Big up to Apex
 

Sorry I couldn't be there in the end, just wanted to say a huge well done to Gary and Catherine of apextrackdays.co.uk. When we first spoke in February you were just formulating your ideas on what a good track day should offer - reading the comments on this board it sounds like you structured a great day. Thanks also for offering the DSC such a generous discount. Every good wish for your future success. H

I'll 2nd that, Awesome day really enjoyed it as did Dallas and Kev P.
For me it was nice to be back at Brands for the first time in 5 years and first time on the GP circuit.
Lunch was really enjoyable adding a nice relaxing break to the day.
Big thanks to Gary, Cath and the other family members for a great day out.

Kev

Well done Apex.

Fantastic day, superbly run.

Lucky with the weather too !

I'll fourth it too.

A lot of thought obviously went into the planning. For example, every other trackday I've been on had the novices going out first. This one had the fast group out first so that the novices got a nerve-calming classroom session first.

If you haven't been on a trackday before, Apex seems to me to be a great introduction to it.

Easily the best organised, managed and controlled trackday I've been on. Although the marshalls were very strict, that's down to the circuit (MSV) and not Apex.

Four sessions worked really well, and seemed to result in a lot less stoppages, so more track time in the long run. First time ever I've been on a day and had full sessions throughout.

Sitting in one of the training sessions and covering body position was useful, with some simple tips that really helped.

Brands GP with Apex next year is definitely on my to do list.

You were lucky then with no stoppages, there were quite a few muppets out there (no DSC'ers though I think) we had two sessions stopped on the first lap, but that's nothing to do with Apex that's just idiots on cold tyres :flame:

But it was a great great day, first time ever at Brands so spent quite a while trying to get my head round the track, lots still to learn, as I have said on my previous thread great organisation and big up to Gary and Catherine for probably one of the best organised TD's I've experienced, lots of stuff going on throughout the day and plenty of advise to boot, little things like coming over and saying good-bye and asking how it was just puts the icing on the cake.

That's why I dropped to the group below :)

No idiots in the yellow group, although we did have a stroker lose an exhaust in the session after lunch(got the video to extract of that little incident)

We had a fair few red flags in the fast group but hey ho - it happens.

The overzealous marshalling was the responsibility of MSV and not Apex. Gary and Catherine would have preferred to keep it flowing.

All in all, I got more clear laps then I ever have on a track day and had a good time. It was an excellent day.

I forgot to add that Tony, I got to the front of the group in the fourth session I think and didn't see another bike for 1 maybe 2 laps, it was like my own private test, and also a little unsettling as I was convinced I'd missed the red flags and carried on oblivious

Gary, Catherine and everyone at Apex ..... I salute you .... top top day .....

track day cherry
 

My first track day yesterday at Brands. I was on a 999 in a garage with lots of DSC members. Have sent my membership off today! Really friendly group, thanks for being a sociable bunch.
Only critisim I have of the day was that in the novice group meeting we were told to break for lunch and then go out after - but no-one told the announcers on pit lane so I sat there eating my lucnh whilst at least half the group went off and had a nice empty track.
I'll put it down to expereince and know better next time.
Looking forward to being a part of the club.
kp.

KP,

Welcome, and you are quite well placed for the Kent rideouts as well, keep an eye out for notices from Tom Stack ..... he's the Kent regional organiser, plus you ae just down the road from Lizzie our "Membership Queen" ....

Glad you enjoyed the day ....

Dibs

again big thank you to gary and catherine and family of helpers at apex for a great day ... i thought the lunch and classroom sessions a bonus which made it far better than the average trackday.

speaking to apex afterwards there is a brands indy trackday with them now on thursday 25th of august (was on 30th) and as this is 2 weeks before the brands dd round i think i'll be there.... and will certainly be looking at next year on the gpo circuit.

big thank you also to pietro for organising me and the dsc discount.


:)

oooh 25th August .... mmmmmmmm ... lol

Thanks for the tips Dibs. Are there any meeting arrangements for those going to the GP?
kp

yeah, there will be loads of threads on that coming soon, just keep an eye out .... although a lot of us are going to Cadwell on the Sunday for the club trackday on the Monday ......

I am personally haveing a pre GP lunch at mine before going to Cadders in a van with Mike n Lizzie ....

Fantastic track....very friendly atmosphere....fruit + lunch was a good idea.....all round, a very good day.

PS. Lots of red bikes out on track, but where were the other yellow 749's ?

at the factory being finished ... silly boy ... :frog:

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I thought the red one's were supposed to be faster :puzzled:

Thanks everyone at Apex for a fantastic day.

I have fulfilled a life long ambition to ride the GP instead of riding the Indy and wondering what it was like out on the real Brands Hatch.

I think you ran the day excellently.

I was the one lining up at the front in the blue group (Kamikaze) every session, going out with no traffic and having a ball, can’t thank you enough folks.

I did also realise one other ambition during the day although unintentionally, that being the one hundred miles per hour stoppy after missing my braking point at the end of the start/finish straight just before going in to Paddock. Thankfully this was completed successfully, as the result of it being unsuccessful don’t bear thinking about.

Lovely people with a well run ship good luck in the future.

Ericthered

ha ha ha .. I've done that ... scarey isn't it ....... :o

I liked the included lunch. It makes you take a break which can only be a good thing. Pity they didn't count the number of bikes though ;) I didn't get let out on one session because they were up to the bikes-on-track limit. Still, they were good enough to let me tag onto the last Novice outing as there was space. To be frank, given my 'head' troubles, it was where I belonged anyways :D

O yes :o

Where’s all this traffic then :lol::lol::lol:

bit harsh that Tim.

The stoppages couldn't be helped by Apex but they did try to minimise lunacy by banning overtaking for the first lap (more for the novices).

As far as I could see, anyone that wanted to swap groups was able to (and there were a lot that wanted to do that).

There was a limit to the number of bikes at any one time, as evidenced by Rallye not being allowed out in one of his sessions (made up for by being allowed to join the novice group for the next session).

The quality of the day depends on a whole load of factors. I definitely would not have enjoyed it as much if it had rained properly, or if I got pulled off the track several times as your group did, but I think Apex got all the ingredients right.

Perhaps you could get Jon to walk in front of your bike waving a black flag next time :P

Was I the only guy who didn't get there?

Limits to the number of bikes on track, showing my ignorance here, but surely there is a space if someone doesn't turn up?:)

Not sure it was harsh;
- I did say that the stoppages were not Apex's fault and the no-overtaking is standard on most days.

- Individuals being able to swap groups when they want may not in fact be a good thing (mixed group abilities, but the same group of mates!!).

- limited groups - does Rally's feedback not suggest that they were either overbooked for that particular group or not checking who should be in it?

I don't want to overplay this and will provide no further comment on this, as this is only my opinion.

I was only providing my (I felt balanced) feedback on the day and as a result will not attend a 4 group trackday again. I'd happily use Apex again though. Others can and should, do as they see fit.

Tim

IMHO, I don't think the marshalling was strict enough. The policy was no overtaking for at least one lap. There were a few muppets that blatantly ignored that rule. There might not have been so many red flags early in the sessions if the rule had been enforced with black flags/ warnings, etc.

I enjoyed the day but would rather 3 groups regardless of cost.
the over take rule was a bit lame as by the time I had finished my first lap there were people still coming out on track for there first.
so don't think they were to pleased when I came passed.
Still I enjoyed it and would like to go back and do brands GP again.
Thanks. K

i agree, with a circuit that length, the whole group should be out well before the first riders are coming round to finish their first lap.

I wouldn’t be to hard on the riders that GP overwhelmed, they were not all Muppets it is a track of immense technical difficulty with down hill braking fast entries in to fast corners.
You can’t blame folk for what amounts to a half second laps in concentration and missing a braking point and make them feel like they ruined someone’s day.
Like the guy on the SP2 how jumped up after lowsiding in to Clearways crating a dust cloud that could be seen from Druids, so that they could see he was OK and not red flag the session. I don’t think he should be made to feel bad that one of the best, fastest, and most dangerous corners on the planet got the better of him, do you?
:o:o

Eric, you mean Matboyslim ..... he's a good lad really .......

This happened every session for me, I'd be sitting behind Lily with possibly 1 maybe 2 bikes between us on the first lap out and several track day gods :lol: would come barrelling through 1/2 way round on the first lap, surely this is unsafe as everyone knows the drill, and it would be easy to police on that first lap, by noting what order people went out in or a marshall could spot the overtake and radio it ahead for a black flag?

Does MBS get the muppet award? even though he doesn't ride a Duke?

He stopped my session and I like him a lot. He didn’t get hurt he had a good day and could laugh at his loss. All he was worried about was not stopping the fun. Muppet No. F***ing top bloke yes.
The girl in the garage next to me Fisety Racing same bend in the fast group lovely lady hope she doesn’t feel like she put anyone out.
:sniff:

and lets be honest .. didn't help that we had the likes of Jon punting people off at Druids, my poor mate Tazzie (also Feisty Racing):frog:

Edited as i forgot the smiley .......

[Edited on 5-7-2005 by DIBBLE]

Yeah - the bloke gets a 600 and all of a sudden thinks he's an axe murderer!

:lol: ;)

*CAVEAT* No Jon's were harmed in the making of this joke *CAVEAT*

It’s a track day, folk fall, sometimes it rains, and sometimes it’s badly run.
I think all things considered this one was the Nut’s.
I will be sticking to Indy rock and the GP track
Thank again.

:D

reading some of the feedback i have to say i think £170 - brands GP curcuit- 15min sessions and even the stopages considered it was excellent value for money.

yes it could have been better, yes id like smaller groups ,yes more track time please, oh and less stopages too,
but hey, id do this again with Apex because it was Value For Money, it gave a more affordable opportunity to sample a great GP curcuit.

for those of us that can take a cheque book approach to life good luck, take your choice of track day provider, im sure apex will have no problem filling your space on the grid.

Many Thanks for what was overall a Great Day

ah, the voice of reason .. was good to cross paths again mate ....

Totally agree. Top value for money & I'd have no hesitation with booking up with Apex again. Even the size of the groups didn't bother me.
The discount offered by Apex to DSC members was very generous & they should be applauded for making a fantastic circuit available at such a great price.

As I said before, my only criticism would be (IMO) the slightly relaxed approach to some circuit rules/ marshalling. This will suit some people, but as I ride my road bike amongst mostly track bikes I'd personally prefer a more heavy handed approach.

I had an excellent day, so thank you Apex.