Castle combe vs Donington

[SGHOM]

I was very suprised to hear Pete [ spirit ] say he was not overly impressed with Donington, & prefered Castle combe. true... Pete has raced combe many times & is used to the circuit, but I thought moving up to a full GP circuit would have changed his mind about it ??
to me..... Donington is the best 'club' circuit in the UK to race. far more technical than combe, & much more of a challenge.

waddya u fink ??

[richy rich]

i love donny because its on my doorstep

and now ive tracked my car on it ive got the bug to go again.

[Kieran]

I look forward, having been on several paxo laps now, to driving donnington. However, I am still slightly nervous, given it's reputation and what it's like in the wet. I've driven combe in the wet in my V6, and that was actually a nice experience. But as a passenger, Donnington felt a lot more slippy.

[SGHOM]

. But as a passenger, Donnington felt a lot more slippy.

thats because it's in the flight path of east midlands airport. when it's dry.... it's as grippy as any other track... but when it's wet ! the aviation fuel 'dumped' on it causes the track to be as slippy as a slippy thing !!

[colVR4]

I was very nervous as well Kieran, but you just drive to the track. I only had one little wiggle and I was still pushing quite hard.
For me the last session in the wet was the most fun

[tig202]

^^^^^^ what Col said!

I was real nervous about the track in the wet and seeing the ol hairpin from halfway down the curves gave me a shock but after the 3rd lap and a dryer line my confidence was up by 150% ( it must be something to do with having the choice of 5 gears )

[Spirit]

Oh I agree it's more of a challenge. Looking back on it now I think it would be fair to say I really need to give Donny another go in full race mode.......which I have to say I wasn't yesterday - for a number of factors:

1: My own fault, but I hadn't checked my tyre pressures since the new wheels arrived - opps ! Just before our first session I did, and one of the fronts was 59psi - the other 30psi (yet no AYC lights issues like others have had) - by the time I got them both to 36psi I didn't even get chance to check the rears and in the back of my mind was the fact they could be way out - so I adjusted my pace accordingly
2: I had a passenger on every session - three different ones. I never go 100% with passengers.....just the way I am
3: I enjoy the "hunt" - there were too many times there were huge gaps with no-one in front or behind.
4: I had brand spanking new tyres and wheels on, and new pads/disks front and back - and wanted to preserve them all for the winter.

For a couple of weeks before this event I had a weird feeling something was going to happen, don't ask me why......just one of those things. As it turned out there were a few close scrapes - but this may have had a factor too - I didn't want to risk any damage at all to the car .

I honestly don't think I was in the right frame of mind - in the zone I wasn't !

Having now watched the videos I am keen to give it another go, when I can really push the car and now that I have learn't the track I reckon I may have to agree with you Derek.........so book me in for 2007

[HJM]

No Combe is better overall, despite being a lesser track in stature

I agree Dony overall is more technical (it has hills !) and it does have finally some decent pitlane garages, but for the trackday person you can get to grips with Combe quicker (Snetterton is the same whereas Oulton is hard work)and hence enjoy what is always a short day.

If it rains Combe doesn't become silly ! (Climate is also better down here overall - starts north-south debate )

But the main things that Combe has is that it is friendlier, more intimate for spectators, cleaner/tidier and most importantly more organised - hence you get a better day - oh and the grub is cheaper and 10 times better than that awful Dony cafe muck

I rest my case Me Lord !

H

ps Lets hope JF2 gets as well organised as JF1 next year - although I some how doubt it as the Dony staff don't seem to give a monkies, whereas to Combe its an important date on their calendar.

Anyway - Mallory may be even better in less than 3 weeks - roll on the 21st

[MPBVr4]

Wasn't sure about Combe, but it was my first time out. Loved Donny, throughly
enjoyed the sweeping bends, ups and downs, in fact all of it even the wet one.

Everybody was very spread out around the track which suited me, no panic's
with HJM or WODJ bearing on me going into corners

Felt a bit more in control this time - obviously wasn't trying hard enough. However, I did find after Combe that my tracking was way out after Mitsi had
fitted a new trackrod end just before JF1.

[WildCards]

I like both, never driven Donny, but as a passenger it feels like a good track. Combe is quick and easy to learn and I loved every minute earlier in the year. As far as events go, JF1 was far better than JF2.

Heath, I think it unfair to give the staff any stick, most were Future publishing staff not Donny staff and most hadn't been given the appropriate information, they were moaning about it as much as we were.

In terms of food, I bring my own so have never tried the delights of the fast food vans or onsite cafe's, thankfully.

I like Donny because it's on my doorstep too, but i'd be happy to be near any track I could visit regularly with friends and fellow trackers.

I will say the facilities at Donny are woeful, it is long overdue for a refurb and refit to bring it up to date, at the minte the track is the only good thing there.

[pezza]

Hmm.. interesting reading.. even tho I did not see very much of donny

Any views on Mallory?

I only saw lotus eliseseses driving round the lake briefly?

[WildCards]

Only been to Mallory once, in the dark to watch some MTB racing the other weekend. Seemed a nice enough place though.

[Roadrunner]

I was very suprised to hear Pete [ spirit ] say he was not overly impressed with Donington, & prefered Castle combe. true...

I'm with Pete I was disappointed in Donington - but I'd put others ahead of Castle Combe too - Knockhill (well, I would ), Oulton Park, Goodwood ... Donny doesn't even come in my top 5, I'm afraid

Donington is the best 'club' circuit in the UK to race. far more technical than combe, & much more of a challenge.

Maybe to race - I don't know - but not the best "club" circuit in the UK ... not IMHO

[colVR4]

Anyone here tried Cadwell Park. I have heard that it is another 'interesting' circuit.

[SGHOM]

Interesting debate

everyone of us will have our favorite 'home' track, & as Donington is the closest to me, then I've got to go for that.
hopefully in the coming months/years, CVR4 will experience all of the major tracks in the UK.
I think this debate should be saved until 2008 !!

[White Lightning]

I have done Castle Combe and Donny now and I like both. I agree that Castle Combe is an "easier" track but Donny is more of a challenge.

I agree that JF1 was much better organised than JF2.

[HJM]

If we are comparing other circuits, my preference to date on driving alone are in order :

1. The RING (By far the best - better than all tracks put together When is RT5 )
2. Brands Hatch - Indy Circuit (fast and flowing despite a very cold day and we got free bacon butties )
3. Castle Combe (you can be aggresive, get away with it and normally lots of close action)
4. Snetterton (again fast and flowing)
5. Donington (challenging, but awful in the wet)
6. Oulton Park (too technical for the average driver - would need weeks here to get it right)
7. Silverstone (too wide and hence boring)

Interesting how people's opinions vary and that is the beauty of track days.

Although there are still a significant number of new circuits for me to try and complete in the following years, I will need to revisit some of the above as I am yet to do the full circuits at Brands and Donington - its a hard life but someone's got to do it so I can bore you even more with my track day ramblings - I'll shut up now (If only he would I hear someone cry )

H

[Jimbo]

Some very interesting comments made. Don't disagree with anyone in particular as it is all a matter of personal taste and experience. To me Donington is quite simply breathtaking and is far and away my favourite UK track, one that I look forward to mastering over the coming years - it wouldn't matter to me if it was near Inverness, I'd still trek to it.

I will always do a Combe day as well, but to me that is more to do with the venue and the people than the actual track which I don't think lends itself to a stock VR4.

Would like to do Oulton again, I haven't really got an opinion on that one yet, didn't do enough laps. Would dearly love to do Cadwell and also the full Brands circuit as well, but the latter might just be my sentimentality more than anything.....it was the same with Silverstone and I'm not even getting out of bed for that place again.....unless I buy an Enzo or something!

In summary I'm with Heath - the Ring IS better than all the other tracks I have driven put together.....and I still say three days at the ring are cheaper than 3 individual track days in the UK!

[Nick Mann]

Regarding Silverstone, I had the bonus of following a pro in the TT pace car at Trax last year, and as such learned a lot about racing lines through the corners and speeds to take them at. Whilst this still left very long straights to be hurtled along, it meant that I was taking a lot more speed through corners than many people on track. I think Silverstone is difficult to enjoy because the track is wide, but only because that makes it difficult to judge the speed you can actually take into corners. For example, the entry speed in a Legnum into the first corner is close to 80mph. How many people have the balls to do that? I wouldn't either, if it weren't for my good fortune following the TT at the start of the session.

[WildCards]

What a feat that would be, to do a day at everyone of the UK circuits. I do envy you Heath having driven so many circuits, I've only done Combe (and loved it). but certainly want to do more. The ring... maybe... one day.