[GTT 280]

Hi all,

Well, just back from Oulton Park with my dad having just spent all day there speeding round the track

Set off at 6:50am to arrive there for 7:30am and hit a hale storm and torrential rain OH NO !! but as the briefing completed and we got ready to get on track the clouds broke and it was blue sky all day. A dry line appeared by lunch time and the track was bone dry for a good few hours in the afternoon. Temp was approx 8 deg C

A great mixture of cars, a BTCC car arrived too, with all the associated paraphernalia and laptops and crew etc (even took the track off us all for 10 mins at a time twice throughout the day (but was st fast !! - so prob a good idea )

Got round on a few pacer laps and warmed the car up (this time with my dad as "co-driver" ha ha) and managed to clock up a good 220 miles from start to finish through the day.

Other cars there were two Ferrari 360's GT race spec (privateers - click here - the white one) and they only just passed the 105dB check (i have a vid of that!) and they were awesome on track - i could not keep up with them (and did not expect too - i was in a bl00dy MINI !!!) ha ha. They'd taken them to assess them before entering the GT race there at Oulton Park in the near future. Had his own bus too - posh git !!!

GT3RS was there (different one this time) and i found it harder to keep up today, managed to keep on the tail for about 5 bends then he started to slowly break away - but you'd hope so with a car like that (not sure why i could keep paces with the yellow GT3RS the other week; perhaps driving skill )

A handful of modded mk3 (i think) Golfs were there, one kindly gave my windscreen a stone chip too - grrr. But hey, if that's the only damage then i'm happy with that

One major stupido BMW 320 was there who insisted on rear wheel spinning in the paddock and by his first lap actually spun off in front of me - i'd have bet my house on that happening .... then he got black flagged for overtaking on a red flag then he appeared with the side of his car mangled then he lost it on a bend and was sat on the grass verge then... then.. Oooops.

There was a handful of other spritey track cars too, like track-specific audi RTR Renn-TECH that was very trick !!! My dad got talking to the owner of a cobra look-a-likey too (a white car i can't remember the make now - doh! but he did say it had all the blue piping under the bonner "same as mine" ) - this was one of my favourites races actually, no, sorry, we weren't racing were we (track day rules!!!)

...and a couple of Scoobies too, as always.

Taking the MINI round with all this lot was mucho good fun. Managed to have a few short lived battles with the bigger boys and managed to out wit a few of the usual suspects (scoobies, M3's, RS4, and your old-skool track-dedicated 1.6's).

All my hardware stood the test too, taking care to enjoy 2 cool down laps to ensure a happy engine cooling and brake cooling etc.

In the afternoon i was halted a few times by people who considered the MINI Cooper S to be 'incapable' but surely being 1 ft off their bumper on 5 consecutive bends should have let them know to pull over and let me past (no blue flags out either - grrr)... so i put on my head lights as an indication of ability and managed to get a Black Flag for aggravating the 'other drivers' ha ha. In all fairness the marshal just said to me that no headlights were allowed and that i shouldn't hang on the tails of others but i just said that my intentions were honest and he was cool.

Yeah, i managed to do plenty of consecutive WOT laps, lap after lap, heavy last minute braking and hard accelerations out of hairpins. Plenty of long curve drifting too, but with plenty of grip and stature. The car held really well, no fluid, smells, shakes, shudders, problems, or anything to report - and it was fairly abused (but in the right ways), perhaps abused is not the best word there

I'd say i made most of my ground up on other cars through the awesome brakes and the quaife diff - they make a BIG difference (absolutely ZERO fade from 115mph down to 60mph or 40mph time after time....after time...after time (you get the idea!).

Torque was good too, managing to keep paces with the faster cars (GT3RS, RS4, etc) up to about 80mph (other than the two ferraris, and the RTR Audi) but kept up with ALL the cars (including the Ferraris and RTR Audi when braking )

The car handled really really well, and responded to every throttle demand with the same pure power as was available on the first lap (100 laps later, still the same, no power loss or anything!!)

The intercooler was ice cold each time returning to the pits, and gained a little heat when stood still in the garage with the engine off - which was perfect for hand warming - enjoyed by quite a few people actually - i knew the top mount intercooler had its purpose !!!

So, a superb day with a superb car - and i drove home in it, while many others had to truck trailers theirs back

Nice work GTT, and nice work Oulton Park for a safe day

My dad had an excellent day, made a very good co-driver, and really enjoyed the experience. Nice one pops (a.k.a. dad)!!!



Cheers,
Karl.

[Nath316]

Oulton is a great circuit

Looks like a good time was had by all

lol and title of thread sounds like Gordon Ramsey " fresh chicken in some sort of sauce.....DONE!"

[humph]

Glad you enjoyed your day Karl. I popped in around 2pm for a 1/2 hour or so. Got there just as the session restarted after one of the cars came off. Stood on the pit wall taking pics for a bit then moved to the Avenue. Had a trawl of the pits but didn't spot you, and you weren't on the track. So sorry no pics of yours. Have yet to look at the pictures but there were some nice cars there, along with some dogs:-) May post some pics if they are any good.

[1320autos]

Great report Karl, how did the videoing turn out? did you get any laps where you could say that you were flat out and that is good as it gets? or do you or the car still have room for improvements? Did Pops time you?

Sound like you had a wicked day, cant wait to get back out at Bedford.

P.S what a ridiclous place to put this threadIn all honesty it should be in Rolands thread showing how good his products are but then I wouldn't be able to chat to Karl

[GTT 280]

Quote: Originally Posted by 1320autos (original)

Great report Karl, how did the videoing turn out? did you get any laps where you could say that you were flat out and that is good as it gets? or do you or the car still have room for improvements? Did Pops time you?

Sound like you had a wicked day, cant wait to get back out at Bedford.

P.S what a ridiclous place to put this threadIn all honesty it should be in Rolands thread showing how good his products are but then I wouldn't be able to chat to Karl

Hiya

The videoing went really well, in the end. The 4Kam product did not record any sound and to be honest there are too many wires and bulk - it's a bit of a botch job really - maybe i was just annoyed on the day. But anyway, i ended up using a £100 samsung digital camera that records video and it gave EXCELLENT video quality and sound (no external camera) so i was well pleased !! Some funny vids, one of a cars engine blowing up as it tried to loose me (massive cloud of oil smoke from the zorst - shame really)... and yes, the infamous chasing of a GT3RS which gradually lost me over a lap on some of the tighter bends, i think i need some Toyot R888's !!! didn't really loose me on acceleration or braking though.

We did no timing, there were too many "in the way" cars !!, and i think i got the perfect line round the track (i played ToCA3 on the PS2 on an F1 car when i got home and i managed to get to the front of the pack after 2 laps (compared to failing miserably even after 15 laps before hand!!) So i'd say i am well happy with my line now, on every bend, i just think the tyres could do with a little more resiliance (i felt they were sagging a little). I'm getting the new GTT topmounts fitted, along with upgraded bushes and the rear strut too. SO i guess that'll help. I run O.Z. superleggera wheels so i think they are fine, jus the tyres i reckon - to move sag due to the tread - Toyo R888 defo for next time !!!

I'd love to do a day at beford with Roland and some others !!!

I was wondering if i'd posted this in the correct thread (GTT specific) but then i though it was more about the day than just GTT itself

Yes, an excellent day (my 5th now)

Cheers,
Karl.

[1320autos]

My brain / fingers / keyboard error reoccurs its ugly head, I thought that you had put it in the engine and tuning thread and then I saw it moved to hear by a mod I presume.

Look forward to seeing the video.

It be cool to see you and Roland down at Bedford.

[GTT 280]

it's always been in this area. I haven't moved it, moderators haven't moved it. It's staying here



Cheers,
Karl.

[1320autos]

Oh dear apologies to one and all, is this what happens when you get to 44? or is to many late nights at 44 thinking that I'm 24??

So how long have we got to wait for the vid action? can you pm me when its up.

[Ant FR]

This thread is useless without the promised video's...........................................

[GTT 280]

if you want to pay the £25,000 law suit for releasing the vids publicly then i'll post them

[Ant FR]

Quote: Originally Posted by GTT 270 (original)

if you want to pay the £25,000 law suit for releasing the vids publicly then i'll post them

25k lawsuit, WHY?

[GTT 280]

Quote: Originally Posted by Ant FR (original)

25k lawsuit, WHY?

It's because i had to sign a release form that said i would not use my video and pictures for public release. If i do, and they find out, then i get a whacking £25,000 bill.

I'll bring them down to Rolands though in early march, and if he lets the odd copy out then that's up to him

So there yu go mate.

Cheers,
K.

[KostaLot]

Did you see a Dark Blue Pulsar GTiR there?

[1320autos]

Quote: Originally Posted by KostaLot (original)

Did you see a Dark Blue Pulsar GTiR there?

Kosta, Are you still running the minis?

[KostaLot]

Quote: Originally Posted by 1320autos (original)

Kosta, Are you still running the minis?

The team are running in both Mini Challenge and the Clio Cup this year. Busy year ahead, don't think i will be involved that much this year - need to crack on and concentrate on my new job.

[GTT 280]

Quote: Originally Posted by KostaLot (original)

Did you see a Dark Blue Pulsar GTiR there?

Yes i did :-)

Nice performance

Cheers,
K.

[GTT 280]

Some nice pictures here !!

Check this link out



Cheers,
Karl.