My 1999 track day season opened with Snetterton and Gold Track Drivers Club. Snetterton is another in the series of UK race circuits opened on disused airfields and is more or less flat and very open. A lap of this very fast circuit goes like this:

The circuit is right handed and pits are in the infield so keep over to the right as you exit the pit lane to avoid tangling with full speed traffic entering Riches, a long open 80 degree right-hander. Keep to the left of the track on exit and brake for entry to Sear, a 90 degree right which marks to entry to the long Revett Straight - half a mile of solid acceleration, ending with hard braking (as late as you like - there's an escape road straight on just in case) into the Esses, a 60 degree left followed by a quick squirt on the power and brake again into a narrow 110 degree right. Then it's into the Bomb Hole and Coram, two long sweeping almost connected right handers which together take you round 180 degrees, accelerating all the way, to Russell. This is another combination bend - 80 degrees right and immediately 135 left, second gear and not too sideways as we're back on the Senna straight, past the pit lane and into Riches again, this time well over to the left. Total lap time in an Elise somewhere in the high 1:30's.

The overnight rain meant we started with a wet track. As I'd never driven here before I'd been placed in session 1 (novices), so we were out first. The organisers had warned us that some resurfacing work had been done the week before, and yes indeed, it was slippery in places. Approaching Sear and the Esses I experienced front wheel lock-up even under moderate braking, and all sorts of understeer to oversteer transitions through the exit of Russell. However, after a few laps I was finding some grip, and inching my speed up through the Bomb Hole - aptly named as it has a pronounced negative camber - aim to get the car right in it to help the entry. Some people were obviously finding it tricky though, as I got held up by various machinery including Westfields, and a BMW Z Coupe. Most drivers were considerate and alert and let me by politely.

After the first session I found the organisers and asked to be promoted to session 2 as I didn’t want to be continually following the slower stuff around. They agreed and I managed to get back into the car and out again for the last 10 minutes of the session - much better; joined behind an F355 and watched it recede. One of the nice things about doing these days in an open car is following other cars closely and listening to the noise they make under full power. Only time for a few laps before session end, but the track was starting to come together a bit better, although my attempts to leave the braking later eventually led to me exploring the above mentioned escape lane - after I'd locked and unlocked the front wheels three times under braking I decided that straight on was the better option!

I was now in the same session as Vivian Meazza (Fellow Elise owner and track enthusiast - see http://website.lineone.net/~vivian.meazza). Vivian's car has the Lotus Sport suspension and 135 engine upgrade, but he was hampered in this session by the extra weight of Adam Buckley as passenger, so after about half the session I caught him and enjoyed watching his lines and learning. Coram was now drying, although there was still standing water off line in places so I put some effort into trying not to lift off and just be very gentle. I got as far as about half throttle application - still more to come. Also came to the conclusion that a very late turn in to Sear was best - rear of the car almost past the turn in marker seemed to be required. Tried shifting down to second for Russell rather than holding third, and was rewarded by an extra 5mph by the time I passed the pit wall - and successfully catching a very loud 911 under acceleration - more exhaust music!

Over lunch the track dried up, and it was my turn to take Adam out. The dry tarmac meant that the more powerful cars were starting to come into their own, so we had to yield a few times but at least it meant mostly clear track in front. After a bit of experimentation I decided that although the new tarmac on the exit of the Esses provoked lots of tyre squealing noises, the car was still stable, so we could push a bit harder. I was still having problems with concentration though, and I didn't manage to put a clean lap together.

Fourth session, and with no passenger and a dry track I could now start to aspire to the corner entry speeds Vivian and I had discussed earlier - 70+mph into Riches, 45-ish through Sear, 60 into the first part of The Esses and then 45 through the left, 80 mph on entry to Coram. Bit miffed to find that the MR2 I had caught at Donington last year was now catching me. Oh well, it is a 2 litre turbo and this is a very open circuit so let him past and concentrate! Also had time to marvel at the turn in speeds of the full race spec 1400 Caterhams - not much quicker than me on the straight but just a dab on the brakes and turn in at probably 20mph faster.

Fifth and final session. Started two cars behind Vivian out of the pits and after a couple of laps it became clear that I was catching him, slowly but surely. This spurred me on, and by concentrating hard on my corner entry speeds, and resisting the temptation to turn in too early at Sears or Riches (transpires there is a false apex about 15 yards before the real one!) I managed to get close enough so see what was happening. Vivian's car is definitely quicker on both straights, and his line at the fast corners is more consistent than mine. Through the Bomb hole and Coram he is also pulling away a little, although we are both on the same tyres so he is slightly grip limited - however, I seem to have managed to work out both sets of combination bends better and am recouping the disadvantage. This carries on for a few laps until we are interrupted by some faster traffic coming through, after which I drop back and don't seem to be able to make any headway. Vivian tells me later that he had been inspired by my efforts and had managed to go a bit faster.

So what have I learnt? Well, my concentration wasn't all it could be at times but on the whole an excellent day. Castle Combe last Autumn has definitely cured my fear of the wet - the morning sessions where the agility of the Elise compensated for it's lack of brute power were great fun. I still missed a couple of 2nd-3rd upshifts, but my heel & toe downshift is pretty well there as long as I don't do it too early when going really fast. Car balance was generally very good - the slow complexes were marvellous - turn in positively, get the car aligned and apply lots of power.. the rear wheels bite and off we go. I never quite got flat out through Coram though - easier to breathe the throttle in the early part of the corner and then floor it from apex to exit. Oh, and the car has developed an extra squeak from somewhere... never mind, perhaps Goodwood in two weeks will cure it.

Thanks to Adam Buckley for in-car pictures.

2000 Update

Unfortunately I didn't write this up at the time so I can't remember much about it, except for Vivian shattering a disk on his Elise. (Picture of broken disk). Adam came along again and got some nice video footage of the day which I hope he will eventually get round to digitising for web use.