track days

[neilbaldry]

Now, before I start my thread, please keep an open mind, and dont be too judgemental.

As some of you know, I am in the air force and am based at RAF Marham. At RAF Marham, we conduct many trackdays (No, hear me out!). we have regular visits from the UK owners clubs for many hi-performance motors, for example; the UK Lambo owners club, the UK Ferrari owners club, the UK Mistubishi Evo club, the UK Lotus Carlton owners club, etc etc........ Now, up until recently, the RAF Marham trackdays have been mixed sessions of bikes, then cars then bikes again (I mean alternating rather than 'mixed' as is bikes and cars together).

Now your probably wondering where i'm going with this thread. Reading the thread about the next trackday, would anybody be interested in me trying to find out the feasability of RAF Marham playing host to the UKMOC for a trackday?

A few points I would like to make known....
Its ran by very professional people (Yeah, I know, i'm involved!)
It usually costs between £40-£60 per car, so thats the sort of price range to expect
The days usually last from 9am until 4pm, with half hour sessions and an hour for lunch
There are NO NOISE LIMITS
It is attended by First Response (Medical), plenty of marshalls, a safety car (ex-police Volvo T5 saloon), and if it gets really bad, RAF Firefighters.......
All monies raised from entrance fees goes to charity
There is food and drinks available (in the form of a burger tent provided by Marham, and yes money from there goes to charity too)
RAF Photographers photograph and video the event and produce a CD/DVD costing around £10 (guess where the money goes???)
There is a BP garage 5 miles from camp

So, just a little food for thought. If there is enough interest, I can approach the OC of the RAF Marham Motorsports Club and see if he would be game to put on a show! I will see him next weekend as we are hosting the Evo club for a 'top speed day' (where they bring along data logging equipment and see how fast they can go up the main runway)

[CK & AK]

Is it tarmac or concrete Neil?
How long is the track, what shape is the track?

[neilbaldry]

It is a mixture of tarmac and concrete. the track usually utilises the main runway as the long straight (i think Marhams is nigh-on 2 miles long) and the various taxiways (so imagine a lo-tech Snetterton). and the good thing about it is, if you feel there is too much wear on one side of the tyre, then after lunch you can do the reverse route round.

And as another thing, as the RAF love good publicity (charity trackday), I could try and get the Public Relations Officer to get in touch with, say, MCN to do a story on it, get some photos. And bobs your uncle, free publicity for the club!

http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafmarham/newsweather/trackdayapr07.cfm

[CK & AK]

Sounds a great idea mate :) -there are quite a few bike training days (not trackdays tho) done on airfields (like RAF Benson nr Oxford)) etc, but owing to the tarmac/concrete mix, are fine for training or for cars.
Most bike owners if doing a full-on TD, prefer tarmac (particularly if wet - as concrete tends to be rather like ice if its wet:eek: ) coupled with sweeping bends & chicanes and the like, using full features like tyrewalls & gravel.

Would make an excellent drag meeting tho - when are we going? :D :D (but ONLY in the dry!!!)

[neilbaldry]

Well, as you say drag race. When we hosted the Ferrari owners for a speed day, they hired a chap who owned his own speed trap data logging equipment. If there is interst, I can ask and find out who it was, and see if he can come up again, as I dont much like the idea of someone gaffer taping a box to my seat!

[neilbaldry]

If you go to youtube and type in a search for 'RAF Marham Track Day' you should get some returns

i'd say this video shows you the best views of the track surface and the general layout of the track
http://youtube.com/watch?v=c3eE4Dpx9xI

[gremlin]

That looks fun, that straight looks really promising. Don't know if I'd be brave enough to try it but it would be an excellent social if nothing else. I think Coltishall did similar days, one of Clives Vmax chaps used to go there for a blatt and said it was really good, and more trackday novice friendly.

[AndyG]

Think I may know who has the timing equipment, if sufficient entries and interest is shown I could ask him. In the past a mixed event of sprinting in the morning and top speed runs in the afternoon has proved to be very enjoyable. If you haven't has done a sprint / drag meeting then now may be the chance to try one.

[fatbloke]

I've done a couple of track days with the RAF
they are bloody great where do I send the cheque to?


oh can I use my multistrada?

[Spike]

Sound ok count me in

[Headhunter]

Would be interested. When is it likely to be held (Month)?

Apologies if you've already said.

[neilbaldry]

to be honest, im trying to buid up interest so i can go to the usual trackday organiser and say

' look, i have X amount of people in the UKMOC interested in a track day of some sorts......... would you be prepared to help me organise it?'

the more professional i look when putting forwrd the idea, in terms of answers to questions he is likely to have, the better chance we have of making it happen, and making it a regular (re. annual) thing!

i have to ask nicely as permission has to be obtained by the Station Commander (a Group Captain). Time wise, we would be looking at next summer ish.

and bikes wise, i would say its open to UKMOC members, so its up to you to decided what bike to bring, although i would like to keep them of the Bologna made twin variety.

you will be able to read my progress no later than the 3rd of november.

[steve wright]

"the track usually utilises the main runway as the long straight (i think Marhams is nigh-on 2 miles long)"

that should see a few pistons/conrods going "ooh me head!" and making a break for daylight!

[Headhunter]

Count me in then. Good on ya btw for suggesting. :thumbsup:

[Nonnie]

I might be able to get hold of a hand held speed gun!!! So's I could see how fast you go!

[Lost Again]

I might be able to get hold of a hand held speed gun!!! So's I could see how fast you go!

Just don't bring a flourescent jacket and a stern expression or I'll be forced to throw marmite sandwiches at you.

Good suggestion though, then I can see how fast my bike is, given I've got no speedo. Oops!

[Nonnie]

I have 33 flourescent jackets in sizes to fit people from 5 to adult.

Strange but true.

And I really hate marmite.

[Lost Again]

That really is very strange.

I hate marmite also, hence I would rather not have to have anything to do with the stuff. Urgh.....

[markus]

I'll be in - drag race at dawn then neil!

[neilbaldry]

Markus, your ass is grass!

but seriously, if we cant get enough members from here to come, then we may have to open it to, say, the DSC? and make it a Ducati trackday.

i will speak to the head honcho tomoro and find out what i can, and i'll keep you all posted!

[Thumper]

Where is it? The only thing I get on google is in Lincolnshire, is it there? :scratch:

I like the YouTube video it looks kinda fun so count me in :spin:

[Bodybag]

I'm up for it. It'll be a good test for my new bike once its finished. :D

[Nim]

Im in for a drag race any day :)

[CK & AK]

Where is it? The only thing I get on google is in Lincolnshire, is it there? :scratch:

I like the YouTube video it looks kinda fun so count me in :spin:

Norfolk :)

[Scotty]

im in

the previous ukmoc trackdays have had about 90 spaces ?

im sure you al get 50 people interested at the drop of a hat

[Yorkie]

The last TD i did was RAF Leemings one (I do it every year), no problems with the tarmac/concrete switch, if its dry i found it no different, knee down all the way.

In the wet they feel the same to me!!!

Id love to do it but im being sent away for a while!

Yorkie.

Oh and i love marmite!!!

[markus]

Im in for a drag race any day

When i've finished with neil Nim you're next!!! (God I'm gonna embarrass myself here ha ha

[neilbaldry]

seems the head honcho was posted to Lyneham on friday just gone. bugger. so i'll try and find someone to speak to about this! failing that, i will see all of them on saturday for the evo top speed day........

[neilbaldry]

OK OK OK!

I am happy to report back success!!! i found out not half an hour ago from the 2IC (2nd In Command) of the track days, and got some useful info! If we, as a club, wanted to use the runway for a drag race/ quarter mile/ top speed day, then it would cost us 3000 quid to hire the runway. yes, that means if 100 people put their names down, it will cost you the grand total of 30 quid each!

but i also found out that for a full track weekend (this is a shame) they hire out the runway for 15000. this is due to them having soo many car clubs wanting to come they end up turning them away as they can easily fit 230+ cars in the weekend. so unless we can do the same, and get over 200 UKMOCers to commit to a 2 day track weekend, then we will have to make do with suggestion 1.

but even so, if we got the 200 bikes, for the total sum of 15000, it still only comes to 75 quid each, for essentially (over the 2 days) 14 half hour sessions and an hour for lunch on both days, with saturday running from 09:00 - 17:00 and sunday 09:00 - 16:00.

i will be talking to the outgoing OIC and incoming OIC, along with the 2IC i spoke with today about this in more depth on saturday.

i will start a new thread entitled 'RAF Marham Track day list' and in it i would like any interested parties to make a reply detailing how many people will be coming. so if you just want one place write '+1' (and only that, i want to keep it simple, dont go of topic, or write an essay in there!), if you want 2 places, write +2 etc etc.
then on saturday i can go the powers that be, and tell them how many people want to do it!

[neilbaldry]

anyone think Ducati UK would bring a lorry full of demo bikes to this event? aswel as a biking celeb?

[Scotty]

meh, a few of my thoughts

you wont get 200 people from just this club , you will have to look outside it for a few more such as the doc the dsc and up-north

errm accomadation for those travelling far, camping on site ? or is that a none starter

oh and also expecting the whole of the ukmoc to even have read this post before next monday , isnt quite going to happen ( i know theres some of us who cant bear to be away more than a day :o but the majority have better things to do with their time )

[neilbaldry]

i will have to get back to you on accomodation. i will ask the people with more experience at organising these what the regulars do. im not sure about staying on the camp, but i know theres a few of those motorway travel lodges near by. but like i said, i'll get back to you.

and the 200+ is just for the full on track weekend. otherwise you'll have to 'make do' with 'just' the drag race/ quarter mile/ top speed runs on the saturday. but for 30 odd quid, you cant go wrong!

[Thumper]

Markus, you know that Pinky is the undisputed king of drag racing!! :D

Neil, try phoning Ducati and see what response you get. A quick phonecall to check out interest wont harm. Even if they charge a few quid for hiring the bikes out I'm sure they'll receive lots of interest. As for biking celebs, email em, again it wont harm putting a few feelers out at this stage.

And about trackdays on runways, Ive done one at RAF Wittering, the only difference is there isnt any gravel traps, I didnt notice any difference in surface grip from a runway to a racetrack, if anything RAF Wittering was better than Mallory as it didnt have huge chunks missing from the hairpin ;)