Alfaowner Track Days

Oh yes, I bought my baby for trackdays, any idea of date or cost yet?

It is being investigated.

You're so elusive Joe

Originally Posted by Nicky

You're so elusive Joe

I like to keep you all guessing hehe

It's likely to be a weekday in either August, September or October.

Joe

Originally Posted by OperationAlfa

It's likely to be a weekday in either August, September or October.

Joe

Sounds good. Keep us informed.

Cheers
norb.

You guys should definitely come to Bedford autodrome for a track day. Not only because its just down the road from me, its got some really amazing roads to drive around all around it really.

Sticking around Bedford you'll live the rally-esq quality of our sh***y roads, but with some really nice bends in, and on the other side in Risely and roads off of it, you'll find some great smooth hard roads with excellent visibility.

Its also easy to find, being just off the A6. The autodrome has like 5 circuits though? Surely not all are easy and boring?

Steven - I was shocked at the quality of your roads around Dunstable.. And I thought the roads around York were bad!

I like the idea of a track day, but are there any restrictions on how un-modded your car is?

Can you take a standard road car out?

Do you need any special safety gear?

Thanks

I might be interested It would be my first track day event in my own car.

Originally Posted by ninjadwarf

I like the idea of a track day, but are there any restrictions on how un-modded your car is?

Can you take a standard road car out?

Do you need any special safety gear?

Thanks

You can use your own car, no mods needed. You can bring your own lid or rent one for about a tenner

Originally Posted by Pud237

Steven - I was shocked at the quality of your roads around Dunstable.. And I thought the roads around York were bad!

That's because you have no suspension..

Originally Posted by OperationAlfa

That's because you have no suspension..

True

But the car doesn't magically get softer and less bumpier around York. We have some pretty vicious bumps, but down south there just appears to be more of them!

Well I'm actually in the North of Bedfordshire, not Dustable where the Autodrome is in Thurleigh, the roads are knackered and certainly does punish your car, but its got good grip in the dry.

If your coming from the MK direction, from the WEST. Id recommend doing the A509 (to Northampton) and I'd take the RIGHT hand turn when you hit EMBERTON heading towards CLIFTON REYNES. That's a tight and twisty bitch of a road that you can really get aggressive with without pushing the limits to hard needing to use the other side of the road. Perfect for a front wheel drive car with buckets of grip.

You'll come out in Turvey which you'll cut straight across the A428 heading towards CARLTON (where I am) there's a nice flat out open mile of road outta Turvey which a sharp left followed by lovely sweeping rights before you get into Carlton. Follow the road through Carlton, and go STRAIGHT AHEAD at the cross roads to Felmesham. You'll then come across the best road in North Bedfordshire and my play ground, the CHELLY HILL ROADS. This road has S bends, 45 degree corners, flat out bumpy sections, 2 jumps, and very little traffic with NO speed cameras or police presence.

If your heading from the South, you just wanna take the A6 all the way up till you hit the first round about at Sharnbrook at take the RIGHT up to Bletsoe.

The Autodrome is slightly nearer Bletsoe than it is Thurliegh. If your in the village, then you're about mile too far.

There's also a top bakery in Sharnbrook selling good sandwiches and pasties etc plus 2 local shops and 2 pubs. The nearest petrol station is a nice new Shell station on the turn off to Souldrop on the A6 past Sharnbrook about 3 miles from the autodrome.
[img=http://img16.imagevenue.com/loc726/th_40679_xxx_122_726lo.JPG]
Red circle marks the Autodrome. Yellow dots marks the fun roads.

Definately up for it... We've yet to do a track day this year as the MR2 we bought as a TD car has some serious (and as yet undiagnosed) issues with the cooling sytem blowing back through the engine (2 new head gaskets later).

I've done B.A.D. in my GTV and it's a great track for novices. Loads of run off so very little likelihood of damaging your pride and joy (although I did see a 911 stack it into the one corner where there is armco near the track, but then who'd put an engine in the boot?!).

I think the db limit is 96 or so... I know my GTV with a Larini sports exhaust sailed through so I wouldn't worry too much about the noise limit.

Originally Posted by Fraser

Sorry, no. Bedford's too far for me and I have no interest in really ragging my own (daily) car around a track.

Yeah but look at the upside Fraze, being diesel you wouldnt have to stop for fuel, and you'd probably not get it up to any decent speed so each lap would last longer

Oh yes, I'd be interested, will watch for details.

I took my daily (20,000 miles a year) 1.6 round bedford in Jan.

You are not racing and its good just to get to drive fast legally and learn the car!
A trackday is only detrimental if your car is not 100% to start with. Check the oil regularly through the day and learn how to drive smoothly so as not to ruin your tyres.

Its up to you how hard you push it.

You could always come along as a passenger. I'm sure people wouldn't mind a bit of company round the track.

Anyone wary about ragging their daily drive should at least consider a trackday once in a while. Its great fun.

One of the things with these track days is that I found there are a lot of very quick cars there, M3s, Caterhams, Evos etc. Its not worth trying to stick with these and end up disappointed. Just let them go and drive within you and your cars ability.

Originally Posted by MPH

I took my daily (20,000 miles a year) 1.6 round bedford in Jan.

You are not racing and its good just to get to drive fast legally and learn the car!
A trackday is only detrimental if your car is not 100% to start with. Check the oil regularly through the day and learn how to drive smoothly so as not to ruin your tyres.

Its up to you how hard you push it.

You could always come along as a passenger. I'm sure people wouldn't mind a bit of company round the track.

Anyone wary about ragging their daily drive should at least consider a trackday once in a while. Its great fun.

Track days are pretty hard on the brakes so make sure you've got plenty of brake pad and you'll be fine.

Originally Posted by AlfaJack

One of the things with these track days is that I found there are a lot of very quick cars there, M3s, Caterhams, Evos etc. Its not worth trying to stick with these and end up disappointed. Just let them go and drive within you and your cars ability.

Au contraire mon ami, Evos and Scoobies are toast on a dry day...slow turbos and lack of talent. Caterams are just mental, stay on their inside as they are tail happy, and you can wave at them as they slide off, cant wait.

Originally Posted by Der Teufel

Au contraire mon ami, Evos and Scoobies are toast on a dry day...slow turbos and lack of talent. Caterams are just mental, stay on their inside as they are tail happy, and you can wave at them as they slide off, cant wait.

Well I guess I did manage to stick with the Atom for a bit in the wet

Originally Posted by