It’s been a busy few days, and it’s not easing up just yet. After passing the ARDS test on Wednesday, I travelled up to Norfolk on Friday evening to get ready for another track day, this time at Snetterton. (Surely there’s no other reason to be in Norfolk right :)).
Extremely lucky with the weather, the day started and ended sunny and dry. The first day of the year you’d actually want to be out on track. Michael Coulton from Roadsports (a 2012 Academite) was good enough to let me share his garage for the day. Pete Basterfield from group 1 was also in attendance.
Pete’s got a brilliant outlook on life and I could spend a lifetime trying and never be as laid back.
The day went pretty well. 1. The car came back in one piece. 2. I came back in one piece. 3. I didn’t make anyone else go back in more than one piece. I picked up speed in the morning and then had a session with Paul Lind just after lunch to try and understand what I need to concentrate on.
It was in that session, whilst trying out a few changes in driving style that I had my off’s and also my spin. It’s the first time I’ve spun on track in a full sized car (well, as full sized as a Caterham gets) and whilst it was rather uneventful on a track day, I can’t say it would be so comfortable in a race! Everything ended up pointing the right way again and the car didn’t bat an eyelid. Style-wise, I can now say I’ve completed a scandinavian flick into a 360 spin successfully.
I spent the afternoon trying to implement some of the things Paul had suggested and although I never got a complete lap to stick together, my data shows that the new tweaks could potentially be 0.5 – 1 second on an ideal lap.
So, having only just packed up and recovered from Snetterton, I’m now off to Brands Hatch Indy for a day tomorrow. I’ve got Ben Clucas in the car with me for the day. I’ve known him for a long time and even been out on track with him a few times at Silverstone – so fingers crossed we won’t fall out!
There are some others from Group 1 turning up as well as a group 2’er so I’m sure there will be the usual banter and sideways glances just to see how others are getting on!