Queensland Raceway Trackday - 12/4/04

[Cal]

He tried to follow the RX8 through the corner and was too hot. Tail stepped out and he over corrected, sending it into the gravel trap sideways at quite high speed. He said he thought it was going to roll over. I think the weight is down a bit low for that.

Last time I had only had the car a week and just went out for a quick 5 lap feeler. I'm not sure about it's potential. I think 1.03's might be possible, just by being able to get onto the straight and out of the flip flops quicker. I did a few 1.04's in the Sprinter and the MX5 handles a LOT better, so with similar or more power, I reckon it might be on the cards.

Cal.

 

[Billy]

Yeh, was top fun - thanks to brad and the qr crew.

Steve in the black RX8 managed a 1.06.3 in his first run, more 1.06's in the second run untill the little off track excursion - that understandably lowered his enthusiasm for pushing too hard for the rest of the day. The silver RX8 managed a 1.05.9 in the second session. so they were pretty quick and were probably pushing a bit harder than the fezza and porker.

I was pretty happy to get a few into the 9's with my 205. don't think it's up for breaking speed records.

 

[froggy_drew]

froggy_drew, just wondering why you were not able to make it out yesterday to show us all how it is done?

Jeff was doing 1.07's in the Porsche.

I was at races of a different kind. Young members at Eagle Farm. Probably ended up costing me as much.

I doubt i would have been welcome anyhow. I have an R31 Skyline, so not exactly Eiffel style. I would not have been getting below 1:07.
Last time i was there i sprung a leak in the radiator on my first run, so i'm not sure what sort of times i would be doing.

As for the Ferarri and Porsche thing, i really wouldn't go on too much. I mean do you guys honestly think a 1600 or 1800 Pug or whatever is even in the same ballpark as a Boxster? It's like saying you could beat your grandma round a track if she was in a Formula 1 car. Stick Walter Roehl in a Boxster and then put him in your cars and i think the times might be just a tiny bit different.

Dad has got a 996 Carerra and a Westfield. He races the Westfield and uses the Carerra as an everyday car. When we took the Porsche out to Mt Cotton, he was pretty slow in it. But would you guys enjoy putting a $210,000 car into the barriers? I doubt it.

So please, once again don't get your Irish up over this email. I'm merely trying to say you should never brag that you can go faster than a more expensive car - it's just sounding desparate.

Come out to Morgan Park on June 6 when i will be there with the Westfield Club. Then i will show you all how to drive :roflmao:

Good to hear you had a great day though, thats the main thing. That 355 must have sounded pretty damn tasty with the boot in it hey?

 

[froggy_drew]

Tail stepped out and he over corrected, sending it into the gravel trap sideways at quite high speed. He said he thought it was going to roll over.

are you guys saying this stuff on purpose to make me bite? how often do you hear of cars rolling in the gravel?

I don't know if any of you are too knowledgable with the Morgan Park circuit at Warwick, but one of my mates with a VN with stock suspension (ie sh*t) went off at the top of the hill just before the really tight corner at the bottom end and was absolutely sideways at speed across the inside of the track, and its rutted as all shit, so if anyone is ever going to roll a car, that would be it. but rolling an MX5 sideways? come on

 

[Brad]

I was commenting the same to Cal earlier. I bet if any of us had $250,000 worth of metal in our hands we'd be doing much lower times, not to mention the fact that the 355's tyres are each worth as much as a full set for the S16. To get 1:06's I was driving 10 10th on every corner, braking as late as possible and full throttle to 7,000rpm when ever I could.

Careful with invites like Morgan Park, JR, Cal and Neil may just have to come out there and show you how quick these little Eiffle cookers (or Mx5 in Cal's case) are. :roflmao:

From what we have seen at QR, the turbo Nissan's need to well sorted suspension wise and have a good steerer to match the times some of the pugs are doing.

 

[brenno]

how often do you hear of cars rolling in the gravel?

I'd say gravel is the main contributing factor to most rollovers at the track!

 

[Cal]

Come out to Morgan Park on June 6 when i will be there with the Westfield Club. Then i will show you all how to drive :roflmao:

If that's an invite, I'd love to. I'm free that day. Are they doing the short or long circuit? Been looking forward to getting back to Morgan Park.

I've seen a few cars roll in the sand trap at T1 at QR.

With regards to the exotics, a lap time is a lap time. If a 205 is faster, then a 205 is faster.

Cal.

 

[froggy_drew]

Morgan Pk

I'm not going to be careful with invites to my 'home track'

i would say bring it on. its amazing how hard it is to pass a mobile chicane like a skyline! i have a Silhouette non turbo. Suspension and brakes are appaling. engine on the other hand is delightful. and with Yoko semi-slicks, you'd be amazed how much the suspension and brakes seem to fix themselves!

anyway, my car cost me 5000, so it would be a bit unfair comparing it to your toys. let me out in my dad's Westfield and you will know you're alive - coil overs or not.

one of the fellas in the club, Ray Vandersee, has a westy with carbon fibre shell and S2000 running gear. thats about 180kw in 450kg. he gets 170 on the straight at morgan park (original track). reckon you would be matching that? he won a stage outright at Targa a couple years back. he is currently building a thing called a Skelta. check it out at www.skelta.com.au
i'm sure you will be impressed.

anyway, keep up the banter fellas, it helps my boring days at work fly by.
by the way, do you blokes ever go for a sunday morning burn up to Mt. Glorious? if so, congrats. if not, we should do it sometime soon. its the best public roads going round, QLD's equivalent of the great ocean road. (except without the ocean and Victorian ******s

 

[froggy_drew]

If that's an invite, I'd love to. I'm free that day. Are they doing the short or long circuit? Been looking forward to getting back to Morgan Park.


With regards to the exotics, a lap time is a lap time. If a 205 is faster, then a 205 is faster.

Cal.

as for the invite, join the westfield club. i'm sure we'll let you slip through the gates. then its $35 for the track for half a day. none of this '4 sessions' rubbish.

as for the exotics, i know you're just trying to get me booted off this thing. but i will bite my tongue on this occassion. if you do honestly feel good about yourself for doing a better time than one of the best handling cars going round, then thats a bit of a false satisfaction i would have to say. if you could get your car doing a 60 second lap (for example) and you know a boxster can only do a 61 with the best driver in the world, then you have every right to feel chuffed. otherwise, i think there is an issue with your ego.

anyway, 5pm. i'm outta here!

 

[Cal]

one of the fellas in the club, Ray Vandersee, has a westy with carbon fibre shell and S2000 running gear. thats about 180kw in 450kg. he gets 170 on the straight at morgan park (original track). reckon you would be matching that? he won a stage outright at Targa a couple years back. he is currently building a thing called a Skelta. check it out at www.skelta.com.au
i'm sure you will be impressed.

Once you have finished wacking off, I think you will find that most people involved in club motor sport in Qld know Ray. He is an awesome steerer. John (his targa navigator) sent me the entire 5hrs of incar from Targa a few years ago. Great stuff. The Skelta should really be something when finished.

Why is it not fair to compare our times with exotics and be proud of them and in the next breath you say it's not fair for us to compare our times with you because your car is only worth $5k?

If Westfield is a part of the Marque Club, which I think it might be, I will see if I can come. I won't however be joining the Westfeild club to do one track day.

Cal.

 

[Aln]

Thanks Brad for organising our outing. It is always hard when having to deal with numerous people for a one-off event.

I ran my 306XT as various other machines were not finished or just too scary.
I had a best of 1.07.4. I had not run on that configuration. One of my 55 000 Klm old Continentals (front left) decided its' belts would let go and increase the diameter by four inches. Made for interesting handling. I have not worked out the flip flops yet. It seems that the best entrance speed is slower than I was willing to go.

It was fun chasing Rich in the 180, I had a little on him in corners, but he would pull a few lengths on me down the straight. He let me past, but I think that was to try my lines.
A good day, and I still could not wear out the Contis.

 

[jr20516v]

Lets compare apples with apples here...a Westie is virtually a purpose built track car and there are not many cars that will keep up with them even tho they may have Corolla motors.
The Peugeots started off as Mums shopping trolley's originally and do fairly well IMHO at the track considering.

What ever did happen to that idea of the Pugs going up to Morgan Park??

cheers JR

 

[The Pupat]

why is it wrong to think I spent a tenth of the money on my car and I can drive it faster than someone else can drive a big dollar exotic... but then we all know about putting a F*ckn excellent driver in a big dollar (Plus a bit) exotic don't we Cal. Damn VWs.

And secondly I'd be a little hessitant before you start challenging people mate.

Ohh and I've got a mate that had a car with a custom roof to prove it is possible to do lid skids on Turn 1 at QR.

 

[Nav]

Hi all! Seems (like on the track) that I'm the slowest to get back onto the site... I'll add my vote of thanks to Brad and the folks at QR for what was an excellent day! Thanks also to Neil et al for helping find my loose bolt (& cause of all that smoke) cause I had no idea!

Was also great to meet lots of other af-guys, still trying to match names, nicknames and cars - but I'll get there!

Think my best in the end was 1.11 so maybe I should stick to the nav's seat... Was more fun racing against non-pugs last week down the coast - they're easier to beat! Cool to see what my 205 can become tho (I already told JR that mine wants to be like his when it grows up)!!!

Didnt actually realise till I was on the way home - where were the :citplak: & :renplak: representatives??? Was just ugplak: for as far as the eye could see!

 

[Zen]

Zen, you are going to cream it when that beautiful car of yours starts to loosen up...1;07 is fantasmagorical for a car with only 2000k's on it.

Just found out that John's AMG CL55 was in the 1:03's... what's mega is that he hasn't even had the first service in the thing and it was the first time he's been on a race track. I'm sure he'll be out at the sprints from now on.

Hey Chris/Nav! First time I went out in the S16 I was doing 1:13's *meow* so 1:11's isn't slow by any means. Quickest I went in the S16 so far was 1:11's before one of the piston rings lost it's seal. It was still under warranty so got that fixed up quick smart. :roflmao:

Rich

 

[froggy_drew]

If Westfield is a part of the Marque Club, which I think it might be, I will see if I can come. I won't however be joining the Westfeild club to do one track day.

Cal.

Don't waste our time. Our club is designed for members who have club spirit and go to things like the AGM etc. We will not welcome people who are too tight to become financial members. And don't sound like we should be doing you a favour. As for wacking off over Ray, who's the person with 5 hours of video footage? And next time i add a link which some people might be interested in, i don't think there is any need to try to put me down for it. You know Ray, congrats.

As for not being proud about comparing your times to exotics? You're not comparing your cars, you are comparing drivers - big difference. My point is this, don't gloat becuase you post a time as good as a more expensive car, because obviously the other car had a useless driver, or a driver who doesn't want a 'custom roof job' on T1 in their very expensive car. Join the Porsche Club and go out to QR with them. I would love to hear you bragging on Monday morning after that...

 

[froggy_drew]

Lets compare apples with apples here...a Westie is virtually a purpose built track car and there are not many cars that will keep up with them even tho they may have Corolla motors.
JR

A purpose built track car with drum rear brakes and shithouse suspension geometry.
If your argument stands, why do Westfields not get better lap times than cars such as 25 year old Falcons around courses like Leyburn?

Once again, you are comparing your cars to other drivers.

 

[neil]

Well froggy_drew you really know how to make friends and influence people!

For your information my pug had a total build cost of only $9,000 and to do 1.05's I'm very happy, so less excuses about your $5000 shit box please. I don't see a problem comparing the times with more expensive cars, especially when we personally know both the boxter and f355 drives and their driving ability. I understand that pushing a $200K plus car your going to be more careful, but on the same token I can't afford to total my car as I use it on a daily basis.

Putting quotes like "Then i will show you all how to drive" is just asking for trouble. How about we organise a trip to a local Brisbane go-kart track such as Archerfield or Kingston and then we can see how you will show us all how to drive. All in even machines no excuses!

Please feel free to organise such an event and I will take great pleasure in pulling that private school silver spoon from your mouth and gamming fare up your arse.

Neil

 

[Cal]

Over the years I have been a member of the Austin Healey Club, Jaguar, Mini, MX5, MG, Lancia and Marque. Why would I want to join the Westfield club right now? You said come out on the 6th, organise it and I for one am there. I was wondering what you are doing in here? Do you own a French car? Talk is cheap fella. How old are you anyway?

Cal.

 

[Brad]

I think tis argument is getting a little heated guys. I think we all agree that no one is claiming that their pugs are quicker than the likes of an F355 or Boxter in equivilent hands around a given circuit. Most of us have been out there over 3 times, and I for one know that all our times have dropped markedly in that time. Me, 1:08 high to 1:06 mid, Cal, 1:08 to 1:05 low, Neil, 1:08 to 1:05 low. Sure these guys may know how to steer, but this also shows that they are not dumb enough to go out there at 100% and bin it cause they didn't know the finer details of the track which brings about the quicker times. Hey, I was driving at about 80-90% in Richards 180 and only made 1:10's.

Unfortunatly I have to close this thread now before it gets out of hand. I anyone else would like to make constructive comments on the trackday, please feel free to start a new thread.