Brands 18th July Easytracks £145 with free evening session!!

Ok guys I've managed to get myself a 50% discount due to a communication breakdown Can't believe I've lucked out like this but I'm not complaining. Who's up for joining me on my Brands delayed debut? Hopefully keeping crashing to a minimum! We might even find a discount through TDR again. The evening session is included in the price for those that still have some energy left.

I'm definitely gonna try

I'm booked and paid up.

Legs still hurting from Monday but I have one month to get into better shape, loose half a stone and do some work on my quads.

Good man Bic!

Fast
Colonel Klinck
Twisted Jester?
Ducati Pete?

Inters
Bic_Bicknell (assumed you're in here Bic move yourself if not m8)


Come on lads you know you want to!

I shall put in a leave application tomorrow morning.

Make the most of this, easytrack won't keep these prices forever. With the number of punters they have they are loosing money on these events.

I'm thinking of getting their 3 day multibuy thingy. As Brands is my local it will save me a few bob and it's valid for a fair old time.

Got to say I'm tempted by this, do you think the guys who went on the 13th could get 50% because we were traumatised by the lack of Craigs presence?!

I have 2 problems.

The first is getting there cheaply and the second is I can't afford to do many more and I have a dilemma. Basically its this one which is cheaper and you get a load of tracktime or its the Summer crashfest where everyones going?! Struggle to do one let alone both

Booked

Booked

Looking forward to learning Petes way round

Out of interest Pete, I've never really bothered much about it before but what do you reckon is best gearing for Brands

I run 17-40 at the moment and hold onto second from druids down to graham hill then hold third all the way through surtees into clearways, then I short shift into 4th accelerating onto the straight as I find it easier to get the gear in early then up to 5th and drop down two gears for paddock and hold third up to druids and then drop down one.

I raised the rev limit on mine as well otherwise I don't think I could hang on to 3rd all the way along the bottom straight.

Ok I'm now booked for this one as well

I'm keeping an eye on the weather, and booking closer to the day!

Like the idea of this although 145 quid seems too much for the indy and too little for the GP. So perhaps the free evening sessions is not really free just subsidised.

That's ballpark price for the indie mate. These guys run smaller groups too.

(Although MSV days are pretty empty most of the time.)

so if i just turn up for the evening..its free ??

If only

Don't forget peeps, 10% discount if you're a trackdayriders forum member.

Cheers. I registered for that site also.

I will check at work tom.

interesting. will try n come along whatever happens but whether i ride or watch will have to wait and see. If I dont ride I will bring camera and stuff to document the occasion

Go on shade, you know you want to, nice warm up for cadwell with low numbers on track and loads of track time.

Either way, be good to see you there.

Shade, do you want a reduced price place?

I have to go to Korea on Monday, bit of a panic job. I'll be spending a few days there and then sailing to Singapore. There's little chance I'll be back and if I am I'll be too shattered to ride.

You can have my place for £120 - I will have to email them to see if they will do a name change.
I will need your full name, group choice and email address.

I was at Brands on Tuesday. MSV, a fairly quiet day. They merged the inters and fast in the morning so it was 20 mins on, 20 mins off.
At lunchtime, following some comments from both groups of riders we were informed that a fast group would be running in the PM and anyone who wanted to be in it should go to sign on and change their wrist band.

I could have stayed where I was and been the fastest guy in the group, but the purpose of having the camera on was better served by being in the new group that was about 10 riders!

I've lost 2.5 to 3 seconds a lap since 2 years ago. From the video I can spot several places where I'm being a bit lazy - AND clearways where TBH I'm piss poor and that has always been my weak spot there.

Anyway, this may wet your appetite.

Shade my problem is my blackberry doesn't work in Korea and as I'm going straight onboard ship I have no idea what internet I will have if any.

Here is my suggestion: I am quite prepered to give you my spot. If you find you can chuck me some money for it (at cadders) then so be it, maybe you could just pay the name change charge, but if not I am quite happy for you to ride there for nowt.

I do need your full name, email and group soonest so I can make the change before I fly though.

I think Luke and maybe TJ have received similar deals in the past!

I have indeed been a recipient of the kindness of the Ducati Pete Track Benevolance program, it's good to know that there is somebody helping out poor track addicts in need.

The repayment system takes some getting used to but the full rubber outfit really isn't that bad after the first couple of days and the taste of Petes boots is gone after about a week, and who knew that you could get butt plugs that will sweep the floor as you crawl around on your hands and knees, I think Luke liked it a bit too much though, i didn't see him for weeks.

That's really good of you Pete, it's a shame you won't be there (especially as I was hoping for some pointers) but will be good to see Shade and the SDR make its track debut.

Nice video, it's great when there's so few on track, you can just get on with it then and think about you're own riding, I stick my lines better on my own, I seem to go really off line when I come up behind people as I'm trying too much to make sure I give plenty of room, but then I usually end up losing the extra speed I had over them because of it.

the R has already had it's debut buddy.....it was a half day last year at Brands with Duke and his mate. Only got 3 sessions in and didnt get anything like my mojo back until the last but it was decent enough.

This will hopefully be the first full day on track with it. Trailer and full support now too.

Yeah, it's nice to go knowing you have tools and stuff, had mine sorted and ready to rumble again in no time with all my tools on hand on my last visit.

It always seems to take me a couple of sessions to get going again, that was always the problem on the 3 evening sessions I did at brands, all about a year apart, I'm just getting into it properly and it's over, the first full day at Brands was much better, I'm always running better in the 4th session and in the afternoon, that's what's good with the 2 dayer, you've already got it all sorted in your head from the first day so on the 2nd day you really get the most out of all your sessions.

Strangely,despite being my local track, this will only be my 3rd Full day at Brands, I've spent more track time at Cadwell 4 hours away .

Shade, I have mailed them the name change details and CC you on it.

Can someone please email Shade the 2 forms he needs to fill in and take with him?

Thanks DP. Uber cool of you buddy. Ive been away all weekend hence the late reply but i saw you sent them the mail

Hey gang, I only just noticed this 'free evening session' thingy!

What's that all about then?

At the moment I have to get the car back home by 745pm, but I am working on that. Is anyone sticking around for it?

I'm staying till my legs can't take it anymore! I often find that I've just got into the rhythm by the last session so it will be nice to have a few more. I'll also take it more easy in the morning getting up to speed and just relaxing.

If it stays dry I'm staying till I run out of energy, rubber, fuel or god forbid tarmac

Orsm! I have got the car all night now, so even if i am knackered i will stay and sip tea and chat and take photos!

Cant wait!!

Hope weather plays ball too, could be a perfect day. First one there bags some garage space. As this is Pete's booking, does anyone have any paperwork or details for the day i can have please? Start and end times etc as well as anything else i need to bring etc.

I will aim to get there for about an hour before it starts to get a decent garage and calm down with a cuppa

Yeah the weather is looking good one min and showers the next. Fingers, toes and bollocks crossed!!!

Which group you in Dunc?

Yep, I couldn't have said it any better, I'll be there till something fails, be it weather, bike or me.

I'll get you the forms Shade

We have garages 5,6,7 & 8 reserved under track day riders forum.

Apparently they will come around at about 3.30 to see who is in for the evening, it's first come first serve but seeing as we're in the first garages after the tyre guy we should be right at the front of the queue

Can't wait, says light showers at the moment which is about what it was in June, I shall pay close attention for damp patches this time

The coyote moto guy should be bringing me round some replacement bungs before monday as he popped round to check out the RC8 yesterday for making some bungs for it but was waiting on some parts to be delivered for the SD ones I ordered so he couldn't bring em with him, also my repaired leathers should be turning up tomorrow so fingers xd everything turns up in time.

Done!

Mail sent to you with web info and forms

Event is full so no chance of only getting 10 in the fast group this time, which is a shame as it was awesome last time, but only 25 per group is pretty damn good anyhow, I just hope the dodgy guy on the Bartletts Kwak isn't there again as he was a bit of a liability.

Jamie can you ping me the forms as well. I never received them either.

I left booking to late

Just watched the weather and we might just get away with it guys. Fingers, toes and balls crossed for a dry day.

Howd the day go fella's?
sorry couldnt get down, but couldnt get out of work.

Bic said it was dry all day and the best TD so far this year - so all sounds good!!!

Best for me so far anyway. It was a bit of a crashfest in the first three sessions due to the damp start - The first three sessions were red flagged with a lot of gravel on bikes throughout the day. Got my mojo back at the end, best for the year - finally got to really, really trust the M5s - actually on the end session so was gutted that I missed out on the free evening sessions. Had to get home to Amy and the kids - but then found out that it started to rain at 5 so maybe it was for the best. Sorry for the others though, it was shaping up to be a good evening. Got a few pit pictures - will post them later.

Well done Bic,

This is no action shot.....just a quick film taken on my Flip Video in the garage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90Ahi8ed38Q

Well what a fab day. First track day of the year for me and first time at Brands as well.

Went out and did my sighting laps and then sat out the first 2 sessions. Think it was the sensible option because as Bic mentioned it was crash and red flag city on a damp track. By session 3 the track was virtually dry and I headed out to try and learn a line. Damn I was rusty and slow Really struggled to get my head around Clearways and especially Druids. There were some BSB boys out there with us and they were going past me like I was out there on a horse and cart, impossible lean angles and tight lines. Fortunately my day at Lyddenhill prepared me for uber close passing and I managed not to panic as a bikes went past my shoulder and across my front wheel with inches to spare. Damn the talent/bravery gap is fooking huge!!

By the 2nd session of the afternoon I was starting to really enjoy myself. Paddock is a fantastic corner and was dragging my knee around Clearways and even Druids as well. Still so slow compared to the vast majority out there and I would have probably been better placed in Inters but its good to try and learn some stuff from watching the real fast boys up close. I think it's safer in Fast even if sometimes it doesn't feel like it when a fast boy passes you mid corner close enough to reach out and touch you.

We all signed up for the free evening session and looked forward to making up for the lost morning sessions. Smack on 5pm though the heavens opened and the track was wet again. We hung around in the hope it might dry out but it didn't and so just after 6 we packed up and set off home. Was a fab day, Jody was fast as ever and lapped me one session the bastard TJ wasn't hanging around either, neither was Duncan. Great to see you too Bic. Was a nice warm up for Cadders in 3 weeks time, can't wait!!!!

Will definitely be heading back to Brands again as it is such a fun track to ride.

Damm good day out all told

As others have said it was red flag city throughout the morning I think EVERY session got one !

I managed to find a decent line through paddock (struggled last time I was there) but then lost it again as I was concentrating too hard on my braking points. Found it again in time for the end of the day.

First time on track with my quickshifter and I like it

It rained smack on 5 PM so after 30 mins of umming and arr-ing I decide to sling the wets on. By the time I got out it had stopped raining, which was a shame as after 6-7 laps I was getting a feel for the wets and was very close to getting my knee down. BY the end of the session dry patches were appearing and I found myself aiming for the wet bits to keep the tyres cool. I came in and couldn't be arsed to change the wheels again so I called it a day and packed up !

It rained nigh on ALL the way home, so I Guess we had the best of the weather.

Bring on Cadwell

Any video to come?

I've got a few sessions, as have we all. I just need some time to work it up. I havent even had time to watch em yet! Bloody work is killing me atm

I have 4 rear facing sessions but all they show is how slow and rusty I am and how fooking fast the race boys were

I've just found the memory card I used in the morning looking decidedly bent. Computer doesn't even see it

Should have some stuff from the afternoon though

Had an awesome day at brands although a bit of a comedy of errors in the morning with shade forgetting his boots and me forgetting to put one of the seals back in my original fuel tank after putting it back on the bike and so ending up with petrol pissing out around the fuel cap.

Thanks to Jody lending me his SXV to scoot home on once I realised what I'd done, as it meant I only missed one session and it was a damp one anyway so no big deal.

By the 3rd session the track was not bad but there was a really off putting wet patch on paddock hill just off the racing line which was just begging for some target fixation

Loads of people were going off at druids in the morning, the easy track guy commented to me at the end that they were all copying my riding style from last month

There'd been lots of talk of tyre pressures on here and amongst other guys in the garage so I decided to have a chat with the tyre guy and he recommended
30 front 28 rear straight after removing tyre warmers or then 28-26 cold aiming or 31-32 measured when you come back off track.

Now I never remembered to check when I came back in but felt pretty good out on track and tyre wear seemed good so I shall stick with em.

Felt pretty happy with my riding out there most of the day, there were some real fast guys out there and some BSB riders apparently, some of them were cutting it a bit too close, not just the usual fast group close passing but so much so that you had to adjust your own line to deal with it but it seems a few did complain and so it was mentioned to us all to leave reasonable space on overtakes while we were queuing in pit lane at next session, FE probably would have called everyone in for a whole briefing about it.

It was amazing though watching some of the really fast guys going in and out of traffic round clearways though, under one and outside another.

Last session felt really good and I was secretly hoping I might have improved on last months best lap time but it wasn't to be as I only nearly matched it within a few hundredths with a 56.55 which is at least consistent I suppose and had lots more traffic this time around compared to the empty track last month.

Was gutted it hammered it down, almost immediately that we walked out of the office after collecting our free evening wristbands, I was well up for another 3 sessions.

Was great to see everyone again and seeing shade out on track again and Klincky doing his first time at brands, thanks to Jody for helping me load up and unload in the morning and the loan of the SXV

Will sort out some video soon, got some footage following Jody round but not as good a view on the cam with the wide angle as it was in real time, have to be quite close with these things, it was quite fun to watch as he was swapping places with this guy over a series of a few laps, I was getting closer but then got seperated by traffic