invisible
New Member
- Messages
- 823
- Location
- Nottingham
Hi All,
You may have seen my post a couple of weeks back that I was to do a EVO Rally driving experience, well that day came, last Saturday 8th Sept - My views;
Pre-arrival expectations
I had booked a 'Rally Silver Experience' and my intinerary said - Subaru, Clio, EVO and (HR) Supercar.
My expectation given 'Rally' in the title, with the exception of the 'Supercar', was this would be me driving on a gravel/dirt track so was loking forward to some sideways actions!
On the day
- After first paying an additional £15 on top of the package to secure a 'premium slot' just to start at 11am instead of 9am then came the usual scaremongering on registration about insurance waiver so parted with another £20
- On arrival I didn't pass any dirt/gravel tracks only a tiny 'go kart like' track which appeared to have a Clio near it and outside the registration hut a smallish tarmac track which consisted of 1 straight, 2 sweeping bends at each end and a back straight which had they said had a chicane in it but more like a straigthened out 'S'!
First impressions therefore a little disappointing and also on checking being told all drives are on tarmac.
1st Drive - Subura STI
- Determined to enjoy myself despite my first impressions climbed into the Scooby for my first drive (each drive was to consist of 6 laps).
- Greeted by my instructor Mark and having briefly shared my initial concerns with him he responded with - 'What I am about to tell you and let you do, keep to yourself, don't mention to the other instructors and be aware they will not let you drive the other cars the way I am going to let you drive this one!'
- In short I was given poetic licence and some excellent coaching to redline the Scooby and rag it to within a inch of its life for 6 adrenaline fuelled laps overtaking a Lambo and an R8 in the process - proper loved it!!
- Instructor scoring - 84%
2nd Drive - Clio
- Still buzzing and smiling ear to ear jumped on the minibus to the Clio circuit
- Welcomed by the instructor who had the passenger seat reclined catching a nap!
- As I climbed in for my drive I noticed the tiny go kart like track that lay before me which also had speed bumps in it!! Wtf as in store here?
- All the excitement from my Scooby drive soon disappeared when he explained I had to stay in second gear with a maximum speed of 20mph and as I approached the corner I was to come off the power (yes off the power!) turn in tight and 3/4 of the way round the bend he was going to pull the hand brake, the back would slide out and I was to straighten the wheel and increase speed to 20mph again until the top corner where we would do the same thing - zzzzzzzzzzzz. This then followed with me doing 6 laps, 20mph, slowing down to 15mph, pulling the handbrake to induce the smallest of slides and then driving off to 20mph again over the speed bumps to keep me slow!! I got shouted at once as got to 24mph!
- This was the most uneventful driving experience I have ever done - very disappointing!
- Instructors Scoring - 88% - I assumed I scored bonus points for not falling asleep!
3rd Drive - HR Supercar
As I was first to go in the Clio made good time and ahead of schedule so asked if I could do the Passenger Ride next
- On reflection i'm sure they must have balls up here as my itinerary said HR SuperCar whatever that means but my schedule had Passenger ride written on it. The passenger rides were either in an Evo VIII or an Elise - so I picked the Evo - Clearly NOT Supercars!
- On jumping in the EVO the driver didnt even know the spec of the car other than to say its standard 'entry' level - no mods.
- He then took me on a chauffer drive of 2 laps of the track going slower than I drove myself in the Scooby!
- disappointing
4th Drive - My Go in the EVO
There were 2 EVOs on the day, the one being used for the passenger rides and the one you get to drive - both cars same spec so still only the 280bhp version which was a shame but nonetheless this was why I was here
- Instructor was a cool lady named Sam who said I can see you've been around the track already so off you go, I'll only chip in and give a few pointers if needed but just so you are aware the car has a few issues so do the best you can!! (Given my own EVO is in the garage with several problems I wasnt best pleased - sods law working!)
- Gave it the beans up to the first corner - off the power, onto the brakes, turn in and back onto the power and nothing!! There's no power, like a fuel cut/misfire, I've have the acclerator to the floor, car coughs and splutters a bit and beings to wind up again (Emissions and Engine management lights on) - 'More Power Sam shouts' - My foots to the bloody floor I reply!!'
- finally the car kicks in again and i'm off - until I need to brake again and same thing happens
- This happens again about 4 or 5 times during my 6 laps
- On the plus side Sam was a great instrutor (as well as good looking) so I had a good chuckle about my broken EVO and the fact I was now driving someoneelses broken EVO too!
- Instructor Score - 90% (she probably felt sorry for me!)
I finished the day coughing up another £20 for 2 lap passenger ride in the 600bhp GTR which was OK but a big car on a small track mean couldnt really do it justice.
All in all a mixed day but not sure I would go there again if I do anymore;
You may have seen my post a couple of weeks back that I was to do a EVO Rally driving experience, well that day came, last Saturday 8th Sept - My views;
Pre-arrival expectations
I had booked a 'Rally Silver Experience' and my intinerary said - Subaru, Clio, EVO and (HR) Supercar.
My expectation given 'Rally' in the title, with the exception of the 'Supercar', was this would be me driving on a gravel/dirt track so was loking forward to some sideways actions!
On the day
- After first paying an additional £15 on top of the package to secure a 'premium slot' just to start at 11am instead of 9am then came the usual scaremongering on registration about insurance waiver so parted with another £20
- On arrival I didn't pass any dirt/gravel tracks only a tiny 'go kart like' track which appeared to have a Clio near it and outside the registration hut a smallish tarmac track which consisted of 1 straight, 2 sweeping bends at each end and a back straight which had they said had a chicane in it but more like a straigthened out 'S'!
First impressions therefore a little disappointing and also on checking being told all drives are on tarmac.
1st Drive - Subura STI
- Determined to enjoy myself despite my first impressions climbed into the Scooby for my first drive (each drive was to consist of 6 laps).
- Greeted by my instructor Mark and having briefly shared my initial concerns with him he responded with - 'What I am about to tell you and let you do, keep to yourself, don't mention to the other instructors and be aware they will not let you drive the other cars the way I am going to let you drive this one!'
- In short I was given poetic licence and some excellent coaching to redline the Scooby and rag it to within a inch of its life for 6 adrenaline fuelled laps overtaking a Lambo and an R8 in the process - proper loved it!!
- Instructor scoring - 84%
2nd Drive - Clio
- Still buzzing and smiling ear to ear jumped on the minibus to the Clio circuit
- Welcomed by the instructor who had the passenger seat reclined catching a nap!
- As I climbed in for my drive I noticed the tiny go kart like track that lay before me which also had speed bumps in it!! Wtf as in store here?
- All the excitement from my Scooby drive soon disappeared when he explained I had to stay in second gear with a maximum speed of 20mph and as I approached the corner I was to come off the power (yes off the power!) turn in tight and 3/4 of the way round the bend he was going to pull the hand brake, the back would slide out and I was to straighten the wheel and increase speed to 20mph again until the top corner where we would do the same thing - zzzzzzzzzzzz. This then followed with me doing 6 laps, 20mph, slowing down to 15mph, pulling the handbrake to induce the smallest of slides and then driving off to 20mph again over the speed bumps to keep me slow!! I got shouted at once as got to 24mph!
- This was the most uneventful driving experience I have ever done - very disappointing!
- Instructors Scoring - 88% - I assumed I scored bonus points for not falling asleep!
3rd Drive - HR Supercar
As I was first to go in the Clio made good time and ahead of schedule so asked if I could do the Passenger Ride next
- On reflection i'm sure they must have balls up here as my itinerary said HR SuperCar whatever that means but my schedule had Passenger ride written on it. The passenger rides were either in an Evo VIII or an Elise - so I picked the Evo - Clearly NOT Supercars!
- On jumping in the EVO the driver didnt even know the spec of the car other than to say its standard 'entry' level - no mods.
- He then took me on a chauffer drive of 2 laps of the track going slower than I drove myself in the Scooby!
- disappointing
4th Drive - My Go in the EVO
There were 2 EVOs on the day, the one being used for the passenger rides and the one you get to drive - both cars same spec so still only the 280bhp version which was a shame but nonetheless this was why I was here
- Instructor was a cool lady named Sam who said I can see you've been around the track already so off you go, I'll only chip in and give a few pointers if needed but just so you are aware the car has a few issues so do the best you can!! (Given my own EVO is in the garage with several problems I wasnt best pleased - sods law working!)
- Gave it the beans up to the first corner - off the power, onto the brakes, turn in and back onto the power and nothing!! There's no power, like a fuel cut/misfire, I've have the acclerator to the floor, car coughs and splutters a bit and beings to wind up again (Emissions and Engine management lights on) - 'More Power Sam shouts' - My foots to the bloody floor I reply!!'
- finally the car kicks in again and i'm off - until I need to brake again and same thing happens
- This happens again about 4 or 5 times during my 6 laps
- On the plus side Sam was a great instrutor (as well as good looking) so I had a good chuckle about my broken EVO and the fact I was now driving someoneelses broken EVO too!
- Instructor Score - 90% (she probably felt sorry for me!)
I finished the day coughing up another £20 for 2 lap passenger ride in the 600bhp GTR which was OK but a big car on a small track mean couldnt really do it justice.
All in all a mixed day but not sure I would go there again if I do anymore;
Last edited:
