Hampton Downs Playday on Track this weekend (13th March)

Timmo · Post by **Timmo** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 4:38 pm

Anyone else going to this? There are still places available and is apparently only half full so you should get as much track time as you want.

It would be good to have some other MX5s to play with

I think one of the organisers has an MX5 trackcar which will be there too.

Ill be taking my NA8 along- First time around Hampton Downs and first time on the track in an MX5 (have done Taupo in various guises: Soarer TT, MR2 and MR2 turbo)

www.playdayontrack.co.nz

Growler · Post by **Growler** » Mon Mar 08, 2010 11:41 pm

Hmmm...if I wasn't busy I would. I did an open day a few months back and it is an awsome track.

Keith Jones · Post by **Keith Jones** » Tue Mar 09, 2010 6:51 pm

I'll be testing at Pukekohe on Saturday if anyone wants some hot laps.

Hampton Downs is a great track once you get used to all the interesting corners!!!!!

Euen · Post by **Euen** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 10:56 am

Hmmm, lots on this weekend. I'll be competing on Targa Bambina around Pukekohe/Waiuku on Saturday and then down round Te Kauwhata/Rangiri on Sunday. Route details in the latest Classic Car mag if anyone is interested in spectating.

biff · Post by **biff** » Wed Mar 10, 2010 3:03 pm

Don't forget F1 first race of the season in Bahrain this weekend as well.

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Timmo · Post by **Timmo** » Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:11 am

Had a really good time- I was thinking that HD might be a bit boring in an Mx-5 (I thought the width may make it a bit boring) but I think it is a really good track....will definitely go back.

My lines were getting far better by the end of the day especially turn 2 and 6. I haven't looked at all my times yet but my girlfriend took some times and the best was a 1:30.2 early on in the day....so I may have dipped into the 1:29s when my fuel load got lighter and corners got faster.
Top speed was an indicated 160 km/h down the front straight before some moderate trail braking into turn 1....gear ratios seemed to be perfect for this track.

I'm surprised at how much speed you can carry through the corners in this car.....it is so well balanced and predictable (unlike my old MR2 turbo which was a bit of a guessing game at times). Having said that, I think a suspension upgrade is on the cards, not so much for absolute grip but for direction changes where things take a bit too much time with the standard setup.

There were a couple of 1600cc MX5s there too but I didn't get their names? One ran out of brakes about halfway through the day but the other one was a good match for me later in the day- I think they were running semi slicks too?

I convinced my girlfriend to have a drive (she had done the familiarisation laps after a KP Starlet dropped its oil all over the track) and she did well until she concentrated a bit too much on getting a top speed down the front straight and forgot her braking point resulting in a spin on turn 1.....no harm done but it scared her a bit haha.