Need4Speed

AJI I think I was a bit unlucky, but there was so much traffic, that all the access roads blocked up so we couldn't even get out to the town etc. without walking. I had four separate yellow flags on one lap, all for single or multiple bike accidents. One bike got taken off by a Corsa - nuff said! I can cope with slow and fast cars, and even the quad-bikes... but coaches just make the place surreal.

Bobbeh I think the problem we encountered was it being probably the last day before the winter and fantastic weather. Everybody in the world was there and I've seen the M25 with less traffic! I only did 5 laps... the track got shut for cleaning up and sometimes I just couldn't get out of the car park. A Porsche club trip got there a while back to find the circuit closed due to a fatality, 3 hours later it re-opened and there was another fatality on lap 1 and the track closed for the day! A bit rough if you've driven 800 miles round trip and don't get on the track. I'm not suggesting anybody should miss an opportunity to drive it, just trying to put a perspective on it for people who maybe only know the myth and legend of the place. It would be a lot better if the bikes and cars were on at different times, and the coaches stayed in the car park! To anybody reading this thread and thinking of going - my advice is go, but with an open mind.

I've just got back today, and while the circuit is well worth a visit, it's not like a track day when it's open to the public. I only managed one lap without a yellow flag - mostly bikers and a stuffed Merc at the Karusell. When I say one lap, anyone who's done the public day will know this; you don't get a whole lap, and you don't get the straight! We queued 20 minutes to get off the track at the end of one lap - two lane queue half a mile long. I also met the legenday tourist coaches on the same lap as virtually race prepared Zakspeed Viper - not to mention the Ring-Taxis. If I were to go again, I'd try and find a track day - I think RMA run them. As for cost - I went on the tunnel for the same sort of money being quoted in this thread for P&O, stayed at the Dorint at the circuit - expensive but if you like racing stuff, worth a visit (F1 car in the bar). Add in Fuel from London, track fees, food, drink, souvenir stickers/T-shirts etc - no change out of £700. Cost in your tyres and brake pads...! ps (edit) don't worry about the 95dBA noise limit - it only exists in writing.

That's why it's cheaper than Donington!

Just had this on e-mail 100dBA http://www.motorsport-events.com LAST FEW PLACES REMAINING Bassingbourn Saturday 22nd October 2005 Open Pit Lane 100dB(A) Noise Limit £99 Per Car & Main Driver Full Day £60 Per Car & Main Driver Half Day Extra Drivers/Passengers £10 Each Tuition Available from Highly Experienced Instructors Bassingbourn is located near Royston in Hertfordshire within easy reach of the M25 and hosts a fantastic 1.5 mile track with an excellent mix of corners proving to be a true test for drivers of all experience levels. For more information and to book places call us on 0870 787 2116. If you no longer wish to receive emails from us please reply with the word REMOVE in the subject field. Motorsport Events Ltd [email protected] http://www.motorsport-events.com Tel: 0870 787 2116

Buy a SuperTrapp - it will allow you to turn down the noise level to suit the conditions. Better than wasting a track day.

They'll be bolted together. The advantage of split-rims is you can replace the rim bits if you kerb them. There's a place near Milton Keynes that does split-rims - Pristine Wheels I think they are called. It's an expensive thing to do!

It's very new! I'm replacing the discs and pads at the same time.

I'll take the Nür-Spec baffle to be safe :thumbdown

Cheers carl0s To clarify - I'm putting a new SMIC in, not an FMIC.

I'm off to do the Nürburgring in October with a few Porsche mates but have just seen this on the web site. "The Nürburgring GmbH is actively committed to environmental protection, which incorporates noise prevention. Therefore, all vehicles must comply to the noise limits laid down in the house rules (95 db according to near-field measurement). Noisier vehicles are excluded from driving on the Nordschleife!" Has anybody here met this noise limit problem? 95db is quiet!

I've had a search but not found any hints... has anybody got any helpful advice for removing and replacing a SMIC?

Coke and Pepsi own a diverse range of brands between them though... Pizza Hut to name one.

They need to be sure it isn't found to cause cancer then!

Yes, I thought noise might be an issue.

In case anybody's interested, I've just had this appear in my e-mail. http://www.motorsport-events.com Keevil 3rd October FULL DAY £59 Keevil is to be the setting for our second Charity Event this year. This time we have been requested to run the event for Autism Bedfordshire. The event has already been advertised for many weeks to an owners club but they have fallen slightly short of the numbers required to fill the day. Therefore we are opening the gates to our guests. Autism Bedfordshire offer a wide range of help and services to parents of children with Autism. The day presents excellent value at £59 and here comes the charity bit, there is a signing on fee of £20 which goes straight to Autism Bedfordshire who will have a strong presence on the day. We hope to have a couple of extras going on to raise some much needed funds as well. We will also have a number of experiences and packages available in the Noble M12 GT03s from a few laps to half or full day drives with our instructors on board beside you. If you would like more information on any of these or to book please contact us asap as space in these cars is very limited and demand high. Keevil hosts an exciting 1.5 mile circuit with excellent mixes of corners to test any driver from the novice to the experienced. This is the perfect environment in which to learn your and your car's limits with massive run offs and a very good surface. We will be running our usual open pit lane format and have our team of highly experienced instructors on hand to offer in car instruction and at £25 it offers great value for money. There is a 100dB(A) noise limit in operation at this venue. Very limited places available. For further details or to book a place call us on 0870 787 2116 or 07855 482953, it will be a case of first come first served! Motorsport Events Limited Tel: 0870 787 2116 [email protected] http://www.motorsport-events.com

Well Gaz, thanks for that. I'm stiil surprised that a business that size only seems to have one fundamental product. Do you know of any global brands they also own?

No... I'm not querying the drink - brilliant branding etc etc. But the corporate finances? The company doesn't appear big enough for what it does and what it sells. Can anybody with corporate accounting knowledge enlighten me?

Can anybody explain the phenomenon of Red Bull. They own 2 Formula 1 teams, sponsor just about every sporting event on the planet and yet appear to make a can of fizzy drink (in large numbers). Can anybody explain the numbers?

Got an old man's budget?

Another one car formula - yawn! I think I'll just stick to MotoGP and WSB.

Ha! Frank Williams does it again. £20m to not have a driver with no race wins to his name. Even Eddie Jordan should be impressed. So let's get this clear - a driver who has no GP wins wants to drive a car that's never won, for a team that's never won... rather than Williams? Some names come to mind - Prost, Hill, Mansell, Villeneuve, Jones, Rosberg - and who did they drive for?

Peter Betts' TRL/Thor DSC unit can be fine tuned to fix speedo error... and it does all the other things if you need to sort a J-Spec. Top piece of kit.

Can anyone explain what Toyota meant by that?

Says it all.