High Speed Driving Days - North Weald 2024

[CaptainK]

Thanks for coming all that way Kieran. Good to see you and meet Shawn. You get the Long Distance Award again! I bet you never thought you could spin a FWD car! Good show!

Yeah, it was 430 odd miles again in total round trip, including the action on the trip. Shawn lives slightly closer than me, but as he was driving a diesel his fuel bill was less.

And yes, spinning the FTO was amusing. I giggled a lot. Was surprised that even with the spin, at the time I was still in the top 5 with a 1:34.

 

[phn]

I drove home with the tyres on the C5 still at 36 psi and the car felt a bit better (more responsive?) than running the standard 30 psi all round.
Just wondering if it would do any harm to leave them at that pressure for normal driving or would I end up with badly worn tyes or some other negative consequence?

 

[Invetterate]

I drove home with the tyres on the C5 still at 36 psi and the car felt a bit better (more responsive?) than running the standard 30 psi all round.
Just wondering if it would do any harm to leave them at that pressure for normal driving or would I end up with badly worn tyes or some other negative consequence?

I have been thinking exactly the same thing, Phil. The higher pressure might be favouring the centre of the tread which would potentially wear that part of the tyre more. I don't know if this would, in turn, tend to reduce the size of the contact patch. I think I might go for a compromise and try 32-33.

 

[teamzr1]

I drove home with the tyres on the C5 still at 36 psi and the car felt a bit better (more responsive?) than running the standard 30 psi all round.
Just wondering if it would do any harm to leave them at that pressure for normal driving or would I end up with badly worn tyes or some other negative consequence?

The higher the tire PSI, the less sidewall flexes so ride is stiffer
You do not mention if the 36 PSI is when tires are cold or when hotter and PSI increases

FYI, I think 30 all 4 corners is too low, yes the ride feels software, but that could lead to higher tire wear

Experiment, try cold pressures like split the different to 33 PSI and test and adjust from there
Try like fronts 1–2 pounds higher and lower and from front to rear, and see how it affects your drive style as to over or understeer

Being the internal tire PSI changes from cold to hot tire and pressures expands, could mean the rears expand more than the fronts

I instead use Nitrogen instead of air as its PSI stays more stable as tire conditions change

 

[Roscobbc]

The higher the tire PSI, the less sidewall flexes so ride is stiffer
You do not mention if the 36 PSI is when tires are cold or when hotter and PSI increases

FYI, I think 30 all 4 corners is too low, yes the ride feels software, but that could lead to higher tire wear

Experiment, try cold pressures like split the different to 33 PSI and test and adjust from there
Try like fronts 1–2 pounds higher and lower and from front to rear, and see how it affects your drive style as to over or understeer

Being the internal tire PSI changes from cold to hot tire and pressures expands, could mean the rears expand more than the fronts

I instead use Nitrogen instead of air as its PSI stays more stable as tire conditions change

I have been thinking exactly the same thing, Phil. The higher pressure might be favouring the centre of the tread which would potentially wear that part of the tyre more. I don't know if this would, in turn, tend to reduce the size of the contact patch. I think I might go for a compromise and try 32-33.

It's not really relevant per sei to C5's and C6's but for the last 10 years or so I've used 32psi on the 18 inch tyres on my C3. Rears are 285/40 series. I took that on advice from a knowledgeable tyre fitter who stated that tyre pressures are generally increased as diameter increases (and profile reduces) by a factor of 2 psi per additional inch additional wheel diameter.

 

[phn]

I created a small photo album of the North Weald Day - if anyone wants to access and download any pics I may (or may not) have taken of your cars please pm me and I will send you a link.

Also on the tyre pressure front, I have set mine to 32 as a compromise, to see how that goes for road driving.

 

[Steven Smith]

I created a small photo album of the North Weald Day - if anyone wants to access and download any pics I may (or may not) have taken of your cars please pm me and I will send you a link.

Also on the tyre pressure front, I have set mine to 32 as a compromise, to see how that goes for road driving.

My son took around 400 photos on Tuesday, as soon as he has sorted them out I will get him to do something similar.

 

[CaptainK]

Thanks everyone for offering your photos. Be fab to see them.

On a different note, now that North Weald is being sold off for whatever, and the car stuff is ending - does anyone know what the Mark and Graham at Drive Limits are doing next to continue their adventures? Or are we having to find events elsewhere now? Or is the airfield not being sold now?

 

[Invetterate]

Thanks everyone for offering your photos. Be fab to see them.

On a different note, now that North Weald is being sold off for whatever, and the car stuff is ending - does anyone know what the Mark and Graham at Drive Limits are doing next to continue their adventures? Or are we having to find events elsewhere now? Or is the airfield not being sold now?

I talked to Mark about this fully expecting [as previously mentioned] that this would be the last year we could do this. He says that Google has said that they want the airfield to continue as unaffected as possible, although what that means is not totally clear. There is also a lot of infrastructure work needed first which seems to translate to data cables etc which will take some time. The upshot is that it is possible that he will be able to continue into next year but, as he put it, it is one thing at a time. We can keep a lookout for things happening next year and see where it takes us. Let's hope we do get the opportunity to do this again next year!

 

[CaptainK]

Nice one. Fingers crossed Mark can keep it running as long as possible, and then find somewhere else when the time comes. Fingers crossed they get to keep the circuit area, and Google resurface the tarmac too

 

[Invetterate]

For those who have signed up for Tuesday, I very much look forward to seeing you there.

The weather currently looks pretty dreadful but hopefully will change for the better. Wet conditions present a greater challenge but part of the reason for going is to learn!

If possible, please be there for 8.30. When you get there, please go through the entrance and turn left. Follow the road around the edge of the airfield until it opens out and park up on the right. You should see us there!

Cheers

Mark

 

[Termie]

For those who have signed up for Tuesday, I very much look forward to seeing you there.

The weather currently looks pretty dreadful but hopefully will change for the better. Wet conditions present a greater challenge but part of the reason for going is to learn!

If possible, please be there for 8.30. When you get there, please go through the entrance and turn left. Follow the road around the edge of the airfield until it opens out and park up on the right. You should see us there!

Cheers

Mark

I'll be there, but probably in the Alpine.

The afternoon looks dry

 

[CaptainK]

Wet conditions present a greater challenge

Cripes don't we know it from last time?

It certainly made for an entertaining day, and was actually quite great to practice our fast driving in the rain skills.

 

[Invetterate]

Cripes don't we know it from last time?

It certainly made for an entertaining day, and was actually quite great to practice our fast driving in the rain skills.

We certainly do! Some first timers joining us this time - didn't want them to show us up so got my excuses in early .

 

[CaptainK]

Are we doing this again for 2025?

I see on their website that the 20 places dates are:
Tuesday 5th August - 6 places left.
Monday 8th September - 18 places left.

Be good to do it again. Have any of you booked? If so, then I suppose we could start a new post for it.

 

[Termie]

Are we doing this again for 2025?

I see on their website that the 20 places dates are:
Tuesday 5th August - 6 places left.
Monday 8th September - 18 places left.

Be good to do it again. Have any of you booked? If so, then I suppose we could start a new post for it.

I actually mentioned this to Mark recently. I am looking at going this year.

 

[Steven Smith]

Are we doing this again for 2025?

I see on their website that the 20 places dates are:
Tuesday 5th August - 6 places left.
Monday 8th September - 18 places left.

Be good to do it again. Have any of you booked? If so, then I suppose we could start a new post for it.

I have booked for the 5th August along with Andy and Mark.

 

[CaptainK]

I have booked for the 5th August along with Andy and Mark.

We do need a new post for it then. I was waiting for someone to post which dates before I booked it too

 

[Termie]

I booked now. But will happily hang out on my own while the "in the know" people huddle together

 

[CaptainK]

Well, if you lot are all booking the 5th August then I better book as well . I've also started a new 2025 version of this post too.