Trackday #4 - Nutts Corner, organised by NI-Minis.co.uk
Pics and vids at the bottom if your not a big reader
Haven't been able to update this because of schoolwork lately but here it is. Been nearly a month since the trackday so i'll tell as much as I can remember!
The Metro appeared to have no problems after I fitted the new gearbox, only I had no temp gauge, big problem as it was the only one I needed! I stripped what was left of the dash out and learned more about electrics when I was fault finding with the multimeter. Turns out I had the reversing light switch on the temp sender and vise versa!
Once that was sorted I was so pleased. Never before had the car been problem free before a trackday, no late nights, no panic, brilliant
. Fitted yet another front displacer and the suspension was done too. Then I got imaginative, jealous of my friend having a Matt black bonnet I wondered how I could get some Matt on my yoke.
Cleaned up the number plate recess and gave it a quick 3 coats and added ' BYE BYE ! ! ' Also with a black marker
'Don't act like your not impressed' - Ron Burgundy
'Got coolant?' strategically below the Metro badge.
'Metro + Time = H20 Fe3 02' (rust)
So I was at this stage really suspicious of the Metro, it was problem free! Never before! So I had the day before the trackday off school ( woo teacher training) so I decided to polish, hoover it and gel the bumpers encase it didn't return from the trackday I wanted it looking its best.
Bearing in mind the state of the metro is if anything happens it, I won't care too much as its beyond repair but not beyond use. So we picked up a trailer and scooted off to Nutts Corner! ;D
That day we had only 14 cars, so split into 4 groups, me in group2 and dad in group4. Let the car run for 20 mins before I was due on track, well up to temperature. First 2 laps I drove like a granny, getting the feel and making sure everything was up to temp. The new clutch was so much better! I never missed a gear all day, so it was the clutch hampering me at not so much my ham fisted changes, made so much difference!
On the 3rd lap I started going for it. Everything felt great, the engine was pulling really well, all the way to 7k, turn in was great and the new gearbox REALLY made a difference. Acceleration was great and it pulled out of the corners well. After a while I couldn't keep the inside wheel from spinnging, even with my Yokohamas the ratio was far to short for this track, and it was still bone dry and hot!Would be much better suited for the less technical Kirkistown circuit. Dad went in and everything was very good.
Out again in group2, my friend Jason had his yellow R1 engine'd mini up again, back in the thread a bit is a video of me giving him a good run! So it was on again, he not wanting to be beaten and me wanting to prove I could do it again! We laughed as we lined up and he waved me out infront of him. we were both at the back of the pack. After a lap or two we had passed the rest of the cars and had an open track. Dad was urging me on and I was trying my hardest to pull away from him, pulling every gear to just before the limiter, braking as hard and as late as I could trying to carry as much speed but he was all over my mirrors. I would spin the inside wheel and he would step the back end out it was building, I ran slightly wide a few times then came to a sort of 90 right onto the small start/finish straight with all the spectators behind a wooden fence on the left, outside of the corner.
Came into the corner hard in 3rd, as I had done may times but couldn't maintain the grip and continued on into the gravel trap, which used bark instead of gravel. Every spectator ran a mile and bark went everywhere, I tried my hardest not to continue on and threw it hard right, onto the track again where the back came round and sent me back at the crowd were I so so narrowly missed the wooden fence and bounced across the gravel coming to a stop, followed by a loud 'F**K!' Dad immediately said 'After him, After him' Straight after him again I went but I couldn't get near him to put up another fight. I have it all on on-board video, just haven't edited down small enough to upload, and some trackside of the big moment.
Another few runs and I came round the horseshoe and it felt like the left front wheel was coming off, stopped straight away and green suspension fluid was everywhere. AGAIN another dead displacer
Limed back to the pits and decided we had nothing to loose and sent the car out again next session!
Dad absolutely hammered it, it was still dry but the bust suspension and shorter gear ratios ment the inside tyre hadn't a chance! We left soo many black tracks and the smoke poured from the wheel! it locked up every time on entry and spun the whole exit, pleasing to watch and drive, but no fun fun for fast driving.
Onto the lunch break and the rain came on, Hard! Wipers on full speed!
After a lap I realised the suspension really hurt me, spinning everywhere, no traction atall, locked up coming into corners. There was an advantage though, taught myself to heel-toe going own the gears to stop locking up, very pleased!
Spent the rest of the day messing about, no chance of any fast drving. We drifted like we had RWD, so much fun, really got the hang of it. Dad loved the rev limiter, I'm convinced he was trying to kill the car to get rid of it!
Took a friend a run and had a massive drift but couldn't get the front round again and took out a cone which pushed the wing in behind the door! ouch!
Last session had another friend in and we went into a tyre wall! Eek! We also slid much faster and narrowly missed another which would have really hurt!
Various other tales but ive written far too much already! The car survived it all, mostly, and is currently resting over winter, hopefully to return to Kirkistown in march again!
Also noticed ive owned the car exactly a Year and a week! A very eventful one at that! Trackday cars are the best invention since sliced something or other!
Idling and revving until about 5500 - 6000rpm
uk.youtube.com/watch?v=pcKcgmxcc58Pics!
Best.Bumper.Sticker.Ever
The 2nd time I ran into the gravel at the crowd!
Probably the last you'll hear until next year!
Love this car!
Heres the videos, haven't got my on-boards done yet but heres Nialls, who put his camera in and his of the trackday in general.
On-board, nice drift
uk.youtube.com/watch?v=y1-DXPs7GtIWet laps and sideways moments in General
uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BRs3MIiB4zkOther Videos
uk.youtube.com/watch?v=wvBWValQ6vAuk.youtube.com/watch?v=24NhH7OY_10uk.youtube.com/watch?v=aP9TBcQ7rw4
So thats the engine out of action too.
. Fitted yet another front displacer and the suspension was done too. Then I got imaginative, jealous of my friend having a Matt black bonnet I wondered how I could get some Matt on my yoke.
Mad, or stupid, possibly both ;D
