Scottish Elises

What's your recollection of your first track event?

Mac

Gettin a few pax laps off you was the first in an Elise , was thinking, i cannot feckin believe it goes round the left at the bottom of duffus so fast. Every time we turned in i was thinkin, 'we're off, WE'RE OFFFFFFFF'. Had done loads of track days on my 600 before. But the first time drivin my Elise was a friday night, had a crap day at work, phoned Si Ironside who was at an SS-R track night at KH and found there were spaces left. Got up there with an hour to go, blagged my way on and had an absolute riot. Done about 4 Kh track nights in a row after that. Cant wait to get back on track, Cadwell cant come quick enough.

I did an OLC day which due to low numbers turned into a SE day. I can remember being terrified during the briefing sessions but also really excited too.

I'd been in Iain F (skyenet)'s car at Kames a few week previous and couldn't believe that we both had the same cars.

Shortly afterwards Robin Iddon posted up some video footage from the trackday and if you look very closely you can see him passing a blueish blur on his right hand side - that was me going at what must have been a very pedestrian pace. Robin's camcorder showed his lap times in the 66's so god only knows how slow I was going.

Mac

I had just done some training with Andrew Walsh from 1st Lotus the day before my first track day. It was an SIDC event and well orgainsed. I remember crapping my self in the pit lane as I lined up for the warm up lap. I spent most of the five laps looking at the big blue Scooby in my rear view mirror. I thought if this is the warm up session, what the hells the normal session gong to be like. Came off at the end of the warm up session and realised I hadn't a clue of the track becuase I had been looking behind me most of the time. Managed to blag a pax lap of Brian Jamieson in his S1 and he pointed out tps as we zoomed around for half a dozen laps.

Eventually got the nerve up and trundled out onto the track. Soon started to get into the swing of it and had a ball. I found track days were great fun, both driving and socially and think I did about 32 (Crail, Kames & Knockhill)in the time I had my Elise. Plus I also did a track day at Knockhill in a Discovery which was interesting

I also remember getting a pax lap with Robin Iddon at Crail and couldn't believe he had the same car as mine. It does give you confidence in the car when you see what it can do, then its just a matter of gaining experience and driving confidence.

Iain

First track day was at Knockhill in an Audi S6 Avant 1996. 4wd, 250bhp.

Amazing quick considering its size. Managed to get the lap times down to 67 secs but that was seriously on the limit.

Struggled round clarkes due to the gearing, gap between 2nd and 3rd was to big. Couldnt do heel n toe to keep the revs up on the downchange so the boost disapeared through the corner. Also the hairpin was just understeer .

I remember the looks from the other drivers that were there of total disbelief. I spoke to a few and they would believe it was a standard car.

I did an MMC invitational one that I got as a freebie when I bought the car. I was really nervous to start with but after about 3 laps, relaxed and loved it. No doubt I was the mobile chicane of the night but I didn't care. Had a grin on my face the rest of the night I can't really remember any details about it sadly!

Mine was also an MMC invitational (before joining SE) where I pottered arount the track... First time I met tut was seeing him sideways in my mirror entering Duffus behind me!

First SE one was a SIDC day - again, good fun and no dramas....

Tut dug out my post-day mail on-list a few days ago - might as well post it here:
[quote]
“Great day, just got back in front of the computer (stayed up at a mates to watch the GP - could almost have been called interesting), so time for some hellos and thanks!

IainF - meant to say bye, but just noticed you heading out on the track when we (myself, Kirstie & the other Iain!) decided to shoot off. I'll give you a shout about the VCD's soon.

Scotty & Mac - many thanks for the pax laps. had been driving like a great big blouse all morning (as I'm sure Kirstie will have mentioned to you, Mac!) and the pax laps were all I needed to remove the finger!! Line and braking point advice from you both helped a great deal - think I bottled a bit in the first sessions as the P-Zeros were understeering really badly on the greasy surface - no real probs when it dried up.

Tut - nice to say hello in person at last! Hope N1 TUT made it home ok (was smoking a bit when I saw it last!) Wasn't slowing you down any, mind you!

And everybody else who I spoke to, Iain W, Steve, Graham H and probably some I've forgot, nice to meet you and see you all at the next event! (not the training, I'm afraid, but whatver is after that.)

One last mention to John Stewart & SIDC - great event, good organisiation (despite my efforts to banjax it with a call to nature when I should have been out for warm-up laps) and great manners in traffic from everybody there. You even had a word with the big man about the weather!!

See you all soonâ€

My first time on track was getting a pax with Dave(Rag_It) in his CTR. Was around 3 years ago. Was instantly hooked.
I then managed to pick up two platinum tickets for KH on ebay for £170 quid and did the single seaters.
My first time on track in my own car was in my old 25th yr Anni PD golf.
I had been done for 99 on the A9, thinking i was going to get a ban i bet that id take it on track if i didnt. Ended up keeping my license and bit the bullet. Was petrified but was great fun. Got spanked by all the elises on track and had to have one! Nothing changes eh!