Silverstone 28th March 06

General Meets + Track Day Reports
1

Had a great day at Silverstone with Lotus on Track, apart from a brush with the pit wall - well a bit more than a brush I suppose…

I think I have worked out what happened. I was powering out of Luffield, as I had in the five previous laps of the second session, when I came across a Green Supra, whose driver very kindly indicated right to let me by…

I moved left to do so, forgetting that I still had to negotiate Wodecote corner, and that put me a couple of car widths too far to the left, and the track out there was still wet, being a) in shadow, and b) off line, - so I basically ran out of exit and got a couple of wheels on the grass, then the whole car on the grass.

With Audi power I was travelling well over the ton by this time, so as you can imagine, it all happened very quickly…

The grass was very wet and very bumpy, and I seemed to be bounced in the air a lot, and though I tried hard to regain control, I failed and ended up back on the track facing almost sideways towards the pit wall, and still doing over the ton

At this point I went hard on the brakes, to avoid suddenly getting grip and spearing into a wall, and hoping I was headed straight up the track.

Unfortunately, you can see my tracks in one of Jez’s photos, leading inexorably towards the wall, where I clipped the front end, which spun me round to clip the back end.

(Can someone sort these images for me - I can never seem to get them right!!)

[image]http://www.jezbraker.com/cpg/displayimage.php?pos=-562[/image]

Damage was really only superficial fibreglass stuff, thank God.

My thanks to Tony of Sinclaires, who got it all back together again, with loads of gaffer tape, and a bloody great hammer. Top Man

[image]http://www.jezbraker.com/cpg/displayimage.php?pos=-546[/image]

On a more general note, this was my first L O T day and I was very impressed by the driving standards and the friendliness.

2

Sorry to hear that Mike - I just saw the pics of the day and was about to post and find out what happened Hope that you get it back together soon…

Fixed up the photos for you too matey

[image]http://www.jezbraker.com/cpg/albums/JEZ/CARS/DSC_0733.JPG[/image]

[image]http://www.jezbraker.com/cpg/albums/JEZ/CARS/DSC_0715.JPG[/image]

3

Thanks for that.

As regards fixing it, I rang Dave (Maddog) who lives very near there, and he came over to have a look.

He’s offered to fix it for me at a good price, though I also have the option of having his super new lighter clams and then repairing and selling the old ones…

4

Sorry to hear about ya mota Mike Main thing is that given the speed you were travelling, you’re okay

See you at Donny - if not before

5

Ouch!

Glad it ended ok though.

Ian

6

The main thing is that you’re Okay Mike.

Fibreglass is easily repaired/replaced
thanks again for the coffee and bacon roll

7

Mike,

Hope I didn’t get in your way too much yesterday!

You closed me down so quickly on the straight, you were a dot one minute, then filling my mirrors the next!
I think you must have been bored having to follow me through the following corners!

All Exiges are not the same. Especially ones that have been to see Bernard…

8

Thanks Alex - the car is faster on the straights, but not necessarily much better on the corners, so no worries!!

9

Really sorry to read about this last night - at least you are OK and it is fixable. Woodcote is a really scary corner in my car with 160 bhp propelling me out of Luffield. Your heart must have skipped a few beats!

At least it is only superficial and you are OK. Dave will sort you out pronto I am sure.

Cheers
Andrew

10

For the marks on the tarmac looks like you did well to suffer such light damage…no flatspotting tyres then?

11

Have you seen this months Circuit Driver.
Mark Hales has done an article on avoiding hitting the Silverstone pit wall when putting wheels on the grass. Just a couple of days too late.

12

Glad you’re OK Mike. See you at Donno!!

Sean…

13

For the marks on the tarmac looks like you did well to suffer such light damage…no flatspotting tyres then?

I couldn’t see any flatspotting, and Tony from Sinclaires sadi he couldn’t hear any as I drove by at high speed later in the day, so I think I got away with it - I must have been going sideways, with the wheels still turning, and evened out the wear!!

14

Have you seen this months Circuit Driver.
Mark Hales has done an article on avoiding hitting the Silverstone pit wall when putting wheels on the grass. Just a couple of days too late.

It was on my mat as I got home - he made a pretty good analysis of what happened !!

The autosport circuit guide doesn’t show woodcote as a corner, by the way, so when I sat up studying the circuit, it just didn’t cross my mind as a serious corner, and I had been using that time to check guages etc

Just shows what a few metres off line does to you!!!

15

I’ve often found myself breezing past those plastic reflective markers on the right and then finding myself over on the left of the track almost on the white line - without really thinking too much.

There’s usually a gear change around there to complicate matters too!

16

Have you seen this months Circuit Driver.
Mark Hales has done an article on avoiding hitting the Silverstone pit wall when putting wheels on the grass. Just a couple of days too late.

You evil git, just go ahead and rub salt staight into them wounds why dont you.

I’m right in saying that Woodcote is the ‘what would appear to be’ gentle right hander onto the start/finish straight yes?? If so, then I have to admit that corner scared the crap out of me most in the wet last year afer coming around it just a littllle to fast early in the day…

17

Mike

Glad you are fine… and although i’m sorry to hear about the damage to your car it doesn’t seem too serious, its also pretty weird that the Circuit Driver article almost exactly describes what happened

18

Mike,

I was glad to hear you were okay. I had to work unfortunatly but got a phonecall just after they brought your car in. Initial comments made the car sound bad but that you were okay, so was glad to hear in a later phonecall that you were back on track again.

19

Thanks all for your kind wishes.

Car goes up to Maddog’s next weekend for TLC.

I may even get a respray for the engine cover and scoops, so it may end up looking posh again!!!

20

…so it may end up looking posh again!!!

You mean Gunmetal?!