A journey into track days

[geartox]

so first track day with the simpson system. quite easy to use with quick release (I think the "quick release" is a must have !!!) 

It's quite easy to use the system , you don't need someone to help you. I can install it even if I am already in the car.

So yes I think it's a good system (with quick release).

 

 

[BatMobile]

Thanks for the update @geartox great to know the system works. Think as you start to really push it’s a must have to be honest; don’t think I am in much danger yet lol

any videos you can share from the day? 

 

[geartox]

 

[BatMobile]

That’s a good GoPro place - what have you secured it to there?

[Colin67]

On 2/23/2018 at 15:00, BatMobile said:

Now signed up for goodwood on 1st June. Should be good to revisit quickly after a day’s tuition in March.

hofmanns have a lotus tech coming out due to tapping noise, may well need a new clutch.....after 3400 miles.....

Hi Alastair. What was the outcome of their investigations?

[BatMobile]

Hey Colin, they picked the car up yesterday  and a lotus engineer is coming Monday to look at it....

 

[Colin67]

Hi Alastair. That's disappointing, especially with Goodwood just round the corner. Still, there should be plenty of time to investigate and repair. My car is in the wars too. The cross gate cable is binding in its sheath and needs replacing. (this is one of the two cables linking the gear change to the gearbox. The binding means the gear lever will not centralise on the 3rd/4th axis which is normally achieved by two springs in the gear change assembly in the centre console. So, when down shifting from 5th I have to go looking for 4th across the gate. The big risk is that I might find 2nd instead....not a happy place.  The car is booked into H111 for 20th March, just 4 days before Goodwood. Fingers crossed eh!! 

[BatMobile]

Oh no, hope Dave can get it sorted quickly for you, that’s less than ideal when you are on track and dealing with everything else going on.

hofmanns have a clutch in stock luckily so if it needs it then they will do it straight away. Might also pay the difference and upgrade to the Evora 400 clutch in anticipation of the tvs1900 chargecooled upgrade I will do next year. 

Hopefully it won’t need doing and instead it will be something simple.

[BatMobile]

Weather is looking ok for tomorrow at Goodwood - 30-40% chance of rain before 11am and clear thereafter with 9/10 degrees. Hopefully we will get lucky first thing and find a dry track...

[Colin67]

Hi Alastair. As you say, looks good given what we have been through recently. I'll be leaving in about an hour as we have booked a local hotel for Fri/Sat nights. Looking forward to meeting up tomorrow. I can see what your driving and i'll be in the Orange Cup. Should be fun!!! 

[BatMobile]

Could of had a better start. 105 days for fun or lots of lift and no race mode

[BatMobile]

Surviving on my last warning but lots of early shifting required.

two other v6’s also struggling and one of those is also on two warnings.

much tougher circuit, grass is intimidating and lines are odd but jack has been great at getting me up to speed 

[Colin67]

Hi Alastair. Great to meet you today and a lovely shot of my orange Elise 220 Cup. My first day at Goodwood too, but foresee many more in the future. Roll on Hethel in two weeks. I forgot to finalise arrangements to meet on evening of the 6th. If you are staying local to the circuit let me know where and when and I can travel in.

[alias23]

Where the other 2 V6s the 350 models? Shame to hear you had problems buddy... I've got Donington 28th March, then likely Bedford 9th, and Snertton 10th April if you're interested  

[BatMobile]

@alias23 One was a 350, the other was @MARTIN_SV6S. Martin advised me that you need to be in touring, I had been in race and even exiting madgwick in 5th with low acceleration had me at 99 and 101db. 

there was also an LF1 but I don’t think he had any issues, but he didn’t seem to be pushing on. 

was great to put faces to internet names

 @Colin67 the Elise cups looked superb and yours in orange was just 👌

the v6 is so capable that even shifting very early and taking corners like madgwick in 5th, by the end of the day and with the help of Jack Layton it became a game of catch the car in front. 

Loved the circuit and can’t wait to go back in June on a 105db day when I can really push on. 

i started the day being bullied by the grass - all the “you don’t want to go off at goodwood” comments/videos had me staying well within the limits however Jack Layton who was recommended to me by David pittard - Jack is a British super kart champ and holds a few lap records plus is a snr instructor at goodwood - had me building speed and by the afternoon i was very comfortable on the track using all the width and braking areas. Whilst I loved the speed of corner at no name, the braking kink had me clenching each time! 

I would have loved to join you alias but I have hethel on the 7th April and my husband points are in low supply at present. Shame as i am keen to see magpie in the flesh. 

we need to coordinate and get us all at a track day - any suggestions for a may/June date? 

[MARTIN_S]

Hi, good to meet you yesterday. Was weird suggesting to stay in touring mode as I don't really even use that on the road let alone track.  But even after the track dried it did help keep the noise down and somehow even with 2 early stickers we both stayed on all day, and got a lot of sessions in.

Best chase of the day was actually following behind you the whole session with the instructor on board, I could see you had upped your game from earlier in the day and it was funny, like we had a large elastic band connecting us!  Great fun.

Really good day and have just finished my post track day love in, having checked fluids, wheel bolts, tyre pressures etc etc and given Big Red a thorough clean.

Bring on the next one.

Martin S

 

[BatMobile]

Just got back in from washing mine, didn’t help it was filthy before arriving at the track!

yes Martin, that was a great session, it was the first where the track just clicked for me. I had Jack all day and that was the session where he just let me get on with it and then pointed out all my faults afterwards. Thought it would be odd not having direction as my only other trackday I had David pittard guiding me constantly, but it was fine and allowed me to get into the zone. 

You were quick out there so I was chuffed to have held my own. Rubber band is the perfect analogy for how my rear view mirror looked.

it really is a flowing and rewarding circuit when you get it right and technical in places.

cant wait for hethel now on the 7th. Anyone else fancy this session?

 

[david_pittard]

@alias23 is the donington day 28th March? if so who is it with? thanks

[alias23]

4 minutes ago, david_pittard said:

@alias23 is the donington day 28th March? if so who is it with? thanks

MSV Track days. If you do book u can share my garage for a coffee or two

[C8RKH]

If I come and bring some chocolate hob knobs can i share the garage and coffee too? 

Are MSV track days well policed - i.e. generally drivers behave well?

 

[Bravo73]

Yes, MSV days are normally very well policed.

[C8RKH]

Excellent. I only really have experience of the SIDC ones at Knockhill and they are generally superb in terms of driver standards and behaviours with very few black/red flags and stoppages.  I'm looking to invade englandshire this year so will add MSV to my list of options which previously was just LoT for outside Scottieland.

Thanks all.  

 

ps. I generally have a packet of chocolate hob knobs in the bag somewhere, so if you see me, and you fancy a coffee and a biscuit, then bugger off somewhere else you scrounging git as they're my fave! 

 

[Bravo73]

Avoid the evening only or really cheap days. The cheaper the price, the higher the likelihood of multiple sh1tboxes. 

[BatMobile]

@Colin67  I am staying at old thorn barn, happy to do dinner and not fussed where we go. @Arun_D fancy joining us or are you doing a late journey up?

what do you guys do in terms of oil changes, brake fluid changes, filter changes etc? I have done two track days with a third coming up. Should I be getting all the above changed?

[M4rk]

I might be able to book on the Hethel date, just rearranging some things.

In terms of servicing, obviously the best thing to do is discuss with your Lotus dealer.  Stratton service mine and I had the service done early in January and opted to use motorsport grade engine oil and brake fluid, Stratton are pretty good as they run a motorsport division as well.  Both are important but especially the brake fluid to avoid brake fade.  They will change air filters as needed, gearbox oil has a long life so should be fine.  I've covered just over 5,000 miles, including a few track days last year, my brake pads were fine; it seems the factory pads are pretty good spec.  I changed the rear tyres (I run Avon ZZR) but the fronts were fine still.  I'm guessing that as my track experience improves I might need to consider performance pads.  I'm not sure if switching to race pads would mean upgrading my discs as well, I will enquire when the pads need changing, if so that will be costly.

In terms of regularity of service, again, I would discuss with your garage as it may be better to carry out more regularly if you are doing lots of track days, maybe engine oil every 6 months perhaps, I'm not sure.

The great attraction with these cars is that they are pretty low maintenance with track use.