Stowe circuit @ Silverstone
 

I was looking to do level 2 CSS this spring somewhere other than Rocky and see they are doing Silverstone,having looked at Silverstones website the Stowe circuit looks tiny - has any one ridden it and what were your views!
Thanks in advance

Its crap, its flat, its silverstone !
That is the description the marshals have for the place.
I raced there year and the event was great but the track was really crap. Its an F1 motorway, not a bike circuit.

I agree with Phils description-however-if you are doing CSS this is not such a bad thing as you will be(should be......) concentrating on the drills not the track-it's a school not a trackday.

John

I see what you mean Bazzer.

Thought about Silverstone myself as it is closer to home that Rocky...but after looking on the web, Stowe ciruit looks tiny...0.7 of a mile per lap with 5 corners.

Thats not even as far as my local tescos car park!!!

Guess its Rocky again for me.

Is the stowe circuit the same as the national?

I did CSS there last year (level 1) and really enjoyed, I preferred that to Rocky personally, last time I looked on the CSS site all the dates for 2005 were at Rocky, so not booked level 2 etc yet, but if there are SS dates, I may well be tempted

Gents, I found this map which shows Stowe circuit being in the middle of the GP section?

I was there for my CSS level 1 with Freak on the national which goes down the main straight, through the Copse right hander, into Maggot's curve which for the national turns into a right hander leading down Club Straight, into the Brooklands left hander and here's where the map is good for cars but not bikes. Instead of continuing through to Luffield there is an entry to a chicane before Luffield for the bikes and it brings you out right in the middle of Woodcote corner and then onto the straight.

I've done the full GP circuit and the national but never the Stowe circuit. If that is truly Stowe in the middle then it doesn't look overly interesting! I'd rather go to Rocky, and I crashed there on my level 2!!

That is indeed the Stowe Circuit shown in the middle down there - it's flat and featureless and as far as I remember, is used mainly for the Silverstone Racing School and things like that and occasional testing - think the plan being that it's available for testing even when there's an event on using either the national or international circuits.

I can't believe CSS would book Stowe. It's not really a circuit and certainly useless for bikes unless you're practicing braking. I've done it twice on corporate car days in a single seater. You wouldn't get out of second gear. I would suggest you check direct with CSS. If it is Stowe, personally, I'd give it a wide berth and go to one of their other dates. It must be the National surely?

WeeJohnyB

Looking at that map, if it is stowe I won't be going there...

Hi Guys,

Well it's 11 turns are there are 2 new chicanes that run along the long straight. Also, unlike any other track in the UK you can reverse it.

As a cornering school it's the corner that matter!

However, honest as I am, the ever increasing costs of Brands et al means you will see the CSS at more circuits like this to keep the price of the school as low as possible and still offer the same expert tution and service.

Thank you for your feedback, it's always welcome

Andy

Hi Andy,
I got a recent email from CSS saying you are using the Nat circuit as opposed to Stowe at Silverstone is this correct?
Cheers

Hi Bazzer,

No M8, definately Stowe. The price of the National is too much for us now... :(

To those who went on the Stowe circuit last week what did you think of it?
I know the benefits of CSS and want to do another but a little concerned that the layout would be too small.
Your comments would be appreciated.

Bazzer - I did level 1 this week.

As Andy Ibbott says, they are teaching cornering principles rather than hosting a track day, and I found it fine for that level, very useful and enjoyable. The 'Esses' end of the track is better than the other end. Although it would be nice to have some higher speed bends, I never felt that the learning process was compromised.

There were quite a few Level 3/4 guys, who were going seriously quick even if they never used more than 4th gear.

I don't know how level 2 would be for you, but those doing it seemed happy.

I`ve done it, Anti clockwise , 5 lefts and 1 right.

I though it was small, but its great fun if you get it right.

I was riding a bike with 125 bhp and never got out of 3rd and loved every minute.:D

I did level 2 there on Wednesday, mostly left handers, and it was FAB!

See previous posts on this Track Day part of this DSC site from RedRuth and myself if you want more info.

Tim