2004 Events for 968 Owners

paulf968 · Nov 26, 2003

Thought it would be good to start a thread on 2004 events where like minded 968 owners might get together. I am aware that such events might not attract much interest but 2004 is a new year and why not give it a try.

My first thought was that we should converge on one of the PCGB trackdays, if the club would allow a contingent of non-participants together with a few of us who might like to drive.

So my suggestion is Silverstone (was 25th July last year, who knows when in 2004) it is centrally placed and I am sure we could arrange some sort of visit to the new Porsche OPC just a couple of miles down the road. I can feel a splendid photo shoot coming on with over 30 968's spread around the new showroom. Wake me up I must be dreaming!!

Bit pricey though for a track day -- if you want a go -- just over £300 in 2003. But my guess it that most people would be happier just to gather together and not wear their cars out on the track -- am I wrong?

Other ideas? what say you?

bye

Paul

John H · Nov 27, 2003

Well done that man!

I'll certainly make a point of coming to at least one gathering "darn sarf" in 2004, and I'll also get something together up here in God's own country. Meeting up at track days seems an eminently sensiible idea.

JH

Guest · Nov 27, 2003

I'll definately be up for a meet up at Silverstone.

Chris

Rob Sharp · Nov 27, 2003

Sounds good to me. Assuming the date is right, I'd be up for it.

Rob

944Turbo · Nov 27, 2003

In the evening after the PCGB day (for at least the last 2 years anyway) there is a track evening run by goldtrack - It is good value at approx £105 and Calum Lockie the organiser has a 968 and gives high speed passenger laps (for a fee - possibly £25). There was a picture in last months Porsche Post of the 944's (and Calums 968) in the pit lane at the end of the evening, unfortunately the article to go with it wasn't published.
Tony

Mr968 · Nov 27, 2003

Hi Tony,
At tha risk of being chastised by the powers that be, I have to say that I am surprised that your posting hasn't been edited or even deleted, last year I negotiated a price with Callum for 968 drivers but believe it or not was not allowed to publish it in the Porsche Post or on the website because it was in direct competition with the PCGB track days, so it never happened and the 968 drivers lost out. Maybe it could be re-addressed. Maybe that is why the article itself wasn't published?

John H · Nov 28, 2003

Duh ... does this mean I should edit you Stu?

(like I'm going to ... not!)

JH

Matt · Nov 28, 2003

I'd be up for a meet - or a track day is cool as well - but not the PCGB £300 touch as I believe it to be too expensive.
for example i managed to get a saturday at bedford south west circuit at the start of the month for £115. open pit lane after 12. it was a redline magazine 'track attack' day - but loads of people found out about it on the palmersport website and booked up - there was only one Corsa with 20" wheels and exhaust tips the size of dustbins [:'(], the rest were a real mixture . the worst driving of all was 4 vx220's who got so carried away they started racing - but soon got black flagged.
if we could find a day like that somewhere and book a load of spaces it could be great??

alternative to this is organising a 968 (&944?) day - colin belton (i think) organised a 964RS day last year at oulton park which apparently was booked solid & great fun

matt

Guest · Nov 28, 2003

ORIGINAL: Matt
I'd be up for a meet - or a track day is cool as well - but not the PCGB £300 touch as I believe it to be too expensive.
for example i managed to get a saturday at bedford south west circuit at the start of the month for £115. open pit lane after 12. it was a redline magazine 'track attack' day - but loads of people found out about it on the palmersport website and booked up - there was only one Corsa with 20" wheels and exhaust tips the size of dustbins

I thought/ hoped that joining PCGB, among other things, would have given me access to cheaper organised track days but everything i've seen so far seems to be dearer, i'd like to be corrected on this but fear i won't be.

I was about to book a place at that Redline Track Attack day too, until i looked up and saw what Redline magazine was about, then i backed out for fear of being the wrong side of 19 and not having any rear facing head gear.

Del.

Matt · Nov 28, 2003

del
i had a look on pistonheads track days forum - saw that there were some 'more appropriate'

type people going. also took a gamble that if it was rubbish it was only £100 down the pan, and that the marshalls would stop any idiocy.
got to say that it was fine - as per my previous mail the worst culprits being the allegedly 'more appropriate' types in the vx220's[8|]. glad i took the gamble

funniest car of the day from the magazine itself. bog standard looking m reg Mutro, on slicks....all standard interior etc. the thing was good through corners and v.quick on the straights - it was running a mgf vvt engine @ 200odd hp and full race prepped suspension & brakes[8D] matey reckoned he gets round bedford a couple of seconds quicker than his std 993 c2!!

944Turbo · Nov 28, 2003

In reply to K300
I must admit I wondered as I typed it, but the trackday side seems to be a little neglected on the forum (we can't post in the trackday section). I beleive the article may have mentioned the bargain price relative to the club day - I know from titanic that some who did both last year got similar track mileage in the evening.
I have done a number of club trackdays as well and found them to be well organised, if a little pricey and I have had a couple of occasions where I have been stuck behind others for longer than I would like ideally (some 911s are quite quick in a straight line [

] ). I wish they used the nurburgring comment in the briefing - If a car is behind you it is faster than you move over and let it pass.
In fact my first day was at a club day at Croft and Steve Kelvin was very accomodating in allowing a load of us from the 944 register space.
I have also done a number of 'cheap' days Donnington has some bargains in the run up to christmas - but these were heavily populated and there were some idiots around and a real mix of cars from full race (including open wheelers) and radicals to old 320 BMWs - A caterfield hit the pit wall in front of me and made a real mess.
The goldtrack evenings at Silverstone are well organised and they don't stand for any nonsense. I have yet to do any days with them anywhere else, but have no reason to doubt they should be any different.
Tony

944Turbo · Nov 28, 2003

P.S. The article (by John Sims) is on the web if anyone is interested!
Tony

paulf968 · Nov 28, 2003

A cheaper track day is an excellent idea and an evening one in the summer seems the way to go.

I did speak with Pauline Clayton at PCGB (Steve Kevlin was out of the office) and the idea of a gathering alongside the trackday (cars all parked up together behind the pits), with spectators free and drivers/passengers paying the normal rate was OK in principle.

NB. Tough as it sounds, I think it is fair that PCGB do not allow competing notices for trackdays when a PCGB event may be affected.

I agree that the PCGB events are well organised but right at the very top end on price - so I suggest we think around this problem.

I have just done a full day's trackday at Donington with RMA (£225 as a first timer with them), sensible group of drivers but lots of them faster than my std Coupe. Good circuit in my limited experience -- those Craner curves can be challenging at speed !!! Managed to do over 200 miles on the circuit. It was my first full one as the other time I went to one the fuel pump packed up soon after starting.

Perhaps a call to RMA or Goldtrack (suggest some other good co's?) to see how their 2004 programme is shaping up would be good. Which circuit centrally placed should we be aiming for? evening run I presume? weekday or weekend?

Further ideas?

bye

paul

Mr968 · Nov 28, 2003

Hi John,
no sorry, it wasn't aimed at you, and I know you wouldn't do it anyway as you are a 968 enthusiast and want to do the best for the members.

Being a club official is a balance of doing what's best for the members and doing what's best for the club as a going concern, I tend to fall on the members side of the fence which can be a bit contentious with officials that fall on the club side of the fence.
Track days is one example, if you or I where to find a cheaper track day event we probably wouldn't be allowed to officially advertise it, because it could possibly undermine the revenue coming into the club, and I suppose it could be argued that that also wouldn't be good for the club members.
But then track days and motorsport are run as a separate part of the club so I'm not sure that it shouldn't stand apart from the club itself as the pricing isn't generally affordable by a lot of the members.
Another example came to light recently where I entered my car into a concours event run by the club, before entering my car I try to make sure that it is as close to original as possible, therefore I haven't added any extra decals or stickers
I got bumped from 3rd place to 5th place because I didn't have a PCGB sticker in the window. (This has been fully covered in another category)
I have brought these issues up at officials meetings in the past and will continue to put my views forward.

Mr968 · Nov 28, 2003

By the way have you all missed this page,
968 track days.
I am just waiting for the lists from Callum etc for 2004.

paulf968 · Nov 28, 2003

K300

When the 2004 list goes up that would be good, however I note that the Silverstone or Donington (full day) ones for 2003 were up to £395. Might evening track days be included in the list 2004? also RMA did not get a mention - they are a well organised outfit.

These full dayers are probably going to be too expensive and even if we did go you would have to drive like mad all day to get the value from it -- then no time for a natter to all attending.

An evening trackday might well fit the bill better -- a shorter period with more concentrated driving. Meet up ahead of time for some leisurely chat then let everyone loose on the circuit for a couple of hours.

Thoughts?

bye

paul

paulf968 · Dec 6, 2003

A proposal:

How about this early season event, it has just caught my eye?

An RMA Trackday (www.rma-limited.co.uk) at Jonathan Palmers Bedford Autodrome.

Date: Saturday 28th February 2004 (days will be starting to get longer then and half-term will be over)

Price: Full dayer for £149 when booked online, or only £99 if you become a member for 2004, that seems excellent value to me. (ps I have no connection with RMA just in case the thought occurred to you, the circuit is not far from where I live so that will be biasing my opinion!) Might even be able to get a small discount if a few of us can commit.

I put this forward as it seems excellent value and the trackside facilities are second to none as I experienced when I did the JP 'Sensation' event earlier in 2003. It is a nice wide open (ex-airfield) circuit, so probably one of the safest venues for a track day.

What do you think? post here if you are up for it or indeed if another event takes your fancy.

(Special gesture to John H: As you live so far away and as an incentive to come down if it makes sense, you are most welcome to stopover at my house -- I am about 20 minutes from the circuit!)

p.s If this is a starter then would Stuart mind me posting this on his site?

bye

paul

Mr968 · Dec 6, 2003

Hi Paul,
of course not, do put it on,

Cheers.

Guest · Dec 6, 2003

That's sounds good, i'm up for it, so put my name down please. I have a few 968 owner friends that aren't PCGB members so, if it's ok i'll let them know too.

Del.

paulf968 · Dec 6, 2003

Del (Heyou) :

Yes do that, the more the merrier -- suggest everyone books independently via the RMA web site, that being the only way such an ad hoc meet could be organised. Del -- definitely a 100% ban on rear facing headgear !!

Stu (K300) :

Thanks for your quick response. Have put it up on your site in a couple of places and have utilised the handy 'polls' facility on one post to see what happens.

Anyone else please spread the word as far and wide as you like, would be fun to see how many turn up. Could be an excuse for the first BBQ of the new year !!!

bye

Paul