[Duckman]

I had the privilege on Tuesday the 12th of May, to take my beloved i30 out to a track day, as part of a Performance Driving Course I received for my birthday, with Ian Luff Motivation, who runs the place out of Oran Park, in South West Sydney. My poor i30 copped a hammering, but this is how it ended up happening:

Pulling out of the pits, I look up the long straight to my left, making sure there are no cars flying over the crest down to the pit exit corner. Already in 2nd gear, I rev it out til about 5500rpm, before snatching 3rd. My speed peaks at about 100km/h, before being hard on the brakes into turn 2 and 3, which is a right then left S-bend. Hitting this at about 70-80km/h, I hit the apex of turn 3, hit the throttle (still in 3rd gear), down a slight dip before having to jam the brakes on again for a left turn 4.

Turn 4 is relatively straight forward, but there is a quick crest which can get you unstuck if you apply too much throttle, or have a poor entry line through the apex (which I learnt the hard way!). Again, entry speed about 110km/h, hard on the brakes before entering, hitting the apex, full throttle, but the stock Kumho's struggle to put the power down coming over the crest, and all I get is wheel spin, and the engine revving out to 6000rpm in 3rd gear still.

Turn 5 and 6 is a dog leg right-left, but this is also over a crest. I enter this corner at well over 120km/h, hitting the ripple strips on both corners, pushing the i30 to the limit. After the dog leg, there is a huge dip, where you need to be on the brakes extra early, to make the tight 7th turn for the main straight. Now this is possibly the best corner in the track. You can lose or make so much extra time depending on entrance-apex-exit, speed, too much braking early. So many variables.

So this turn 7 is a quick one, where there is a slight straight just before the sweeping left hand turn, BUT, knock off too much speed in the entrance, and you lose so much speed to make it up the "hill" on entrance to the main straight.

Now things get exciting. 2nd gear is too short to gain speed up onto the main straight, and third is too long... What to do? I try several attempts at both 2nd and 3rd choices, but 3rd seems the better option. This way, I can get a faster entrance, and not sacrifice an extra shift from 2nd to 3rd later on.

OK, no I'm on the main straight. 3rd gear I push right out to 6500rpm. Snap into 4th. Pushing 150-160km/h. Over the crest, into a 180 degree left sweeper where I entered from pit lane. HARD on the brakes from almost 200metres, slowing down to about 80-90km/h (depending on how adventurous I was!), and starting it all over again!


Overall, an EXCELLENT showing of the i30's capabilities. I was up against cars that were far too quick, so I was about the 4th slowest in a field of about 18 cars. Mind you, there was a supercharged GTS HSV pulling, oh, about 530 KW!!!

My tyres are all chewed up, but still plenty of tread, I need either new brake fluid, or brake pads, I went through half a tank just to drive 200km on the track. But an AWESOME day!

[michael_i30]

Ian Luff Motivation

Awesome stuff.  I did a driving course with him 15 + years ago.  Was a great day.

[Duckman]

I just went outside to check damage on the tyres from yesterday, and it's incredible. I have almost NO tread left on the inside of the tyre on the driver's side, passenger side is ok, but looking pretty scrubbed. Brake dust covering the whole car :S

[Dazzler]

I just went outside to check damage on the tyres from yesterday, and it's incredible. I have almost NO tread left on the inside of the tyre on the driver's side, passenger side is ok, but looking pretty scrubbed. Brake dust covering the whole car :S

 

Sounds like fun but looks like you are going to spend a bit on tyres and brakes now for the privilege... 

The brake pads aren't really designed for that sort of driving (even in sportier cars) 

So how many Km's had your tyres done before you wrote them off? 

[eye30]

I'd love to do something like this but ......................
on my car insurance certificate there is the following exclusion clause:

"Use for.............speed trials......"

So my understanding of this clause would mean that if the car or any 3rd party property is damaged etc I will be fully liable to compensate.

WOW it could cost me a packet.

[bumpkin]

Yeah UK insurance doesn't cover you normally but the circuits which run track days usually can direct you to insurance for the day.  You should also be aware that your car needs to be roadworthy to get home so cooking the tyres and brakes could result in further costs if you need to replace to get home

[Dazzler]

and as far as your warranty goes... well...

[Duckman]

and as far as your warranty goes... well...

No one has to know Dazz

I'd love to do something like this but ......................
on my car insurance certificate there is the following exclusion clause:

"Use for.............speed trials......"

So my understanding of this clause would mean that if the car or any 3rd party property is damaged etc I will be fully liable to compensate.

WOW it could cost me a packet.

It wasn't technically a "track day" or anything else of that type of thing, it was an actual "performance Driving" course. Either way, it's all friendly, it's not competitive by any means, and you'd have to be really doing something wrong to cause damage to your own car, in terms of accidents etc.

[Lakes]

Hi Duckman, it's always good to learn more. how many laps did they give you?

[GordonG]

Back a  l-o-n-g  time ago, I had a Datsun 2000 sports car, and I was a race engineer at the time. Took it out on the track at Oran Park one day, just for fun. Went up over the dogleg on about my 5th lap and clipped the edge of the dirt. Kerbs? What kerbs? Anyway, when the thing stopped spinning, I'd got all the way down into the left-hand approach to BP corner and was still facing the right way. Broke both the engine mounts, though...

Fondest memory of Oran Park? Alan Moffat in his new Coca-Cola Mustang chasing Ian (Pete) Geoghegan in his slightly earlier version over the top of the hill, flat out lap after lap with the nose under the tail of Pete's car, and a lot of the other competitors in the race pulling off the track to watch! Exiting BP onto the straight, Pete was sliding the car sideways with the rear bumper just touching the wall. As they came out of BP for the final time, Pete stuck his arm out of the window (while sideways) and gave Alan the finger. Then they went into the pits and had a beer together Ah, the good old days.

[Duckman]

Hi Duckman, it's always good to learn more. how many laps did they give you?

It was an unlimited amount of laps. Basically, you turn up at 830am, and finish at about 430-5pm. If you feel the need to destroy tyres and brakes (amongst other things), I'm sure you'd be able to stay on the whole time

[Lakes]

Hi Duckman, it's always good to learn more. how many laps did they give you?

It was an unlimited amount of laps. Basically, you turn up at 830am, and finish at about 430-5pm. If you feel the need to destroy tyres and brakes (amongst other things), I'm sure you'd be able to stay on the whole time

Sounds good, they do something like that out at the track near Golburn? forget the name but it has a realy long straight.

[Lakes]

Back a  l-o-n-g  time ago, I had a Datsun 2000 sports car, and I was a race engineer at the time. Took it out on the track at Oran Park one day, just for fun. Went up over the dogleg on about my 5th lap and clipped the edge of the dirt. Kerbs? What kerbs? Anyway, when the thing stopped spinning, I'd got all the way down into the left-hand approach to BP corner and was still facing the right way. Broke both the engine mounts, though...

Fondest memory of Oran Park? Alan Moffat in his new Coca-Cola Mustang chasing Ian (Pete) Geoghegan in his slightly earlier version over the top of the hill, flat out lap after lap with the nose under the tail of Pete's car, and a lot of the other competitors in the race pulling off the track to watch! Exiting BP onto the straight, Pete was sliding the car sideways with the rear bumper just touching the wall. As they came out of BP for the final time, Pete stuck his arm out of the window (while sideways) and gave Alan the finger. Then they went into the pits and had a beer together Ah, the good old days.

Hi Gordon, i remember going to the park watching Pete , and also watched his older brother leo, and Stormin' Norm rage Moffat, that would have been a wo finger salute as the finger is for children that watch too many american shows.
Cheers

[GordonG]

Hi Gordon, i remember going to the park watching Pete , and also watched his older brother leo, and Stormin' Norm rage Moffat,
Cheers

Definitely the good old days - back then I was working for Mike Gore, and we raced against all those guys in Series Production, especially Leo in the Pacer at night (that was always good for hysterics) and then we later bought Norm's 'Trans-Aus' Monaro after our ex-Neil Allen Holman & Moody Mustang got taken out on a trip to Brisbane. The wild days...

Probably better stop hijacking Duckman's thread 

[Shambles]

...
Probably better stop hijacking Duckman's thread 

Nah - keep going

[Dazzler]

Definitely the good old days - back then I was working for Mike Gore, and we raced against all those guys in Series Production, especially Leo in the Pacer at night (that was always good for hysterics) and then we later bought Norm's 'Trans-Aus' Monaro after our ex-Neil Allen Holman & Moody Mustang got taken out on a trip to Brisbane. The wild days...

 

Yep, they were the good old days .. less "politics" and more good clean racing (none of that safety car stuff  )

[GordonG]

Anyone remember the night meetings at Oran Park? The Howard & Sons impromptu fireworks displays in the infield? Various people (including me) pouring racing fuel into the dam at the back of the pits and chucking a lighted match or a sparkler into it from a (relatively) safe distance? Barbecues in cutoff oil drums in the pits right alongside the racing cars? And don't get me started on Warwick Farm...