Oulton Park Track Day - 28 04 10

[Guest]

 

 

What an interesting day off this made. I was invited to come along as a passenger by a colleague, whose partner runs a Porsche workshop near Stockport.

 

We were allowed out on to the full International circuit amid some serious machinery. Several support teams were testing on the day, outcornering everything in sight. In true Autoshite fashion our steed for the session was a 25 year old Porsche 944 that host Clive had taken in as a part exchange. It stood him at £200 before the modifications started. The drivertrain was Zuffenhausen-OEM, with the main focus being on cornering prowess.

 

 

 

From his considerable stockpile Clive had lowered the car by 40 mm and changed the shock absorbers. He had also fitted brakes from a much later 968, such is the plug and play bonanza of the Porsche parts catalogue. A quartet of race spec Dunlop Direzza slicks topped the package off, lifted straight from his 924 Turbo racer. The interior had hit the skip to save weight, and an OMP wheel and race harnesses had assumed their positions in the cabin. As the 4 banger up front had no oil cooler, watching the centre console VDO was the main priority.

 

 

 

 

Alfa 156 racer was running a tuned 2.5 V6, and was lapping the undulations of Oulton with aplomb. This was in stark contrast to its road counterpart spied at Curborough a few weeks earlier. Nary a tyre bonfire to be seen.

 

 

Leon racer had a full pit crew in attendance.

 

 

DBS racer looked like a silhouette racer up close. It was driven by an aged rookie whose main aim was preservation.

 

 

The paddock was varied and eclectic in terms of budget and ambition. Stripped and tuned hot hatches were present in abundance.

 

 

Terrifying R32 Skyline belonged to our neighours. It passed everything - the racers, the V10 R8, the Caterhams, the RS500 Cosworth, the lot.

 

 

Clio pair looked purposeful in manner endemic to fast French tat.

 

 

One of two Mi16 engined 205 GTis lurking.

 

 

Eunos racer was on a shakedown for the upcoming Roadster race series.

 

 

Despite a surfeit of grip over grunt, not much got past the 944. Clive shared the running of the car with his colleague Mark and his girfriend. Wonder if he'll let me have a go if I chip in for entry and fuel next time?

 

 

 

Clive's support vehicle was an old Discovery crammed to the roofline with tools and fuel.

 

 

Morgan Plus 8 wasn't quick, but cut a dash around the circuit.

 

 

850 T5 did a few laps, got lapped, and then expired.

 

 

Fill ups were fraught, and costly.

 

 

Still queueing for the high test.

 

 

Annoyingly, this Clio V6 didn't take to the track.

 

 

Several Caterham Academy cars took to the track. They were amongst the most difficult cars to photograph.

 

 

 

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Sierra went well, although the seriously inset wheels led me to believe it wasn't as serious as the engorged bodywork led you to believe.

 

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At rest in the garage.

 

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After a few shakedown runs had been completed, it was my turn to accompany Clive for 7 laps. The 944 was undoubtedly cursing my impact on its already marginal power to weight ratio. Trussed in tightly, we ventured out of the paddock to the sound of pinging gravel.

 

Pulling out of the pit, we redlined out onto the straight before Old Hall. Until now I had never experienced the lateral grip afforded by racing tyres. The results were, frankly, astonishing. Clive barely had to lift to make the apex. That the 944's engine was stock was all too apparent. Such were the cornering forces I had to brace myself hard when entering the Shell Oils banking.

 

The agression and intolerance of the user trackdayers surprised me somewhat. Time and time again we'd come gearbox-to-nose with another car who had only got in front because of superior horsepower. They'd cut in front with millimeters to spare and hog their position with a single mindedness that was at odds with the regulations. Just as well the entire car stood Clive at £500. The slightest hint of a straight and our rude friends disappeared into the vanishing point. Foulstons and Hill Top illustrated this perfectly.

 

Other than the massive heat soak from the engine, the 944 behaved impeccably. Time and time again Clive worked the steering and stubby gearlever with vigour. The oil pressure would soar on the overrun through the Knickerbrook chicane, only to stabilise on the screaming third gear run up Clay Hill. It was here that more grunt was the most desired. Conversation was hard to discern, but between being thrown around in the standard seats and being cut up by Westfields Clive and I concurred that 160 brake was not enough to do the rest of the car justice. The passing years and 204,000 miles had not been kind.

 

Clive intends to release another 50 BHP from the engine, and fit racing seats. The pinstriped tombstones undoubtedly fit the bill in the early Eighties, but their sagging bolsters and twisted runners betrayed their link with the car's workaday past.

 

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w130/jessopjessop/MGS%20at%20Oulton%20Park/IMG_0721.jpg

 

As a novice's car, or as a straightforward track time fun machine, the 944 would have few competitors at the money spent. By the end of year it will probably have been sold on sporting a full roll cage and a much improved specification.

 

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Oulton Memorial.

 

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w130/jessopjessop/MGS%20at%20Oulton%20Park/IMG_0704.jpg

 

At this point most people were packing up, and preparations were being made for the Superbike testing that was being held the following day.

 

http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w130/jessopjessop/MGS%20at%20Oulton%20Park/IMG_0709.jpg

 

This was one photo - op I couldn't resist. I can also recommend the the paddock shop where I replenished the batteries on my camera. They also offer 1:43 scale Renault Safranes at £6.99 a pop. You heard it here first.

 

**BIG THANKS TO CLIVE MORISON AT MGS FOR THE HOSPITALITY AND DAY OUT**

[Mr Lobster]

Excellent. Oulton is great for track days, did the full circuit in my Alfa about three years ago and found it very addictive. Must do it again sometime.

[Spottedlaurel]

Nice write-up and photos.I hugely enjoyed my first proper trackday at Marham last weekend. The driving was much more courteous than you encountered, but perhaps the generous width, run-off areas and track length made it seem less crowded and gave everyone room to have fun.I don’t think I’d have had as much fun if it had been how you describe all day.I also found it had a very soothing effect on everyday driving on the road.

[retrogeezer]

Great pics....give me a shout next time it's on as it's always good viewing on a track day there.