evo 'How Fast' trackday 31 October Bedford Autodrome

[boggissimo]

A couple of months back I signed up for this:
http://www.evo.co.uk/news/16275/evo-...-sky-insurance

One hour of track time followed by 2 timed laps (with max 3 cars on track during timed laps) for £75 (if you do the early session) or £100 for the later ones.

Anyone else doing it?

Haven't done any track time in my Impreza yet, it's a blob WRX PPP Wagon, totally stock apart from the PPP, hence the other threads I've posted about sorting out the suspension!

[nikkinokkinoo]

Sounds like a good little deal that. Bedford meant to be quite good for run off, not done it myself. May book this one.

[Ginola]

1 Hour of track time!.. is a long time to pound round for without a stop/break..
I would want to do 15mins then cool down and perhaps another 10/15mins then cool down before flying laps.. It would most probably take 2 sessions like that to get tyre pressures spot on. Price wise its on par with taster sessions at Brands.
I like the idea myself may try this out the next time they do it but my calendar is pretty much done for in October.

[boggissimo]

So, I did 5 or 6 laps and came in to cool down. Brakes (OEM) were smoking so I left it for 10-15 mins. Went out for my next run, got to the first corner and the pedal went to the floor! Cue excursion across the grass and to the edge of the gravel. Arse. Spent the next half hour washing/shaking out the kitty litter and got back to the track for the timed session at the end. Took 8 seconds off my practice times but I'm sure there would have been more if I hadn't spent most of the time cleaning up the mess I made...

Put a lap up on YouTube if anyone is interested. I wasn't the fastest (or slowest!) in the session and was getting plenty of understeer, but it was fun all the same.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZtZDqHnBdWw

My fastest time was ahead of an RS4, Mini Cooper, BMW Z4 coupe and Porsche 911, but 23 seconds slower than the mad bike-engined thing that you might spot whooshing past me halfway round.

Brakes will be my next upgrade! How much difference would uprated fluid, braided lines and a brake stopper make to the OEM setup, while I save up for some bigger hardware?

[scooby doo]

Sounds like you had good experience with it tho ,
Speak to Ian at good speed he's the man in the know , and says you can get some good results for the stock 4 pot and brembro set up, you may have glazed the pads so no matter how you cooled them down they would be shot , trouble with just letting them sit there for 15mins is they arnt actually cooling down that well , heat just asorbing of the disk , that's why you should do some couple cool down laps ,
But least you had fun and no damage to the car I hope

[Rdlangy1]

also try Alyn at AS Performance for parts and advise

Ryan

[NL03Scooby]

Pads would be your best change first I'd say on an otherwise stock set up. Fluid is important too as the heat generated will cook it after some hard use if it's just standard, run-of-the-mill stuff

[Ginola]

Cracking effort!
Tempted to give this a go next year if they do it again!

I would not go to Godspeed for a track brake setup at all, he uses pattern discs and then cuts grooves in them, and they warp with enthusiastic use, let alone track work.
Good pads and fluid will help along with some proper ducted cooling, moving up to a 2 piece disc and bell something like Performance friction disc or AP strapdrive will help a lot, or if money is no object I would look into some AP's or Alcons. A brake stopper and braided lines will help pedal feel but not overall stopping power, good fluid like PFC 665 or motul 660 dot4 will help improve the wet boiling point (the only figure your interested in!)
As Ryan said if I was splashing the cash I would talk to Alyn he will advise you what's best to suit your budget

[Steve_PPP]

Looks fun

With regards to brakes, if you're doing 15 minutes of uninterrupted track driving like in your vid, then nothing will be that great on the standard WRX 4 pots. Rather than spending money trying pads/disc upgrades I'd just save up for a better brake setup. I wasted money on trying to get the 4 pots to work and whilst their performance can be improved, they'll still fade too quickly on track. Bite the bullet and go brembos or a bigger brake kit.

[Scott.T]

I like the Batman Gloves, were you wearing the Mask and Cape aswell ?

[boggissimo]

Thanks for the tips lads. I need to lie low on the spending front for a while, the missus mentioned the words 'money pit' the other day, I think she's onto me!