Hethel Sprint -- Sunday 7th August

[David]

Borough 19's event was our first go on the new track (and therefore new sprint layout). JPSCs present were Nigel Fleming in his 1800cc Zetec Striker Clubman and Chris in the "Marmelade" Striker.

I don't know any course except Goodwood where you spend such a high proportion of the run with your foot on the floor. Should be made for Phoenix/Stylus type cars.

Event was oversubscribed, but all reserves got in. Two practice and one "timed" run before lunch, two more timed in the afternoon. Fine weather all day. FTD went to the SBD "works" Duratec Westfield, with its drivers filling the two top spots. Then came a Jedi and an OMS, followed by Del Hodder's 275hp "private" Westy. Chris was "best of the rest", a couple of seconds off Del's best -- but was having to spend the last 300m of the main straight on the rev limiter in sixth.

Nigel had major alternator woes, but seemed pretty fast when running. Luckily, he was able to use the resources of his workplace to compensate. Perhaps he'll drop by to give us a report.

[jeffw]

Sounds like you had a good time

[David]

Trying to give some idea about a track where cameras are banned, I found this: http://ca.autoblog.com/photos/lotus-hethel-circuit-0/#4244358. Open it in another tab.

On the map (pic 1) the course begins at the pit lane exit (pic 9) and sweeps through Graham Hill bends (pic 2 -- more difficult than they look) to Andretti (difficult not to brake too early). The Senna curves are, slightly alarmingly, flat in both our cars -- until you need to brake for the chicane at Windsock, which has a fast entry (marked white on the map) before turning back on itself for the exit (black). After you get the first gear Windsock exit sorted out, you look down the seemingly endless Mansell Straight (pic 4 -- unusually for a "straight", perfectly straight) and have nothing to do for a while except keep changing up every time the lights come on (I may fit a coffee machine before the next event). However, the relaxation comes to an abrupt end when, going well in sixth in our cases, you are suddenly faced with plastic barriers across the track to try to encourage you to turn into the chicane (pic 6 -- but you'll have to imagine the red/white barriers). The track at this point is so wide and featureless (apart from the aforementioned barriers), and you're going so fast (by kit-car standards) that the breaking point is really quite hard to judge. Luckily, I had my grandson there to help remove the liberal portion of finest Norfolk glutinous mud I accumulated along the nearside of the car on my second practice run. Rindt is undemanding (mainly because I could reach only the top of third before braking again), except that there is absolutely no run-off area along the left side of the Fittipaldi straight. I just had enough space to get back into fourth before the finish line.

The grip levels on the whole track (with the exception of the Windsock chicane, which was dirty) are incredible; Chris almost stalled at the start-line until he got used to it -- his 214 horses not being sufficient to spin up his rears!

Great fun, but (as it was designed to test vehicles going at F1 speeds) in places not that technically demanding for a kit-car. Given the speeds possible through Senna and Mansell though, don't expect to be competitive with Se7en type bodywork and 120 hp.