Colin was a Race Car Driver
26th August 2006 – My final “experience” day for my 40th was from my Mum and her partner, Peter, which was a Single Seater Course at Castle Combe Circuit in Wiltshire. The day didn’t bode well as the weather report was for showers which aren’t ideal when trying to drive a racing car! However when we got to the circuit it seemed not too bad even though there had been a short shower just before we arrived.
The day starts with a briefing which was about the circuit, its history and about driving on the circuit – when and how to overtake, flags, what cars we would be in, the correct gears to use and the maximum rev’s we were allowed. Then we were split into groups of five and taken under the wing of an instructor. Firstly Jim our instructor took three of us in a Ford Focus 1800 for three laps of the circuit pointing out the braking points, what gear to be in, the apex of the corners and where to aim the car for on the exit of the corners. He also re-iterated about how to overtake; only on the straights and the slower car to move to the left and slow slightly allowing the faster car to pass on the right.
We then waited our turn to drive the Focus with the instructor showing us what to do etc. Fortunately I had driven a Focus to the circuit so I was familiar with the car and I’ve driven round the circuit numerous times in my Mini, although not for a few years now, which helped with my track knowledge – this proved to be of huge benefit. When it was my turn I was a bit nervous but Jim seemed a nice bloke so I quickly relaxed and got into the driving, listening to what he had to say and trying to get it right – unfortunately someone in a slower car on my last lap hadn’t taken it in about overtaking so when I caught up with them they moved to the RIGHT and slowed which meant I had to slow considerably and was stuck behind them for a few corners till I could safely pass – although I was given an extra lap to make up for it! At the end of the six laps it was in to the pits for a quick de-brief and to get the form signed to let me drive a Formula Ford 1600 single seat race car. This was what I was there for!
After a short wait I was allocated a car and was instructed on the instruments; water temp, revs and oil temp, the on/off switch and the starter button. Then it was a quick check that I could operate the clutch and brake properly and to be strapped in. Then it was on with the fireproof balaclava, gloves and full face helmet. The mechanics attached a battery and I hit the starter button. The engine roared into life just behind my ears and the car started to shake! I then gently gave some throttle, let the clutch out and immediately stalled! Oops! I quickly restarted and with more gas made my way out of the pits and onto the circuit – the first lap was a bit of a mess, including almost loosing it on the final corner, but by the end of it I felt at home in the car and even with the gear stick which was on the wrong side of the car.
The drive was utterly, utterly brilliant – it was an amazing experience and words are difficult to come by that fully describes being strapped in a single seat race car a few inches off the ground. I was soon catching other cars, including one that got the overtaking rule wrong so ruining a few corners for me, and also being caught by cars, although these were the Subaru’s and a Lamborghini that were also on the circuit so I didn’t mind about that! One car I caught up with was just before the final straight and I managed to safely overtake in time for the braking point on the last corner and sweep through the fastest corner on the circuit – little knowing that the car I overtook lost it on the exit of the corner and spun out! However my Mum did as she thought it was me spinning! My partner Jane had seen my overtake so was able to calm her down.
All too soon the six laps came to an end and so I pulled into the pit lane and finally started to grin and realise how good it was. I then posed for the photographer while sat in the car who was pleased that I was smiling so much as it made his job easier. After jumping around with adrenaline for a while we went to pick my photographs and found that he had caught the one car spinning out behind me! So it was a copy of that and one of me grinning in the car.
After collecting the photo’s it was time for the de-briefing and for our score cards to be handed out. After each drive with the instructor he scored everyone on different aspects of our driving and how well we listened to him. The chap giving them out explained that an average score was 60-70%, 80% was good and 90% and above showing very good skill or natural ability. He also said that two people had got very good scores and he would keep them till last. So he slowly gave out each score, reading out some of the comments and congratulated each person and then he was down to the last two and I was still without my card – I looked at Jane as said F in hell! We were told that one person had got 92% and one 93% - and it was me with 93%!!! I was stunned! As I was top of the class I got a special baseball cap with a number 1 on the peak and “Driver of the Day” on the back. What an ending to what was already one of the best days of my life!
Wisely Jane drove us home and we had Domino’s Pizza for tea! What a day.
The day starts with a briefing which was about the circuit, its history and about driving on the circuit – when and how to overtake, flags, what cars we would be in, the correct gears to use and the maximum rev’s we were allowed. Then we were split into groups of five and taken under the wing of an instructor. Firstly Jim our instructor took three of us in a Ford Focus 1800 for three laps of the circuit pointing out the braking points, what gear to be in, the apex of the corners and where to aim the car for on the exit of the corners. He also re-iterated about how to overtake; only on the straights and the slower car to move to the left and slow slightly allowing the faster car to pass on the right.
We then waited our turn to drive the Focus with the instructor showing us what to do etc. Fortunately I had driven a Focus to the circuit so I was familiar with the car and I’ve driven round the circuit numerous times in my Mini, although not for a few years now, which helped with my track knowledge – this proved to be of huge benefit. When it was my turn I was a bit nervous but Jim seemed a nice bloke so I quickly relaxed and got into the driving, listening to what he had to say and trying to get it right – unfortunately someone in a slower car on my last lap hadn’t taken it in about overtaking so when I caught up with them they moved to the RIGHT and slowed which meant I had to slow considerably and was stuck behind them for a few corners till I could safely pass – although I was given an extra lap to make up for it! At the end of the six laps it was in to the pits for a quick de-brief and to get the form signed to let me drive a Formula Ford 1600 single seat race car. This was what I was there for!
After a short wait I was allocated a car and was instructed on the instruments; water temp, revs and oil temp, the on/off switch and the starter button. Then it was a quick check that I could operate the clutch and brake properly and to be strapped in. Then it was on with the fireproof balaclava, gloves and full face helmet. The mechanics attached a battery and I hit the starter button. The engine roared into life just behind my ears and the car started to shake! I then gently gave some throttle, let the clutch out and immediately stalled! Oops! I quickly restarted and with more gas made my way out of the pits and onto the circuit – the first lap was a bit of a mess, including almost loosing it on the final corner, but by the end of it I felt at home in the car and even with the gear stick which was on the wrong side of the car.
The drive was utterly, utterly brilliant – it was an amazing experience and words are difficult to come by that fully describes being strapped in a single seat race car a few inches off the ground. I was soon catching other cars, including one that got the overtaking rule wrong so ruining a few corners for me, and also being caught by cars, although these were the Subaru’s and a Lamborghini that were also on the circuit so I didn’t mind about that! One car I caught up with was just before the final straight and I managed to safely overtake in time for the braking point on the last corner and sweep through the fastest corner on the circuit – little knowing that the car I overtook lost it on the exit of the corner and spun out! However my Mum did as she thought it was me spinning! My partner Jane had seen my overtake so was able to calm her down.
All too soon the six laps came to an end and so I pulled into the pit lane and finally started to grin and realise how good it was. I then posed for the photographer while sat in the car who was pleased that I was smiling so much as it made his job easier. After jumping around with adrenaline for a while we went to pick my photographs and found that he had caught the one car spinning out behind me! So it was a copy of that and one of me grinning in the car.
After collecting the photo’s it was time for the de-briefing and for our score cards to be handed out. After each drive with the instructor he scored everyone on different aspects of our driving and how well we listened to him. The chap giving them out explained that an average score was 60-70%, 80% was good and 90% and above showing very good skill or natural ability. He also said that two people had got very good scores and he would keep them till last. So he slowly gave out each score, reading out some of the comments and congratulated each person and then he was down to the last two and I was still without my card – I looked at Jane as said F in hell! We were told that one person had got 92% and one 93% - and it was me with 93%!!! I was stunned! As I was top of the class I got a special baseball cap with a number 1 on the peak and “Driver of the Day” on the back. What an ending to what was already one of the best days of my life!
Wisely Jane drove us home and we had Domino’s Pizza for tea! What a day.
posted by Colin | 8:13 AM
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