Top Gear track fun

[Speedman]

Today I popped over to Dunsfold to act as support truck to my brother and his mates in their Caterhams, last night we loaded up the Camper with three sets of wheels plus tools and jacks.

Once in the paddock we swapped over onto the older tyres to allow for maximum hoonage.

Following the drivers briefing we set off to blast up the runway, skid round the wetted skidpan and jink through the slalom course.

During the morning we bought a few laps of the Top Gear track as well, led round behind a Caterham racecar we got three laps at a time on the hallowed tarmac.

 

[Speedman]

As the session came to a close I managed to blag my way onto the track as well, one of the organisers (Angus from here) is a Camper owner as well as a Caterham owner and was doing some laps for some people, so we tagged on the back.

I managed a heady 70mph out of the "Follow Through" onto the main straight, foot flat to the floor Pulling off I nabbed a new sticker for the back of the van as well.

Theres loads more photos from the day here

 

[Guest]

what speed did the cat7 make? 8)

 

[mattd1984]

Nice pictures mate, sounds like a good laugh

 

[gninnam]

Respect on taking the van round - what time did you do (did you beat the times for any of the 'star in the reasonably priced car' :mrgreen:

 

[angus]

Well he didn't beat the bog-standard suspension, 10bhp-less '68 (who only had a max speed of 63mph, but obviously took the corners quicker.... :mrgreen:

However, I will concede that your slightly lowered van has a way cooler 'stance' through Gambon!

I'll post some vid when I get round to it, though I guess most have seen the previous ones.

Had quite a few takers for the 'end of day' van laps, so decent amount to our charity ('Neuk the Leuk') - thanks for taking a few round Speedman.

I was driving our 7 around as a pace setter/guide - when you are leading 6 Caterhams around a figure of eight trak, you need to be a bit careful! Noise issues meant we had to go around and out of the Hammerhead with hardly any throttle - something that is happening everywhere sadly - so the van laps were the only ones that were 'flat out'.

Times around 2.40 (so a tad slower than the reasonably priced car )

However, if one does do it 'flat out' be warned - I think I may have buggered my gearbox. Went to move the van at the end of the day, put it into first gear and it would not get out of it again! Clutch was fine. A rough dumping of the clutch 'banged' it out of first, then I got third, and drove home with 2nd, 3rd and 4th - didn't risk 1st again - any ideas?

 

[Speedman]

Theres also the small fact that you've done a few laps of the track in the past Angus..... :tongue0013:

I wasn't brave enough to give it serious grief in the tighter corners, theres a lot of lean in a fast camper, but it was still a real blast, thanks for making it happen :mrgreen:

 

[angus]

No worries mate - glad we could sneak you on, it wasn't a problem!

...and yes, you are correct - done a few more laps (and my van is slightly 'stripped out' in the middle of the interior rebuild, where as yours was fully loaded!)


It was funny though - get two blokes and two vehicles on a track, and the excuses begin.... :mrgreen:

 

[Speedman]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[gninnam]

It was funny though - get two blokes and two vehicles on a track, and the excuses begin.... :mrgreen:

So true :lol:

 

[angus]

Not the van, but our other vehicle!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf0yS9Yg6tM

 

[Speedman]

A video from the first set of laps, I make that a sub 3min lap for the first one and a 2min 40 for the second, I'm pretty sure the second set I did were faster still :mrgreen:

 

[angus]

:mrgreen: - excellent mate!
Exhaust sounds better than mine!

 

[Graham L]

Hi Speedman

Out of interest who is your brother as I'm an ex 7 owner as well and know Angus reasonably well,

 

[angus]

Hi Graham 8)
'LazerBrian' on Blatchat