I\'ve heard Oulton Park described as the best track in the country, and it was praised in our recent \'favourite trackday track\' thread, so I was determined to make it a fixture in my first rotary trackday season this year.
Mazda on Track are running a day there on 16th April, open pitlane, £199. Noise limit 105dB. If you book here - http://www.performancetrackdays.com/oulton-park--tuesday-16th-april-2013---full-opl-100-p.asp - there\'s the option to add half an hour\'s tuition for £25, which seems like good value on the face of it (this site is also run by Mazda on Track, you\'re still booking with the same people).
I\'m booked in - anyone else up for it?
(http://www.williemiller.co.uk/wp-content/druids-corner-oulton-park.jpg)
(pic from http://www.williemiller.co.uk )
(http://www.webbaviation.co.uk/gallery/d/53707-1/oulton-park-m5663.jpg?g2_GALLERYSID=fe906293a1c8c72677d234094a3f6ba7) (pic from www.webbaviation.co.uk (http://www.webbaviation.co.uk) ).
Interested if I can get my diff sorted :D
Shaun
Just had an email from Mazda on Track, apparently 30 mins ARDS-qualified tuition is included free in the price, just ask at signing-on. (they refunded me my £25) Even better!
Just booking it now ;)
Awesome, see you there tomorrow ! In the car in your sig ??
Yeah, the very same
awesomes. not jealous at all, honest. have a blast boys and look forward to hearing all about it, hopefully with pics and vids too :)
Phil
(https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-wT8_XMUrPnQ/UW24ciOruAI/AAAAAAAADJ4/-u-w4wMxpPo/s1541/DSC_0052.JPG)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-PmndK2A6TnA/UW238kQDKGI/AAAAAAAADJw/OekOL-80pi0/s1461/DSC_0064.JPG)
full size pics here (https://plus.google.com/photos/110971171497128646652/albums/5867548045238820529?authkey=CPago9DDhOTA9QE)
First, Neil it was great to meet you and see your awesome Time Attack machine, it looks really good and goes even better, not to mention the huge balls of fire it emits on each gearchange :-) Good inspiration for the rest of us.
The album link above also has the one pic I got of Dan(?)\'s silver VX220, if he wants that.
Oulton Park is a pretty good track, pretty fast and flowing. Perhaps somewhat like Grand Prix tracks used to be, back in the sixties. If you like testing your nerve through fast, complex corners, it\'s a good place to visit.
I had a couple of issues with the FD; first, the second turbo seemed to object to left-hand corners, resulting in a big loss of power for the whole of the following straight. I set the Apexi to non-sequential mode, which seemed to restore something like normal service.
Secondly, the standard intercooler is utterly, utterly useless. I was seeing up to 78 degrees C air intake temps after only a couple of laps pushing hard, so I really had to manage the temps the whole time. I was obviously aware the std IC is a weak point, but it wasn\'t even 20 degrees ambient, it\'s pretty ridiculously poor. I\'m very interested in any and all recommendations to fix this problem !
Apart from those, the Advan Neova AD08s grip very well, and the chassis is really good, it just always seems to respond to steering inputs accurately and precisely, even when transitioning hard through the two chicanes.
Did you have a ride in Neil\'s monster. It is awe inspiring in the passenger seat too (want a passenger ride at Cadwell, nudge, wink)
Yep the stock mount is pants, there are plenty of options on intercoolers.
Oulton is very much a fun track, lots of challenge as you get quicker. Glad its most local to me :D
Shaun
Good pics tom, i\'ll pass the vx one on. Glad you had a good day. From our party of 3 cars we had one written off vx220, another with siezed brakes and I managed to kill 4th gear! All in all then not the most successful trackday but got some good time in on track.
I only had the camera on for two runs and there was a fair bit of traffic but will put a clip up at some point soon
ps shaun your welcome to come for a run next time out
Bloomin eck, what happened to the vx220 ??
Cheers for the ride invite :D
Shaun
Quote from: samoht;855850Oulton Park is a pretty good track, pretty fast and flowing. Perhaps somewhat like Grand Prix tracks used to be, back in the sixties. If you like testing your nerve through fast, complex corners, it\'s a good place to visit.
I had a couple of issues with the FD; first, the second turbo seemed to object to left-hand corners, resulting in a big loss of power for the whole of the following straight. I set the Apexi to non-sequential mode, which seemed to restore something like normal service.
Secondly, the standard intercooler is utterly, utterly useless. I was seeing up to 78 degrees C air intake temps after only a couple of laps pushing hard, so I really had to manage the temps the whole time. I was obviously aware the std IC is a weak point, but it wasn\'t even 20 degrees ambient, it\'s pretty ridiculously poor. I\'m very interested in any and all recommendations to fix this problem !
Apart from those, the Advan Neova AD08s grip very well, and the chassis is really good, it just always seems to respond to steering inputs accurately and precisely, even when transitioning hard through the two chicanes.
For a cheap IC upgrade you can\'t go wrong with the front mount ICs off eBay, I bought one complete with all necessary piping ages for my FD at the time and it never have me temps higher than 30C on a hot summer day blast, that was on a huge street port and 1 bar of boost with non sequential setup, fairly easy to install, requires bumper removal for fitment. Maybe worth a remap too to sort out and fuel issues or boost issues.
Quote from: shaunwil;856056Bloomin eck, what happened to the vx220 ??
Cheers for the ride invite :D
Shaun
He\'d put harder pads on the back for more rear bias but seems it was too much, back overtook the front whilst hard on the brakes and put both ends of the car in the armco. Both clamshells smashed and front and rear left wheels werent properly attached anymore. Its not strictly written off yet but he had a look and thinks theres chassis damage
Ouch, so he hadn\'t checked his bias off the track first then !
Shaun