Have a good day guys,
I was hoping to call for the curry as will be staying not far from Donny this weekend but not left home yet 
Well that was a bit bloody wet!!
We bailed ( literally ) early & legged it home.
Good to catch up with you guys - hopefully drier next time 
Good seeing you too simon, we’re all ditching our Exiges and buying Caterhams, lol I can’t get over what blast the R300 is!
Must admit - that did look fun. I could be tempted with a go in one at some stage. Did you get enough time with 4 sharing?
Still grinning 
Will post more later…
Proper good fun - it was actually better because of the rain I think ! - full on (soaking wet clothes) Caterham experience and I really do fancy one… I think they bring out the hooligan in you and simply fill a gap that the Exige can’t… attempting to drift all the way around Coppice every lap was awesome - and the whole experience made even better by the fact it was shared with some good friends - some real laugh out loud moments in and out of the car.
Most fun I’ve had on circuit in ages, even though I actually spent way less time on track than normal and made no attempt at actually putting any quick laps in !
DITTO, all but the wet clothes as I got the only full dry laps in I think then wore a wet suite, I can’t drift, I spin…spun and I did put quick laps in initially
I did manage a few dry laps on the first session when Tim was in the car with me… still managed a bit of rear end sliding action
After a totally shit morning, as I drove over to pick up Tim as I was in two minds whether to just knock it on the head and suggest Tim drove himself there. Then the M25 was stationary, then M1 was stop start,…and after leaving work at 12:15 we were late (as usual) and arrived at circuit at 17:30, briefing was at 17:00 
We had planned to double up and share the 2xcars but very unusually BAT had lost one car to head-gasket failure and the spare car then had an incident in the day. JonnyL therefore asked us to all share one car and in true BAT style sorted it out so nobody felt short-changed in any way.
After our ‘short’ briefing, Jonny was out already and came back bouncing around the pit garage like Tigger, I think he enjoyed it . Dave with Tim as pax out next, and again obviously enjoyed themselves. Then the heavens properly opened, monsoon style and the circuit was quickly soaked with standing water everywhere.
I have to admit I was pretty fookin’ nervous as I slotted myself into the Caterham and fumbled with the belts. I’ve not driven any other car but my Exige on circuit for many many years,…would I be able to drive it all? Stalled it twice in pitlane, and eventually got out on circuit, glasses steamed up, rain pouring in, everything feeling pretty alien. Headlights were behind me as I pulled onto the circuit into Redgate so I waved him past so I could try and work out which was up. I realised through the spray that I’d just given way to a Nissan Leaf and immediately had a stern word myself along the lines of ‘man the fook up and get the hammer down’ 
By the time we exit the Old Hairpin, order is restored, I’m past the Leaf (phew 
) and its clear that the 7 is very communicative and is gonna tell you exactly what’s going on in these treacherous conditions. It moves around A LOT underneath you but so direct with its tiny wheel, short-throw rifle-bolt shift and exhaust exit right next to you. Heel 'n toe down through the box with the exhaust popping and banging on overrun,…how cool is that 
Like Dave says this car brings out the hooligan in you, going sideways is on-tap and always available I was literally soaked to the skin and it was only consideration for the other lads that bought me in,…I would have run it dry. Huge huge fun.
In the last half an hour I was out as pax with Dave. What a laugh. We were literally giggling like girls as Dave slid the car around. Coppice was a particular highlight every lap as we turned in and tried to drift it all the way to the exit. There was one lap where Dave nailed it 
and we were both whooping like it was Duke’s of Hazzard, totally childish but so much fun
We swapped over and Dave had obviously set the hoonery bar quite high. Lap1 spun at the old hairpin and was being pretty ham-fisted,…the pressure was getting to me 
I don’t have Dave’s car control but nonetheless we still had immense fun sliding around. Trying to replicate Dave’s Coppice antics I spun again, going in too hot managing understeer rather than going in slower and hoofing the back out. I’ve only spun my Exige once in the last 5-6 years, this car turns you into a nutter. Like Dave says its not about going fast (but in reality we were both going pretty quick relative to the other cars).
Like Dave, I’d love one; a race-spec R300 or R400 would be perfect. Never ever instead of the Lotus, always as well as. I’d certainly consider sharing one with a few of you lads. Tim has not helped those thoughts by texting me links to cars for sale. I could seriously be tempted though, something to think about…
Great to see everyone and enjoy a curry at Gandhi’s. M5 was also a very nice way of getting to Donny and back. Got back about 1:30am, kids were up at 6:30 
I urge everyone to have a go in a BAT Cat around Donny, an evening session shared with a mate is good value. Do it,…and pray for rain!
Great write up Ben, it definitely helps to have a few good mates on hand to take the piss 
Lol let me know how much, where and when, I’ll store and trailer too 
I’M IN!
I’ve sent you lads an email.
ha yes, Ben looked properly humpted when he turned up, so I decided to keep quiet that I’d had a leisurely start to the day. M1, meh, traffic and yes we turned up at time more on the side of ‘fashionable’ than on time.
First run out was as a passenger with Dave, and was desperately trying to commit to grey matter which way the track went. We pulled into the pits, and the heavens opened.
I’ll be honest, in a full body dry suit helmet done up tight to keep it on my head, I dropped down through the cage and had to tip my hips slightly to wedge myself into the seat ( I like pies, me), I murmured “shit, this could get painful and expensive”. First time around Donny, first proper time in a caterham, and it’s monsoon season - a small stream had developed across the track. Boys strapped in me tight enough that when they pulled on the lap straps the car tipped on it suspension. Thankfully I had an instructor with me and intercom.
So out onto track we ventured, with the rain streaming off my visor, tip toed around. Spent a good while building momentum until I was at a pace where I could get the car moving around. Well when I say moving around, the odd slide here and there nothing as heroic as Dave. Back in we came, guys extracted me from the car and baton was passed to JF.
Enjoyed the curry, and the trip home was considerably quicker - do love the e39!
T
Good night & good to catch up again.
The Exige was quite lively on the first lap - aquaplaning straight after Craners & so we came in. Gave it half an hour and then had a few more trips out in the wet - but after about 6 laps got the feel for the S1 in the water - only had it out once before in anything like that weather!
Great Lamb Naga at Ghandi’s again & good to hear that the Southern Chapter got home safely.
Mark
Really gutted I missed this guys. Cont me in next time. Too much work at the moment man!!
Anyone doing the 14th Evening session?
Yeah you were missed Sean, that level of hoonery would have been right up your street,…naan too! Next time bud.
Alas I can’t make the 14th because I’m on hols.
when can we do?
Here’s the list from BAT’s website of Donny dates.
Thu 14 August 2014
Fri 29 August 2014
Fri 29 August 2014 (eve)
Fri 12 September 2014
Mon 29 September 2014 - Not BAT but Donington Park
Fri 3 October 2014
Fri 10 October 2014 - Not BAT but RMA
Sat 11 October 2014
Fri 17 October 2014
Tue 21 October 2014 - Noisy Day
August is out for me and I know you said Sept 12th was IBC. Once we’re into October I’m gonna say the noisy day as we typically do that day anyways…
Started another thread for the Donny noisy day…