Hi guys, I've organised Go karting at Daytonas 1.2Km track in Milton Keynes for my mates stag do. We have hired the whole track for a 5 minute practice followed by a 40 minute race in 70 MPH karts, but are 2 people short as the minimum number is 20.
Would anyone be interested in joining us on 29 August (Bank holiday Sunday) at 2PM. Cost is
Go Karting @ Daytona Milton Keynes
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Datsun-Des
- Posts: 481
- Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 7:03 pm
- Location: King's Lynn, Norfolk
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Datsun-Des
- Posts: 481
- Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 7:03 pm
- Location: King's Lynn, Norfolk
Yeah, it will definately be challenging, I guess slow and steady wins the race?
Track looks awesome, 1360 metres not 1200 as I stated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGGsw0egky8
If you fancy it let me know as I have to confirm numbers tommorow.
Track looks awesome, 1360 metres not 1200 as I stated.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGGsw0egky8
If you fancy it let me know as I have to confirm numbers tommorow.
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Datsun-Des
- Posts: 481
- Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 7:03 pm
- Location: King's Lynn, Norfolk
Wow! That was bloody good fun.
Firstly I must say, the venue at Milton Keynes is superb. Theres a great reception area, briefing room, F1 on tvs throughout the venue. It's a professional but friendly setup.
We all arrived at around 2 to get kitted up and briefed - and exchange some friendly pre-race banter. It was very windy and raining and had been raining for most of the journey there so we were all crapping it and expecting carnage on track. Luckily the weather changed about 15 minutes before our race started and the sun came out. There were a couple of greasy spots on the track initially but nothing major and as we got going they soon dried out.
There was 19 of us in the end as we had a late withdrawal and we were using the 70mph twin engined karts. My kart was setup for hand controls, they were very simple, but effective. The pedals were removed and the throttle and brake cables connected to little paddles behind the steering wheel. Left was brake, right accelerator. The only problem with this setup is applying as much force through your fingers as you normally would with your foot as there was obviously no servo assistance and less leverage but I got to grips with it.
We went out for a 10 minute practice/qualifying session and I managed to get lots of space early on to learn the track and build up to get some quick laps in. We pitted afterwards and they called out the grid order from the times we had achieved. Surprise surprise Martyn got pole. Andy came in 4th and I was 6th, Ash got 8th, the stag (Mark) was 10th and lots of people you don't know filled in the gaps.
We were led out and had a rolling start. I'd said before slow and steady wins the race, but as soon as the race started the red mist decended, I was flying round, piling into the corners far too fast and leaving on opposite lock on every exit. I had a couple of near misses and messy exits (3 wheels off the track for 5 metres after the corner with the throttle still planted) and eventually the enevitable happened and I spanked it. I went far too fast into the very sharp hairpin after the long back straight, caught someone up and tried to brake too late, clipped them and went miles off line. I thought I could hold it and bring it back so floored it and spun off on the inside.
At one point Martyn caught me up, I held him off for a couple of corners and then got another messy exit and he was gone, I didn't see him again all race. He was very consistant and did not make many errors at all. I had a couple of good battles with Andy and Ash, some I won, some I lost, and some none of us won as we punted each other off track and let loads of other karts through.
Eventually after many more fun but not necessarily quick laps I realised the brake were going off a bit and I ploughed straight into another Kart when they slowed in front of me. Ouch, I almost fell out but no harm done so I took a couple of slow laps to cool the brakes and regain composure. This was when I finally found out how to take the dreaded hairpin I had spun on before. I had been going flat out down the straight, turning left still full throttle and braking late for the right hander. Every exit was sideways and any lead I got through the fast section was lost here. I worked out letting off mid corner, braking earlier and getting a better line in was much more effective here.
I then opened it up again and put in a couple more quick laps, with my new approach to the hairpin. The kart felt a lot more settled and exit speeds were much better. I had a couple more battles and then the chequered flag was waved.
As we got out of ther cars I commented that I could easily do that all over again. 40 minutes racing was demanding, but not as bad as we had expected.
The positions were calculated based on average lap time, so Martyn came in first, Mark 3rd and Andy 4th. Ash came in about 6th I believe and I got 10th:smash:. They gave us all print outs with our times, straight away I could see where I lost time, I had a 1.47 and a 1.55 when I had crashed. My fastest lap was right near the end, I got the third fastest lap time overall with a low 1.15. Martyn had the fastest lap overall, 1.13 and his average was a 1.15!! The fact that Martyns average, was nearly as quick as my fastest lap is mad though.
We had a great time, with as much pub talk ammo as you get from any normal track day and I shall definatley be going back.
Who fancies a Bigpower day up there? I realise you can get some open pitlane trackdays for the same cost as 50 minutes karting, but you haven't got to provide the car, or the fuel, and you haven't got to get it home when you spank it.
Firstly I must say, the venue at Milton Keynes is superb. Theres a great reception area, briefing room, F1 on tvs throughout the venue. It's a professional but friendly setup.
We all arrived at around 2 to get kitted up and briefed - and exchange some friendly pre-race banter. It was very windy and raining and had been raining for most of the journey there so we were all crapping it and expecting carnage on track. Luckily the weather changed about 15 minutes before our race started and the sun came out. There were a couple of greasy spots on the track initially but nothing major and as we got going they soon dried out.
There was 19 of us in the end as we had a late withdrawal and we were using the 70mph twin engined karts. My kart was setup for hand controls, they were very simple, but effective. The pedals were removed and the throttle and brake cables connected to little paddles behind the steering wheel. Left was brake, right accelerator. The only problem with this setup is applying as much force through your fingers as you normally would with your foot as there was obviously no servo assistance and less leverage but I got to grips with it.
We went out for a 10 minute practice/qualifying session and I managed to get lots of space early on to learn the track and build up to get some quick laps in. We pitted afterwards and they called out the grid order from the times we had achieved. Surprise surprise Martyn got pole. Andy came in 4th and I was 6th, Ash got 8th, the stag (Mark) was 10th and lots of people you don't know filled in the gaps.
We were led out and had a rolling start. I'd said before slow and steady wins the race, but as soon as the race started the red mist decended, I was flying round, piling into the corners far too fast and leaving on opposite lock on every exit. I had a couple of near misses and messy exits (3 wheels off the track for 5 metres after the corner with the throttle still planted) and eventually the enevitable happened and I spanked it. I went far too fast into the very sharp hairpin after the long back straight, caught someone up and tried to brake too late, clipped them and went miles off line. I thought I could hold it and bring it back so floored it and spun off on the inside.
At one point Martyn caught me up, I held him off for a couple of corners and then got another messy exit and he was gone, I didn't see him again all race. He was very consistant and did not make many errors at all. I had a couple of good battles with Andy and Ash, some I won, some I lost, and some none of us won as we punted each other off track and let loads of other karts through.
Eventually after many more fun but not necessarily quick laps I realised the brake were going off a bit and I ploughed straight into another Kart when they slowed in front of me. Ouch, I almost fell out but no harm done so I took a couple of slow laps to cool the brakes and regain composure. This was when I finally found out how to take the dreaded hairpin I had spun on before. I had been going flat out down the straight, turning left still full throttle and braking late for the right hander. Every exit was sideways and any lead I got through the fast section was lost here. I worked out letting off mid corner, braking earlier and getting a better line in was much more effective here.
I then opened it up again and put in a couple more quick laps, with my new approach to the hairpin. The kart felt a lot more settled and exit speeds were much better. I had a couple more battles and then the chequered flag was waved.
As we got out of ther cars I commented that I could easily do that all over again. 40 minutes racing was demanding, but not as bad as we had expected.
The positions were calculated based on average lap time, so Martyn came in first, Mark 3rd and Andy 4th. Ash came in about 6th I believe and I got 10th:smash:. They gave us all print outs with our times, straight away I could see where I lost time, I had a 1.47 and a 1.55 when I had crashed. My fastest lap was right near the end, I got the third fastest lap time overall with a low 1.15. Martyn had the fastest lap overall, 1.13 and his average was a 1.15!! The fact that Martyns average, was nearly as quick as my fastest lap is mad though.
We had a great time, with as much pub talk ammo as you get from any normal track day and I shall definatley be going back.
Who fancies a Bigpower day up there? I realise you can get some open pitlane trackdays for the same cost as 50 minutes karting, but you haven't got to provide the car, or the fuel, and you haven't got to get it home when you spank it.
Great stuff!
Andy
Definitely. There's also Red Lodge with just slightly shorter (1200m) outdoor track, 270cc single engine 4-stroke karts (quoted as 60mph), possibly less polished than Daytona, but nearer for most of us. Had a good day there about 10 years ago.Datsun-Des wrote: Who fancies a Bigpower day up there?
Andy
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Datsun-Des
- Posts: 481
- Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 7:03 pm
- Location: King's Lynn, Norfolk
