Rockingham
Driving Experience Day
Saloon Car Driving experiences
 On
arrival I had been told where to head, it was one of the corporate
boxes that are located in the grandstand, plenty big enough
and easily accessible from outside. After some light refreshments
and pleasantries we were split into our groups and went off
to our respective sections. First stop for us was the track
on the inside of the circuit which you get driven too from
an access road under the Oval race track. We were given helmets
and told what we were going to do, drive the BMW Z4, BMW 1
Series & a BMW M3 in turn around the inside circuit.
First
up for me (maybe slightly annoying simply because it was the
fastest car of the lot which I would have preferred to have
saved until last) was the BMW M3. So I jump in the drivers
seat and have my instructor next to me who is there to give
you tips and advice on the racing lines and breaking points
(although it doesn't take long before you slightly push the
breaking point a tiny bit further as you try and get the most
you can out of the car). The M3 is a quality car with decent
power that it sends to it's back wheels and you use the flappy
paddle gear box to flick up and down through the gears.
The
tips the instructors give you are well worth listening to,
you will get much more out of your drive if you follow what
they say, it is all to easy to turn in too soon if you are
not too sure about racing lines and the quickest route through
the corner. With their tips and the markers on track you have
points to aim at that show the optimum racing line.
After
a couple of flying laps it was back into the pits to swap
drivers and wait for my tun in the next car...
...Next
up was the BMW 1 Series, a nice car but obviously lacking
in power compared to the M3 previously driven, it was good
to be able to advance again on the driving though and more
confidently drive the circuit. Again, not much more to say
on this one other than use it as the platform to get ready
to driving the Z4 round the track.
The
Z4 was the last car to be driven on the infield circuit so
was a chance to push as much out of the car and my abilities
as was possible (safely of course, no wreckless driving that
could get me banned for the day).
After
we had all had our goes in the 3 saloon cars it was time for
a swap and time to head to the pit garages where the Single
Seater driving experience would commence from.
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