2nd in >2000cc 4WD beating a couple of Impreza's but a way behind the winner (8 secs) in a brand new Nissan GT-R. Overall 42nd from 131 starters.


Next up is Castle Combe sprint on the 27th June. A tough sprint as the regs allow track day tyres for road going classes but I run on standard road tyres for my championships. After that it's a bit of a rest until mid July with a weekend of events in Wales - Llandow followed by Lys-Y-Fran hillclimb.

Matt

 

Great videos as ever, thanks for posting.

Glad you got all the damage fixed from your last 'off'. I remember watching the video, unlucky. It really was a tight right hander with what appeared to be a small crest before hand?.

I can't believe you've set your geo up by eye . From watching the video it looks like you can tell. The back seems to lose traction very easily.

P:S I've never seen anyone hit the limter as many times as you Good work

James

 

Brilliant Matt, just brilliant some true 'on it' driving there.

The video at Lydden, as you say, looked like loads of fun, superb car control too - shows what can be done.

Pembrey in the wet can be tricky - there is a usually lot of rubber down so just a bit of rain and it gets very slippy. Great driving and I'm sure you will go way quicker in the dry.

Cracking use of the trackvision software too - such a great piece of software at a reasonable price. If you don't mind me asking what datalogger are you running? I'm looking tio upgrade my PerformanceBox to a logger with full ecu data etc. Each time I see your videos I'm inspired to give up trackdays and join the spint/hill climb circuit, nearly did it with the S, even more tempted with the R26R.

Good luck with the next few events, Llandow is a fun little track, but I'm sure you know that already.

Cheers,

Mark

 

Thanks for the report and videos.

Nice driving.

 

Super , love how you keep it in VTEC.

 

MBK - The datalogger is a Race Technology DL1. Nice and small with lot's of inputs. They sell ECU interfaces for it as well (Don't get OBDII interface if you want fast updates). Their video SW isn't great but most other things work well.

As for the Lydden vid the great thing about data is it shows that many of the slidy bits going into corners were from poor technique...too much trail braking. Bits where I think I'm brave and not lifting show that I did (eg. abingdon A)....The data never lies!

Not been to Llandow so looking forward to that too!

Definitely give sprints and hillclimbs a go. License, suit, helmet, and 1st event entry fee will probably cost less than a set of track day tyres.

Matt

 

Great stuff

Thanks for posting

 

[QUOTE=kartaphilos,Jun 16 2009, 10:37 PM] Not been to Llandow so looking forward to that too!

Definitely give sprints and hillclimbs a go.

 

Nice driving Mr Kartaphilos

 

Thanks for info on the logger and ecu interface Matt - I have looked at that one a few times so after seeing your vids that is the one I will go for.

I have to agree with you about the use of data, just comparing a couple of my laps with some others under instruction showed me where I was previously getting it all wrong. Even though 'my' laps felt fast they were just a bit lairy really!

Any advice on where I go first/who I contact to get involved in sprints/hillclimbs etc it would be good to get some guidance on the first steps.