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Great day at MIRA 21 June 03


Bilbo

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HI all

 

SUMMER SOLSTICE

 

Well it lived up to its name as was it very hot and sunny. I set of from London at 5:00 arrived at 07:10 to be the first arrived home about 18:30.

 

A VERY big thanks to all that organised MIRA and for giving me a lovely day in the Sun and those unsung hero's that marshalled. *thumbup* It might be nice in future to list their names plus all the others such as clerk of the course and scrutinizers with the results. So all that participate can give a personal thank. Without them we all can not play seems even MIRA was nearly cancelled due to lack of Marshals.

 

This was my second visit to MIRA and the tracks is really fast but loads of run off room, if you need it and only a couple did seems all to no harm. Well as far as I know. 🤔

 

However, the track may be fast and lots of you were but not me ☹️ others were an amazingly faster in Group 5. Well there was some really fast times in all groups today but as ever I let those involved tell their tales. Brodie Branch in Group 6 was the fastest time of the day. Err 49 something. *thumbup* Actually the reason I never post them is I have forgotten by the time I get home. *confused*

 

Well being solar powered i.e. bald I always take a hat then again I always forget something this time the HAT. Miss Mav was kind enough to dispense sun tan cream. A Big thanks *thumbup*

 

Also that very nice Lawrence-Z sharing Peter C car lent me a hat in the afternoon *thumbup* so I now look err just a little less red than when I left as the wind in my face, on the way home, turned it to brown. A word of warning it was so hot today on the way home the very hot tunnel on the car has given me a mild scald mark on by hip. *eek* *eek* *eek* I only thought it was just the seat belt rubbing. I think some new carpets in order.

 

So how did I do... well the lowered car is MUCH more stable and if you read my comments on Freestyle suspension, the steering is now great *thumbup*. I thought it would improved my times quite the opposite slower by 2 second and that was the best run. So I need to think about that.... The car feels completely different, so its a big re-think about the ARB settings and well really everything. *confused*

 

No sour grapes I had a great day loads of FUN. The cars sounded great so no excuses err dam.

 

Sunglasses both ways and non of the promised showers, great company what else could you ask for.... err fastest in group 5 knar that's never going to be me. Breaking the last time of 61. something was all I was looking for and failed by 2 seconds 😳

 

Off subject

 

Seems Llandow still has lots of places from what I heard today sounds a great venue but currently I am unable to go. ☹️

 

Dave Jackson, who I meet for the first time today, is still hoping for more of you to sign up seems 50% of the places are still free, whilst Curborough is yet again OTT ☹️. If I can change my life a bit I like to go to Llandow. Actually the mileage from home to Llandow is about the same as Cadwell park for me.

 

Oh Oh.... the Bacon and Brie batons ..... VERY yummy *thumbup* *thumbup* *thumbup*. Could we convince the burger van to be at all our events. Seems a bloody good idea to me as its spotless. *thumbup* *thumbup*

 

'Can you hear me running' ......... OH YES and its music to my ears 😬 😬 😬

1988 200 bhp, 146 ft lbs, 1700cc Cosworth BD? on Weber's with Brooklands and Clamshell wings, Freestyle Motorsport suspension.

 

Edited by - bilbo on 21 Jun 2003 21:57:20

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Thanks to all the organisers and helpers. I had such an enjoyable day *biggrin*. My times don't compare with those of the men in class 2, but I consistently knocked 3 seconds off each run throughout the day to end up with a 68 something *biggrin* *biggrin*.

MIRA is a superb track; like a country road with no other traffic *smile*. I want to go there again. The weather was perfect and the people are great, such a friendly, helpful bunch.

I am gutted that we won't be able to make Llandow. A lovely circuit and well worth the trip across the border.

Thanks again. I shall be smiling all day - even when doing the ironing

 

Pat

 

Kipper

 

Fun is not a straight line.

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I don't know if the other classes were as competitive as class 4 but there were 5 if not 6 of us on the same second (54) at one point including the embarrasingly quick Sarah Cordingley!! *eek*

 

A great day - thanks to Graham and everybody else involved!

 

Ken

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I had a great day too *smile*

 

Nice to meet you Bill

 

BIG thanks to PC for allowing me to drive possibly the lowest powered car in class 5

 

great fun, great track, great weather, great company .....

 

can't wait until Llandow now *smile* why is it not full? miss it miss out 😬

 

Lawrence

ps was it a serious offer Dave ?

 

 

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I definitely had a great day. 😬 Sorry Simon.

 

Yesterday was the day I got over not having a super-duper engine any more. At Lydden I'd had a disappointingly distant second place. At Curborough the weather allowed me to sneak a second place. Yesterday I felt I really won second place in the heat of competition.

 

I wasn't expecting to go well at MIRA, as I hadn't been there before but I suppose a course consisting of 4 corners was going to be the easiest type to learn. Barry talked me up to being brave at the control tower and then kindly demonstrated that the rewards for being brave have their limits. Lawrence was very good company and it helped to talk through the course with someone who was also learning (not just the course but an unfamiliar car also, making that an excellent 5th place).

 

Top day out not even that badly sunburnt.

 

I will be missing Llandow because of wedding duty in the US, so by the time the points are totted up after round 4 the class 5 positions will start to look a bit more sensible. Still, I have had a good run...

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Agreed - an excellent day out - sunshine, sevens, a great track and the best food I have eaten at a sprint. Many thanks to Graham and his team for their hard work.

 

On my last run I managed to overcome my self preservation instinct and keep my right foot to the floor all the way along the back section, as everyone told me I should. It seems you were right, as it did stay on the track.

 

Jonathan

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I can only add to the 😬 😬 😬 😬 above

 

I was nervous beforehand but Mr Butty's reassuring words about the sticky surface *thumbup*, Mike Riley's constant incantations to me of "flat, take it flat" and my husband's very helpful advice about starts (not to mention his, and many others', hard work marshalling) made for a most enjoyable day. I wasn't up there with the boys for times but I improved my own time by a whopping 10 seconds over the day so I was really pleased with that *cool*

 

Can't wait to go back there. I wish I could do Llandow but its too close to the Bordeaux trip to risk anything happening to the car ☹️. For anyone dithering over whether to do it, DO IT We did the March track day there and its a super circuit in a very pretty part of Wales.

 

Finally a big well done to the other two ladies competing - as Mrs K's posting says she consistently knocked 3 seconds off each time and given more runs would no doubt have gone even quicker and as for Sarah, what can I say? Definitely gives women drivers a good name *cool*

 

Tam

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yep big thumbs up to all the organisers of the day *thumbup* *thumbup*

 

great weather, great competition, great bacon and brie rolls *smile*

 

class 3 was competitive (if you exclud the barry.h / steve day car) as I think less than 1s split the next 5 competitors) *thumbup*

 

personally I was slower than last year, with alledged more power and better tyres, so not entirely sure what the problem was, although a minor ride height adjustment at the rear for the last run imporved my time by 0.5, ho-hum always next year...

 

hope everyone got home ok, I had a front wing detach on the m40, int he fats lane and then the dreaded k-click after I tried to restart after retireving it ☹️ after about 20 mins it fired up so not too much hassle

 

bring on llandow *thumbup* and as Bilbo says if anyone can make it then do as there are lots of spaces *smile* also it is a cracking little friendly sprint venue *thumbup* *thumbup*

 

rob *smile*

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Well done Dave, Peter *confused* and Brodie. (Hell that car handles)

 

Get the violins out I was on a hell of a third run (according to the data logger) about 1.25 sec up on my previous best. But like and 🙆🏻 i missed third gear twice *mad* out of the tight left after the tower. Well thats my excuse. Do you think its a good one Peter.

 

One thing is for certain i have to sort out the handling. Huge improvement over Curb's anyway.

 

At last years Sprint (my first and the cars first run in anger) i experienced oil overflowing from the diff towards the right of the car. ie. left handers. I have not experienced this since anywhere. Including the long left called Spitfires at Pembrey. However parked the car on the trailer Saturday and there were the drips again.

 

So i will wipe it all down again and watch carefully.

 

Many thanks to all that held flags or positioned the cars etc.

 

MY 51VEN - SLR

Give it some WELLY!

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Ah, brilliant bit of diagnosis. Had drips on the trailer when I unloaded at the end of yesterday, so I guess I know the cause now. Never had a drip from the diff breather at all in five and a half years. I had been wondering if I had got the trailer tie downs stressing the brake pipes, but the consistency of the deposit was much more diff oily than brake fluid.

 

Yes I guess missed gears count as an excuse (can't remember where I heard it used before *confused*) - that's sprinting I suppose. ☹️ My post was much more about the joy that comes from meeting and exceeding my own expectations rather than a straightforward gloat. Still, I can't see it being easy for me to make up the points advantage that you won at Lydden, so I might as well have a bijou gloatette while the sun shines. 😬

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on the drips - both myself and Adrian had them as well!!!

 

Besides the time I blew the diff breather out at snett a coupleof years ago I haven't had any problems with oil coming out of the diff breather...

 

is it the constant adius curves that cause this 🤔

 

rob

 

Edited by - robmar on 23 Jun 2003 17:14:14

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I too had a great day. I was a bit nervous to start off with as it was my first sprint but I didn't need to worry. I did spin a couple of times (practice 1 and T3) but managed what I consider a respectable time in class 2.

 

Can't wait till Llandow 😬

 

Blue and Carbon Supersport

No.28

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Brilliant!

 

Great Day. thanks to Graham and all of the team who organised it - it went incredibly smoothly - especially in comparison with other events held at MIRA recently. *thumbup* *thumbup* *thumbup*

 

Testament to a high standard of driving from everyone - there were very few hold-ups.

 

Personally had a great day out...first actual drive of my new car...lovely...not bad for an old crossflow!...Thanks Barry *wink*

 

cheers

Steve

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Rob Glad *confused* you had same problems to. It seems that i only experience this at MIRA.

 

It also may be of note that my breather actually vents to the right hand side also. I just wiped it all down and kept a carefull eye on it.

 

MY 51VEN - SLR

Give it some WELLY!

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I have a long pipe running up from the diff and accross to the inside of the rear wheel arch - and still lost some diff oil...and I only drive slowly!

 

Next time I'll attach an empty beer can to the end and tape in place so I can see how much has come out and whether I need to mess about topping it up.

 

Jonathan

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What a relief.

Even in my class 2 crossflow I also found drips on the right hand side of the trailer and diff oil sprayed around. I had a horrible feeling that it might have had something to do with a very rapid 360 on the grass. I have never found this to happen before - or perhaps I just haven't noticed. As a precaution I topped up the oil and took it out for short blat - no obvious leak, but the diff housing was certainly hot. Too hot to keep a hand on it. I hope somebody is going to tell me this is normal.

Mike *cool*

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Myself and Dave J both lost diff oil at MIRA last year. I've never experienced it before or since. This year I had a 300mm pipe feeding up into a plastic pot (an old brake fluid reservoir), anthing going up the pipe will fill the pot then run back into the diff when you stop. This is a trick learned from tarmac spec 6R4 metros and seems to have done the trick, no oil leaks this year despite running 4 secs quicker (but not quick enough....)
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