Motorsport is expensive* - Hillclimb done 07/06/26

[320touring]

Consumables packed

Water for driver packed

Tyres checked

Coolant/oil checked

I feel a bit sick though🤢🤢

£80 of fuel to fill it - 50L put into a 55L tank. Not used to this

Then I remembered why I hated the 25/45 when I worked at Europcar in the early 2000s...

50L put in, ignition on

30seconds later

After driving 1/4 mile from the garage home

Fuckin fuel gauge is slower than the car 😁

 

Up bright and early to wend my way south.

Updates will follow!

[beko1987]

At least it won't bounce about as the fuel sloshes with your cornering 👌 

[hairnet]

it wont bounce as itll be already on the bumpstops

[High Jetter]

 Cashier; Louis. Really? 😀

[gm]

weather is currently looking a bit meh ! dry but grey and cool, looks like i’ll be taking the mazda 

39 places still available to book so plenty of track time for the 11 of us who have booked ! (there is always a rush at the last minute, won’t be that quiet i reckon)

 

[320touring]

Have made it as far as @gm's.

 

I am unlikely to see which way this went

[320touring]

Fine dining in Darlington before heading to the track..

[Pieman]

2 minutes ago, 320touring said:

Fine dining in Darlington before heading to the track..

Parmo?

[hairnet]

the bins at the cinema

[320touring]

1 hour ago, Pieman said:

Parmo?

 

1 hour ago, hairnet said:

the bins at the cinema

Spoons so not too far off!

 

@gm fed the car too

[320touring]

Arrived!

[Pieman]

Very best of luck!  I used to regularly work on that site but at the speedway club rather than the kart track.

[320touring]

Miles at start of session

[hairnet]

if it points at 12 o clock youll have done well

 

[320touring]

Miles at end...

Track night terminated at 6:10pm

Cause?

An Audi TT on fire... Everyone ok thankfully 

[gm]

poor audi driver must have had a hell of a fright but everyone got out safe. the marshalls did their best with handheld extinguishers but the fire engine was very much needed.

 up to that point, we had been having a blast - the forecast rain came just before we arrived so the track was a bit slippy, bringing the mazda on road tyres was a wise move 

once things got going, we managed some cracking good laps, there were maybe only 20 cars taking part so traffic was light and everyone drove courteously. 

the mx5 seemed to come alive with a good thrashing, my previous one was so good this had a  lot to live up to but it’s definitely getting there. 

@320touring looked to be enjoying himself in the rover, i felt bad for him coming all this way for such a short session but, in his own words, at least he had a car to drive home in that wasn’t on fire !

next session is monday 15th june, i think i shall return   

 

[320touring]

Not long in the door - they'd taken the m74 and m73 in for the night, so had some juking about to do to finally get home.

Had a brilliant day - was ace to see @Jimbob McGregor and have a natter over coffee, and also have a blast down and about Weardale😁

Thoroughly enjoyed some scran and the track day with @gm - been too long since my last track session, but was getting there with the Rover.

The surface was bloody abrasive, but the track is properly good fun!

Scores on the doors at end of day. I left at 8:15am today, and got back at 10:50pm, so a pretty long day!

Still has fuel in it - should get me to the hillclimb on Sunday.

For a £200 car, being able to stick 427 miles on it in a day ain't too bad...

[The Moog]

And how was the rover on track? 

[320touring]

28 minutes ago, The Moog said:

And how was the rover on track? 

LOL WORTHY!

nearly lost the back end through the chicane but caught it. Combo of poor driving , wet track and tired car.

Once I got the hang of it, it was really fun. The gearbox was a bit long for the size of track, and there was one corner that was annoyingly between 1st(tyres spinning) and 2nd (bogged down uphill)

Brakes are unreasonably positive and quite inspiring - was getting more confident with them towards the end. Doing max 10 laps then time to cool off.

Think it should be fun on the hill next Sunday.

 

I'm starting to get the hang of beating on the K series - I'm a fan of old 8v engines for lazy torque, but this wee 1.4 pulls well when you give it 7k

 

[320touring]

Also figured out that pressing the recirc button stops hot air being pushed into the cabin😁

[beko1987]

Looks fun! Hopefully once you learn how the car likes to be beaten you'll fly round in a lovely rhythm. 

[Brigsy]

Seen on the socials that the audi fire stopped it early. Might pop down to watch the next one, my work office is based in the building overlooking the track entrance so could go straight after work. Rarely go in the office as i work  (skive)  from home most days.

That top corner is always a nightmare. The megane used to not really like 2nd round there from memory.

When the previous owner of my clio trophy turbo took it down with 440hp he said he had 140mph on the back straight. Melted the dust seals on the wilwood calipers with the heat off the brakes😆

[gm]

just received this message 

which is a nice gesture, i was planning to go anyway  

[scooobydont]

Hot hatch at Knockhill this Sunday...

[320touring]

51 minutes ago, scooobydont said:

Hot hatch at Knockhill this Sunday...

Already booked for a hillclimb on Sunday, that's enough excitement for one day😂

[320touring]

Planning to be busy most of tomorrow so I took the opportunity for a check over of the car.

Good news:

Tyres all still have tread

Brake fluid level and colour good

Engine oil full and still clean

Coolant full and still clean

Power steering fluid full

Battery still secure

Not filled with water despite heavy rain (and window left down😂)

 

Mysterious news:

Windscreen washers were not working - then returned to operation when the bonnet was put up and continued to work once bonnet closed.

Somehow still has some fuel in. Think I will take a can of fuel with me on Sunday.

 

Verdict

Building a grudging respect for this tub. Delighted to have some haunted screen wash components 

Ready for the next round...

[320touring]

Left this morning at this mileage 

Arrived at this 

Got 5L of fuel to luzz in.

Nice to see this view after more than a year.

 

Off for a paddock walk noo

[320touring]

Paddock walk done, pretty much something for everyone...

[hairnet]

video of ascona when yir no fiddlin wi rover ta

[320touring]

7 hours ago, hairnet said:

video of ascona when yir no fiddlin wi rover ta

Sorry was never behind in at the start line.

How did I get on?

Car coped absolutely no problem - I managed 14 runs (and a wee trip to Shotts to buy more fuel!)

 

First lap was deliberately slow, as I hadn't been on the track for over a year and had to reacquaint myself with it.

Lap times dropped steadily until I went for lunch, after which the first was pish.

I got down to 1:05:11 which is about 4 secs slower than the 182 was I think. Quite pleased with the improvement, but you can definitely feel the additional weight and width of the rover Vs the Clio.

The 1.4 was no use at the top of the hill either, where there is a tight uphill left hander that it wouldn't pull in 2nd, and would spin the wheels in 1st.

I struggled to string 3 good sectors together  - and  never broke 60mph.

Was a right good day out.