Donny - Virtual Lap info please?
 

All,

Just booked Tue eve. at Donny for a first time visit, any of you 'race legends' want to talk me round in my head before hand.

Obviously a great opportunity to take the **** and use your comedic? skills, but try to resist.....this is serious.

At least I will be getting more than a 10 minute qualifying/warm up before the racing.....

Top 10 or bust......

Yep, tape up the throttle full on and ride her on the kill switch!!!! ;)

In the spirit of actually trying to help!:

Redgate is way slower than you think, brake hard at the end of the blue cross-hatching by the pit exit, turn in later than you think. On, or just after, the apex gas on, run right to the small curb then hard left to hold the left side into the old hairpin. Full throttle from just before the apex all the way up the hill, down one for Macleans, hold the same gear all the way to Coppice (?), turn before the brow and power on all the way to the chicane. Down two, don't run wide, gas on after the first apex.

What Phil says is bang on, get Redgate right and the rest just flows.

Cheers,

Ali

......and don't forget to breathe!!!!! ;)

just goes to show how much lower my corner speed is..............................down 2 for mcleans and down 3 for the chicane!




[Edited on 8-8-2005 by dickieducati]

Dickie you've got a 6 speed box though, it might be different for you.

I'm down two into the chicane as well.

Nah, I'm just happy going round at 3,000rpm! Actually, I can't really remember how many I go down for the chicance, but I know it should be two. I seem to remember going down three on a couple of occaisions, but it was probably to avoid running into the back of someone.

Just out of interest, can someone please confirm that the MCN guide is off it's head when it says you should be braking after the GP circuit Melbourne Loop section for the chicane? I tried a couple of times but found I'd run wide if I braked any later than halfway across the gap where the GP circuit hangs a left.... :o

Cheers,

Ali

Nah, I couldn't brake that late ... I'm a little way before that.

yeah i brake WAY earlier , but then i'm **** at braking.

i was braking so early i even had people coming past me from the next track session ! :lol::lol::lol:

There's a rumble strip on the right hand side of the track as you come down into the chicane, I'm still pushing mine back but I'm getting towards the end of that. Which finishes a little way before the section that heads off to the Melbourne Loop.

Is anyone holding it completely flat from Redgate all the way down to the old hair pin? Once I've picked up the apex of Redgate I'm on the throttle and grabbing gears all the way down but the change of direction to the left is difficult to turn the bike. I'm finding that if I roll off the throttle a little bit (about a third) it weights the front and lets me turn it easier. Then I'm straight back on. Might try counter-steering a bit harder through there with the throttle pinned ...

i was trying to improve my braking into the chicane and really feel i was just about on my limit. had great fun with a gsxr1000 overtaking them on and through the bends. then watching them disappear like i was standing still on the straights. they actually came over at the end of the session to apologise for undoing all my hard work after each bend!

My braking point for the chicaine was right on the turn for melborne loop. Braked a bit after that once and it didn't exactly work (ask Ant!).

TP, I can hold it on the stop all the way through Hollywood and Craner if I get the right line, otherwise I have to back it off a bit just like you say.

Hope it rains... should be fun!

any advise on the approach to the old hairpin then lads...........the line in braking point etc..............AND for the approach! line! braking point for MaCleans and coppice......

cheers

Phil

Keep on the left for Old Hairpin and don't turn in too early else you won't be able to get on the gas early enough and lose a bag full of time running up the hill. You can see all the way through the corner so it's not too difficult to get right.
Put the brakes on when your leathers start turning brown!

McCleans is uphill so you don't need a lot of braking for it.
Again, stay hard left coming up the hill. Not sure about a braking point cos there wasn't much in the way of markings on the approach.

thanks nic

Macleans is blind right..just over the crest in turns .?

McLeans wasn't blind, Coppice is blind. I go back a gear for McLeans and turn in as far from the left as you can and just get on the throttle and stand it up as soon as you can. Keep it nailed up to Coppice, I'm actually hitting the limiter there but it's a waste of time to go up a gear only to drop it straight away to enter coppice.

Coppice you chuck it in hard, about a foot outside the apex and really nail it. I'm wide open from the moment it's on its side through to hitting the brakes for the chicane. Just keep grabbing gears and try not to slide too much.

you're great!

no idea why but coppice was claiming the vast majority of the bikes on our trackday. at least 10 i'd say.

Eh?

Only trying to help ... I should be studying anyway ...

[Edited on 8-8-2005 by TP]

There was loads of kitty litter there on our TD resulting in much rectal clenching. :o

If your front end isn't sorted that where you'll find out....

Front end sorted..what do you mean Ali.?

i know. and in theory it sounds good. but just way too advanced for mere mid pack cannon fodder like myself!

So....
 

...what sort of lap times should I be looking at then? Got track day this week (National) Never been on Donny before - First time on a track on a joocatee too

Lap times? The DD bikes were getting round in 1:24 - 1:28, but some were not showing all their cards ;)

First time at the circuit you'll be doing good to get low 1:30's to start with, but if the bike in your avatar be yours then you might be low 1:20's by close of play.

All depends on how good you are really - do you have times from other tracks for comparison?

I'm not telling how I got round, but it's about a second slower than what Geoff did :P







...and about 3 seconds slower on race day :(

Complete lap of Donington Park National Circuit in a Lotus 340R...

11mb MPEG

...and the lines used are pretty much spot on too.

...and it's a 1'27s lap, so it's accurate ish to us :D

[Edited on 8-8-2005 by domski]

There are verious lines down craner curves, my favorite is to keep it tight to the righthand side. This means that peeps have got to go around you and risk running wide for the left kink. I prefer to start my turn in for the old hairpin 2/3rds the way along the curbing. Its off chamber at this point so wait until you you have turned the bike before gassing hard. Allow the bike to drift out left and the sweep back for the first part of the double apex left. You should have shortshifted by this time. If you have'nt ! its too late because you will be cranked hard over and making it very difficult to change gear. Drift right out to the righthand side of the track between the apexs, this will enable you to miss the bumps. Keep the power full on until you have passed the 2nd apex. Pick the bike up once you have meet the 2nd apex and then its a matter of how much speed and how good you are on the brakes. I use no more than a 3rd of the circuit from the righthand side from the 2nd apex. Again this means that peeps will have to go around you or make it difficult for themselves to go under you and make Mcleans. I drop down 2 for mcleans, hug the curb and wind on the gas progressively. Up 1 more and then back again. Turn into coppice before you see the apex. Allow the bike to run wide, pick up and start gassing it. You should be at full throttle by the time you meet the exit. I'm crap at braking but I will keep the bike tight to the righthand side for the entry into the esses. As soon has I've turned the bike for the left hander I'm winding on the gas. Braking for redgate is anything from the end of the pit wall to the start of the blue crosshatch, don't be tempted to turn in too late or too early. A good reference point is the join between the pit exit and the circuit. ( far side) Apex is late there is a serviceroad to your right. meet it at mid way. Don't be tempted to drift out too far to the left when exiting redgate, if you are having to go out that far, you entry is too hot and you are not able to get on the gas early enough. If you get it right you can get on the power just before the apex giving you plenty of time to get on the gas and short shift to hollywood.

[Edited on 8-8-2005 by Jon]

Jesus Jon, can you do that again - but in English :lol:

I'm confused already and I was there on Tuesday :D

;)

Where did you steal that lot from?

It can't be yours, 'cause you missed the part where you

"go in too hot, brake poorly, miss the apex, hit the grass and pick it up quickly from the gravel!!!" ;)

I wasn't gunna do this, but I should be fast enough or I need shooting - Here's a 1.24 lap with Dumski...

This is based on Snett Gearing less one on the back sprocket (58-60bhp, 5 speed)

Redgate is all important!!!!!!

I start braking at the end of the blue triangle at end of pit lane, down 2 gears.

Wait until you're just about to take to the gravel before turning in. It's a late apex (use the end of the rumble strip on the inside of the turn as your apex).

Up to top gear through Hollywood, and flat all the way down Craner (takes bottle, but easy once you've done it - like bungee jumping... which I haven't done yet)

Back 2 gears for the old hairpin, and I'm on the gas again pretty much as I turn in. You need to nail this turn in order to get the drive up the hill. It loads the front a lot through there and takes bottle to go through it quickly.

Up to 4th before apexing Spitfires kink, and just the other side grab top gear.

Flat out though Schwantz (bit of a bottler) and stay left. You need to get the bike upright to brake quite hard for Mcleans (if you've carried the speed) back 2 gears for Mcleans.

Up to 4th gear on run to Coppice.

Then back again to 3rd just before you tip in.

Coppice is a blind entry and you have to turn before you hit the top of the rise. It's bloody wide on the exit and you can get fully on the gas once you've turned over the rise (you won't think you can, but it's soooo wide) You'll grab another gear (4th) about 3/4 the way around, and then top gear before the bridge.

Use the building on the left for brake markers, until you're braking past it, and then I used the rumble strip on the right hand side (You'll be on the left!)

Back 2 gears (3rd) for the Esses, and you can get hard on the gas once you've apexed the first right hander, and drive right out to the rumble strip after apexing the left turn.

The rumble strips are pretty flat at Donny, so you can use em all ;)

Now, nobody has read this - right!!!

I've gone flat through Craner - It's the jumping off a crane with my legs tied together that I haven't done.


It was back one gear on Tuesday, but I've changed the gearing now, so I'm guessing that this will be correct.

Thanks all,

With all this info, it should be just fine.............

Track eve tommorow, so I'll let you know.

Cheers.

Who's gunna own up?

We're pulling your leg Chris.... You need to turn left at Redgate :lol:

Dom don't you find turning into redgate so late encourages other riders to shoot up the inside and park it!!!!

The old hairpin is off camber on the entry, getting on the power too early can cause the front to wash away.


You say stay left between the two apex's on Shwantz curve ?
Surely you mean right ?

No!!!! This is a new me;)

There is only one apex at Schwantz corner.

After the apex you need to run along the left hand rumble strip and stay left, to give you the racing line into Mcleans.



Are you confusing Starkey's Bridge corner for part 1 of Schwantz?

:)

[Edited on 8-8-2005 by domski]

Dunno yet :D No-one stuffed me there on Tuesday. I may turn sooner on race day though ;)


Yep, I hate the old hairpin, it's too fast and too off camber - at least thats what your brain says. I'm sure you can carry waaaaay more speed through there than any of us are at the moment, but it's a bottler.

I found getting on the gas on the way in just settled the bike a bit. We're not talking full throttle, but just enough ;)

I think we are both confused.

Schwantz curve run from just past starkys bridge 1st apex and then onto the 2nd apex.:smug:

[Edited on 8-8-2005 by Jon]

Dom that maps donkeys years old, get a new one.;)

all this talk about race lines n stuff has got me really concerned...serious i had a knot in my stomach reading all this....

I and others im sure wish they had gone on a track day before the race.....damn this no free practise an no SoT.... :mad: