The next Mansell....

...might have been at the track day I went to but it certainly wasn't me!

Yup, my first track day is done and I'm in one piece - not too sure about Zedster but more about that later...

First up was the 160 mile drive to the track in Llandow, near Cardiff. Friday afternoon traffic out of London is always bad so it took me 5 hours, with a couple of stops. Tent up and a few beers with other members of SKCC. Slept slightly better than normal in a tent which is to say, a solid 3.5 hours rather than 2.

The paddock in the morning was full of very serious racers; slicks, multi-function steering wheels, vans of equipment, a hive of activity. I attached my camera and took my doors off - that was about it.

After the briefing, we went out in groups which were supposed to be by ability. I said I was slow and rubbish but my group seemed to contain several people who didn't quite match that description. However, everyone was very well behaved, there were no idiots and it was AWESOME FUN!!!

I've been on a track for a few laps in a single seater and a Ferrari on 'track experiences' but this was much better; no limits and all the time you need - brilliant fun.

Here's some video for your delectation:

In total, I did about 50 miles on track in 3 sessions - I could have done much more but I didn't want to put Zedster under too much strain and he had run flawlessly all day.

 

Sadly, it didn't go well on the way home...

I decided to take the scenic route home - I couldn't face another 4 hours on the motorway, I'd rather do 6 hours on nicer roads. I had just found an amazing road (my sat-nav said 17 miles to the next turn!!) when Zedster started misfiring. Just a little hiccup at first but within a few miles, it was so bad, I couldn't drive - it was like the engine was switching off and on, not just 1 cylinder.

After 5 minutes, I had run out of ideas so I called the AA. The guy who came out was brilliant - an ex-Ford mechanic who knew the Zetec inside out - just what I needed. Sadly, 3 hours later and he still hadn't fixed it. He was sure it was ignition-related so he changed the coil pack, HT leads and spark plugs, among other things, which seemed to improve it but still not perfect. He finally admitted defeat at 11:30pm and I asked to be trailered home, only to be told my cover wouldn't pay for it all - I'd have to cough up £250!! I'm far too much of a tight-wad for that so I set off, keeping to a max of 60 mph - any more and it seemed to make the misfire worse. Finally got home at 4am!!

And to add injury to insult, he pointed out that my starter motor is knackered - the 12v connection is hanging by a thread and that is the cause of my recent starting problems I mentioned a few posts ago.

So Zedster is off the road and it may take a while to sort out, as I have no darn idea what the problem is. An old thread on a forum from someone who had the same problem turned out to be their HP fuel filter but I don't have one - maybe my HP pump is not working properly under load?

Fun and games...

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...