I've just got back from a track day at oulton park (a local race track) and my first taste of a track day from the passenger seat ! I signed on as a passenger for nothing ! and a friend who owns a garage took me out in their new CTR. The CTR went really well and felt very planted. My next task was to try and get a ride in one of the EVO cars (EVO are a car magazine that organized the event). There was a 340R Lotus, a couple of Caterhams and a Radical SR3. http://<a href="http://www.radicalsp...scars.com</a>/ basically a space from with a 250 bhp motorbike engine @ 500 bhp per tonne


In the afternoon I plucked up the courage to ask about getting a ride in the Radical - the guy just said yeah jump in ! My heart was pumping as these thing look and sound VERY fast (0-60 in 3 sec - 0-100 in 8!!) The car I went in was running on slicks too ! I tried to buckle myself in (not easy with a helmet on) managed to get everything clip together with a little help and tightened the harnesses as much as I could (which was a good idea) - the guy driving thumbed the started and the thing burst into life . We spluttered out of the pit lane and round onto the track. The first time he booted the car was very impressive - even more so was the way we blasted onto the track accelerating as we rounded the pit lane exit onto the track. The next big shock was the brakes Every time he hit the brakes it was like you'd hit a brick wall. I lurched forwards in the harnesses trying to grip onto something for dear life. This thing could corner like you wouldn’t believe. We were out braking elises and caterhams all the way round each lap getting faster and braking later. The cornering forces are unbelievable (the car can pull 2 G).

So after that little jaunt I fancied a go in the Caterham R500 I'd seen going round at a terrific pace. Later on in the day I was stood on the pit wall and it came into the pits - the passenger got out and the driver saw I was looking (standing with my crash helmet) and beckoned me over ! Once again loads of faf getting in and buckling up and we were off. This car felt almost as quick as the radical but more scary - it has no windscreen so the air pushes your head back and the lack of slicks meant it move around allot which was loads of fun. We almost had a moment at one point when we mounted the curb at little too much !

It really is a great experience being driven around in these beast by people who can really drive !. The fact it was free and the weather fantastic was a bonus . The biggest shock is still the brakes on the Radical plus the fact that I wasn’t scared AT ALL :? I think the harnesses and faith in the drivers abilities must have put my mind at rest and let me enjoy the ride.

 

nice.... it will be more fun when you are behind the wheel of your car going around the track.

 

"racing is an addiction, which can only be cured by poverty"

thanks starnes for that one

 

I'm taking a lesson in a Caterham on friday !

 

I wish I could have gone

 

This was the car in question which I've just found out is'nt the fastest version





and this was the caterham




[Modified by sk-itr, 9:10 PM 9/24/2002]