Auto Italia Track Day - Donnington - 29 July

General Meets + Track Day Reports
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I apologise in advance if this is off-topic for this board, but just in case people are interested:The Auto Italia Track Day is taking place at Donnington racetrack on 29 July. Participation is limited to Italian cars, but if you want to see numerous Italian exotics pounding round Donnington, it should be well worth a visit; I’ve been told that it’s �5 on the door to get in. The Auto Italia days usually get a very good turn out, with plenty of cars from Lamborghini, Ferrari, Maseratti, De Tomaso, Lancia, and Bugatti to name but a few. We (as Lamborghini Club UK) may well have our stand there depending on how the weather forecast is wind wise. I’ll be turning up in convoy with a Diablo Roadster, a Diablo SV, possibly a Diablo SE30, possibly a Countach QV, a Ferrari F40, and a Ferrari 360 (so far!). If anyone fancies going please let me know� [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image] Feedback about whether posts of this sort are / are not welcome would be appreciated! (David?)

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Sounds like a right giggle.Unfortunately we have guests that day [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image]That kind of post is OK Tony for the following reasons:1. It’s posted by an established member of the BBS2. It’s Lamborghinis for crying out loud !! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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quote:Originally posted by Admin5:Sounds like a right giggle.Unfortunately we have guests that day [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image]Take the guests for a nice day out in the countryside. :wink:

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Tonyhow did it go? any pics?

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quote:Tony how did it go? any pics?Good day, glorious weather, and lots of Italian cars (probably around 300). I did take the monster out on the track in the end, for what I thought were the family parade laps at lunchtime, to be told afterwards that I had actually joined a session by mistake! As a spectator event, it was great, but I’m sorry to say that as a track day it was one of the worst run I have ever been to. For example, there was no segregation based on driver ability or on car performance, which meant that you had 530 BHP Diablo SVs, Maranello Challenge 355 race cars etc. bearing down on Chinque-thingys and classics at three figure closing speeds! Total lunacy! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image] To make matters worse, a Lancia dropped all of it’s oil down the second half of the pit straight all the way to Redgate in the afternoon; I was just glad that I wasn’t out there getting copious quantities of cement dust all over my car. [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image] IMHO there were also way too many cars out at once; I�m guessing, but I think there were probably around 30 out at once at times. Having said that, I enjoyed the brief run, although never having really driven Donnington before it would have been useful to have David show me the lines. [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image] However, even coming onto the start finish straight at just about walking speed in traffic, I was hitting around 100 MPH by the time I was lifting off for more traffic half way down the main straight. David will no doubt tell me that that�s slow, but such is� [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image] No pics I�m afraid though, maybe next time.

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quote:Originally posted by Tony Whitter: I enjoyed the brief run, although never having really driven Donnington before it would have been useful to have David show me the lines. [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/wink.gif[/image] … David will no doubt tell me that that�s slow, but such isYou really know how to make me feel bad don’t you ? [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]Sorry I couldn’t make it Tony, our guests overstayed their welcome (the swines !) and I couldn’t get away… As for speed… I don’t really look at my speedo that much (too focused on the track) - I do know that going under the Dunlop bridge I’m usually hitting 120mph or thereabouts. I don’t know about the pit straight though.Lifting off Tony ? It should be hard on the gas or hard on the brakes, nothing else [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]Again, sorry I missed it, I’m sure it was a real treat.

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quote:You really know how to make me feel bad don’t you ? [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]>> going under the Dunlop bridge I’m usually hitting 120mphThat’s quick on a circuit; I can’t hit more than about 105 MPH on Cadwell’s back straight, although admittedly the second half is up hill. I’ve been a passenger in a Corvette ZR1 round Donnington and we were exiting the Old Hairpin very sideways at around 90 MPH, so given that it’s not too far from there to the Dunlop Bridge, I assume you’re going through the Old Hairpin at a right lick! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image] I actually quite liked Donnington, so may well try to do a track day there, but I suspect it would take a few laps to get the lines bang on?>> Lifting off Tony ? It should be hard on the gas or hard on the brakes, nothing else [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]Wait until it�s run in then I�ll show you what hard on the gas looks like! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] Anyway I had no choice, it was brake or collect one form or other of small car on my bonnet! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/frown.gif[/image]>> Again, sorry I missed itNext time… [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/smile.gif[/image]

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quote:Originally posted by Tony Whitter:I actually quite liked Donnington, so may well try to do a track day there, but I suspect it would take a few laps to get the lines bang on?Each turn-in point is denoted with a small orange cone so I just generall squirt from point to point (dunno if they’re the right lines !)If the old-hairpin is the corner before the Dunlop bridge straight, then that (apart from Craners) is the only tricky corner.As it’s on a crest, I found it wise to get all your braking done before hand ! I did get the car sideways once while braking, turning, cresting simultaneously (me = idiot)

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Oops! Maybe I’ve got the bridge names wrong; the Old Hairpin is the right-hander at the bottom of the Craner Curves. I take it the bridge that follows isn’t Dunlop Bridge then (and don’t say "No, the Dunlop Bridge is the one with Dunlop written on it in six foot high letters.�!) [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]

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Sorry… can’t resist…No, the Dunlop Bridge is the one with Dunlop written on it in six foot high letters [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image] (Starkeys straight)[image]http://www.k9motorsport.co.uk/CT-dp.gif[/image]You thought I was referring to Schwanz curve, right ? I’ve usually changed from 3rd to 4th by that point so I guess I’m doing about 100mph and climbing.Craners is usually take at 110mph, but it’s a bum-clenching experience.

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quote:Sorry… can’t resist…How did I just know that was coming! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/tongue.gif[/image] Yes I thought you were referring to Schwanz curve. I take it you’re taking the old hairpin in third then? As for Craners, I can relate to that; I’ll try to remember to take something for my cheeks to bite on if I make it for a track day! [image]http://www.exiges.com/ubb/NonCGI/images/icons/grin.gif[/image]