WooHoo - First Donnington TD - DONE - RESPONSE

[Iconic944ss]

Yep - finally doing Donny GP - Tuesday 27 Sept - full noise with Hottrax organisers.

Only novice places were left (14 ! still available) which is ok by me as I've never ridden Donny before so, I guess its time for some advise please.....what to watch out for???

Craner curves?
Coppice??

Plenty of TD's under my belt now so not worried getting in anyones way but a few pointers are always nice.

ANyone done a a day with Hottrax at Donny by any chance?
Overnight camping availability?
Any chance of getting a garage without having to arrive at 5am - LOL.

Cheers - Frank

A good excuse to play WSB on the PC for a few days anyway ;)

[Edited on 3-10-2005 by Iconic944ss]

[dickieducati]

its fcuking slippery in the wet.

[JPM]

Garages should be OK, you might end up at the far end, but hey your still in a garage.

For me there's only 2 places that leap out at you, one being Redgate and the other being Coppice (blind entry/tip in) the esses aren't great but you can see them from miles away.

I prefer the national circuit over the GP but you won't be dissapointed.

As for camping I'm sure you can just outside the circuit, but you'd better check with the TDO, as for Hottrax I've never had an issue with them to be honest.

If you like fast flowing tracks you're at the right place, one of my faves, craner is awesome :)

[Bungi]

last time i went they wouldnt let you on site to camp, but there wasnt too much problem getting a garage .

the track flows very nicely down throgh swanzt ect.

i dont know if its just me but if your out in the first session of the day take it easy, it seemed quite slippery although it was dry, was fine by my second session there, i ve since heard this may be due to the curcuit being on the approach to the airport :o


excellent track loads of run off, etc have a good day:D

[NBs996]

Frank,

From my perspective:

Be prepared to grin!

For me Craner was so scary I was laughing all the way down just to take my mind off filling my pants! But there's loads of width and not much chance of getting it wrong unless you're really on the case.

Coppice is great, you turn before you see it. Once you get this sorted it's just so satisfying and you can carry a bag load of speed onto the Dunlop straight.

Take lots of petrol... it's a throttle-happy track and it'll suck your tank dry in no time. I got through about 20 litres in 4 sessions in the monster.

It's slippy when wet.

I stayed in the Holiday Inn at the airport, but some were allowed to camp overnight in the garages. Dom and TP might be ones to ask about how they blagged that.

Never used Hottrax. No reason, just never have so can't pass opinion on them.

[Scotty Monster]

is there fuel available at the track ? , i 'have to' go there on 4th oct

[domski]

Originally posted by dickieducati
its fcuking slippery in the wet.

:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

...that's precisely what I was gunna say when I saw the topic title :D

:o

[NBs996]

Originally posted by Scotty Moc
is there fuel available at the track ? , i 'have to' go there on 4th oct

There's pumps at the track and they were open when I was there. Don't know how much it was tho.

If not open then there's a pertol station about 2 miles away at the M1 junction with the traditional Motorway Services price tag!

[Jon]

Originally posted by NBs996
Originally posted by Scotty Moc
is there fuel available at the track ? , i 'have to' go there on 4th oct

There's pumps at the track and they were open when I was there. Don't know how much it was tho.

If not open then there's a pertol station about 2 miles away at the M1 junction with the traditional Motorway Services price tag!

Take it with you or be prepared to be fleeced

[Iconic944ss]

Thanks for the advise guys, I'm pretty in the groove these days with gas - I tend to fill the bike pretty full as the first couple of sessions are always a bit of coming back 'up to speed' (for me anyways).

I also take 2 x 5L gas cans and always come back home with a little gas to spare (dont like to leave too much of the stuff standing around both from a safety and deterioration point of view).

Guess I need to get my rug out and pray to the TD gods to have a word with Solaris :)

Cheers - Frank

[keith888]

Did a track day at Doni a few weeks ago. Security let us camp just inside the paddock entrance (even some that turned up later at 12.00pm). Even if they don't let you through the gates you can camp on the grass outside the gates. Worth trying to get though as there is a toilet block there and you can pinch a garage early and walk the track when you've had a few beers. Be prepared to fill your pants at least once during the night as those cargo planes are LOUD. That was my first time at Doni and its a fabulous circuit (especially Craner).

Keith

Keith

[phoenix n max]

Love Donington myself. I'll be spending more time there.
Don't like the full bit with the loop in it as it spoils the flow for me but the rest is great.
Redgate can be tricky as can Coppice (blind entry but plenty of space to run a bit wide) but the rest is whoohooo! (except in the wet).
Enjoy :)

[Clippy]

Redgate - turn in late to give yourself plenty of room on the exit
Hollywood - not much to say really
Craner - heeheeheeheeheehee!
Old Hairpin - faster than you might think as it's not a hairpin, but THE MOST SLIPPERY place in the wet (just ask Max Biaggi)
Starkey's/Schwantz - get it over and get it nailed
McCleans - turn in late - loads of people run out of room on the exit
Coppice - turn in as you approach the crest and aim for the first apex (even though you can't see it when you're turning in) then drift out and cut back in for the second apex and fire it down the back straight
Foggy's Esses - a chicane - not too bad though - nothing as nasty as Silverstone
Melborne Loop - blurgh :barfy: warped 2 sets of discs breaking into the hairpin - not my favourite...
Goddards - a bit like the Loop but in reverse - turn in late and fire it up the left of the start/finish straight - you'll get under/inside a few riders each lap as many turn in early and run wide here too.

All the above should be read bearing in mind that I'm hardly blisteringly quick (but I have done Donington 5 times so it's kind of getting to be familiar now).

Have fun - IMHO it's the best track for bikes in the UK...

Giles

[deej]

i'll be there on the 26th but wont be able to get to a pc to report on it before you leave for donny, its a awesome track and you should be able to camp just outside the main gates,garages shouldnt be a big problem then

[Iconic944ss]

Donnington Park Trackday – Tuesday 27th September - HOTTRAX

I must admit I had reservations about going to an ordinary trackday on my own, when my usual comrades couldn’t make the midweek event. Things were not made any easier on the day after finding out that the brake lights on my trailer had failed due to a poor quality socket connection, the cause being that some of the pins had pushed too far into the socket (cured by zip tying a plastic ring behind the pins). Start delayed meant I had to drive non-stop to Donnington to get there before 7pm; otherwise I’d be putting up my newly acquired tent in the dark. The security guard laughed when I asked if there was much room left for camping, “loads, mate! There’s only you”, was the reply I didn’t really want to hear.

Following the road right around to the Coppice area did indeed reveal that there was not only nobody else in sight but, no toilets either. Thankfully, there was a concrete wall on the entry to area so I decided to make a wind break with my car and quickly put up my tent and started to settle in for the night.

I don’t think I need to go much further with the camping theme apart from the one small item I was advised about but chose to ignore –EAST MIDLANDS AIRPORT!!!
At one point I timed the separation between aircraft take-off’s at six minutes – very impressive considering most of them appeared to be 757’s, to my ears anyway!

Needless to say, I had the first car to turn up at the security gate at 7am the next morning. Surprisingly, there were still a lot of vans and equipment left over from the previous day’s trackday and the BSB round from the weekend. So, although the garages were all available, not all of them were easily accessible for anyone with a van or trailer. Bike and basic equipment unloaded, I had signed on by 7:30 and decided to take a quick walk around the track for the first time in 17 years!

I was quite surprised at finding various nuts and bolts, cable ties and pieces of plastic on the track but not as much as when the grass cutters came out and started trimming both side of the track! (Thankfully a sweeper truck did come and get rid of the worst over spill – but it didn’t do my confidence much good).

Even walking down into Craner curves felt awe inspiring and walking up the sharp rise into Coppice made me realise that getting around at almost any speed meant being leant right over well before the blind apex appears. I was just starting to get a bit concerned when a bird launched some droppings at me that missed by an inch and splattered on the edge of my shoe! A good luck omen that I would need for later!

I had to cut out the Melbourne loop to make it back in time for the briefing and could not believe how full the paddock and the Diner were by the time I had returned. I was in the novice group which was to be out last, after the fast and inters had cleaned the track for us. The damp track had dried really well and I got my leathers on and went back to the garage to wait for my session to start. Four or five bikes could easily be accommodated in either side of the split garages and I had chance to chat with the guy next to me on a lovely looking Cbr600rr – he was taking the tyre warmers off his slicks and I wondered if there was a fault with them as I had already heard him answer someone else’s question that the ‘Ten Kate’ tuning stickers on his bike WERE for real – I then saw that the group sticker on the bike was the same as mine – novice!!!

Oh no, the ‘fast rider in novice group’ discussion thread flooded right back into my thoughts once more, as I started to get the impression there were some pretty serious equipment in my group. I decided to get right to the very front for our first session anyway and couldn’t believe that when I looked back – I could not see the end of the group, it was that large, a group of more than forty riders easily. The Ducati roll-call was interesting for the group, only three that I could see, a lady on a monster, a 998 and a 999 fila running race bodywork and slicks!

Big mistake number one and I should of learnt from my last TD, is that my little old RF600 feels terrible with a full tank of petrol, which is sadly, exactly how it was as I’d been told about the high petrol prices on site (which was not that bad really at £1.10 / L). The instructor for our group was a bit of a mystery for the first session of a novice group – he disappeared into the distance! Thank goodness I’d walked the track and at least had an idea of where I was going, as I couldn’t see his lines at all. As soon as the three no-overtaking laps were completed I was passed by multiple bikes at the start/finish line, R1’s and Gixers of various sizes being the most popular. I can’t say I enjoyed the first session, as I was tottering around too much and didn’t feel comfortable but at least I was getting a feel for the track.

During the break, I decided to have a word with the lady riding the monster. It was her first bike TD ever, even though she been around Donnington driving a car. She seemed to enjoy the session but was surprised by how fast bikes were overtaking her, which I could easily sympathise with.

Forty minutes almost passes as quickly for me as the track time, once a bit of fruit and drink had been taken on board. Second session felt better as I started mid-pack this time and had someone in front for the first two compulsory steady laps and beyond. I could already see good and bad parts of the track for me, I was running wide out of Redgate but, still managed to have lots of fun down Craner and the old hairpin. Schwantz curve was a bit trickier than I thought with plenty of riders having different lines (including myself) but, at least I found the rumble strip at Macleans easy to aim for. Coppice was just as much of a hoot as I thought it would be and I was pleased to be able to say I was going quickly enough to have the front end go light at the Dunlop bridge. After being a bit cautious with a new master brake cylinder (Cheers Chi, it worked great) – I was starting to brake harder and later into the esses and the Loop. The mad dash to Goddards and the finish line were always interesting, especially with two guys battling each other in one session (I dubbed them the naked dudes as they were riding a Fazer 1000 and a Tuono factory) – but they were good and safe.

At the next break a nice lady from the fresh orange photography team came walking around the pit taking some ‘candid’ pictures. She did sadden me a little after telling me they had found a Travel Inn motel a few miles away that only cost £26 for the night and I paid more than that for my one-man tent!!! Third session for the morning ended with a problem appearing on the bike, under acceleration there was an occasional ‘banging’ noise starting that I could actually feel was wrong. I check the rear tyre and the back end generally and couldn’t see anything amiss. The last session before the dinner break was probably the one I enjoyed most as the fuel load was getting lighter and I was able to work on the poor areas of the track for me and improve a little. The only marginal move by anyone on me the whole day was on this session, a guy on a track bike who didn’t care to wait until after the foggy esses decided to overtake me on the outside at the end of Starkys straight, and cut in front of me for the esses. I was a little surprised, more by the fact that it’s the one place I didn’t expect it but, after my last Cadwell experience, it certainly didn’t shock me. Sadly, what did was that the banging noise was much worse this session. I pulled off early and missed the last few minutes of the session. I was convinced it was something to do with the suspension but was surprised to eventually find out that a side plate on one of the chain links had snapped completely through! At least I had an hour and forty minutes to sort it before being back on track again.

Sadly, a scour around the paddock showed that any spare chains had been sold already. There was a Honda dealer reasonably close by but, help was at hand and a big thank you, to the guy running ‘Ladysnoots’ TD bike hire for the day. He had soft and spring links for both 520 and 530 chains and told me to just bring back what I didn’t need. Thankfully, I had my chain riveter with me but of course, things were not going to be that easy. Getting the broken plate and link out while using the garage floor proved to be a nightmare, I’d just to say managed this by the time the inters group were going back out. I realised there was no way I would make it out in time for my next session so, slowed down work and put the chain back on at a leisurely pace. I was starving by this time (2:40pm) and some pasta and a rest was very welcome.

I had time for a quick wash of hands and face before the next session. I must say here that the paddock facilities I saw on the day were terrible, no hot water to be found anywhere, basic toilets in the main block and the one in the blue pointed roof buildings were even worse – for a ‘world-class’ motor facility, its just not acceptable.
(Note: I understand the full block is being rebuilt now, along the start/finish area).

Having missed the first afternoon session, I only managed the final two of the day and took the first one a little gently with a ‘cobbled’ together chain. I decided to start from the back of both sessions and was quite pleased to overtake a few people and only get ‘lapped’ a few times by some really fast guys. I started to wonder what monster lady was making of the day but interestingly, couldn’t find her at all.

What a mixed bag the day had been, the weather had been kind with just a light shower around dinnertime, the wind had blown up to keep the rain off but sadly, continued to get stronger and make riding ‘interesting’ on the fast bits. The speed differential here between my bike and the fast boys was even more noticeable than at Cadwell. There were a few ‘offs’ but certainly the ones I saw in the novice group were only the fault of individual riders with no-one else involved. Many of the riders in my opinion in novice should have been in the inters group with one or two even belonging in fast. If I had been a raw novice, I certainly would have been put off trackdays for life – I wonder if this is the way TD’s will go, as there were many more people turning up in vans and with trailers than there were just turning up on bikes and having a go.

Even though I rate my riding ability somewhere between novice and inters, I’m finding it hard to enjoy my recent TD’s, given that I seem to be being passed by about half of the group, as an estimate. I understand that riding a track should only be about one’s personal goals and experience but I think its difficult when people are constantly blasting by. The one thing I do know is that I enjoyed the two DSC trackdays I’ve done, much more than I have all of the other track events I’ve attended this year! The upshot of this being that I’m seriously thinking of selling my little trackbike, getting my 900ss back on the road and just using my Ducati if I really want to do a trackday and, of course, there’s always plenty of good track bikes to hire as well, if it came down to it…..does anyone hire a 749R out yet !!!

Cheers – Frank.

[Rattler]

Frank - an interesting read.....

I reckon that you should think about getting a cheap Jap thou' to play at Trackdays, it seems that you are getting passed by riders on these bikes and it's putting you off? Or get a nice 998!!!

The straight-line speed jockeys come into their own at fast circuits like Donny.

On a big thou, you can keep pace with these fellas and beat 'em on the twisty bits!!! As a budget track bike, even a newish Jap 600 can play nicely with these fellas, but a Gixxer 1000 K2 (or similar) will see most off!!!

And for circa £2.5-3K its gotta be a decent option - there are loads of bits around for these too.

Good luck
Tim

[HW]

Very enjoyable read. I've probably "done Cadwell" too many times this year and next year it will be time to try a few different ones. Interesting.

I can understand the being a little disheartened about others blasting past all the time. I get that on my 749 on the straights at Cadwell. I get a big grin when I catch (most of) them up on the corners though so that makes up for it.

[Iconic944ss]

Thanks guys, interesting advice - I think I'm gonna go down the route of trying to improve my riding skills.

The Suzuki performance school at Mallory sounds fun:

http://www.raceschool.net/

but I guess really I should be saving for the CSS as it sounds like the only viable option for progression.

(But a thou sounds fun :) )

Frank

[Edited on 3-10-2005 by Iconic944ss]

[Iconic944ss]

LOL - pictures finally available on the 'net: have a laugh.....

http://www.fresh-orange.co.uk/rider.asp?eventid=59&level=Novice&edate=27/09/2005&locationID=3&dir=RF%20Green&groupid=1

Just seen the numbers of riders in each group (if everyone was photographed)....

Novice = 59

Inters - 64

Fast = 59

I know Donny is a big track but blimey...are these 'normal' numbers.

Franko