Wow - just wow

[Deleted member 18645]

Just back from Thruxton where I did one of the racing day experiences. Driving a Porsche Carrera was good but I was really looking forward to the single seater. It didn't disappoint even if it's incredibly bumpy at times. I was flooring it round the back of the course before the rev limiter kicked in ….. and then Tiff Needell came past doing a demo lap like I was standing still. It was like us hitting drivers and then Dustin Johnson coming along and launching one in the bay next to us.

The sheer talent these guys have for driving and knowing how far they can push it is amazing and I have a new found respect for all racing drivers (except Lewis of course because he's just a nob). And as for the demo lap I got to do sitting next to Tiff afterwards ….. well I need to change my underwear now.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I did one around the Brands Hatch indy circuit for my 30th. It was a damp track too, and those adverse camber definetely work against you. It is very enlightening and good fun I will say

 

[Hobbit]

I'd love a go of that, especially if it was a Moto GP bike.

It always amazes me how good professional sport people are compared to us mere mortals. I played in a football team with 3 guys who'd played in the old Div 1. I was good enough, as an amateur, to get a trial at Ipswich, but when I played with these guys they just blew me away. One was in his late 40's and played central defence. He hardly seemed to move but he was everywhere, and rock solid. The other 2 were central midfield. Their shots on goal were hit like passes but absolutely flew. Every single aspect of their respective games was light years ahead, and it looked effortless.

 

[Deleted member 18645]

I once faced a major league pitcher in the States. I was a decent hitter and led the British league in batting average in 1989. But I was totally over-matched by the movement on the pitches he threw. I quietly retired back to the stands.

 

[chrisd]

I did a session some years back at Brands Hatch ( no, not in a Model T Ford)

I absolutely loved it, especially the single seater racing car and half an hour bombing a BMW round and imagining the drivers who'd been along the finishing straight.

 

[Tashyboy]

Years ago i had some unexpected brass drop through the letterbox. In the same mail was some info on Caterham 7 cars. It was my dream car. I was invited to Mallory park for a best of british sports cars, with a few laps alongside a driver. I had a choice of race or road prepared. Being a mans man. Race prepared it was. A guy suited up to take me out. He was about 65 yr old and looked like he would struggle in a wheel chair.
The *** frightened the life out of me. It could stick to the track like nothing i have ever been in. He hit the 180 bend and all I saw was a wall of tyres. How the hell it stayed on the track al never know. He did about ten laps and got quicker and quicker. Not one car passed us. The crowd watching us on the pit straight was massive. Last few laps i did enjoy it knowing what he and the car could do. When we were flagged in, i struggled to get out of the car. Me legs had nigh on gone. He said to Missis T “ your turn”, she said your more than likely to get hit by me than sit in a car with you”.
One of my regrets was never getting a caterham 7 ☹️

 

[Tashyboy]

I'd love a go of that, especially if it was a Moto GP bike.

It always amazes me how good professional sport people are compared to us mere mortals. I played in a football team with 3 guys who'd played in the old Div 1. I was good enough, as an amateur, to get a trial at Ipswich, but when I played with these guys they just blew me away. One was in his late 40's and played central defence. He hardly seemed to move but he was everywhere, and rock solid. The other 2 were central midfield. Their shots on goal were hit like passes but absolutely flew. Every single aspect of their respective games was light years ahead, and it looked effortless.

Once ended up at Monza on the way back to Bergamo airport. You can just drive up to the infield if the circuit and see whats going on. We were there a few days before the Italian super bike series. The guys they have that test the bikes were proper testing them out. Theres a spot on the back of the course where you come down a long straight does some S,s and blast down the back straight before final bend. Watching these guys changing through the gears with the front wheels iff the ground was just jaw dropping.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

I was once on the circuit at Donington at the same time as Mike The Bike.

Overwhelming whilst at the same time putting me right in my place. Up until then I had thought I could ride a bike.

Wrong!!

 

[Blue in Munich]

I was once on the circuit at Donington at the same time as Mike The Bike.

Overwhelming whilst at the same time putting me right in my place. Up until then I had thought I could ride a bike.

Wrong!!

Used to work with a guy who had raced and won championships on bikes, rode with him & passengers in cars he was driving. I know that I could drive & ride to a decent standard, but when I sat next to him it was a revelation.

MM, we can do it, they just do it much better and make it look ridiculously easy in the process.

 

[Rooter]

I once raced against bruce anstey (multiple TT winner) and i thought i was quick, he soon put me in my place! i was genuinely pretty quick, but that jump to the top 1% is incredible. He was about 3 seconds a lap faster round oulton park, and 3 seconds is an age!

 

[chrisd]

I was in the Brands Hatch area once and said to Mrs D that I fancied doing the 3 laps being woosh'd round by the driver and said she should do it too. When I booked I said that the wife was in two minds whether to do it and the guy said that quite a few people are scare at the thought of going round at the speed they do - I said that my wife has a Lotus Elise !! He didn't have an answer

 

[Deleted member 18588]

Used to work with a guy who had raced and won championships on bikes, rode with him & passengers in cars he was driving. I know that I could drive & ride to a decent standard, but when I sat next to him it was a revelation.

MM, we can do it, they just do it much better and make it look ridiculously easy in the process.

Easy is precisely the right word.

It was almost as if he was on rails through the corners and yet his braking points were so much later.

And this was after he had retired for the final time.

 

[Deleted member 18645]

I've watched the in-car video of my single-seater laps now. It looks like I'm going in slow motion and I was flooring it at times. Oh well, back to reality and being excited at doing 35 in traffic again.

 

[IanM]

I always smile at the gap between top folk and anything and the decent club person... used to have a boss who raced Caterhams.. always fancied himself as a bit of a driver... on a coporate day at Silverstone a few years back Jonny Herbert beat his time in a saloon car by miles, and he had 3 passengers in the car and largely drove one handed! He was much quieter after that!

 

[Deleted member 18645]

I need to get hold of the silly so-and-so who thought it would be funny to leave a picture of Officer Hooks from Police Academy doing her driving test on my desk this morning. Haven't identified the culprit yet but there are about four suspects who may get found guilty just for association.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

Did an Aston Martin track day for my 50th

Drove 3 x 5 laps in 3 different Aston’s then 3 laps sat with a proper driver in a racing car.

Jeez them guys be quick , I almost lost my hair he went so fast.

Great day

 

[chrisd]

Did an Aston Martin track day for my 50th

Drove 3 x 5 laps in 3 different Aston’s then 3 laps sat with a proper driver in a racing car.

Jeez them guys be quick , I almost lost my hair he went so fast.

Great day

It's funny Phil that when we've met at forum meets you've clearly spent ages getting ready but have always forgotten to put your hair on 🤔

 

[Beedee]

Did a session at Donington a few years ago. Two blocks of 7 laps in a prepared hot hatch with a pro racing driver giving instruction. It wasn't possible to drive that car faster than I drove it that day. And then the pro took me for a couple of flying laps. OMG!!!!

You could feel that the car was floating the whole time; never totally gripping in corners. And then he would induce a tiny fraction of oversteer that was perfect to line to the car for a straighter exit and earlier acceleration. It was awesome.

I glanced at the speedo when I was heading down Craner Curves. Won't say what speed I was doing to save my own embarassment, but I was definitely at the limit of my courage. The pro mentioned that an F1 team had done a publicity event there a few months earlier and the F1 cars were approximately 70mph faster at the same point.

 

[Foxholer]

I was once on the circuit at Donington at the same time as Mike The Bike.

Overwhelming whilst at the same time putting me right in my place. Up until then I had thought I could ride a bike.

Wrong!!

Been there done that! Or at least the equivalent! Was leanling a Kwaka 750 over on a hairpin in a 'club race' back home as far as I dared when a couple of guys (from my school) on 900s went round the inside of me as if I was standing still! They did actually turn out to be GP winners (Stu Avant and John Boote), but that certainly put me in my place!

Equivalent in Golf is Scratch player vs Pro vs Tour Pro! Tour Pro should generally be going round their home course about -8!

 

[clubchamp98]

I was doing some photos once at the Lombard RAC rally stage in Knowsley safari park.
It was in the early 1980s
Guy says to me “how heavy are you.”
“12 stone”/ was my reply.
Ok .
He pulls up in a rally escort says “get in my navigator is not well.”
I thought great this will get some great shots.
Jeez I have never been so scared in my life , he was playing tunes on the pedals ,80mph handbrake turns.
I have always had a big respect for drivers like this lad he was awesome.
I just can’t remember his name.