UK MINI Track Day at Croft - the facts, the fiction, the Recriminations, the pics

[KLF]

Quote: Originally Posted by Max

More facts:

Third to spin off was a CR/BR black wheeled GGR which had been stormin all day - until some front wheel nuts loosened then sheared, then he was doin a 'harvest festival' (We Plough The Fields and Scatter - the spectators mainly ) like Paul Mullett.

I must have done 30 plus laps in the morning, total 87 laps.

(When I can be @rsed to do the math (anyone) I'll post what this cost per mile) (Well gotta be cheaper than 6 points on yr Licence + and a charge of reckless driving Paul )


Best

Yeah who was the guy with the CR/BR black wheeled Cooper with a cooper S engine?? I forgot to ask his name. Hope your car's OK anyway.


p.s - MAX I certainly passed you a few times aswell in my stock 'S' probably when following the guy mentioned above with his mate in the MR2 for 3 laps, oooh and that John Cooper challenge car which kept popping up(me forgetting to back off on the straights when he was in me mirror )

Just got home about hour ago but what an excellent day yesterday!! Should deffinatly be made a yearly thing, but hopefully next time we'll get more people so the it pays for itself! still thanks to both Chris and Dinka Donka!

About my little 'off'. It was only two wheels into the graveltrap, although still enough to make me s*** a brick! Thankfully the car is ok and only my pride was hurt! After that little exscirtion i was advised to have an instructor (thanks Colin!) teach me the correct lines through the corners and (not use 2nd gear ) but WOW what a difference it makes, to both the pace and the smoothness of the drive is truly an experience i will remember!

p.s. Williams1 got my little drama on video tape so i will try and get it off him and post it, i'm sure everybody will be able to appricate what happend!

p.p.s i'll be posting my pictures later on this afternoon!

[Paul]

I didn't spin, I merely turned in a direction other than the straight ahead one I should have been.

Got an impressive 46 mpg on the way home.

Glad I left when I did because the traffic was bad enough at that time. Excellent day, looking forward to another one, preferably more local.

Oh yes, and I'm more convinced than ever that 17" S-Spokes with the runflats are NOT good. But we knew that anyway.

Well i've just placed an order for 4 TOYO PROXY-T1S's (was impressed with Paul's tyres still having loadsa tread left on them) as for me... i have no tread left on my front tyres at all (well i do, but its not nearly enough to be legal) This I put down to my completely kack handed way at driving the first half of the day... I thought ploooms of smoke made you go faster!?

Hope the old car got exchanged all ok paul mate, and was nice putting a face to your name

Oh also check out the pics and vids from me (I will be removing the reg plates later this evening so if in the mean time you want them removed let me know!

Mini2 - 2003-09-01 - Croft Pictures

Mini2 - 2003-09-01 - Croft Videos

9am - Croft car park


Lunch Time - Croft car park



Paul parking up after going 'off'


S_and_m Taking my 'S out for a quick spin!

[Hat]

nice pics. those video shots from the pit wall look like they were moving at a fair rate along the straight

Dave

Where you getting your toyo's from? Have a look at the Pzero Nero's. You won't get many miles out the Toyo's on the front...

J.

Quote: Originally Posted by hat

nice pics. those video shots from the pit wall look like they were moving at a fair rate along the straight

The funny thing is, thats like the straightest part of the circuit, but by far not the fastest bit! getting only up to 90-95mph before having to brake and change down into 3rd for the first corner.

Fastest part of the circuit i found was either the back straight (just after the chicane, if you could carry enough speed through it) or the 'esses' which was just an awesome bit of circuit, up from 3rd, up into 4th just getting up to 95' before you had to brake into Sunny-In (which i got a lovely slide around, shame nobody was following to get it on camera!)


James,

I looked at the Pzero Nero's but can't justify the extra cost (another £20 quid per tyre). The Toyo's are setting me back £90 quid a tyre for a 215/40/17, which i thought was a bargin! (special discount offer from blackcircle).

As for wear, the toyo's are a really hard compound, I actually had them on my fiesta before and found them to be a good medium between grip and life. The Goodyear F1's were the best (in the wet & dry) but lasted all of 4,000 miles. where as my Bridgestones S03's lasted an eternity but were to heavy. And the Toyo's (for me) were just perfect!

Although I have eaten up these Perilli Runflats in a little under 9000 miles!

[cjp]

what a great day !! my car seems to have survived intact apart from some minor stonechips. would definately do it again but this time with some decent tyres. just want to say thanks again to the lads who gave us a lift in the pits sorting my wheelstuds/hub out.

[DinkaDonka]

Max , great posts but i hate to be a kill joy but the guy in the porsche was my dad , the car only has 2k on the clock and dosent "abuse" his car , thats the reason he was nailing it on the straights and taking it easy on the bends , to be honest though , if he really went for it nothing would be able to touch it.

Great day though , dabe , good choice of tyres, as MB said they odnt last long on the fronts but once you appreciate the amount of grip the offer over the run flates you wont give a damn!

Dink

[Dom]

don't believe i missed this... doh!

[Paul Manfredi]

What an awesome experience!!

VMT to everyone who supported and attended!

I don't think i've heard so much tyre screeching before or seen so many tyres that were nearly slicks (except for mine of course, funny, how the only reason I came was to waste my tyres).

Anyway thanks to everyone for making it a great day out!!

Paul

You got some good pics Dave!

[s_and_m]

Had a blast in your very shiny car!

Heres a quick video 2.2mg WMV file

CLICK HERE ignore the inane chatter and excuse the quality

I'll burn a better quality vid to CD. PM me if you want edited highlights!

S

should work NOW

[stephen_cy_wong]

Thanks Chris for organising a fun day out & the Donkin family for their contribution to the event.

Highlight of the day was hearing the sound of that 911 turbo at full pelt down the start finish line. (And the supercharger wine from those S's )

Hope i didn't get in your way too much. My foot was planted deep into the accelerator carpet but it refused to shift

Stephen

[kartingne]

My mate Chris, the looney in the all red old Mini is going to love this !!!!!

Gary