Reflecting on Bruntingthorpe - why we chose roadsters

mrsmr2 · May 2, 2005, 11:29

Had a great day yesterday.

I'd read many comments on here about the roadsters abilities for braking and handling, and to some extent, thought it was a bit biased.

However, after thrashing around Brunters yesterday I can confirm that compared to Mk1 and Mk2 MR2s we can outbreak them and out handle them (especially the Mk2s).

I've just watched my in car footage and it's really amazing to watch the gaps massively reduce during the twistier bits of the track. Only to watch the Mk2s pull out the gaps again on the straights.

The Mk1s handled very well and I can see why people buy them for track cars. I think some must have been modified because while I could catch them, I was finding it difficult to overtake on the straights. I was faster but not by much.

The Mk2s were probably all modified and there were 2 that stood out. One that did handle well (almost as well as the roadsters) but also had a lot more power. I later learned that one had 320BHP s:shock: :shock: s:shock:

Another Mk2 didn't handle greatly but was very fast out of the bends and possibly the quickest of the Mk2s. A frustrating experience to be all over the car during the bends and then watch it blast off.

The Lexus IS200s were not very good. Again, they had the power on the straights but they didn't look fun to drive. They probably got blue flagged more than anyone. Still, good that the drivers made the effort.

The biggest disappointments were for the 3 GTFours and the Supras. I think these must have been running their engines in or something s:(

s:( . I never really got to see how they handled as they kept moving out the way and letting people past.

Overall, a great day.

And now for my biased bit:
The roadster has great brakes. They did not seem to fade. A few times I had a soft pedal when I went out again but, the pedal firmed up after a few minutes on track.

Also, these cars do handle very well.

With more power the roadsters would rule the world.

Now, where do I get a turbo?

Jason

ninjinski · May 2, 2005, 12:19

Good comments Jason! I totally agree with you I dont know how many times yesterday that I was held up in the corners by Supras, MK1's and 2's - It felt like it got to the stage that the marshalls on the corners were automatically picking up the blue flag ever time they saw me coming s:lol: :lol: s:lol: s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

If yesterday had been race condiditons those guys with more expensive and better modified cars would have been shown a thing or two by all of us in our MR2 Mk3's as we would have outbreaked and out cornered them time and time again.

I was extremely impressed by the agility of our cars and their ability to remain stable under load on the most extreme corners. I have to also say that the Yokahamas were outstanding on the day. They ran very well up until lap 7-8 on each stint - only then did they start to fade upder cornering due to the rubber beginning to "ball" - at this point the back end was coming free and it was time for the pits.

Comparing my 2004 to my previous 2000 car it handles much better possibly due to the fact its lowered and had additional bracing as standard. When u loose traction and to be honest it was only on the corners which had some concrete it broke away smoothly and all 4 corners progressively rather than just the back end which when it did go was down to the tyres fading.

Finally from a driver perspective the drivers from this forum seemed to me to be the better drivers on the day - i saw some other drivers take some hideous lines through corners out there.... s:oops: :oops: s:oops: s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

L8terz

Anonymous · May 2, 2005, 12:48

I can't add anything to what has been said, apart from the fact that Ninjinski had the best line through the chicane than all the other drivers I saw. Most were holding me up in what was for me my least favourite part of the track, but Ninjinski just blasted through and gained 10-20 metres on me each time we went through.

Stunning s8)

s8)

mrsmr2 · May 2, 2005, 14:36

You mean the 'never the same same layout twice', or the 'guess where the last cone or two are going to be this lap' chicane?

Anonymous · May 2, 2005, 19:04

No, the one with the concrete kerbs, not the artificial one made with knocked down cones s8)

s8)

ninjinski · May 2, 2005, 20:05

I loved those chicanes - entering the coned one was like dicing with death - was that last cone there or not?? - comit each time and reacting to the fact that it was there was a blast! The one corner I never mastered was the last one just before you could enter the pits I would have loved to have an instructor just once to figure that b*gger out!!!

fizz · May 6, 2005, 00:13

I was defo impressed with you Mk3 peeps... s:D

s:D

Les and I had a good little play as well.. and im sure he will confirm that our cars were pretty similar in speed through the corners.. my drivers side suspension was messedup and so was very spongy as i went round.

I would disagree about the difference in the cars though as i saw a few mk2 turbo's being driven very conservativly which was a shame.. s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

By the way.. I'm Fizz from the TOC.. pic of my car in my sig should anyone remember it.. although there were 3 cars like mine on track..

1 was a coupe driven by a 'careful' driver
1 was Paul Port who is a regular track lad with dark rims and stiff suspension
1 was mine with messed up front right suspension but that did not stop me having fun and spinning it twice!.. lol s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

mrsmr2 · May 6, 2005, 08:57

Hi Fizz

I don't think we 'met' on track.

I was having 'difficulty' with a blue 2 with the dark rims. The reg looks like MR2something or MA2T YJA- difficult to see from my footage.

If you see Paul tell him he was doing a very good job on the day. The best sorted Mk2 I encountered - and fast.

BTW, is this you? Not a good pic - I'm not even sure if it's a Mk2.

You don't need messed up suspension to spin it, as I proved - twice s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

We're all going with turbos next year s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

Cracking day.

Jason

Anonymous · May 6, 2005, 09:36

Hehe,

Was indeed a good day, and nacked suspension or not Fizz.... I certainly enjoyed my track time with you!

After comparing the mk3 ride and the mk2 Turbo ride I conclude....

I want a mk3 with Turbo! s:P

s:P hehehe only way to go methinks, the mk3 handled really well, but you cant beat that force that pushes you into the back of your seat when you hit the accel. on a Tubby s:P

s:P

mrsmr2 · May 6, 2005, 09:41

Quote from: "JustJJ"I want a mk3 with Turbo! s:P s:P

s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted: s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

Anonymous · May 6, 2005, 09:43

s:oops: :oops: s:oops: s:shock: :shock: s:shock: s:wink: :wink: s:wink: s:D

s:D

Anonymous · May 6, 2005, 11:19

I really wish I could have spent track time with you guys and got some video footage of us Mk 3's together, for those who have seen my vid' I'm sure you will agree the rear facing view was very interesting, ah well, maybe next time s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Les

fizz · May 6, 2005, 12:43

Quote from: "mrsmr2"Hi Fizz

I don't think we 'met' on track.

I was having 'difficulty' with a blue 2 with the dark rims. The reg looks like MR2something or MA2T YJA- difficult to see from my footage.

If you see Paul tell him he was doing a very good job on the day. The best sorted Mk2 I encountered - and fast.

BTW, is this you? Not a good pic - I'm not even sure if it's a Mk2.

You don't need messed up suspension to spin it, as I proved - twice s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

We're all going with turbos next year s:twisted: :twisted: s:twisted:

Cracking day.

Jason

That pic is of a blue IS200 i believe who span out on the 1st or 2nd corner i think.

I never had a 'fast' loss of control.. my 2 were coming out of 'slowish' corners... the first was out of the coned chichane.. and the next one was on the 2nd to last corner.. if you look in the vids.. you see some skid marks going into the grass.. that be me!. s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Paul is a very experianced driver from what i know.. and he was fast and slow across the laps as his temp kept rising in the car as he was measuring all the telemetry..

It was defo a great day and Les.. im gonna grab a shotgun with you next time.. and you can jump in with me.. s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

JJ.. im glad you like the experiance.. will be better next year when i get the suspension sorted!.. and also ive started to practice the heel and toe technique on the way to work..

Im fine with it on straights.. but trying it round long bends is difficult.. s:roll: :roll: s:roll: