Well I am absolutely shattered, but I have just had the most fantastic day ;D
Last Nov, Jane bought me a day at a rally school for my Birthday, and Today we went along here:
www.langleyparkrallyschool.co.uk
Turned up and went inside to sign in only to be met by a Beaming Grey haired fella in a race suit....
Fook me its Barry Lee ;D ;D ;D Hot rod world champion and general smashing retro bloke 
Hes the RWD instructor for the day ;D ;D
RWD was a Pinto Sierra and was excellent fun and nicely balanced, while FWD which I drove in the afternoon was a Mk4 escort, which felt totally alien when sliding
"don't opposite lock !!" WTF
Anyway, initial 3 laps of the stage in the sierra was good , very slippery but didnt collect any cones
needed to think about not coming off the throttle and keeping it more constant..... (too much time spent trying to provoke all 38hp in the Kadett to break traction methinks
)
Watched everyone else and thought about what Barry had said until it was time to go again...
2nd stint was much better, attacked it a lot more and went a lot harder and faster although seemingly smoother good tuition talking to you all the time really helps with confidence and correction ;D
at the end of the 3 laps you then come back to the start and do a fast Timed Lap ;D
hopefully putting everything learned into practice
well I just went for it, and it all came together really well, fast time, no cones hit and a very happy Mr lee shouting and swearing beside me ;D ;D...... I didnt realise at the time but it turns out the 2 instructors "Trade Times" during the day and they both want to bear=t each other and have the fastest stage time by their pupil IYSWIM ;D.... well I had just taken Fastest time for the morning wet session ;D ;D
All piled off to a local pub for lunch which was all included, and very nice and then Back for the afternoon session ;D which I must admit I wasnt looking forward to as much as the RWD.
Also there were some very quick boys in the Morning FWD session which I didnt think I would get anywhere near....
Really really strange is how I would describe it..... handling was very neutral meaning you could slide it by backing off, the LSD in the front made for loads of grip and most of the expected torque steer didnt arrive apart from a huge shudder up the steering column
Felt very strange though not Opposite locking when teh back comes round just keep steering round the corner and keep on the power and it drags it right again
Couldnt get to grips with that at all in the first session kept instinctively steering into it to catch it then getting on the power and shooting off outside the bend 
went away to watch some more and try and think my way out of doing what comes naturally
2nd stint and as we were about to set off for 4 laps Barry in the other car comes in waving at us sticking fingers up and poking tongue out etc as his driver has just set a quick time
"Right what do I need to do to beat them ?"
"Well you need a 1m19..... best time first time out was 1.20" so we need to find a second somewhere" ...... "don't worry just be smooth"
Started OK and really attacked it, concentrating on the line reasonable 1st lap..... 2nd lap picked up the pace some more and was fine until coming off the tarmac with too much speed into the bend.... made it through the right but no way I was going to get through the left without sliding into the field so I scrubbed off as much speed as poss and just clipped the Tyre...... calmed it down a notch and concentrated on being more committed on turn in and smoother through the cones..... built speed back up on the way back to the start and the smoothness stayed as well....
Came round on lap 3, lines better, starting to search for the grip now and trust the car half way through the lap the tyre I had hit previously was lying in the middle of the track.... few shouts from the instructor to the marshal to pull his finger out and we were back on it again ;D faster still but getting more ragged and in the back of my mind is the thought ..... rolling at this speed is going to smart a bit
Lap 4 got a bit lively.... smoother lines faster, but starting to bounce around at the rear a bit now HAd a big big moment on the fastest section when the rear bounced out and then back a few times...... Tankslapper stylee but kept it pinned and the car pulled it through ;D ;D
Flying lap felt quick but very ragged, instructor was getting excited as well which I took as a cue to keep on it... ;D
Flew through the finish with him shouting and hollering which was cool ;D.... make you feel quick anyway
He was gesturing to Barry in the other car saying no way you will beat that
I badgered him for the time and he was like no no I cant tell you ..... well not supposed to
Finally got it out of him and he was like....... well you had run 1.20..... we needed to be in the 1.19s......
1m18.3 ;D ;D ;D GET IN !!!
I was well happy ;D.....
That was the end of the driving but the beginning of Playtime ......;D
Last Nov, Jane bought me a day at a rally school for my Birthday, and Today we went along here:
www.langleyparkrallyschool.co.uk
Turned up and went inside to sign in only to be met by a Beaming Grey haired fella in a race suit....
Fook me its Barry Lee
;D ;D ;D Hot rod world champion and general smashing retro bloke 
Hes the RWD instructor for the day ;D ;D
RWD was a Pinto Sierra and was excellent fun and nicely balanced, while FWD which I drove in the afternoon was a Mk4 escort, which felt totally alien when sliding
"don't opposite lock !!" WTF
Anyway, initial 3 laps of the stage in the sierra was good , very slippery but didnt collect any cones
needed to think about not coming off the throttle and keeping it more constant..... (too much time spent trying to provoke all 38hp in the Kadett to break traction methinks
)Watched everyone else and thought about what Barry had said until it was time to go again...
2nd stint was much better, attacked it a lot more and went a lot harder and faster although seemingly smoother
good tuition talking to you all the time really helps with confidence and correction ;Dat the end of the 3 laps you then come back to the start and do a fast Timed Lap ;D
hopefully putting everything learned into practice well I just went for it, and it all came together really well, fast time, no cones hit and a very happy Mr lee shouting and swearing beside me ;D ;D...... I didnt realise at the time but it turns out the 2 instructors "Trade Times" during the day and they both want to bear=t each other and have the fastest stage time by their pupil IYSWIM ;D.... well I had just taken Fastest time for the morning wet session
;D ;DAll piled off to a local pub for lunch which was all included, and very nice and then Back for the afternoon session ;D which I must admit I wasnt looking forward to as much as the RWD.
Also there were some very quick boys in the Morning FWD session which I didnt think I would get anywhere near....
Really really strange is how I would describe it..... handling was very neutral meaning you could slide it by backing off, the LSD in the front made for loads of grip and most of the expected torque steer didnt arrive apart from a huge shudder up the steering column
Felt very strange though not Opposite locking when teh back comes round
just keep steering round the corner and keep on the power and it drags it right again Couldnt get to grips with that at all in the first session
kept instinctively steering into it to catch it then getting on the power and shooting off outside the bend 
went away to watch some more and try and think my way out of doing what comes naturally
2nd stint and as we were about to set off for 4 laps Barry in the other car comes in waving at us sticking fingers up and poking tongue out etc as his driver has just set a quick time
"Right what do I need to do to beat them ?"
"Well you need a 1m19..... best time first time out was 1.20" so we need to find a second somewhere" ...... "don't worry just be smooth"
Started OK and really attacked it, concentrating on the line reasonable 1st lap..... 2nd lap picked up the pace some more and was fine until coming off the tarmac with too much speed into the bend.... made it through the right but no way I was going to get through the left without sliding into the field so I scrubbed off as much speed as poss and just clipped the Tyre
...... calmed it down a notch and concentrated on being more committed on turn in and smoother through the cones..... built speed back up on the way back to the start and the smoothness stayed as well....Came round on lap 3, lines better, starting to search for the grip now and trust the car half way through the lap the tyre I had hit previously was lying in the middle of the track
.... few shouts from the instructor to the marshal to pull his finger out and we were back on it again ;D faster still but getting more ragged and in the back of my mind is the thought ..... rolling at this speed is going to smart a bit Lap 4 got a bit lively....
smoother lines faster, but starting to bounce around at the rear a bit now HAd a big big moment on the fastest section when the rear bounced out and then back a few times...... Tankslapper stylee but kept it pinned and the car pulled it through ;D ;DFlying lap felt quick but very ragged, instructor was getting excited as well which I took as a cue to keep on it... ;D
Flew through the finish with him shouting and hollering which was cool ;D.... make you feel quick anyway
He was gesturing to Barry in the other car saying no way you will beat that
I badgered him for the time and he was like no no I cant tell you ..... well not supposed to
Finally got it out of him and he was like....... well you had run 1.20..... we needed to be in the 1.19s......
1m18.3 ;D ;D ;D GET IN !!!
I was well happy ;D.....
That was the end of the driving but the beginning of Playtime ......;D
