Cadwell yesterday-badger mobile & SR4

Discussion in 'Badger5' started by badger5, Jun 11, 2005.

  1. GVK

    GVK Paid Member Paid Member

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    [​IMG]

    This was at Cadwell last Friday, rapid [:D] :p

    Dunno what engine it was tho? [:s]
    Edited by: GVK
     
  2. GVK

    GVK Paid Member Paid Member

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    That's what Graham (Vanstone) has always said to me in regard to the Radicals/XTRs, if you turn up to a track in one, you're EXPECTED to be quick in it.
     
  3. GVK

    GVK Paid Member Paid Member

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    I suppose the high downforce/grip factor of a Radical becomes a different kind of 'fun' than trying to keep a mk2 Golf running some old slicks on line [:$] :lol:
     
  4. DEX

    Dex Paid Member Paid Member

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    well i think a lot of the fun is exactly what Bill says - not how fast you go outright - but how close to the limit you can get the car


    last donington day i went to there was a 911 going round, 50k or something worth of car? It had to pull over on the straight to let a mk1 16v past (while the pit wall cheered)

    Lesson? getting 95% performance out of a 5k car is more fun, and a greater achievement than 50% out of a 50k car

    yes the XTR/Radicals are very fast - but think what else you can buy with the money...

    there's a lot of Kudos to be had from driving to the track in your mk2, embarassing cossies etc (even i've done it in a std engined mk2 16v) and then driving home again with a big idiot grin!
     
  5. RobT

    RobT Forum Junkie

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    Barney, I know what your saying doode.....trackdays are about having fun,
    but it depends where your fun comes from - some people are never
    happy unless they are beating everything in site - and for them a radical
    or suchlike is probably the tool to have. I get a lot of fun from getting a
    shopping trolley going fast, as much fun from the spannering as the
    driving, and as Bill has said above, its great to go round the outside of a
    suberishi in a lime shopping trolley. However, I also (think) I would like
    going fast and for this have considered buying a 250cc superkart on
    numerous occasions (very cheap second hand and VERY fast - quicker
    than a F3 car fast in long circuit trim). Whether this would be as much fun
    as the pickle remains to be seen - probably very scarey (but then I did
    used to race open class motocrossers which are somewhat of a buzz !)

    There was a really interesting article I was reading recently about the
    Westfield XI - replica of the Lotus XI - pukka old racecar like thing with
    D-type jag hump behind driver etc - 65hp I think and the writeup said it
    was fantastic to 4 wheel drift, communicative etc - skinny tyres etc etc.
    That would be a lot of fun by the sounds of things but how long would it
    be until you got board getting passed by Civic Type R's down every
    straight bit ?
     
  6. badger5

    badger5 Club GTI Sponsor and Supporter Trader

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    I think its V-Tech powered.. was quick. Took some passing.
     
  7. I V - mk1 16v Forum Member

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    Great write up Bill. :clap:
    Its an interesting subject to ponder, last year i did a couple of EVO days and had a couple of pax rides at different circuits in both a Radical SR3 and a Caterham R400 both driven by racing drivers. The 1st time in the Radical was at Snett and it was an amazing experience, everything it did, acceleration, braking, cornering are just completly on a different level, going flatout down the revett straight touching about 130ish, then not braking till he was just about under the bridge!!! Pulling what felt 3g of braking force for a second before turning in. The whole experience was manic, but what was fun about it, was how stupidly fast the thing was.

    BUT after a few pax rides at different circuit the high was never like the first time and now I genuinely think radicals are too fast for trackdays, (that said i do fancy doing one of the fastrak days!) you spend your whole time getting held up by slower traffic and unless there are other radicals on track you have nothing you can compare yourself too. For me the fun in trackdays is driving whatever car i'm in upto the limit of my ability and 'competing/comparing' myself to the other cars i'm sharing the track with.
    If i'm in a radical i've no excuse not to be, by far the fastest thing out there, and TBH if you want to buy a proper racing car to drive flat out then you should be racing.

    On the other hand, the rides i had out in the R400 were still extremely fast, but the fun in that, was not the speed but the controlabilty, looking out of the side window while the guy balanced the car on the throttle on the lock stops at about 80mph. [8D] Now i'm not saying i could do that, but i'm sure the fun would be a long term hit while i tried to learn.

    i do also agree with Rob's point thou' as much as i love driving lou's mx5 on track as it's so much fun, it does get a bit frustrating when you are so easily overtaken on the straights.

    My 2p's worth. ;)
     
  8. badger5

    badger5 Club GTI Sponsor and Supporter Trader

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    dont mention MX5's.... or TVR.... baulked me all day long these poxy things did.. :thumbd:

    TVR numpty had grunt in a straight line which seemed the only place he was capable of using full throttle. DOH! Got in the way of most people thru the bends and hoofed it down the straights, ready to baulk people at the other end. DUH!

    The SR4 gained on most things as you would expect, and yea I agree it is too fast for 95% track cars when mixed on the same track @ same time. Its not that fast sheer accelerating (not slow) but its corner speed and braking ability is so much more.

    Had a good time chasing down a clump of EVO's all pushing each other along.. They did'nt make it particularly easy to pass them [:[] but then again what do I expect. Ibiza passing EVO... not reallty street cred for them. :lol:

    Nicest/fastest cars on the day were the SR4, a red bike engined caterfield, white RS1600 blister arched escort, Ultima thingy.
    Was suprised when I came up behind an R400... thought they were faster than it actually was.

    Another SR4 'feature' would have to be a crew to support it... even getting yourself belted up took assistance being so snug in the cockpit. (I was more snug than a lot tho :p ) - Did'nt need the vaselene after all :lol:

    For a superb fun track dat toy, I would look at a bike engined caterfield I think for good smiles/mile. Something with a bit of an aero pack would be better tho. - All the bike engined things were top end limited it seemed @ Cadwell, geared for 130mph?
     
  9. infinity

    infinity Forum Member

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    Good Write up Bill!!!

    That drive sounded awesome!! [:D]
     
  10. GVK

    GVK Paid Member Paid Member

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    It's not the MX-5's or TVR's fault the drivers don't listen in the breifings :lol:

    Andy Curtis, who instructs for Javelin, really emphasises that overtaking is at a premium @ Cadwell, it's too narrow a track for the mr "numpty no mirrors" we've all came across on track days.
     
  11. badger5

    badger5 Club GTI Sponsor and Supporter Trader

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    Funny thing about briefings is people forget everything they heard just as they strap on their helmet [:$]

    The briefing on Friday said NO OVERTAKING by the farm bit to the right hander onto the bottom straight? (appologies for not knowing the names). The sharp right hander after Hall bends and that little straight bit?

    anyhows.... people in front, pull to right, slow right down to let you by there.. so after nearly rear ending them after they jump onto the brakes, inidcate right and pull right I ended up being obliged to pass them, knowing it was said not to in the briefing.. What did they hear in the same briefing?

    Its tricky tho, speed differential on an open pit lane format day between cars was huge at the extreme's. Radical SR4 and Mazda MX5 same track same time.. Eagle eyes on the mirror's req'd. (SR4 caught me out on one lap, was busy trying to find a way round slower car in front when the SR4 jumped me from behind ( :p ohh errr) - Barely saw the SR4 in side mirror when I was about to pull past the slower thing in front of me.. I ended up pulling out after the SR4 and chasing it for a while (as best I could before the brake fluid boiled on me as usual)
     
  12. prof Forum Addict

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    vetc mini, guy called Ray, late rover metro front frame IIRC
     
  13. GVK

    GVK Paid Member Paid Member

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    True Bill, the adrenalin flows, people get revved up!! and forget every single word that was said to them :lol:

    Would've though it pretty much common sense for the short straight between the Hairpin and Barn to be a no-no-overtaking section ( 5 cars lengths isn't it?), but if as you say, people are letting you pass there , you have to oblige, I suppose. [:s]

    Edited by: GVK
     
  14. badger5

    badger5 Club GTI Sponsor and Supporter Trader

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    You'd think but they near on stopped there and with several cars following me following them it was pass or stop in traffic.. or fear being rear ended.

    most bizarre
     
  15. GVK

    GVK Paid Member Paid Member

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    It's that front bumper, scares them :p
     
  16. badger5

    badger5 Club GTI Sponsor and Supporter Trader

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    LOL.. you think?
    EVO esque or looks like its falling off.:lol:

    [​IMG]
     
  17. ianb Forum Member

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    Nice script Bill...very enjoyable read.


    I supppose it maybe next step for you,ie getting into something like a SR4 or a track only focused car like a Caterham.Westy etc

    It just goes to show how good your shopping trolley is.
    Even more reason to relish those moments on track when you pass something you shouldn't.

    It puts things into perspective..............enjoy what you've got



    Ian
     
  18. badger5

    badger5 Club GTI Sponsor and Supporter Trader

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    Cheers m8.
    There's more to come from the shopping trolly in the handling dept. Thats where my focus has to be now. New engine coming with more power etc blah blah blah, but corners is where I have a lot more potential to increase speed.
    SR4 is a race car, non practical, built for track car, and although I enjoyed it a LOT [:D] its mega money, & only usable on track.
    If you get the chance to have a go in one go for it tho... but WARNING you may never be happy with your own ride after..
     
  19. prof Forum Addict

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    Bill have you and RobT though about getting some shine racing hubs, or some dural ones with improved geometry?
     
  20. GVK

    GVK Paid Member Paid Member

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    I think that question was covered in the "You don't find Ibiza F2 bits on trees or whatever" quote, in my widetrack thread ;)
     

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