clubstylus

Motorsport-events are running trackdays at Castle Coombe several times in 2014 but one event on the 4th July suits my needs for a testing session before I compete there on the 18th Oct , particularly as I've never driven it in the Stylus or any other car.
It's one of their more expensive events being a circuit but I'm booking it. Anyone fancy it with me I definitely need the familiarisation but it'll be really good fun too

too far for me Rob, & am doing Anglesey on the 7th anyway.
Hopefully someone joins you!

norma wrote:too far for me Rob, & am doing Anglesey on the 7th anyway.
Hopefully someone joins you!

H'mmm , that's another circuit I've not driven . Timm/ssc has driven it many times , putting some very hot machinery to shame just driving the company 1.8lt zetec on carbs. Caterham comes to mind

Would love to, but the chances of having the spare cash are a little too slim at the moment I'm afraid

josephmoore wrote:Would love to, but the chances of having the spare cash are a little too slim at the moment I'm afraid

Yes , I sympathise on that score . I used to do 12 plus events a season but not since 2006 and even less since retiring --- bills come first don't they
Being my ' years ' means that if I keep the Stylus but do less than 3 events a season , I'd be off the ' pace ' . Leaving the startline/season opener and hitting 100mph on entry to the first corner at Goodwood , gives me a wake up call after 6mths not driving it . So tend not to spend elsewhere , holidays etc so's to continue competing
I plan to do 5 or 6 this season

Sticking to the autosolos at £20 a go Missed the one on Sunday as it was peeing down with rain and the garage are still fettling with the Stylus but good to see a few direct bits of competition in class 5 this season - namely a Caterham Seven and a 750MC Locost race car. Slightly easier to gauge against than the spaceframed classic minis and one-off dirt buggies.

Still not quite the same as a proper track event though...

Actually I'll be entering an earlier Coombe event on the 26th July , the DICK MAYO , SBD , BARC sprint . It's not in the ACSMC sprint championship but our ACSMC co-ordinator has said there's an inter - association team competition at this event PLUS he'll pay us £69 discount off the £115 entry fee So it'll cost me £46 to enter -- brilliant
There'll be several association teams of 3 drivers per team so awards will be either total points per team or position in class as a team --- not quite certain what the scoring system is but all will be revealed at some point.
TEAM 1
Jeff Wiltshire supercharged 2lt blacktop in class 8
Rob Farley 2lt zetec in class 13
Tim Simonds Honda S2000 in class '' production sports ''
There's a team 2 but don't know the drivers etc , so 6 entries for our association.

Mustn't bend it either cos I'm entered at Goodwood's Brighton & Hove sprint on August 2nd

Just received the entries and final regulations for the ''Castle Coombe - Dick Mayo sprint'' on the 26th July. This is the one that's an inter - association event as a team of three. My class competition is an ANGLIA 2.9lt engine and a RADICAL SR8
So I know roughly what the result will be , especially if the Anglia's running slicks Ah well , anything can turn up in sports libre --- luck of the draw aye
Apparently we don't sprint the complete circuit , you start in the pitlane then finnish just before the paddock slip road entry , so miss 'CAMP' corner. Haven't a clue what a good lap should be for me , either way it'll be 10 sec's slower than an SR8 for sure
Probably need to leave at 4-45am for a 7-15 sign on and scrutineering

No surprize to report the Radical SR8 V8 won our class at 62 sec's from memory (don't have written results as yet) This of course wasn't a complete lap of Coombe We started in the pitlane where it narrows from the collecting area and finished just a ' spit ' after the right kink following the last chicane . So no Camp corner -- presume that was to deal with the huge entry numbers. FTD was Steve Broughton in his 2lt Dallara at 55 sec's
Sports Libre over 1800cc -- 3 of us.
SR8 62sec's
Stylus(me) 69sec's
Anglia V6 3lt COSWORTH ? Couldn't see his time on the board.
Both Anglia/SR8 on slicks , me on list 1B's (Avon zzr's) My first practice was 74 sec's then 72 sec's . First timed run 72 sec's then finally the 69 sec's best. Without the results sheet I'm not totally sure but think I was 2nd in class but of course no award for 2nd with just 3 entries. Hopefully I'll get a result sheet either posted or online and report again. Surfice to say , I didn't get one perfect lap , improving one corner then mistakes on another that were nailed on a previous lap
Don't really know what a good time should be for my sort of car at Coombe but Jeff Wiltshire/Phoenix 400bhp s.charged did a 65 sec's best to win his roadgoing class ----------------------- so I've a long way to catch up
I found it more technical than Goodwood which although very fast , once you know it just requires '' balls '' whereas Coombe has you very busy all through the lap so tricky to be smooth.
The weather was VERY VERY hot , great for grip but exhausting without the benefit of Goodwood's paddock garages

Got times now
Radical V8 2.6lt ---- 2.8 sec's 64ft time ----- finish speed 95mph -------- lap 62.32 sec's
Stylus 2lt(me) ----- 2.6 sec's 64ft time -------- finish speed 85mph --------- lap 69.64 sec's 2nd in class
Anglia V6 Cosworth 2.9lt ----- 2.8 sec's 64ft time ----- finnish speed 72mph ---- lap 81.41 sec's Really surprised at this , it was an awesome little beast.