***TRACKDAY - Brands Hatch, Friday 2nd Dec 2011***

[clive]

Many thanks to Malcolm for organising another superb day out yesterday, not only on-track but also the social side of things where people just come along for the day but don\'t go on-track :Thumbsup!

Commiserations to Adrian who tried to get there with his 3rd Gen along but in the end could not get there :o

Sadly we only had RX-8\'s arrive and drive , I say sadly because with 85% of the other cars being MX-5\'s the RX-7\'s would have really shone out on track yesterday as our RX-8\'s were collectively the fastest cars there as regards lap times even quicker than the Turbo and pukka race MX-5\'s so it would have been great to see what a good single Turbo RX-7 could do .

Personally I know I did 101 miles yesterday on-track and came home happy that for a road car the car now goes very well around Brands,

Another thing I found is that because I know how many miles and how much fuel I put in the car, I was happy to find out that the car had done 13 miles to the gallon which I think is great as a large proportion of the lap is spent between 7 and 9 thousand revs :cool  

Below is a link from a camera put in the car by friend of mine that is of good enough resolution to convert to full screen,

Although with Ian\'s camera it should have cleaner, clearer, quicker laps on it this gives you an idea of a lap of brands in a Rotary :3gears-rh


  http://youtu.be/0ggBaRlwPJk?hd=1

[jeffw]

I was at the trackday friday in my kitcar (Red Sylva Phoenix) and thought you might like to look at some of the video from the day.  It is rather poor because the sun was so low but includes a number of RX8s including one smoking a little on upshifting onto the pit straight.  Not sure if this is an issue or not bit



http://youtu.be/DkgIPo-mNx0
http://youtu.be/-Ip_NGGKcB0

Everyone was being very polite and moving over.

[clive]

Thanks for registering and putting up those video\'s Jeff,

Had a quick look and will again later but from the bit I have seen it looks like a well set up car, what engine does it have ?

I will say that from the bit I have seen people moved much quicker for you than me so I can only figure they don\'t mind you coming by in your special but resented a "normal" car coming by

[jeffw]

Hi Clive

I think it has to do with the \'alien\' status for the Phoenix in a group like this which, added to the closing speed, makes people move out of the way.  I\'m sure that you where seen as something to measure against rather than something to move out of the way off...if you see what I mean.

The car is a Sylva Phoenix which weighs around the 550Kg mark (without me!) and has a 2.0lt Zetec (Stage 3 head, big cams, Jenvey throttle bodies etc) which puts out around 210BHP.  I was running Toyo R888 SG tyres which are the soft version of the R888.  I use the car for sprints, trackdays and road trips and I came 2nd in the Sevenoaks and District Motorclub Speed league this year in it.

It is now off the road till the spring as the gearbox needs rebuilding as well as the supercharger which will go on to raise the power to around the 320-340BHP mark.



and this was the sprint at Brands earlier in the year

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xxg6N5sBCos

There are lots of other videos up on youtube including Spa, Goodwood & the Ring.

[HaywardRotary]

I like the Phoeneix and Fury Kits cars alot, great looks and they remind me of an era when alot of British sports cars were like that!Only difference is the looks and the reliablity that is so much better.

[C J R]

Good to hear you all had a great time. Gutted I could not commit to this but pressures of work etc mean the RX7 heasn\'t had too much use this year.
Hope to get in to a lot more track action in 2012 with you guys.
 
Chris

[Arnie_O]

Massive thanks to Malcolm for helping sort another awesome trackday with the MRC. you really do out do yourself every time mate.
Though i never seem to get out with many other club cars on the day lol.
Maybe would should all line up in the pits in one big bunch.

Thanks to Clive fo he generous help with my little brake caliper issue, Your help is always apreciated and never ever taken for granted Mr.Clive. Your a true ambassider fo the club and how members set out to help each other. Its no wonder that Mazda Rotary Parts have so many happy and loyal customers with pit lane support like you offer :p .
It was a shame we didnt see some of the the usual RX7 faces that we have all grown to know and love... well maybe not love.

And was goot to have some new members along in the group.

Looking forward to 2012\'s calender hopefully I can attend some of the tracks i have missed the the past couple of years (hope Olton will still be in the calender)

oh and thanks to ghetto-bodyworks for the last minute paint job... you know who you are.

[clive]

Thank\'s Aston, just pleased you got back out OK

  Got to be a record though, it was dinner time before the tool box got opened :rollin

[re japi]

Nice vid. Btw, i just love Brands hatch. i wish i could drive there some day...

[lennycarloff]

Some great videos , looks like I missed a good day out , see you all next time

[HypoThermia]

Two videos for you to enjoy - one of Malcolm and myself going around, and one with Clive in the driving seat.

Ian.

[youtubewide]orz5-8r6c2A[/youtubewide]

[youtubewide]eeeGSsUH9PE[/youtubewide]

[HypoThermia]

And a third video of Malcolm driving...

[youtubewide]R7xi6oQhbug[/youtubewide]

[clive]

Many thanks Ian,

Interesting to see that not once did I manage a clear lap :o

Interesting to see the difference just in how I hold the steering wheel and Malcolm does.

I keep my thumbs out side of the steering wheel, a because by using your thumbs you have more pressure on the wheel for a lot less pressure exerted,  also I have seen fellow competitors break thumbs when they have hit something on more than one occasion over the years and the wheel has been spun out of their hands .

No way a criticism, just an observation because at the end of the day its whatever people are comfortable with :Thumbs-up

[Casey]

Interesting to see the difference just in how I hold the steering wheel and Malcolm does.

I keep my thumbs out side of the steering wheel, a because by using your thumbs you have more pressure on the wheel for a lot less pressure exerted,  also I have seen fellow competitors break thumbs when they have hit something on more than one occasion over the years and the wheel has been spun out of their hands .

No way a criticism, just an observation because at the end of the day its whatever people are comfortable with :Thumbs-up

A very interesting observation. I\'d heard before about people breaking thumbs in this way. It\'s a "habit" brought about by road driving instruction many moons ago! I might get more "feel" without the interlocking thumb "death grip" too :Thumbs-up

Many thanks Ian, it will be interesting to play some "side-by-side" playbacks of these laps to see different techniques, lines, gears, etc.

[lennycarloff]

Thats some impresive driving folks, it looks like the 8 were the fastest  out there, not that I am jealous but i cant wait to get back out on  track