High Speed Driving Days - North Weald 2024

[teamzr1]

I'm interested to attend, but how hard is the day on the car? I always drive my cars smoothly and wouldnt want to do anything that could damage or overstress the car in any way - it's just too nice for that!

Corvette has over 70 years of production models to do all sorts of hard racing and then cruise home

Example, an Open Road Race I did with my 1994 C4 ZR-1
In 90 F degree Nevada heat with elevation changes from 4,500 to 6,500 feet
covering 83 miles in just 29 minutes and 29 seconds with average speed of 170 MPH with peak speeds in the 190s MPH

Then drove home from Battle mountain, Nevada to Northern Ca getting 30 MPG

So Corvettes are built tough and can take more than you could in short track type racing
Recorded data of high speed run, Shows per mile the elapsed time

Stopwatch Time		Avg
Minutes	Seconds	MPH
29​	29​	170
Mile	min	sec
1	0​	21
2	0​	42
3	1​	4
4	1​	25
5	1​	46
6	2​	7
7	2​	28
8	2​	49
9	3​	11
10	3​	32
11	3​	53
12	4​	14
13	4​	35
14	4​	56
15	5​	18
16	5​	39
17	6​	0
18	6​	21
19	6​	42
20	7​	4
21	7​	25
22	7​	46
23	8​	7
24	8​	28
25	8​	49
26	9​	11
27	9​	32
28	9​	53
29	10​	14
30	10​	35
31	10​	56
32	11​	18
33	11​	39
34	12​	0
35	12​	21
36	12​	42
37	13​	4
38	13​	25
39	13​	46
40	14​	7
41	14​	28
42	14​	49
43	15​	11
44	15​	32
45	15​	53
46	16​	14
47	16​	35
48	16​	56
49	17​	18
50	17​	39
51	18​	0
52	18​	21
53	18​	42
54	19​	4
55	19​	25
56	19​	46
57	20​	7
58	20​	28
59	20​	49
60	21​	11
61	21​	32
62	21​	53
63	22​	14
64	22​	35
65	22​	56
66	23​	18
67	23​	39
68	24​	0
69	24​	21
70	24​	42
71	25​	4
72	25​	25
73	25​	46
74	26​	7
75	26​	28
76	26​	49
77	27​	11
78	27​	32
79	27​	53
80	28​	14
81	28​	35
82	28​	56
83	29​	18
83.55	29​	29

 

[CaptainK]

I'm interested to attend, but how hard is the day on the car? I always drive my cars smoothly and wouldnt want to do anything that could damage or overstress the car in any way - it's just too nice for that!

As Forest Gump says above - its purely down to you. Nothing on the day is actually racing, its just you out on the track and trying to get around it as quickly as you feel happy. My first time around was quite tame as I didn't know where I was going or anything.

As for how hard it would be on the car? Nothing much more than a "traffic light race" combined with a "B road blast". To get around the circuit in total (depending on skill) can vary from 1:09 to 1:25. So your car won't get hot or overly bothered, and speed wise nothing that special. In my little FTO there was only the rare occasion I went noticeably faster than any UK speed limits (accelerating along the main straightish bit I might have touched 90 for about a microsecond).

 

[CaptainK]

Just ONE more place left for August now! Eight available for May

I really wanted to go in August as well, but no cheap hotels nearby. So not really a viable option.

 

[phn]

That's me booked in for the 21st May with my lovely 2004 50th Anniversary C5.

Having recently bought the car, I think this will be a great way to find out the cars limits in a safe envrinoment, as I'm sure I hardly even sratch the surfasce of it's potential in normal road driving. Also, as I haven't done any performance driver training before I'm also looking forward to learning a lot and of course meeting some new friends!

See you there!

PS Are there any requirements to have a helmet or wear a long sleeved shirt like you sometimes get on trackdays? Or anything else I should know about? Thanks!

 

[phn]

Corvette has over 70 years of production models to do all sorts of hard racing and then cruise home

Example, an Open Road Race I did with my 1994 C4 ZR-1
In 90 F degree Nevada heat with elevation changes from 4,500 to 6,500 feet
covering 83 miles in just 29 minutes and 29 seconds with average speed of 170 MPH with peak speeds in the 190s MPH

Then drove home from Battle mountain, Nevada to Northern Ca getting 30 MPG

So Corvettes are built tough and can take more than you could in short track type racing

Wow! Impresive - nice to see how tough Corvettes really are!

 

[CaptainK]

PS Are there any requirements to have a helmet or wear a long sleeved shirt like you sometimes get on trackdays? Or anything else I should know about? Thanks!

No helmets or special clothing needed. Its not trackday as such, but an action day - its only one person out on the circuit at once, with plenty of run off everywhere and nothing to hit. Worst that can happen is you might spin if you are too eager. As such, its a very safe environment.

 

[BobbyV8]

That's me booked in for the 21st May with my lovely 2004 50th Anniversary C5.

Having recently bought the car, I think this will be a great way to find out the cars limits in a safe envrinoment, as I'm sure I hardly even sratch the surfasce of it's potential in normal road driving. Also, as I haven't done any performance driver training before I'm also looking forward to learning a lot and of course meeting some new friends!

See you there!

PS Are there any requirements to have a helmet or wear a long sleeved shirt like you sometimes get on trackdays? Or anything else I should know about? Thanks!

I did it last year and it was great fun along with great people too. You'll enjoy it. No special requirements, no helmet needed or long sleeves. There is a decibel limit but I doubt you'll need to worry about that. A small compressor or footpump is handy as you may want to adjust tyre pressures. Also make sure you have enough fuel to start with as you use more than you would expect.

 

[Invetterate]

The August date is now fully subscribed. Six places left in May - last chance for North Weald, guys and girls.

Join us, see what your Corvette can really do and have some V8 fun!!

 

[Blondie69]

I'm booked in for August with my C3 1969 - should give me enough time to put it back together again .
I will officially claim the "driving Miss Daisy" lap time. . I'm not into speed but learning about controlling my big block beast .... Super excited

 

[Invetterate]

I'm booked in for August with my C3 1969 - should give me enough time to put it back together again .
I will officially claim the "driving Miss Daisy" lap time. . I'm not into speed but learning about controlling my big block beast .... Super excited

Really glad you can join us, Barb! You are spot-on about learning - we all do every time we go. It is the ideal place to push it a bit in a way you can't on the road and you can feel what is like when you are at or beyond the limit of adhesion, even if that results in a spin. In fact, it is a good thing to experience here - you can start to learn to control it properly. Everyone is supportive and we have some specialists too. Andy is the C3 expert so I am certain he can help and David Smitheram [Fishy Dave on the forum] used to be a racing instructor. He is really good at calmly giving advice and I am sure he will be happy to do so. He is very patient with me even though I have a habit of spinning his car!

Look forward to seeing you there

Kind regards,

Mark

 

[CaptainK]

I'm booked in for August with my C3 1969 - should give me enough time to put it back together again .
I will officially claim the "driving Miss Daisy" lap time. . I'm not into speed but learning about controlling my big block beast .... Super excited

Gutted I can't make the August date now (I'm booked in in May). Would have been fab to see big block C3 go around the circuit. . Hope you have lots of fun there.

 

[Invetterate]

For those going on Tuesday 21st May, I hope you are looking forward to it as much as I am! The weather forecast keeps changing but hopefully it will be ok and not concrete-crackingly hot or coming down stair rods!

A few of us are looking to get there around 08.00 to get tyres pumped up bit and hopefully find a coffee. Suggest, if you can, you are there by about 8.30.

For anybody who hasn't been before, you can't turn right into the airfield entrance - you have to go down to the small roundabout and come back on yourself. Go through the security gates and immediately turn left, follow the perimeter road round until it opens up. There might be a red double-decker bus there - if so, aim for that. If not, park up near the green containers/portacabins. It is likely you will see other Corvettes around anyway.

There will be a noise test, but it is very liberally interpreted and we haven't lost anybody yet to it [even a BB which hit 110db!!!]

It is strongly suggested that you increase your tyre pressures on arrival although I do not go to the maximum that the website mentions. I am looking at going up from 30psi to 35-36psi. We can discuss there, but it's best if you bring a pump - blowing into the tyres is not seemly for members of an august club like ours.......

Any questions, please feel free to contact me on 0754 289 7905

Look forward to seeing you there.

Kind regards,

Mark

 

[phn]

Thanks for the useful information Mark - will take your advice ref tyre pressures! Look forward to seeing everyone there.

 

[Steven Smith]

The advice I was given by TeamZR1 was to start at 35 psi and adjust accordingly using the following chart

 

[Invetterate]

The advice I was given by TeamZR1 was to start at 35 psi and adjust accordingly using the following chart
View attachment 26336

Now, that is interesting! What I need, however, is the adjustment for wrong steering and a general lack of talent.......

 

[CaptainK]

I'll be there on Tuesday (tomorrow ) in the FTO, travelling up tonight and staying at a cheapy hotel. Also coming with a mate of mine in a Skoda VRS. So we're likely to be most of the front wheel drive club there tomorrow .

Last time I had my tyres on normal pressure as it was my first time. Now I know a bit more (allegedly), and seeing that chart above, I should probably be lowering my front tyre pressure a tad as I was getting lots of understeer, especially on "high speed bend".

 

[phn]

I'll be there on Tuesday (tomorrow ) in the FTO, travelling up tonight and staying at a cheapy hotel.

I'm overnighting at the exclusive 5* premier inn - Harlow East! If anyone else is there let me know

 

[phn]

Here's another question - for the C5 people - do you use "Competitive driving mode" for the driving day or just leave things standard? To be honest I have never used this mode and am not entirely sure what it does but it sounds interesting!

 

[teamzr1]

If owners do not know this, there is a 3rd mode (if having this option) using the button on center console which is the one I use mostly
as per owner's manual

Competitive Driving

The driver can select an optional handling mode by depressing the ACTIVE HANDLING button on the console for more than five seconds, while the vehicle is stopped with the ignition on.
Competitive Driving mode allows the driver to have full control of the rear wheels, while the Active Handling System helps steer the vehicle by selective brake application.
The instrument cluster light will not be on. The Traction Control System will not be operating. Adjust your driving accordingly.

When you press the ACTIVE HANDLING button on the console again or turn the ignition to ACC, the Active Handling and the Traction Control Systems will be on.
The message TRAC/ACT HNDLG ON will be displayed temporarily in the DIC and a chime will be heard.

 

[BobbyV8]

Here's another question - for the C5 people - do you use "Competitive driving mode" for the driving day or just leave things standard? To be honest I have never used this mode and am not entirely sure what it does but it sounds interesting!

When I went last year we were told to turn off all traction controls. That makes it really interesting