Track day report.

[spen]

Question: Can a B5 S4 make a reasonably fun, not so slow it gets in the way of the Westfield/Caterham/Lotus/Porsche GT3 owners, track type car?
I went to Rockingham Speedway to find out. I booked the day with www.bookatrack.co.uk and couldn’t fault them in any way.

Here are some of the other cars http://bookatrack.com/-pa?781

The date was Sun 6th April , yeah the day it snowed. We had a hell of a journey to Rockingham Speedway.

Here's what it looks like:


Having listened to Jonnys no nonsense briefing – anticlockwise circuit, overtake on the left, 50 quid fine for running out of fuel on track, two spins on the same lap earns you a black flag and two spins on the same corner also bags you a black flag; we were off.

Have a look at some videos:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XwiaWRmxrXc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqVYqRq_ax8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON5gMDeGQpk

I hope those are ok, I uploaded them at 640x480 so you’ll need a reasonable connection or have to pause them so they can be buffered.

Overall, the S4 was excellent fun. It certainly held it’s own. I moved over for a radical and three caterhams / westfields who caught me in the twisty sections or after I fluffed a corner. I pulled away from the radical on the straights but round the bends it was sooooo fast. I tried to keep with it but after 1 lap he was more than 1 bend in front of me and I lost sight of it.

I took a couple of passengers out, the first one made us pull in to the pits and threw up! The other feedback was along the lines of raw torque, various giggles and many quizzical looks when it was parked in the pit lane.

Now the not so good.

The starter motor came loose! My fault, can’t have torqued it up properly.
The standard seats are awful for track work.
The standard radiator, even with the oil to water heat exchanger removed and the aid of an additional 25 row oil cooler, couldn’t cope. Temps got up to 110 / 115 degrees water temp and I had to put in a few slow laps to cool down now and again.
Standard rear brakes. Ha! They cannot take the pace! Totally cracked and knackered.
Fuel consumption. OMFG. 1.5 litres per lap. I had to refuel three times.

All in I’ll be doing some more track days, someone has to try to take on all those plastic bathtubs with wheels…. Anyone else interested at some point over the summer?

[Parptoot]

Great post.
If you were to return I think you might benefit from one of these.
http://www.performancebox.co.uk/

[GrahamS4]

Nice one!

[Blue_Thunder]

Have you looked into getting a CG-Lock to hold you into the seat better?

Some guys on here got them on a GB a while back I think, and they seemed to be raving about them.

Sounds like you had a box of tic-tacs by the microphone! Excellent quality footage.

[spen]

If the gimzo performance box can do lap times, then it wouldn't be allowed. Bookatrack have a 1 strike and you're out for the day. Jonny says timing encourages people to beat themselves and increases the risks dramatically. It does look like a good toy though.

I know what you mean about the sound. No idea what was rolling about, or where it was. I didn't hear it whilst driving surprisingly!

I think I'm going to buy some seats, a shortshifter, put the rear seats down and mount some 6pt harnesses in the boot area.

[derdle]

and mount some 6pt harnesses in the boot area.

Been covered before and it was decided that it's not a good idea in case you roll the car - a 6 point harness will hold you too firmly in the seat and your head becomes the roll cage you never had. I'd recommedn the CG Lock - it keeps your bum firmly planted in the seat!

BTW what is that annoying "tic tac" sound.....I've got it too on mine!

Paul

[GardinerG]

Spen, what kind of power/mods are you running? Ahhh, 500Bhp it seems...

[ZeroK66]

That looks like great fun and the fact you were overtaking what are considered "track cars" makes me think I should give it a go.

See my post I have just done RE: Rear brake upgrades:

http://www.rs246.com/index.php?name=PNp ... highlight=

May be of interest. I have said what I am going to try out. RS246 Live should be a fun way for me to try track my car. See how I get on.

Ultimately I want to strip the S4 have it as a dedicated drag/track car. For now it is my daily driver as I am starting a home renovation that will sap all funds this year . Next year is the year of the Rangerover diesel and track day S4 beastie

[spen]

Been covered before and it was decided that it's not a good idea in case you roll the car - a 6 point harness will hold you too firmly in the seat and your head becomes the roll cage you never had

roll the car.....

It's a fair point about the roll cage. I think adding a roll cage will be noticed at home. Some less slippy seats are definitely in order and that CG lock looks like a good idea as well. It's defo less hassle than 6 pts.

I've no idea what the tic tac sound is. The car is rattle free on the road. The camera was mounted on my headrest uprights.

ZeroK66 - your car will be 'on the money'. I was slower through chicanes and hairpins than the lotus / caterham crowd but didn't half catch up on the straights. Even the hondas were faster through the chicane - I couldn't meter the power out, 2nd gear span the wheels up straight away, 3rd span up too at the exit.

Overall you'll be faster than most things, I didn't drive well or accurately and passed all but a few cars. I had the rev limit increased to 7400 rpm which helped a lot - I got it once or twice in fourth, without those 400 revs there would have been a lot more gear changes. You will chew brakes and tyres, and particularly fuel. The S4 is *HEAVY* when compared to a 500kg track car.

Thanks for the rear brake info. I was thinking the oe B7 set up.

[derdle]

roll the car.....

Yeah that's what I thought when I first investigated using a harness of some sort. But those far more knowledgeable and wiser than me suggested that a harness was unwise unless you have a roll cage.

Here is the thread....
http://rs246.com/index.php?name=PNphpBB ... ic&t=64163

As for the rattling sound...I can't hear mine in normal driving either!

Paul

[ZeroK66]

Thanks for the rear brake info. I was thinking the oe B7 set up.

Originally was going to go with the B7 RS4 setup... but it is quite expensive, and I am not sure it is worth it. That said you KNOW you will have a perfectly balanced brake system (as I have the Brembo 8pots on the front) - that is of course assuming the B7 RS4 send the same ~20% to the rear??

Seems a bit of a black art this brake thing.

Spen - let me know when you are next out for a track day. Love to go out with a fellow novice. Those who tend to track day on here seem to be quite experienced - would feel a little spare.

[spen]

AHAHHA. The tic tac sound. It's the lense cover swinging about and hitting the microphone in the corner. I'll tie wrap that up next time

[spen]

All in the b7 setup on all four corners seems like a good route.

I'll pop any dates I'm thinking of doing another day in the trackdays section, just in case anyone wants to join the Audi invasion

[derdle]

AHAHHA. The tic tac sound. It's the lense cover swinging about and hitting the microphone in the corner. I'll tie wrap that up next time

No lens cap on mine....explain that one!

[Blue_Thunder]

AHAHHA. The tic tac sound. It's the lense cover swinging about and hitting the microphone in the corner. I'll tie wrap that up next time

No lens cap on mine....explain that one!

Box of Tic-tacs perhaps?