Our time at Mallala

[XsaraVTS]

Friday consisted of a High Performance driver training day put on by the John Bowe Institute of Driving. It was attended by myself (Citroen Xsara Coupe VTS) and Gti138 (Peugeot 206 Gti). Surrounded by a field of high performance vehicles ranging from Porsche 911 GT3's to the locally made FPV GT - we were in good company. Fast company.

But the track was known for being hard on the brakes. Bloody hard. With both of us froggers running EBC Greenstuff we made the most of the braking points. Infact, so much so that a lot of the time we made on the barges was deep deep under brakes.

Gti and I ran 1:30's. This put us ahead of 2 FPV GT's. I'm sure Gti will have a little more to say


Saturday was just an open track day, consisting of 5 * 15minute sessions. Four froggers competed with Gti138 sitting out wishing he had more tread on his tyres. There was the Xsara VTS, Gti180, 205 Mi16, 205 GTi. With the exception of the 205 GTi (perhaps a little too underpowered) the other 3 cars were very closely matched for three completely different platforms.

I was also competitive (when i strung together some corners ) with a '87 RX-7, '84 Porsche 911 Carrera and some Gemini running an Isuzu turbo. But some of that may have been the drivers.

An absolutely excellent weekend. I am all motorsported out.

-Q.

 

[pugsy]

Ha, ha underpowered, I need a big fat turbo or some PeterT mods, or a wiser choice would be driving training and some track tyres. Had heaps of fun out there but the fourth session I reckon I would have improved my times heaps, bit embarrasing being beaten by a Silvia could keep up with him no probs through the corners but on the straights he would pull away.

When I got home the brake pad light was still glowing, so let the car cool down and popped off the front wheels and checked the pads which were fine, so not too sure why the light was coming on, once the car cooled down the light went off

Did Michael (GTI 138) take some photos?

 

[XsaraVTS]

I hope you dont mind me quoting your car as underpowered as i dont like upsetting people. But yes, some slicks and a little driver training will have you braking and cornering to the best of the cars abilities. For instance, at turn 3 a lot of people are talking about braking at marker 1 - I am not mashing the pedal until the pits have completely merged.

By the 5th session the car was still holding up strong - and i had improved considerably. I was able to get the hazard lights flashing on every corner indicating i had reached maximum braking potential and then rolling the foot to keep the ABS in the sweet zone and not upsetting the cars balance letting me set up the corner brilliantly. I was scaring the shit outta people going up the inside at a ridiculous pace yet slowing it enough to keep the inside line. The poor Isuzu Turbo guy. I was all over the back of him through the S's coming onto the back straight and twice he hit the rumble strips and the back shot out. I also pressured the orange RX3 at turn 1 and he went sliding infield. heheh.

Mallala is the best track. So open. For a FWD I dont think you can even crash at the S's.

I hope Michael replies with a few pictures. I wanna see how unsettling turn 1 is on a frog stock vehicle.

-Q.

PS. For the 1300+ kilo VTS some weight reduction would not go astray.

 

[gti138]

Well firstly I took photos - but they are on LeighO's camera so I'm hoping he'll post some soon!

I have one thing to say about my performance on Friday - Give me semi-slicks!

I had a real blast on Friday and was regretting my lack of tyres for not running on Saturday. Was great to see lots of puggies out there holding their own on the track (oh and a cit too!). Next time with a bit of luck we'll get a couple more out on the track and have a good run.

I went out Saturday night and was talking to a mate who runs a MG around there he was most disappointed that I was 8 seconds quicker than him there. And he's been trying for 4 years!

All up my best time was a 1:30.79 after starting out at a 1:34.12. Certainly shows the results of having some expert instruction and practice.

I cant wait to go again!

 

[pugsy]

I hope you dont mind me quoting your car as underpowered as i dont like upsetting people.

Naah! That's cool :roflmao: The first few sessions just wanted to get a feel for it and then build up, my fourth session was the best, what driver training courses have you done? Had a blast out there, the S's were the best part of the track, i reckon with some decent tyres could easily pick up some more time. But as it was my first time on a race track i am pretty pleased with how I went.

The body roll award for the day i reckon went to the Alfa. The tail happy award is a toss up between the RX7 and the Porsche and the di**head award goes to the bloke in the Falcon for his overtaking move on the cool down lap

 

[gti138]

Over the years I've done a "drive to survive" course which is a basic - swerve and recover type course, a drive day with the John Bowe Institute of driving that was a Ford Drive day. Got to drive everything from the Focus ST170 through to the GTP Falcon. Also did one when I got my license with the RAA that was done on public roads.

Then Friday I did the High Performance Course with Quentin. This was also done with the John Bowe Driving school (www.johnbowedriving.com) Well worth it to get the instruction and how to take the correct lines, braking etc

 

[XsaraVTS]

The only 2 courses i have done are : "Drive to Live" put on by the highly respected Tony Hastings and the "JB Institute of Driving". It was my first weekend on a race track - and is quite a bit different to my second passion - PC racing simulators. The seat of the pants action - the g'forces - the seat belt crushing you under brakes - having to brace myself against the door coming out of turn 2 - and the sore calf due to it being mashed against the centre console when my foot was not on the clutch.

I agree whole-heartedly with your awards. The 3.3 Alfa Boxer was pretty topsy turvy. Tail happy was probably more the RX-7 than the porsche and yes that blue Falcon... damn i cant believe he nearly took out the porsche on the cool down lap. What a tosser.

Yeah, cannot wait for LeighO to post some pix.

 

[pugsy]

Sounds like the JB courses are the way to go, have to start saving up, cheers guys :banana:

 

[Cal]

and then rolling the foot to keep the ABS in the sweet zone and not upsetting the cars balance letting me set up the corner brilliantly.

You might want to think about disconnecting the ABS on the track. I would not dream of running my Mi16 on the track with the ABS turned on.

Cal.

 

[Cal]

quite a bit different to my second passion - PC racing simulators.

Hello, you don't hear that around here every day. I've been racing GPL on line for about 5 years. Also the Nascar 2003 mods, particularly Trans Am and the new Ferrari 330 P4 mod released the other week. What are you driving?

Cal.

 

[XsaraVTS]

I haven't raced on-line... but I am one of several people who run a LAN Party here in Adelaide with a healthy interest in Racing games. I loved GPL and NL but haven't played them for a long time. More recently i have been playing dumbed down games awaiting the arrival of the best SIM in the world :

GTR - FIA GT Racing Championship

so much so that i have even built a full hyperstimulator cockpit with fibreglass seat. I had access to the press handling demo about 5-6 months ago and absoluely loved it. Now they have released the official demo with AI cars - so i might have to get it and see how it has improved.


But why disconnect the ABS. For a beginner like me it is going to prevent flat spots, accidents etc. at the cost of what ? You can still keep the car in the sweet zone by rolling off the brake a little.

 

[Cal]

I bought the Historic Ferrari Hyper back in 2001. I've played the GTR demo and am looking forward to the release of the full version.

With regard to the ABS, I think it seriously impedes fast driving on the track. I have not however driven a Xsara. The Mi16 system is quite an old Bosch system. Maybe the latest one on the VTS is better. The Mi16 lifts rear inside wheels all the time too, so the ABS starts activating when you don't want it to. I reckon it's worth about 3 seconds a lap around Morgan Park.

Cal.

 

[gti138]

I haven't raced on-line... but I am one of several people who run a LAN Party here in Adelaide with a healthy interest in Racing games. I loved GPL and NL but haven't played them for a long time. More recently i have been playing dumbed down games awaiting the arrival of the best SIM in the world :

GTR - FIA GT Racing Championship

so much so that i have even built a full hyperstimulator cockpit with fibreglass seat. I had access to the press handling demo about 5-6 months ago and absoluely loved it. Now they have released the official demo with AI cars - so i might have to get it and see how it has improved.

Hmmm you do LAN's purely for racing sim's? Sounds like I might have to come along one of these days I'm still hooked on GP 4 and Colin Mcrae 4 - although have played the online demo of 5 and it looks good to me

 

[XsaraVTS]

got my "course evaluation" today. A basic run down of the timed laps and a few pointers.

My initial lap time was 1:34.60
Improved lap time of 1:30.62

Apparently i still have to work on my braking confidence (harder and later), downshifting and remembering to drive with 2 hands

Dean says that he was surprised by how well the car went ("I didn't know what to expect from a Citreon") and looks forward to seeing me "continue the battle with the peugeot"

4 seconds in one day. If only it was that easy to improve another 4...

 

[gti138]

Got mine yesterday as well... Said I showed good speed and consistency at the end of the day - If a little too much exhuberance (must be refering to my spin on the last timed lap!!) and of course - will benefit from more track time.

My first laptime was 1:34.12 - through to a 1:30.79. Im sure I was on a fast one when I spun - *sigh* I'll just have to go back out on the track with a stopwatch to see

 

[911s]

Ah! Just as I thought- the GTI is a hairdressers car! Having driven 100s of laps of Mallala in the trusty Porker we took a mates well run in 172 out there recently with Yokohama A032s fitted. Best time 1.28.26.
On a more serious matter, I think some are getting ABS & EPS mixed up. ABS will reduce your braking distance and can't(i beleive) be turned off - thank goodness! EPS - stability control, can be turned off and yes you will go quicker with it off than on. Mallala is the hardest track in Australia on pads and possibly the world. Audi bring cars to Mallala from the factory purely for brake testing. For those of you without ABS, the only time you will lock a wheel is when you are actually travelling too slow, beleive it or not.

 

[gti138]

Ah! Just as I thought- the GTI is a hairdressers car! Having driven 100s of laps of Mallala in the trusty Porker we took a mates well run in 172 out there recently with Yokohama A032s fitted. Best time 1.28.26.

Ahh the 1:30 was on street tyres (Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D2's) The Xsara's time was on semi-slicks.

I've got to get my hands on some 15" rims and semi-slicks and the race drivers there reckoned that the pug had a 1:28 easily in it Now I've just got to spend the money to find out!

 

[U Turn]

Awesome! Sounds like you guys have got the bug. I'm up for next practise day. Where're the pics???

 

[XsaraVTS]

Where're the pics???

My sentiments exactly... give us some damn pictures


Hmmmm, 1:28.26 by someone who has done "hundreds" of laps of Mallala driving a 172 on Advan032R and thinks it is shit hot eh?

Lets put this in perspective :

Peugeot 206 Gti - 102kW@6000, 194Nm@4100 w/ 1050kg rl6500
Citroen Xsara - 124kW@6500, 196Nm@5500 w/ 1219kg rl7250

Renault Clio - 124kW@6250, 200Nm@5400 w/ 1035kg rl7100

I'd say that if i lost 200kg from my car it'd put the three letters VVT to shame. Next we'd look at gearing...

The Xsara is not happy at many of corners at Mallala due to gearing. Turn 2 - 3rd is gutless, 2nd requires a change mid-exit. Snatch 4th about 150m before turn 3 the hairpin is ok for 2nd. The s's need 2nd but bounce off rev limiter for jamming brake to dip car into the run onto the start/finish line.

So if the 206Gti had Advans and if i could drive properly the Clio would have a good run for its money.