Ducati Sporting Club UK > Sport > Trackdays & Race Schools > ESS Pace days.

[Jon]

Just thought you might like to see this post of the Throttlemonkeys site. Not the extra £15.00 for transponders and ESS club to view your times.


Didn't like it at all to be honest. There was a long and strict briefing followed by a huge queue to sign on as you can't do that until after the briefing, then another queue for the transponders You have to pay £15 extra to hire a transponder and bracket, in cash, on the day too, which I didn't think was right. The days are already more expensive and based on the timing for safety aspect, so you should be given them really.
We were told that after the groups had started going out that you wouldn't then be able to go on track. First session people turned up late despite having an hour to sort themselves out after the briefing and they were let out. They caused the first crash of the day about a lap and a half into our first session Wasn't impressed.
The lap time thing was helpful in that you got put with people your speed, but it did encourage you to push fairly hard to keep pace or get by the others on your row So not entirely safe really! We only got timed for grid positions during that first session which was stopped and the session before lunch. If you want to see your actual times you need to pay another £15 and join the ESS club Times aren't available until 48 hours after the event, so they're of no use during the day.
The grid thing was explained one way in the briefing, then laid out a completely different way when we got to it, so we got a bollocking for not knowing what we were doing Each time we went to go out we were held for ages, so tyre warmers were completely useless for anyone who had them.
The only good thing about the day was that the instructor I used was very helpful. In the future I'll stick to conventional days, cheaper, just as much fun and no faffing about!

[Jon]

Is he going to get rid of the 2 x £15.00 as well?

[Rattler]

I don't necessarily agree with these findings.

I felt the recent Pace day I went on was well organised a had very, very few stoppages.

You do have to pay for hiring of a transponder (although i used the one I already have) and the timings are available within 24 hrs on the ESS site which I didn't have to apy to join (although they are suggesting that you may need to join a club in the future).

I didn't sense any undue delays in getting out on track, if there were, this was due to staggering the field as they left to go onto the track.

As many may know, I have been critical of one of the ESS Sports Days in the past and will attend a Sports Day later this month (offered free by the ESS) to reassess this. (Tony has admitted partial blame for the shortcomings) - I will report my findings back on here of course.

But back to the Pace day - it is in fact a very well organised track day - all seven sessions were full sessions, apart from a serious accident that required the helicopter !!!- hope all's OK!! - I for one enjoy being able to get accurate track times from a website after the event. If these times were available sooner it may be better, but by noting down any changes you make either to your style or bike and in what session you tried these, you can get a feel for how well you're doing.

The ESS's intention is to create a membership card that indicates the individuals riding ability and may negate the need to attend briefings etc..

It seems that the ESS is trying a different formula to both differentiate themselves and to gain customer loyalty - I don't think they have got it all right yet, but we the consumer can provide feedback to the ESS.

I'm not saying that the ThrottleMonkey's findings were wrong, just that mine were different to those - anyone else been on a PACE day?

Tim

[Edited on 13-5-2005 by Rattler]

Originally posted by Jon
Is he going to get rid of the 2 x £15.00 as well?

Like Weeksey said, first time to Cadders and a number of problems did present themselves, this is a new product (unlike track days) and each circuit has to be approached differently and on this occasion we got it wrong (I suspect we will have other problems at other new circuits as well). Next time we will change it to resolve these. This event was not a good representation of PACE but by the time we have done Cadders a few times I am sure we will iron the problems out specific to that circuit. (Or we won’t use it again).

We hire the transponders for £10.00 to cover there possible loss or damage (£220 each to replace), the other five pounds was for the bracket which you could keep, if you didn't want to buy the bracket then you were loaned one. It also says you do not have to pay £10.00 if you bring a £200.00 cash deposit which is returned when the transponder is handed back (we can’t do credit cards at Cadwell as there is no signal for the machine) or bring your own, so you were given a choice, you didn’t have to pay ten pounds and you didn’t have to buy the bracket.

The purpose of the membership is not £15.00 to get your lap times, it is £15.00 to become a member of the club (for a calendar year) of which one of the benefits is seeing your lap times + the bonus of no safety briefings, cheap Pirelli tyres, discounts on events and trade prices on goods from our sponsors). If you bought just one set of Pirelli tyres you will have saved 3 times the membership fee and new sponsors are joining as we speak. (Brake pads have just come at less 35% from list and full titanium systems for £750.00). Like I said at the briefing, we are not trying to get fifteen quid out of you for the sake of it.

Sorry you didn’t like it.

[Jon]

I wasn't there Tony. This was a posting made by a young lady that did.
I think it was the fact that the additional costs was not made clear enough at the beginning. I am also aware that a celebrity/'s was also to attend, but was not present. This also soured the day somewhat.

Originally posted by Jon
I wasn't there Tony. This was a posting made by a young lady that did.
I think it was the fact that the additional costs was not made clear enough at the beginning. I am also aware that a celebrity/'s was also to attend, but was not present. This also soured the day somewhat.

I think this lady needs to read her paperwork. Everyone had the transponder cost in their paperwork and were told again in the briefing. There was no celeb booked or advertised for this event so I guess she must have read the dates wrong too.

[Bungi]

having recently had my only PACE day experiance at Brands recently I was a bit miffed about the transponder hire thing, i booked the day before and no one told me id have to pay any extra,!!

the bigger beef i have is that the sessions are supposed ( advertised) to be 25 mins, as i like to atke a few laps to get the tyres right up to temp before enjoying myself, i found this an attractive point, however th sessions were only 20 mins long and there were still only five of em. result = Bungi lost out on 25 mins track time, he thought he paid for???

apart from that , i enjoyed small groups and a well run day, with no stoppages largely due to the extra marshalling provided.

i have sent an email to ESS re the issues i have and will let you know their response????

[Bungi]

Prompt response from Tony at ESS,

My comments taken seriously, Outcome I will be happy to book another event in the future .

[Rattler]

Originally posted by weeksy

i'm supposed to be out on track with him soon too, might try and nick some of his ability while out there

You'd better have big hands!!!!

[andyb]

Well ive booked (on 10.5.05) for the 24th at Silverstone cost £210 online.
I havnt really got off on the right foot as ive just looked at their website, and the price is now £169!!

I emailed ESS asking if this was the correct price and Tonys' reply was, yes its correct, a special offer form MCN!