MusCat Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 My car produces just over 98db on a static noise test – 4,500rpm, 0.5m etc. I’m thinking about doing a track day at Easter with Book-a-Track – either Bedford or Donnington Bedford limits are 101db static and 87.5db drive by at 20m. Donnington limits are 100db static and 98 db drive by at trackside. Now, I should be ok with the static tests but I’m concerned about the drive by as I’m normally using more than 4,500rpm at most points on a circuit. Donnington would appear far easier to pass than Bedford but does anyone have detailed knowledge of the locations of the noise meters and the likelihood that I’ll be ok or not? Thanks Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 what car & spec ? Many have had a great day at both venues with a supersport K series on plenhum and good condition silencer. Anything other than that basic spec and you could have problems at either venue in my experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusCat Posted February 8, 2007 Author Share Posted February 8, 2007 Spec is a non-Caterham fettled 1700 x-flow producing about 145bhp, limited to 6,000rpm, with 18 month old well-packed 6" can from Powerspeed. When last put thru’ a static test (middle of last year) it was producing 98.3db. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTD Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 In my experience, Bedford are far, far more sensitive to noise than Donington! Who needed an LSD anyway? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobo W Posted February 8, 2007 Share Posted February 8, 2007 Go to Bedford - especially as the bank holiday session with LOT is on the GP circuit. As a relative novice I thought it was a great circuit. It's a two strikes and you're out policy at Bedford for driveby but they still let you on track even if you fail the static test. (I tested 99db at Brands but 102db at Bedford). If you are borderline, it's easy to see the microphones and you just need to back-off slightly as you go past. I didn't see this as being particularly detrimental to one of the best track days I've been on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Procter Posted February 10, 2007 Share Posted February 10, 2007 If you're over 98 at static you will almost certainly trip the drive-by meters at both circuits these days. Especially on induction with a x-flow. And there's no "strikes" at Bedford any more. ☹️ If in doubt email Jonny Leroux from Bookatrack and who posts on here, in the past he's been happy to let people come along for a noise test as he doesn't want people getting chucked off his track days either Or stick to tracks which are less bothered by the noise police. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matthew Willoughby Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 See here to hire the BookaTrack noise meter. Edited by - Matthew Willoughby on 11 Feb 2007 09:52:29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry21p Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 My car's 102db static unless you're VERY gentle with the throttle during the noise test (it's the change in revs that's really noisy on my car rather than constant revs...) and i had no worries with a drive-by at donington or combe. Bedford, dunno. However, benefit of rear exit tailpipes. At donny the csr's were thrown off for noise as presumably their exhausts point towards the noise meter... i'd imagine induction from high powered k series would do the same... BHP trackdays have a noise meter for hire/borrowing too if you need Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delbert Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Last trip to Bedford ALL sevens failed the static except Trevor Newmans (rekon they were scared of him) They areexceedingly strict at the moment I there is doubts about the method of testing, I was 101 drive by (roadsport 140) Would opt for Donny they are more forgiving Bedford is one strike and you are off, day over. At Donny you get the second chance (especially with BAT) At Bedford its the circuit owners not the T day organiser that do the noise tests and there is no forgiveness due to a planning application If at first you don't succed Sky diving is not for you Edited by - Delbert on 11 Feb 2007 12:45:20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gridgway Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Donny seems much more forgiving. They don't seem to do static tests. I was there in the rad which is pretty loud (102 on a properly done static test). Admittedly I took it easy at first. By the end I was going at full chat using all the revs with no drive-by probs. GRaham Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paolo Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Don't bother with Bedford unless you have some decent muffling. My friend and I were up there at the weekend with Roadsport B's and whilst we passed static with 98 / 99db, we were both binned on the drive by's immediately and that was the end of the day. Luckily I had taken my time over breakfast...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wingnonut Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Don't bother with Bedford at the Bank holiday. The noise limits are being reduced for the w/end. They have also done away with the two strikes and your out. It is now trip the meter and your off. Lotus on Track have a press release from JP explaining why. Paul has asked not to copy and paste it but it is a general release so should be avalible somewhere or if you are LoT registed have a look. W.Nut . Rosso Superlight no.087 (no longer) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mav Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 BAT have no public days over easter at either of the venues you list. You are welcome to come to Anglesey on Good Friday if you wish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claire Voyant Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 be careful on your way to Bedford see this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen grant Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 From my experience (limited, admittedly), at Donny the only noise meter is at the far end of the pit lane. On the only occasion I have driven there, I got blackflagged twice, so I rotated the silencer down to point at the ground and I lifted at the end of the pitlane and had no more problems. YMMV, obviously.... stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougBaker Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 If you want to be sure and are anywhere near Bedford you can go an get tested in advance. Both static and drive by tests are carried out with one of their instructors driving, needs to be by prior appointment. The full details about recent changes at Bedford are available on PistonHeads here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal H Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 I'm off to Bedford this Saturday with LoT. My car is Superlight R300 with a bog standard K-Series VVC, cat and road silencer, so probably about as quiet as a Caterham can be! I am more or less expecting to get thrown off in pretty short order (assuming I make it through the static test) but will let you know how I get on Neal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grubbster Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 I have never found Donny to be forgiving, surprised to hear that impression of it on this thread! My car easily passes 98 on static but even on part throttle in the wet going past the meter at Donny I was black flagged (have been black flagged several times). There is only one meter - easy to spot at the start line. Although my favourite track I doubt I'll go again, it is a long way to go and with the risk of a short day expensive. FWIW I have a mildly tuned K series on throttle bodies with airbox and a wel packed 4-2-1 Powerspeed. It's only taken four and a half years - I have started my website at last! Early days yet . . . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GTD Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 I've been at Bedford twice since November - both since the latest strictures from JP (not his fault at all). In both cases I was fine - my car is a 1800 K series SS with an R300 big exhaust on it (non CAT). However I was careful to warm the car up before being tested and I listened to the briefing and was careful about not troubling the rev limits near the various meters. I think that Donington, like all, are getting worse - the rules change year on year. 😔 Warning - no Caterham content here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neal H Posted February 16, 2008 Share Posted February 16, 2008 Well, my day today at Bedford was fairly short lived! I just passed the static test with a reading of 100.1 As far as I could tell, they put the noise meter right on the exhaust exit and made me rev it to 5k. After five or six laps I was black flagged after I apparently tripped two meters, the first reading was 88.2 the second 88.8 - the first time they gave me the benefit of the doubt as I was with another car. It was my first session out on the track so I was taking it fairly easy and short shifting to try and keep the noise down. I will see what can be done to quiet the car down, but it is already a bog standard K-Series VVC with a cat and large silencer. It doesn't appear that loud, and I don't want to risk strangling it. It probably means that I will now have to strike Bedford off my track day list, which is a great shame as I love going there ☹️ Neal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MusCat Posted February 17, 2008 Author Share Posted February 17, 2008 My original post was last year (hence Mav's comments about no dates for 2008) surprised to see it come up again. Went to Donnington in the end - had no problem with noise. The only drive-by mic I could see is at the entrance of the pit lane, at which point you are at the opposite side of the track and coming out of the chicane, so as long as you hold off a bit before giving it full welly, you're fine. However I did manage to blow the engine late in the afternoon – oops! ☹️ One of the crank bearings collapsed. Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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