GTA at Wakefield Park

I took my GTA to the Wakefield Park Circuit (www.wakefieldpark.com.au)on Monday for one of their No Speed Limit days. Just bring your car, pay $80 plus $40 for a Wakefield licence and away you go. We were divided into groups, one for road registered cars and one for competition cars. There were only a small number of cars and everyone had as much track time as they wanted., I was the only car on the track for the majority of the time. There is no timing, but a friend with a stopwatch gave me a rough timing (and a critique of my driving).

I limited my time on the track in deference to the S0-2s and preserving enough fuel to drive back to Canberra. (The trip meter showed just over 300 kms by the time the fuel warning light came on. Fuel cost for the day came to $65 for the trip to Goulburn and the circuit laps. That V6 really likes to drink.)

Apart from chewing up the tyres, the GTA was good to throw around the circuit. The temps stayed normal, no brake problems even after repeated stops from 150 kmh to around 60 kmh. Even slower, when a Cobra replica spun in front of me.

The GTA, from my friend's observation, looked neat and didn't lose much time to any of the other street cars such as a Boxster and various WRXs through the twisty sections of the track. It just needs a more skilful pilot who can get the lines right most of the time... Anyway, I recommend the experience to any Australian enthusiast who has a need for speed but wants to protect their licence.

Great stuff to see lots of Alfa owners (especially GTAs) doing track days recently

I have found the standard GTA to eat the modern WRXs, the latest revision of the WRX is a bit better though but still defintely catcheable once you are happy with your own lines. The early really ugly bug-eyed versions of the current WRX are suprisingly not that fast.

The older model WRXs are fairly well matched to the GTA - will depend on the track and driver as to who wins, I think the faster the circuit the more the GTA will have an advantage but generally it will be a tough fight.

Boxters are very well balanced cars, have only raced on track against a Boxter-S in a standard GTA and the Porsche defintely had the edge, mind you the Boxter driver was also much better than me too which didn't help my cause.

TB

Originally Posted by 147owner

The GTA, from my friend's observation, looked neat and didn't lose much time to any of the other street cars such as a Boxster and various WRXs through the twisty sections of the track. It just needs a more skilful pilot who can get the lines right most of the time... Anyway, I recommend the experience to any Australian enthusiast who has a need for speed but wants to protect their licence.

Yes, I know how you feel.
Did it at Oran Park not long ago. Timed though. Very quick around the track.
Lower it and see the difference! It will increase your handling by 10! Adjustable KW's in mine. Brilliant!

Piccies, piccies, please?!

I would love to get my car on the track, but have always been a bit hesitant as it is a lot of money if you spank it.

Has anyone done the Nurburgring? A friend of mine has said that him and his wife along with another friend of ours are going to do a trip there next spring. They have a his and hers Supra, hers being a non turbo Targa Top and his being a Twin Turbo. And my other friend that will be going has just got an old syle M3.

It is tempting but also not so tempting if you know what I mean. Anyone got any experiences there?

Was planning on doing it in a few weeks in the GTA, but my recent (timing belt related?) damage has put paid to that for a while
Still hope to do it over the next 2 or three months.

TB

Originally Posted by EddieGTA

I would love to get my car on the track, but have always been a bit hesitant as it is a lot of money if you spank it.

Has anyone done the Nurburgring? A friend of mine has said that him and his wife along with another friend of ours are going to do a trip there next spring. They have a his and hers Supra, hers being a non turbo Targa Top and his being a Twin Turbo. And my other friend that will be going has just got an old syle M3.

It is tempting but also not so tempting if you know what I mean. Anyone got any experiences there?

Originally Posted by THROTTLEMAN

Piccies, piccies, please?!

And some video perhaps?? Always nice....

I would love to do a session like that at Bathurst Island (Mount Panorama). Together with Spa Francorchamps and the Nordschleife, probably the greatest circuits in the world.

Originally Posted by EddieGTA

I would love to get my car on the track, but have always been a bit hesitant as it is a lot of money if you spank it.

Has anyone done the Nurburgring?
It is tempting but also not so tempting if you know what I mean. Anyone got any experiences there?

Just keep it safe and take it easy. Don't see it as a race, check your rear view mirror for faster cars end just have fun with your (great) car.

I did it once, and sort of got infected. Zolder again on sept 2nd. and Assen on sept 13th.

My only experience on the Nordschleife is on the PS2 with GT4.

I spoke to Stephan (of Squadra Tuning) who has done some visits to the Nordschleife, and he said it's getting to crowded on weekends. If possible try to go from monday to friday.

I have video of a track day but how do I get it on the website. Photoes are ok but video?

You couldjust use www.megaupload.com to host it for free.
Deleted automatically 30 days after last download.

Cheers,
TB

Originally Posted by Barbalatte

I have video of a track day but how do I get it on the website. Photoes are ok but video?

Originally Posted by THROTTLEMAN

Piccies, piccies, please?!

Sorry, no photos or video this time. I didn't fancy leaving my gear around unattended, although as it turned out I could have got my friend to look after the camera. And the friendly nature of the day meant it probably been all right anyway, but one never knows. I'll try to get some pics next time.

The thing about Wakefield is that it is a relatively low speed circuit with lots of run off room, so I wasn't concerned so much about coming off, more over mechanical issues such as brake warping/fade, but I had no problems at all. Just good fun.

Originally Posted by Barbalatte

I have video of a track day but how do I get it on the website. Photoes are ok but video?

Or use:

http://srv2.qfile.de/operator.php?sy...er&sysf=upload

I'm waiting for my own 1GB serverspace, so I can share all I want with you guys.

Hi again Eddie,

sorry I missed the fact that this would be your first track day!

While I have never been to the Nurburgring personally I have done a lot of background study on the track in anticipation of going, and have a few track day friends who do sub 9 minute to low 8 minute times there.

I would tentatively suggest that your first track day does not take place on the most difficult and hardest to remember track in the world

Even on a modestly sized English track with a mere 12 or so corners I would think a typical first track day will involve you learning so many things simultaneously your head will be in a spin.
You really need to get a sense of when to check mirrors etc, and how to behave in high speed traffic as well as basic recovery manouveres.
The ring has very very little run-off..

I know others on this forum have been there regularly (Bill or is it "plastic pig" now???) so it might be worth checking with experienced folk

Cheers,
TB

Originally Posted by EddieGTA

I would love to get my car on the track, but have always been a bit hesitant as it is a lot of money if you spank it.

Has anyone done the Nurburgring?

Cheers trailbreaker, I will have to have a look about. I am a stones throw from Brands Hatch but don't think they do track days really.

Cheers for the tips. Hope your GTA is back on the road?

Hi Eddie,

unfortnately my car did suffer some bent valves, no work has been done on it yet though.
It is actually awaiting shipping to an independent specialist in England for repairs at the moment so will be off the road for a few weeks anyway by the time I get it back

BTW brands hatch do have track days, so you might be in luck yet.

Have a look at :

http://www.easytrack.co.uk

Here are a few other other handy links for various circuits and track day companies. There may be other tracks accessible to you.

http://www.bookatrack.com
http://www.trackdays.co.uk
www.anglesey-race-circuit.co.uk

Best of luck!

TB

Originally Posted by EddieGTA

Cheers trailbreaker, I will have to have a look about. I am a stones throw from Brands Hatch but don't think they do track days really.

Cheers for the tips. Hope your GTA is back on the road?

Eddie GTA, if you fancy seeing if you can keep up with my JTD I am off to cadwell Park in November (6th) with bookatrack along with a few Fiat Coupe owners, looks like a nice track, there are some vids here

Trackday Thread

Originally Posted by sandys

Eddie GTA, if you fancy seeing if you can keep up with my JTD I am off to cadwell Park in November (6th) with bookatrack along with a few Fiat Coupe owners, looks like a nice track, there are some vids here

Trackday Thread

Hmmmm now that is very tempting, bit far to go from Kent, but then nowehere near as far as the ring.