Very fast circles

So Zedster's first foray off road - a glorified car park at North Weald airfield in Essex. This was a handling day with the SKCC and it was a blast.

The day started off horribly grey and misty and 14 other members turned up:

The day was basically split in 2; the morning was spent practising a high speed turn, trying to get round as quick as possible without spinning. The afternoon was negotiating a coned-out circuit which had all types of hazards; chicane, the same high speed turn we had been on all morning, a twisty section and hairpin.

It might sound a bit basic but it was awesome fun - just being able to hammer round corners with no risk of hitting anything or anyone was very liberating. Hearing Zedster's tyres squealing and controlling oversteer was brilliant.

Here's some video of the day:

I learnt quite a few things:

1. I'm too much of a wimp with the revs - the instructor told me to rev higher but I just can't...having built Zedster, it feels like whipping my pet dog to run faster!

2. Despite always thinking Zedster is fast, one guy turned up in a 20-year old BMW 325 (admittedly highly tuned) and went faster than me round the circuit as well as round the high speed turn! Even allowing for the extra work he had done to his car, I sort of assumed a lightweight Seven would still be better round a twisty circuit, even with an only average driver like myself at the wheel.

3. My tyres are not great on the limit - the instructor said I'd have got 5mph faster round the bend if I had better tyres.

I must try a proper track day some time...