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Thread: Driving experiences

  1. #1
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    Driving experiences

    I never realised that it is pretty reasonable to buy a driving experience in a super-car.

    The other day me and some of my mates chipped in some cash and bought a friend 4 his 18th, 3 laps with an instructor driving a Mazda RX-8, 3 laps of my m8 driving it and 4 Laps in a Aston Martin DB9 for only £125

    Its at Prestwold Hall, near loughborough, supposed to be a gd track, although I havent seen any pics yet. But to cover a total of 7.2 miles in a DB9 isnt bad (1.8 miles per lap)

    I booked maself into a driving experience in a Lamborghini Gallardo, and Im gonna have a high-speed passenger ride in a John Cooper Works Cooper S Mini....which should be a lot of fun! (corners faster than the fffff....ferraris)

    Anyone else done a driving experience day?
    I aint know "rookie"
    2006 Ford Mustang 4.6 V8 Premium GT
    2008 Chrysler 300C SRT Design
    2007 Alfa Romeo Brera 2.2
    1972 MG Midget 1275

  2. #2
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    What do you want to know ?
    Done a few and assisted in lots more
    Remember that in your last outing, last laps then there's little they can do to "punish" you if you go too fast .... hint .... hint ....
    "A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'

  3. #3
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    lol when i get a bit of spare cash i'll probably go down to the porsche driver training centre down the road
    Andreas Preuninger, Manager of Porsche High Performance Cars: "Grandmas can use paddles. They aren't challenging."

  4. #4
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    Well ive heard that when you go out with the instructor you go out with other people on the same experience...is that true (not that its a problem lol)

    I assume you can go as fast as you F&*@ing want toor am I wrong there aswell

    What cars did you drive?
    I aint know "rookie"
    2006 Ford Mustang 4.6 V8 Premium GT
    2008 Chrysler 300C SRT Design
    2007 Alfa Romeo Brera 2.2
    1972 MG Midget 1275

  5. #5
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    I was gonna do the Lamborghini vs Hummer experience but decided id just stick to the lambo cos i get 2 high speed passenger laps aswell
    I aint know "rookie"
    2006 Ford Mustang 4.6 V8 Premium GT
    2008 Chrysler 300C SRT Design
    2007 Alfa Romeo Brera 2.2
    1972 MG Midget 1275

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by carbrochuretom
    Well ive heard that when you go out with the instructor you go out with other people on the same experience...is that true (not that its a problem lol)
    well the porsche experience thingy you drive around and do a variety of courses as fast as you want in a 997 carrera S etc. the last stage though the instructor drives you around in a track attack in his GT3 RS
    Andreas Preuninger, Manager of Porsche High Performance Cars: "Grandmas can use paddles. They aren't challenging."

  7. #7
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    I've done about a milllion of these things for various magazine features and I can honestly say the best Experiences are the rally ones - you seem to get a lot more for your money.

    The problem with most of the supercar things is that the cars will be nails... the sills were rusting off in the 993 I drove and the 355 had a sticky throttle pedal. And this was at, well lets just say a VERY major UK circuit.

    You also tend not to get such edgy instructors in the rally schools.

    Also, if you're getting quick laps, see if you can check who's doing them on the days you're thinking of booking, instruction is how most racing drivers make their (real) living. I got Charlie Hollings (F3 god) in a Elise when I went - flippin fantastic.
    www.crash.net/motoring/roadcars/news/home/

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by carbrochuretom
    Well ive heard that when you go out with the instructor you go out with other people on the same experience...is that true (not that its a problem lol)

    I assume you can go as fast as you F&*@ing want toor am I wrong there aswell

    What cars did you drive?
    yeah, some "experience" days then the 4 seaters will be 4 up.
    To be honest, they can be GREAT fun if the driver is up for it.
    We've had a T5 sideways driven by a BTCC driver who was having a conversation abtou the pit girls whilst pushing it to the limit
    Watch out in case the guy next to you looks queasy tho !!!!

    No, you cant' go "as fast as you want". THe instructors are there to keep you "safe" and to protect the car. I've had a few run ins in the past with guys complaining about the revs, gears and speed ( I was once black flagged in a single seater for over-revving. Showed them the telltale I wasn't but the jusu said "well you were going too fast then ... get out". I was young and obeyeed them ! ( Woudlnt' now )

    It also depends on who provides the car. At a Ferrari nigth we were all slapped for pushing too hard as it was a "demonstrator" and the dealer intended to sell it later on On teh other hand the lightweight E-type at oru local track and if they feel you are capable then they will get you to push it

    In teh eraly days of "trackdays" before it became the huge business it is now then "CLub89" was formed by BTCC drivers adn follwoers. We hired the track the day after the BTCC races, some of the drivers were still there and everyeon shared their cars ( the understanding being if you borke someoen elses car then you paid for it ). The list of cars Iv'e been in back then is massive AND I'd get slapped for name dropping if I listed the BTCC foslk I got to share track with and get 1-1 in cars

    Sadly the realisation that trackdays can make a track LOTS of money led to them all setting up to do it themselves and private companies profiting by it and the demise of the "gentlemans club" that Club89 was
    "A woman without curves is like a road without bends, you might get to your destination quicker but the ride is boring as hell'

  9. #9
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    Anything you want to know about Prestwold? It's about 4 miles form my house.

    The track itself is perhaps a little simple, its basically a big triangle with some doglegs thrown in at the corners. If you want to see it, here's an aerial shot:
    http://www.multimap.com/map/photo.cg...x=2&left.y=117

    I've got loads and loads of pics from there, but all taken from the same corner, cos there's only one spectator area, afaik.

    I've tacked on a few pics, to give you an idea.
    First is the corner nearest the spectator bit, Second is the straight after that set of bends.
    Attached Images Attached Images

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