Time to get back to some recreation after all that hard work hillclimbing with a day at Thruxton with Gold Track.

First day of June, and amazingly it was bright, sunny and warm. We made it to Thruxton nice and early, signed on,  had a quick cup of coffee and got ready for first session. We'd been warned in the briefing to be very careful initially - Thruxton claims the fastest average lap speed of all circuits in the UK and the track is very bumpy in parts with some tricky camber changes... if you have an accident here, it is likely to be a big one.

So, gently does it at first. Here goes.... out of the pits, keep right through Allard and get up to speed. Move to the centre of the track, over the brow and then across to the left and slow to 40mph for entry to the "Complex" - 90 degree right followed by the same left and then long sweeping right-hander with camber change on exit. Slow in fast out, so sacrifice the line through the first corner to give maximum exit speed at the last. Now let the car run out wide as the track opens. 80mph, move back over to the right and sweep left through Noble, just lifting the throttle slightly before turning in, then back on the power again. Don't apex to early or you will collect the bumps on the exit. Accelerate again and move to about a cars width from the left hand edge for the turn in to Goodwood. Another slight lift, and sight up on the marshalls post on the infield as the apex is a long way round and the track drops away on exit. This is really unnerving at first and initially I succumbed to the temptation to lift until I could see the exit. However, this unbalances the car so is not a good idea. Back on the power, approaching 100mph downhill towards Church, a very fast sweeping righthander. Worth braking a little to make sure you hit the apex (85-90mph turn in) as there are yet more bumps off line that can pitch you wide on the exit - serious at this speed, then back on full power again. First time I've needed 5th gear on a circuit, still loads of straight to go but it's slightly uphill and I'm running top down with a passenger so I don't see more that about 115mph before it's hard on the brakes, down 2 gears for the 40mph Club chicane - right, left, right and back onto the start finish straight, accelerating up towards Allard, about 80mph turn in this time, hit the apex neatly (no run off at all here) and then round again.

After half an hour of this I'm hot & ready for a break, a drink and a chat with other drivers - compare lines and turn in points. I seem to have got the hang of most of it, but there are places to improve; turn in earlier for Allard (consensus is that the turn in cone is too deep) and it should be flat in 4th; too fast into the Complex is definitely bad, as is to shallow a line through the Club Chicane as it ruins your exit speed in both cases. Some of the best exits come when I'm baulked by a slower car and forced to drop down to second. Something to remember!

Met Mac, the owner of the Elise one registration number up from mine. He's been to Thruxton once before and following him round makes an interesting comparison - he is neater and smoother from Club to the approach to the Complex and draws away from me, but from the exit of the Complex I start to gain on him, and through Goodwood I'm having to slow to avoid punting him. We're about equal through Church, although I'm getting a vibration through the front wheels on exit. I haven't got any track left on the exit which I suspect means I'm going in a little too fast and am scrubbing speed sideways on the exit.

Vivian arrives and replaces Matt as my passenger after lunch... claims to be scared by me lifting at the exit of Goodwood and encourages me to keep my foot in. I point out that my brain says this but my foot disagrees. We get a bit faster and I manage enough mind over leg to keep it on the black stuff. We're doing pretty well - TVRs, Porsches, BMWs and a Ferrari F355 are caught and passed by myself and Mac running in tandem. However, we get eclipsed by an outrageously quick Audi Estate (turbo nutter b*****d 4wd version driven by Caterham racer!) and another track spec BMW and an Aston Martin also leave me for dust.

I take Matt out once more. Things are getting faster and more scary each run. Try & keep the butterflies in the stomach down and not think of the consequences of getting it wrong! Totally commited through all the fast bends now and just spend this trying not to get carried away in the twisty bits - keep the entry neat for fast exit. The outfield here is definitely "low flying" territory - you can feel the car lifting and compressing the suspension as the road moves underneath you.

Final session, and a Lambourghini Diablo shows up - it exits the pits in front of me so I hang in behind as he gets up to speed. It's not much quicker until we get to the final straight after Church and then blasts away from me. However, the driver seems only interested in blowing out the cobwebs on the easy bits as I catch him through Club and he lets me past. Another "supercar" humbled on track by the Elise....maybe. I've gone out alone for the first time, but it doesn't seem to make much difference to the speed. The slow turn ins are a little easier but pace remains roughly the same.

And then it's game over, and not before time. Very fast, very scary and hard work keeping the concentration going at such high average speeds. Lap times are around 1:45 - 1:47 area which with a 2.356 mile lap gives about 80mph average. First circuit where I've thought I could actually use more power, but putting the hood up would probably make as much difference.