MY TRACK DAY
14 April 2013 | Story by: Nish | Photos by: Otis J. Gore | Location: Killarney Race Track

 
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It really had been forever since I did a proper track day. Lots of shotgun rides, loads of Mickey Mouse Gymkhana's and many MSA and S2S drags, but literally 10 years since I did an actual track day.


I am always preaching to the "Street Racers" about taking their cars to the track and racing in a controlled environment. But I really can't stress it enough, even attending a Gymkhana - I guarantee you that you'll learn more about your car in those two or three runs than you will ever learn in normal street driving.


So, given the opportunity to take a Turbo Charged Twincam around Killarney, there is only one answer - YES!


Attending a track day as a novice or first timer can be really intimidating.


After all, most of us don't want to break or god forbid wreck your daily drive at the track.


There's a simple solution to this though - Go as Fast as you're comfortable with and don't let your ego control your actions.


We made way for a lot of cars (fast and slow ones), determined to rather get a clear piece of track ahead of us rather than trying to pick a race with guys we didn't really know.


Having driven the car a lot on the street, I didn't expect the feel to be much different on the track, man was I wrong. As a track toy, the car is near perfect. Brakes were fade free lap after lap, the grip is insane and the acceleration, for me at least was more than enough with almost no Turbo Lag. The Racemaster calls us "numerous cats" for not using high boost LOL. After my first installation lap we came down the main straight HOT, I tapped off way early, started braking early, but as the corner approached I still felt the car wouldn't make the corner so I went a bit deep.


At this point, Saleem sitting next to me is shouting "TURN, TURN, Just TURN", so I did and it’s at that point that I realised the car has loads of grip. From that point I went faster and faster, until my last lap on turn 1, she stepped on me. Now when a car steps on you the first time, it's a bit of a bum clenching moment, but getting it back was so simple, the car really did most of the work. But I had found my level of "comfort", this was as fast as I was comfortable with.


At the end of the day I would say I was maybe using 60% of the cars potential, Saleem maybe 75%. Next time HIGH BOOST!


It was definitely the most fun I have had at the track in years.


So stop spectating from the side-lines people, try your hand at the next Open Track Day, you won't be sorry.

Nish

 

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