'TRACKDAY', Brands Hatch Indy Circuit (Kent) - ***Friday 1st December 2023*** SOLD OUT

[ChrisHolmes]

Thankyou Malcom and Nigel for organising today and to everyone who attended and again made this annual track day the great gathering that it is, long may it continue.
The R3 performed faultlessly all day and I had some great moments passing much more powerful cars which couldn’t use their full power on the greasy surface.
Driving etiquette was on the whole very good but there were a couple of “blockers” at various times.
I should have some videos to upload but that can wait till tomorrow as I am knackered!
A short clip of the snowy paddock. https://1drv.ms/f/s!AugalL5KaYbxgug9RSa9lQ3GeYH1gQ

[GreySilver Beast]

My thanks to everyone who came along today and made it such an enjoyable outing. Well done Andrew, you drove really smoothly with great linesl for a first trackday. I look forward to seeing you at another trackday next year.

I had a really lovely session in the afternoon in a "train" of 5 RX-8's. I was at the rear and hope I can upload some video when I get home.

My laptimes were lousy, cf my best of 58.x secs, best today being 1m10.54. The issue throughout the day was an inability to carry any speed through Clearways and onto the main straight. Really enjoyable trying to improve though!

This was my 16th consecutive Brands outing in Dec, first being in 2008. That is, if you count one year that was postponed until January, due to a foot of snow on the planned Dec date!!

Archive pic from 2008, with the much missed Ray in shot.

[ChrisHolmes]

My lap times at Brands are usually c10secs slower than Malcolm but today I managed a 1m11.21 which really surprised me, I think it clearly helped by me chasing down a Boxter!
I was even more pleased with the time when I discovered that Nick Dougills best lap in my car today was 1m11.35 but then I was on my own and he had 16 stone of me in the car!

[GreySilver Beast]

I also joined the 1:11 club using the Federals. Unfortunately semi slicks weren't the optimal tyre for the conditions. Initially the track seemed to be improving, but the snow ruined that, and even with a sunny afternoon, the latter stages of the circuit offered no grip at all.

So for the the final session, I switched back to the Rain Sports, and did a 1:08. Although it was still slippery, the difference was huge. Race box graphs will show the difference between the best laps on each tyre.

I should be able to put up a video of me coming through a convoy of RX-8s in that session.

Fun day. Car behaved. Cakes were excellent. Custard on cheesecake is weird, but I'm willing to give it a go sometime. I needed over 9 hours sleep before writing this post.


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[ChrisHolmes]

Thanks for those graphs, Alan. It demonstrates just how hard it was to apply the throttle on exit from corners with semis, cf the Rainsports, so reducing terminal speed on the following straights.

I've never known Clearways to be so slippery throughout the entire day. Semis definitely not the best choice, but it was fun seeking different lines in an effort to improve.

[Neilparry]

Just to say thanks for a great day and I was there




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[UtterOtter]

Many thanks to everyone for being so friendly and making it such a great first trackday for me!
Thanks again to Malcolm for showing me the ropes

[nightfire10]

Photos

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[Mpv2k3]

Did you receive an email regarding the photographs?

[nightfire10]

No just went to their site

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https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/5ujrqrgf ... Bj82Q&dl=0

[mrspiller]

Photos

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Christ I was dark
Could barley see that MX5 behind you


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[nightfire10]

Photos

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Christ I was dark
Could barley see that MX5 behind you


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I don't think it was that dark just how he took some pictures

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[ChrisHolmes]

Bit of a naughty pass on a Boxter at 15m52.07
https://1drv.ms/v/s!AugalL5KaYbxguhBi0l ... Q?e=F2XucB

[Mpv2k3]

Another good day at Brandshatch annual event although, a little chilly and slippery on track.

Track etiquette was mostly good apart from a few.

My best times were in the 1.09s

[Mpv2k3]

The day ended with a great meal

[GreySilver Beast]

Videos to sit here (once processing completed)

My entire final session, featuring Neil, Malcolm, Ian, Sam and Marc among others. Finally overtaking cars following the switch to Rain Sports. My pass on the Boxster wasn't quite as naughty as Chris':


The fastest lap of my day:

[ChrisHolmes]

Good neat lines there Alan, I reckon the Boxter back off at the end of Clearways.

[ChrisHolmes]

Good neat lines there Alan, I reckon the Boxter back off at the end of Clearways.

Almost certainly, but I was basically ahead of him at that point. Not the best behavior by me, but he was never letting me by otherwise. I had to complain about the blue Clio doing similar to me, but he was way more aggressive, especially as I was patiently waiting for an appropriate moment to pass the 370z who was another terrible blocker on the day...

All the issues on the day seemed to be caused by non Mazdas. The RX-8 and MX-5 contingent were impeccable.

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