Photos from the Elvington Trackday

[Lauren]

So how to redline run TOTB then? Or am i missing something?

They must run under a different insurance deal. Either that or they are not properly covered.

Its a bit different though when you only have one car on a circuit at a time as that would fall within a sprint or speed trial which is a bit more lax licence wise. You couldn't run one car at a time on a trackday really.

[Lauren]

Just out of interest does the same driver have to drive in all the disciplines or could you have say a couple of drivers to one car, ie one to do the 1/4mile and one to do the handling circuit?

I'm guessing this wouldn't work! If it did we could simply put the track/race drivers in the quick cars for the handling part.

[Hedgehog Dodger]

Anyone can bolt on 200bhp of NOS and make a good time, but as last year showed the handling circuit is where the MR2 stands a real chance!.

I agree totally here Cone Man!

JJ won the Circuit trap at TOTB for RWD cars last year. That is an excellent acheivement considering it was the first time MR2's have been entered in TOTB.

I personally think that if people want to enter into TOTB this year, then it shouldnt go on a vote, it should go on proven results. If IMOC can organise say 2 track events and 2 drag events before TOTB then the people who want to enter have to attend these events to see what times they get. And if people dont make it then tough poo, they dont enter. And obviously the more people with more experience will be in good stead. Obviously ity just doesnt go on the 2 events set, but these will be a good guide. I dont think it will be fair if I enter with no previous drag racing events and no circuit experience over someone with proven times etc just because I have a powerful car.

I think that voting thing was unfair last year. People voted for people they knew, helped them out etc etc. I have to say though I think we got possibly the best cars and peeps last year, JJ, James and Steve did well.

Entering TOTB should go down to proven track and drag results. Obviously MR2's are not going to be top end monsters, so we need drivers and cars who are going to do well on the drag and circuit.

Just my opinion

[jonno]

So how to redline run TOTB then? Or am i missing something?

They must run under a different insurance deal. Either that or they are not properly covered.

Its a bit different though when you only have one car on a circuit at a time as that would fall within a sprint or speed trial which is a bit more lax licence wise. You couldn't run one car at a time on a trackday really.

Could we adopt a similar policy to a sprint then? The TOTB "circuit" is really a sprint anyway in the respect that its not a complete lap, there is a definite start and finish and only one car on it at a time. Not as much fun as a trackday but it would certainly show which cars were good through the twisties? Combined with a 1/4 mile area we could run the day at Elvington.

Anyone have contacts with straightliners? Maybe they could run it?

[michael]

Anyone have contacts with straightliners? Maybe they could run it?

*hand*

I'll get in touch with Trevor and see what I can sort out, what kind of date would suit people? The last thing I want to do is commit cash to a day and they have people pulling out because they have lost a valve cap or got some poo on their tyres

[stevecordiner]

At the end of the day the easiest way to test a cars abilities is over the 1/4 mile.

I can understand James's comment, track days are expensive! Say you go through a set of rear tyres, thats the best part of £300, plus probably 100 on fuel , plus the trackday itself 100-170 quid, plus brake pads etc etc. (including trip to body shop for cone damage ). I recon you need to budget in the region of 500 quid to do a track day and cover potential expenses. Whereas to do a drag day, you're looking at around 100 quid for the day.

Last year all these ideas of imoc trackday / drag days etc never occurred because it's impossible to get everyone organised in one location.

Mike please can we set down clearly the criteria for entering TOTB 4 for team IMOC now. Last year I went to a load of expense and effort proving my car whilst other cars sat in garages - the delay caused IMOC to lose places.

When TOTB 4 was first announced I put up a thread where I thought the plan had been set for the criteria for entry and timescale. If this is now changing please start a sticky thread saying what they are.

I dont want to go to expense and effort to meet the criteria to then have it changed at the last minute - like last year.

Sorry if this post seems spiteful or angry, its not meant that way - I understand the arguement for a handling test. I just want criteria spelled out clearly to start with as last years debacle left a bad taste with me.

[michael]

The criteria is the same as every year - we need "x" amount of cars to turn up and be as quick as possible over the handling, 1/4 and top speed events - nothing has changed.

At the end of the day an MR2 isn't going to win the top speed event and it's unlikely to win the 1/4 but as JJ showed last year we stand a good chance of success on the handling course. Remember it's a team event as well as an opportunity for individuals to show their skills.

I agree with Neil, we need proven cars and drivers that are capable of scoring points (even if it's just a couple) in each event - that's why Ronnie is successful, he does well in all three, he doesn't win them all but he takes part and scores a good tally.

Yes the focus is on the 1/4 but with the improvements in seating, timing and coverage planned for this year I'm hoping the handling course will be just as much of a pull.

Sure it's good to have some quick cars in the 1/4 but it would be nice to know they can hold their own in other events too - the Elvington day the other weekend cost me £99 and £60 in fuel, I have enough tyre left to do another one there - if I can organise another Megaboost day with Straightliners and include handling it will be cheaper for the event and you only have to go around the track section once or twice to get a time.

I refuse to allow the situation we had last year and won't tolerate any crap this time around, if people are being silly I'll just pick a team myself.

[stevecordiner]

Sounds like a good plan

On the points note, I cant remember but was points given for handling based on a category's e.g. for fwd, rwd and 4wd. If not then we sadly arent going to compete in that either if the track is set up like last year with endless back to back hairpins lol - the quickest evo was 33 seconds (that was basically a tarmac spec rally car)

I'm planning to hit Elvington for a bookatrack day in the spring, and I also noticed that there is a Croft day in May that would be cool! Proper track and in the north east too.

On a side note, have you seen any RWYB car dates for elvington yet. I saw straightliners had announced the bike race days, but hadnt seen much car related on their site yet

[michael]

Not aware of any dates as yet

[stevecordiner]

I've put a post up on the straightliners forum ..... lol ... I'll probably be flamed for being a car owner haha

[Lauren]

At the end of the day the easiest way to test a cars abilities is over the 1/4 mile.

I can understand James's comment, track days are expensive! Say you go through a set of rear tyres, thats the best part of £300, plus probably 100 on fuel , plus the trackday itself 100-170 quid, plus brake pads etc etc. (including trip to body shop for cone damage ). I recon you need to budget in the region of 500 quid to do a track day and cover potential expenses. Whereas to do a drag day, you're looking at around 100 quid for the day.

Have to say Steve a trackday costs nowhere near £500!! I've done 8 days on one set of tyres which still have tread left! Also with brake pads i've found they last a good 4-5 trackdays no problem. Fuel costs have been around £50 for 220track miles.

So i really think you are greatly overestimating the cost.

[stevecordiner]

I appreciate it might be on the high side but;

I was thinking of what its possible to spend. At Elvington in the dry I recon you would kill a set of rear tyres, or atleast finish off a set. Even at TOTB 3 or 4 hot laps of a tight circuit took a few mil of my eagle F1's. At Donny, GTSchris used about 60 quid in fuel on the track, that was on a bone stock rev 3 with no mods on it. Heavy foot yea, mods no.

So theres potentially;

99 at elvington
250 for tyres
60 for fuel at the track
40 for fuel travelling to and from - thats just for going 200 mile round trip to Elvington. (It'd be about 80 for going to donny and back.)

Thats 449. This will be lower and higher sometimes dependent on where you go and how you drive. All I'm saying is its not cheap. Say if the tyres last 3 track days, and you only use 30 in fuel on the track - thats still best part of 260 quid (99 + 85 + 30 + 40). Not to mention the where and tear element.

Even drag days were quite expensive I found last year, Elvington entry 45 quid, petrol travelling 40 quid, petrol whilst there 10 quid, nitrous refill 40 quid.

All I'm saying is that for me, I would be budgeting a significant amount of money for a trackday if the car is your everyday car.

[Bender Unit]

>>I was joking - sohf?<<
Lol I know Jonno, I was only joking too!

>>Actually no its not, I am more interested in the handling circuit than how fast CRD can launch their 150k supra on slicks down the 1/4.<<
I totally agree. I am sure I have ranted about this somewhere else. Lack of coverage of the handling circuit infuriated myself, that’s all I was interested in personally. I also get bored seeing another 500k tuned supra / skyline promotional car win on the ¼ mile and the organisers make such a fuss about it.
Personally I think they should have private and tuner entries separated to even the field. How can most modest MR2 owners compete against a monster car owned by a tuning house?
>>I dont think I am alone either. OK, so the chav mainstream love 1/4 times cus they are easy to understand, but if we are really saying that only cars with NOS and fast 1/4 times are worth entering then I wont be bothering.<<
Sadly Jonno it’s the name of the game, the event in the organisers eyes IS about the ¼ mile, whether you, me or anyone else likes it. For the IMOC to be competitive we need cars that can do fast ¼ miles as well as go around a circuit (how you get you power is irrelevant)
What would be refreshing would be to have a TOTB style event that is all sprint racing – done over 3 different tracks which would test driver ability and car performance and handling rather than how much BHP they have, how much money has been spent and how good their drag radials are. Maybe IMOC should get together and try and arrange such an event – I would rather do that then the straight line stuff.
>>Actually I would, well not south obviously, cus southerners are all poofs, but i would drive a decent distance for a trackday.<<
Lol, flat caps and whippets blah blah Well I may try and arrange a cheap track day at Llandow when the car is on the road in the next month or so – if your interested? Or anyone else for that? It’s a proper track, and they run a full day for something like £80.
>>Personally I think anyone who isnt comitted enough to do a trackday before TOTB shouldnt be entered - whats the point of running a car with a driver who has no experience on track?<<
Maybe instead to reign the costs involved in we could arrange a sprint day on a similar surface as TOTB after all that what you are tested on at TOTB. Maybe a small TOTB for the IMOC to pick the runners? For fun we could do it over a weekend, a few track changes to keep things interesting and some drag racing – even for those who don’t want to run at TOTB?
>>Essentially the event has 3 disciplines, I feel quite strongly that we should enter cars that can compete in all three where possible. One of the best things about the whole event is that you get a mixture of machinery. What would be the point if everyone thought like you and just bolted 150bhp of NOS onto an MR2?<<

I agree with you we need cars that can do all 3 categories. I may have bolted 150bhp onto my car but then correct me if I am wrong I put in a good show on the ¼ mile and the handling circuit? In fact we all did especially compared to the other machinery that IMOC was up against. Don’t be so blind to the advantages of nitrous

>>Before you reply this is somewhat tongue in cheek - but i do think that a timed circuit event would be a useful thing to do. If we dont it will deteriorate into the fiasco we had last year. If we must do the whole selection process based on 1/4 miles I will be running 1bhp more NOS than everyone else - feel my power <<

I know your being tongue and cheek Jonno Same with me! Fully agree we need to be prepared this year as it was a balls up last year (not the fault of anyone trying to organise it)

Regards

James

[stevecordiner]

Don’t be so blind to the advantages of nitrous

He he he .... the ole nitrous debate is a cracker. Yup, anyone can strap on nitrous and have a fast car - I think it just annoys people because it makes there cars look unimpressive It'd be like the porsche GT2 owner at TOTB saying well that 3k MR2 with 200 quid nitrous kit only overtook me because he had nitrous - well yup, but I still overtook him and my car probably cost less than his last service hahahahaha

Nitrous is a power adder, no different to a turbo or supercharger. Taking the view anyone can strap on nitrous, is like a big V8 owner saying anyone can buy jap crap with a blower

[Bender Unit]

>>Nitrous is a power adder, no different to a turbo or supercharger. Taking the view anyone can strap on nitrous, is like a big V8 owner saying anyone can buy jap crap with a blower<<

Totally it doesn’t matter how you make the power as long as you do. It’s a means to an end, the only reason people get disgruntled about it is because for very little you can get a lot of performance, performance that would match a lot of built engines running bigger turbo’s etc. Life doesn’t have to be difficult, that’s why nitrous is so freaking easy! IMHO nitrous is no less a tuning option than a bigger turbo is!

[michael]

Here we go again

[Lauren]

I appreciate it might be on the high side but;

I was thinking of what its possible to spend. At Elvington in the dry I recon you would kill a set of rear tyres, or atleast finish off a set. Even at TOTB 3 or 4 hot laps of a tight circuit took a few mil of my eagle F1's. At Donny, GTSchris used about 60 quid in fuel on the track, that was on a bone stock rev 3 with no mods on it. Heavy foot yea, mods no.

So theres potentially;

99 at elvington
250 for tyres
60 for fuel at the track
40 for fuel travelling to and from - thats just for going 200 mile round trip to Elvington. (It'd be about 80 for going to donny and back.)

Thats 449. This will be lower and higher sometimes dependent on where you go and how you drive. All I'm saying is its not cheap. Say if the tyres last 3 track days, and you only use 30 in fuel on the track - thats still best part of 260 quid (99 + 85 + 30 + 40). Not to mention the where and tear element.

Even drag days were quite expensive I found last year, Elvington entry 45 quid, petrol travelling 40 quid, petrol whilst there 10 quid, nitrous refill 40 quid.

All I'm saying is that for me, I would be budgeting a significant amount of money for a trackday if the car is your everyday car.

Okay at Elvington you get more tyre wear, but on a circuit you get a lot less. If its wet you get barely any tyre wear at all.

I guess its one of those things where if like me you tend to regular trackdays you tend to pile up spares, ie i currently have two sets of rims with tyres on, plus various assorted tyres etc. I've normally got a spare pair of pads lying around somewhere. So its like anything, the more you do it the cheaper it gets at least to some degree.

On the wear and tear side in nearly 5 years of doing trackdays i've not noticed any increased wear on anything else apart from pads, discs (which i change every two years) and obviously tyres.

[stevecordiner]

I agree with you. If i get into trackdays regularly, then I'll be getting a spare set of wheels, that way at least you wont necessarily have to replace the tyres immediately after the track day. It'll help even out costs of doing it.

Lol .. currently I'm budgeting high for trackday costs as I have a fortune in car parts going on the car and I wouldnt want to be in a situation where I hadnt fully appreciated the costs involved - and then wind up being caught short

[Lauren]

Yep thats it;

I'd recommend getting a set of stock 15s that way the tyres will be cheaper. With some of the regulars they leave their wheels on the truck and just get them fitted when they turn up and put their road wheels on to go home again.

I also think that you can really reduce wear loads by approaching the day sensibly, ie do a good cooling down lap (just go round 10mph slower so you don't have to use the brakes) and also i tend to do a bit of gooning around, then do a bit of driving cleanly and quickly. Also if its wet i go for gooning as there's hardly any tyre wear. In the dry i go for more of a clean driving style.

In doing this i keep my car in good order, i don't go through tyres so quickly and because there's no timing i tend go a lot easier on the brakes than i would do if say i was racing as there's nothing to be gained by being the last of the late brakers.

Lastly if you do regular trackdays there's time to spend socialising so you tend to spend less time on track than if you only do one day a year.

i've got a fairly stock NA now so i can look forward to cheap prices on tyres and i've enough spares to replace pretty much anything. IMO i can have just as much fun in the NA than i did in my SC.