Bedford Aerodrome

[PhilT]

Thanks Dan, let us know if you need any help [img]images/graemlins/beerchug.gif[/img]

[toasty]

Right,

Just spoke to John at Bedford aerodrome.

£12k seems to be the best he can do it for, plus we'd need to add on VAT [img]images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] and public liabilty insurance [img]images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]

So it's going to be an expensive day.

He tells me that trackdays that they organise have 100 places on them each at £195 so, us organisng our own would still represent better value (total cost plus vat plus insurance would be around £14.5 - £15k)

So we'd need 60 people at £250, which I think would really take some organising.
As for JR's comment about value for money and actual time on the track, I did mention that, and he tells me that at their trackdays they set a limit of a maximum of 50 cars on the track at one time (yes 50, five-oh)
I'm not in a position to dispute this having never even seen the track in the flesh, but it does seem like an awful lot to me.

Apparently their track days are just open pit, and you get on and leave the track whenever you want, there are no prearranged groups, the only limit is that it's 50 cars max on the track at any one time.

Bearing this in mind, and say setting our own limit of 15 cars would mean that 60 people would each get around 2hours of track time during the day. [img]images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

He tells me that even with 100 people at a track day they've never had any complaints concerning lack of track time, but I do have some reservations about so many cars at once (evenly spaced out 50 cars on a 3.6 mile track equates to one car every 120metres!)

I still think it would make for a wicked day out, but I tend to agree with Joshie etc.. about 60 people being too many to get interested.

Interesting point about the howfast meets Andy, I assume they are subsidised by the promotor (usually autocar or palmer motorsport)

Another option would perhaps be to see if someone (perhaps a tuner) would like to sponsor the day, certainly if I was looking to mod my car (which I am) then seeing a tuner with a stand showing off their wares and perhaps even a tuned car present would be of great interest.

A somewhat contentious topic I know..... but someone like Revo could even remap people's cars there and then (I understand they do a 5 hour trial remap) What better place to test it than on the track?! [img]images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

So to conclude and apologies for my ramblings, it may still be an option, but it'll take some organising.

For the meantime anyway, a continued show of hands for those who might be interested would be helpful.

Andyroo, you mention Donny for £12k.... A friend of a friend is on the Board at Donnington, and recently made me a promise (albeit in a pub) I won't say anything just yet, but it could be interesting (and cheap) [img]images/graemlins/sekret.gif[/img]

[johneroberts]

Dan, well done for persuing this line and action, but it seems that Bedford Aerodrome dont really want to invite other parties than there own to that circuit, by maintaining that ridiculous price and saying that there trackdays only have 50 drivers on, says it all. 100 cars is just outragous and i could see repercussions of Autometrix Trackday at CC occuring, even if we could get 100 there.
So i would personally forget this one, and look at a smaller privately owned circuit who can accomodate a smaller amount of drivers, just out for a non-profit bit of a day out.
Cheers
jr

[Jon]

Elvington airfield is quite cheap and there is the advantage of using th runway for max speed runs, also bookatrack offer to run days just for your website or club. just a couple of points that i though might help.

[fatcat]

I'm always up for a trackday, this time I shall leave the diesel at home.... and either turn up in the existing S2000 or if all works out (and there is a god) a 993.
Count me in either way. [img]images/graemlins/beerchug.gif[/img]

[Nige_RS4]

Folks, I have booked myself on this trackday at Bedford Autodrome. Sounds too good to be true for the money ? [img]images/graemlins/thumbs.gif[/img]

[fatcat]

I went on an identical one last year, but the track day featured tuners own cars and your chance to drive them as well as drive your own car.
The event was very well organised, but I was greatly disappointed when over half of the promised tuners did not turn up, Oettinger who I wanted to see did'nt even have a car.
This made what track time there was to drive these cars even more rushed, in the end I 'only' drove the 450 bhp Extreme Evo 7 for 2 laps, instead of the advertised 3 cars for 5 laps.
All in all, I came away happy that I took my car round the circuit but a little pissed off that I had to pay £175 for the privelige - only spending 10 mins in a performanec car.

There was no technical advice from any of the tuners either, just a couple of cars to go round some 40 odd people.

The pushing and shoving trying to get a drive was a bit juvenile, the event attracted no max power types as the event was held mid week.

All in all it was OK, but I would not spend my money on such an event again. [img]images/graemlins/033102bad_1_prv.gif[/img]

[DuncS3]

add me to the list if this gets off the ground too

Dunc [img]images/graemlins/s3addict.gif[/img]