Nippon Challenge Snetterton 18th October

RX7 · Post by **RX7** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 6:40 pm

Anyone fancy joining Ben and myself to come and watch the Nippon challenge at Snetterton on the 18th October ?

Details here:
http://www.nipponchallenge.co.uk/index.asp

Post by **Stuart** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:01 pm

I'll be there

PM or call me the day before G and we can meet up for banter etc

I suppose you'll be supporting Tony and the Rex?

RX7 · Post by **RX7** » Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:47 pm

Tony (who drives the green one) and Max from Reworx who drives the orange one.

But yeah sounds good Stu.

RX7 · Post by **RX7** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 6:30 pm

Details of the day are here:
http://www.ma5daracing.com/files/timetable13-14.pdf

Anyone else up for joining us to watch the Nippon and other races ?

Sadly we wont have the same VIP access.

Tk · Post by Tk » Tue Oct 14, 2008 7:27 pm

i may well pop along to watch, not 100% sure i got anything else on for sat or not

Andy916 · Post by **Andy916** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 8:13 pm

Can't make this Saturday (picking up a new bike :-D ) but will try to make it to Brands on 9 November.

RX7 · Post by **RX7** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:14 am

I'll be there about 11ish and Stu is coming from about midday.

Weather is good so should be a nice afternoon watching the races.

Tk · Post by Tk » Sat Oct 18, 2008 9:59 am

i cant be arsed to work on the golf and i'v done what i needed to do this morning so i might see you there

RX7 · Post by **RX7** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 4:34 pm

Well just got back from this. What an absolutely superb day !!!!!!!!

Caught up with John who has another RX7 on the way and we parked up together on a nice car park area overlooking the Russell chicane.

We decided to have a wander round the paddock area and see what other motors were around.
Nippon section:

Very nice DC5:

TonyCs RX7:

Maxs RX7:

A red Supra with the usual questionable Veilside kit and a very nice new M3 which frankly embarassed the Supra:

One of the bonkers single seaters:

Old XJ, we were shocked how many of these were around still. This one was mega quick!!!

And even I fell in love with the old American cars like this Chevy:

This prompted me saying that flames can look nice on cars and Stuart saying he was going to draw them with crayola crayons all over my car.
:lol:
Plus round about this time Ben announced what his issues were with his clutch......fluids, master clutch cylinder, faulty lines etc I hear you say.........NO.......it's down to the type of shoes he wears :lol:
Gorgeous Mustang:

Then some old classics stripped out as track beasts:

This is one of the more modified and blinking quick Jag XJs, checkout the exhausts !!!!!

And this was parked up near the paddocks, a Shelby GT500 Mustang convertible:

This surely has to be the best pit vehicle for travelling to and from tracks and staying in whilst there:

And so onto the racing, the Nippon challenge nothing could prepare us for a grid that was at least 30+ cars of mixed power. They ranged from the RX7s, 350zs, Integras, Scooby, MX5 (loads!!), 2 insanely quick Suzuki Swifts, old MR2s with an FTO thrown in the mix.

We were gobsmacked once the race started, the larger powered cars came through very civilised and what you'd come to expect from most motor racing. We were then greeted with the sight of the MX5s all coming in 5 abreast into the Russells chicane. It was bedlam !!! Cones were thrown in the air, cars were pushed wide and it was just insane. It was the funniest thing I have seen in a long long time and my sides are hurting from laughing now, Stu was constantly in hysterics !!! :lol:
The banter with the cars continued into this race and cars were spun nudged, hit etc it looked mad but superb. I felt pleased that the RX7 won and secretly pleased the Evo had to retire with problems.

Here are a couple of vids showing how many cars were on at the same time and the fun they had in corners :
http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a83/gm ... 008003.flv
Checkout the Swift with the boot open in this vid:
http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a83/gm ... 008002.flv
The other races we saw were the XJ series and this continued the same theme although some drivers looked like they were filing tax returns and getting comfy in amongst the wallnut dash. Others were using the old nudge technique 'Take that you bounder' !!!!

I could continue but will keep this short, the other Nippon race was a bit more sedate compared to the last but still enjoyable but the Evo won and the RX came second which was a good result.
It was a superb days racing great company, thanks to Stu, Dan, Ben, Trev and John and a thoroughly enjoyable experience. Nice to meet Maxx also.

I know I will get shot by the Time Attack boys but it was much more enjoyable from a spectators point of view that all of last weekend. I hope it gets more publicity and will definitely watch some of the rounds next year.

:thumb:

Post by **Stuart** » Sat Oct 18, 2008 5:05 pm

Thoroughly enjoyed reading that Gareth, thanks.

Not much that I can add but I will say that the Mx-5's, XJS's and the like were hugely appealing. The prospect of a few of 'us' tearing around in cars of the same ilk is tantalising. It would need to be in a competitive sense though or we'd be getting kicked off of trackdays left, right and centre.

Some photos to add to Gareths excellent article

The Nippon series looked excellent and good value according to the guys out there doing it.

Another great day out :thumb: