Palmersport

TheBazman

Spent yesterday over at the Bedford Autodrome for a Palmersport corporate racing day. This is my second time doing it - the only main changes this year was that they have replaced the fleet of 350Z's with Jaguar XKR's. Its an absolutely fantastic day for any petrol head. I believe it costs around £700 for the day but its worth it!! There are 7 events in total on 5 or 6 different tracks (EVO magazine use the tracks to test their motors, and this months Top Gear mag has a piece with Clive Owen driving one of the XKRs there)
Line up includes the XKR's, Caterhams, Clio Sports (mental!), Porsche 911's, Formula Palmer Audis (single seaters), Jaguar JP1's and an off road coarse in Land Rover Defenders. You also do a timed challenge on a tight wet track in the Caterhams which is pretty mad.

What topped the whole lot off was that my mate had organised an M5 for the weekend..BEAST. What a car - I got to drive it for around 50 miles or so. What is so amazing is that it is so refined at low speeds as well as arrestable speeds (145 but I wasnt driving that time). I have attached a few pics and video clips. I have a clip of the M5 but it was in a tunnel so it was pretty dark but worth just listening to.

Apologies the quality of the pics is crap as i am only on dial up and have had to reduce them down to upload them. Hopefully I'll get a chance to replace them with better quality copies during the week

TheBazman

fletch

Wow ....looks like you had an amazin time. Was the HUD disabled on the M5? I can't make it out in the vid?

TheBazman

I was in the passenger seat for that clip - you can really only see the HUD from the drivers seat. I must say its definitely an option to tick if you were getting an M5.

Lord Nikon

You really need to get a better camera, those pictures are just crap. it ruins the cars, seriously. i can take better photos with my phone. Glad you had a nice day though, the garage with all the Jags is cool.

Lord Nikon

I am an idiot, my appologies.

whippet

I did that a few weeks ago, awsome !! can't wait to go back. I won't post my lap times cos I don't want to get embarrassed.

Which was your favourite? I loved the Fomula Audi single seater, and the Clio was so much fun !

TheBazman

Yeah sorry again guys -I'll replace the pictures when I get a chance at work. Unfortunately the govt dont care about us internet dial-ites.

As regards my favourite Whippet I'd prob say the Clios - they are absolutely mental and trying to remember the sequential box (no cluth changing up, clutch changing down) was a bit difficult. Also the Caterhams were class. I enjoyed them a lot more than last year - was able to control the slides a bit better.

As regards times
XKR: 73.40
Clio: 59.26
911: 60.97
Caterham: 52.50
Land rover: 35 pts on targets and 10 for the rails with a time for 30.35

I dont have the times for the rest.

I must say I wasnt really bothered about the times as much this year and I actually enjoyed it more

TheBazman

just a few more pics