General Someone from MR2 Forum off to Nurburgring 24hr in a 500...

[GhostWKD]

This 500 is being taken on the Nurburgring 24hr race by someone on one of the MR2 forums, he's a pro race driver and has a MR2 that'll do a 1/4 mile in 10 seconds, soon to break the world record for a street legal mr2 on the 1/4 mile iirc And what he's driving is no normal 500 either...

Cheers guys,

The car is fully prepped for the race, 6 speed sequential gearbox, full slicks, suspension etc etc.

Its 1400cc 127hp so not going to be amazing but apparently they hit 145mph in testing

It weighs in at a feather light 700kgs.

Were sharing between 4 drivers - im the only professional race driver so im guessing ill be worked to death!

2 of them are journalists!!

Its a massive publicity stunt - the Fiat 500 is taking Italy / Germany / France by storm and being the only on entered in the race its set to get masses of press attention and for me that can only be a good thing!

From my point of view its perfect - the car is going to be on rails and for the size of the track it wlll be so underpowered it will be tough to loose it so i can really enjoy the experience...... if someone had said to me jump in this 700hp mosler and race it i'd be worried due to the charactoristics of the track and the difficulty in learing it - i'll save the mosler till '09!

Just figured some of you guys might be interested in seeing that

 

[Mark Elvin]

I quote "It will be tough to loose it"

There speaks someone who has probably never been to the Green Hell & will probably be taking the car home in more than one piece.

 

[JimMagill]

I quote "It will be tough to loose it"

There speaks someone who has probably never been to the Green Hell & will probably be taking the car home in more than one piece.

I've done that! Gawd, it's expensive...

BTW, be a good chap and go measure your rear wing would you? Pretty Please

Tis important

Jim

 

[GhostWKD]

I quote "It will be tough to loose it"

There speaks someone who has probably never been to the Green Hell & will probably be taking the car home in more than one piece.

highly doubt it, as has I said he's a professional race driver so i wouldnt write it off quite so quickly races high power MR2's in the MR2 Challenge race series amongst others

plus has a day on the track in a different car today iirc to learn the lines etc

 

[Mark Elvin]

Spent 3 days there last year in a GT3RS, still not 100% certain I know the track.

What makes him a "professional racing driver" out of interest? Is he fully paid?

I have been racing on & off for 18 years, and have instructed at Llandow, still wouldn't say I'm a professional, just an enthusiast amature.

 

[306maxi]

Jethro Bovingdon can drive look for a writeup in Evo soon I'm guessing. Not sure if I believe the fact that it weighs 700kg's though. As Mark said he'll but it into a barrier with that sort of attitude.

 

[306maxi]

Spent 3 days there last year in a GT3RS, still not 100% certain I know the track.

Can you ever really know the Ring 100% unless like some people you're there every day I'd say definitely not. Would love to go to the ring but wouldn't do it in a 500 as you're going to be moving off your line all the time to let others through.

 

[GhostWKD]

Spent 3 days there last year in a GT3RS, still not 100% certain I know the track.

What makes him a "professional racing driver" out of interest? Is he fully paid?

I have been racing on & off for 18 years, and have instructed at Llandow, still wouldn't say I'm a professional, just an enthusiast amature.

Its his occupation so i'd say fully paid etc Forumula Ford Champion 2006 to boot was going to be in the Indy pro series in america this year but dropped out iirc, plus personally sponsored by Marangoni Tyres and other companies

 

[Mark Elvin]

So he should be pretty good then.

 

[GhostWKD]

indeedie

I saw the car for the first time today, looks great!

The team seem really clued up and the car looks well built. With a massive spares list im hopeful of the car making the finish.

Also had my first experience of the ring, had to pass a test to make me eligable for the race.... did around 15 laps in total in a BMW 318 hire car (it had a cage and suspension) and managed to get down to around 9m45 .... the track was tricky and a few twitchy moments i must say. I think the 500 shall be a similar time but much better handling.

Got nothin on tomo apart from tech - fri is qual in morning and evening then race start at 3PM sat.

Nathan

 

[Mark Elvin]

I was lapping in around 8:04 in the 911, which is about 10secs off the lap record for the car, can't see how I could have saved 10s anywhere though.

 

[306maxi]

I was lapping in around 8:04 in the 911, which is about 10secs off the lap record for the car, can't see how I could have saved 10s anywhere though.

Total frontal lobotomy would help Racing drivers are brave to the point of being stupid. That's why mere mortals will never be as fast no matter how much practice we have.

 

[Mark Elvin]

Total frontal lobotomy would help Racing drivers are brave to the point of being stupid. That's why mere mortals will never be as fast no matter how much practice we have.

Well, I do have the fastest (unofficial, was at a Charity Day) lap time for a 1400cc Metro GTi around Castle Combe - 1m:19s

 

[dannygp]

I was lapping in around 8:04 in the 911, which is about 10secs off the lap record for the car, can't see how I could have saved 10s anywhere though.

Did you take the handbrake off?

 

[306maxi]

Well, I do have the fastest (unofficial, was at a Charity Day) lap time for a 1400cc Metro GTi around Castle Combe - 1m:19s

Dunno if I'd be proud of that

 

[Mark Elvin]

Dunno if I'd be proud of that

The guy (Dan Ludlow, laps in 1m22s) who races a 1800 vvc Metro in the Metro Cup could not quite belive it, his face was a picture.

 

[John R Smith]

Mark

If that was your first time at the 'ring, you might well find that if you went back this year with the same car you would lose those 10 secs. I don't know if you have come across this yourself, but there is a strange thing goes on where you "practice" a circuit in your subconcious. Years ago, I did a sprint at St Eval airfield - it was my first time there, and also for everyone else in the club. The next year we went back, and I was about 5 or 6 secs faster - a lot on such a tiny circuit. Snag is, so was everyone else - we had all improved our times in the twelve months we were away, without ever going near the place. Strange but true.

John

 

[306maxi]

Mark

If that was your first time at the 'ring, you might well find that if you went back this year with the same car you would lose those 10 secs. I don't know if you have come across this yourself, but there is a strange thing goes on where you "practice" a circuit in your subconcious. Years ago, I did a sprint at St Eval airfield - it was my first time there, and also for everyone else in the club. The next year we went back, and I was about 5 or 6 secs faster - a lot on such a tiny circuit. Snag is, so was everyone else - we had all improved our times in the twelve months we were away, without ever going near the place. Strange but true.

John

Thing is the ring is not just a few corners like your average circuit. I've done a bit of karting in my time and have done a lot of practice in my dreams and it does help but I simply think the ring is too complex and too long for anyone who doesn't spend a lot of time on a regular basis to be getting near record times. I think 10s from a record is a pretty darn good time and going any faster is probably not a great idea unless you have 100's of laps under your belt.

 

[white 500]

maybe he meant he won't lose it in the car park of other 500's...
looks like the 500 is going to be in gran turismo 5

 

[minifunclub]

Good luck to the Guys................
Whatever their racing experience and "ring knowledge" .............and yes, I have driven it myself, they will be there doing it in the 500 FAIR PLAY :worship: .

Hope they have a hoot.