I think Rainbird mutter'd about lack of grip/broken turbo/knackered brakes/rain or summat & sloped off home

LOL



F - Brakes? Rain? Nah! SO2s, AWD and decent handling

 

Obviously my memory is failing me. Out of interest, what makes were banned?

 

Jerome,

Think it was anything much faster than a Scoob

 

ME

 

dinge

I take it you are a make of car?

 

Mr Magic Wagon,

I saw that video from Snetterton - couldn't see you passing Mike! Then again, he did keep fast forwarding bits

 

The insidious onset of the alcohol induced degeneration of my cerbral cortex means presumably means I.m allowed to agree with Jerome.

As I recall, there was also concern expressed that competitively priced track days, negotiated by the committe on behalf of The SUBARU IMPREZA DRIVERS Club. Had/may result in an influx of none Scoob owners with no interest in the Marque whose membership was purley based on a wish for cheap access to quality trackdays.

I feel that exclusion of "timeserved" members who contribute to the clubs success is wrong. But I would no more wish an SIDC day to be overun by Ferraries & Porches than Novas & XR2/3s

 

I will atttempt to put a cork in this thread by saying the following:

Unless you contributed in any way, shape or form to the SIDC AGM then your comments are simply pointless. Craig, Dingy and myself were there to represent the 'non-subaru' owning fraternity and I left with a satisfactory answer.

I understand that the AGM was a while ago, so perhaps you should hold off on all your comments until the next one. It's very frustrating to see comments like this by people who didn't make the effort to get their opinions heard, then moan that nothing's being done.

Cem

 

RichardPON

I too have a video

 

1. Due to the format/timing of the last AGM people who may have wished to have their opinions heard were unable to attend.

2. It would seem that a healthy proportion of comment on this thread has been made by members who were present at the AGM

3. If debate on the development/policies of SIDC were restricted to the brief time allotted at an AGM there would be virtual stagnation. Any progress made would also have been dictated by the small proportion of the membership that were able to attend.

4. As a member of SIDC (along with the other 90% that complain without contributing) I reserve my right to moan “that nothing is being done”.
Though on this occasion I don’t believe I exercised it.

5 The topic would be more appropriately debated on the SIDC board so I will make no further comment.

 

Cem does have a point.
unfortunatley I was in the USA at the time of the AGM, so I could not go, plus I would only have caused trouble anyway

My views on SIDC and Trackdays are well known by some of you, but I've mellowed somewhat, maybe because I'm going to trackday the blackbeast this year.

Bedford was prime example of how a mixed car trackday can be good fun for everyone.

 

I disagree the topic should be debated on SIDC as I believe a greater number of members frequent this board.

I'm a little dismayed that Pete has taken the time to reply to the CCC feature but has not commented on this.

 

I'd just like to say AGAIN.......

The topic is not on the merits or not of having multiple marques on trackdays.

It's about the total turnaround of what was stated last year regarding this and the reasons behind it.

 

Banshi,

Points taken, however nothing stopped anyone from pre-submitting written topics, of which there were some.

It's folly trying to make comments about an issue for the sake of it. If you really feel strongly about something, then it's of benefit to be pro-active.

Cem

 

I agree with mister Shark!

There is also the crime element, I feel safer with the known SIDC community at tracks like bedford, with leaving my 'stuff' around. At Silverstone Trax I would definitely not leave anything around as there seemed to be some 'uncomfortable' looking people around (and I don't mean Stef)

I know this is straying off topic again but IMHO it is a valid point (maybe not very PC).

F

 

What's the problem?

Last year, the SIDC gave notice of its policy if track days became over-subscribed. Everyone had ample opportunity to express their views, on here, at the AGM or wherever.

And now, as it turns out - so far this season - there have been empty places filled by non-Scoobs. And you're still moaning.

There's no pleasing some people. (Glad I'm not on the SIDC Committee.)

Richard.

PS Anyone seen the new Dono Trackzone track day prices? £140 per day (up from £105-ish?). Passengers £45 (up from £10-15). That's something to complain about.

 

I went to the AGM, made no difference, the old 26 Year old shed was just too fast for the SIDC.

I will stick to selling Subaru Parts etc ;-)

Shame as i give discount to club members, other clubs that is

 

Craig I hadn't replied, as almost everyone else has already told you the way it is.

Last year, Octagon cancelled the dates given to every track day company and at the same time, we say a large influx of new membership applications from people who didn't own Imprezas, but who did want access to our cheap, well run track days.

To protect the interests of our Impreza owning members, we introduced some safegaurds. Well only one actually...

Priority is given to Impreza owners and long standing members, who wish to use different cars.

Nothings changed.

At Bedford, we had the oppurtunity to take 90 cars along. Once we felt that the event had been open to Impreza owners for long enough, we accepted applications from non Impreza owning members and then went on to invite some other clubs along. The other clubs were carefully selected, so that there would not be a massive variance in performance. We did not invite the Ferrari owners club and we did not invite the MX5 owners club. We did invite the Skyline guys, the MLR and the local Lotus members.

Bedford was a great day. But then at 3.7 miles and being so open, its one of those circuits that can handle a mixture of cars. Circuits like Cadwell, Oulton and Brands are not so suited.

As you were at the AGM, and have a copy of the minutes, and nothing has changed, I am surprised that you feel the need to debate this.

 

I should add that there has only been one day with Easytrack, that being Brands, earlier this year.

The plan was that the day would be split into two groups, as has happened on the previous SIDC days there, each running for 30 minutes.

One group would have been Easytrack's customers, one the SIDC.

As it turned out, the day was was considerbly undersubscribed and there were not sufficient numbers present to warrant splitting into groups.

It seems that SIDC members were not too interested in this format and it will not be repeated.

No part of this day represented a sudden, undebated change of track day policy by the SIDC.

 

Just my four pennies worth as I have only done 6-8 trackdays and should be viewed as such.

I have enjoyed nearly all I have done the standard of track curtiousy even with a mix of cars and drivers ability has been great Even dingy in the Escort, repect I have been at Donny with a bog standard Escort 1.6L estate was going around but he never caused a problem
Bedford and that Audi thing (I was only a passsenger with Mellow) overtook 3 of us on the "S" bends weaving and overtaking either side the bloke should have shown example a Professional a complete TOSSER IMHO, some newbies out there must have been put off for life sorry Mods normally spell it T*sser.
I don't want some driver with a £500 car bouncing of the side of my £29,000 scoob just like on a PS2 console game but dangerous drivers are normally sorted out by of clerk of the course Rob Mac/Pete Croney and the like.

Tony

Ps. I though TRAX2002 was dangerous ( Too bunched up and no seperation ) IMHO
I won't do that again and that was all Scoobs might have better mixed I'll come long for the crack though

 

Two interesting points Tony.

The FPA thing is nothing to do with us. Its something that Bedford run, promote and benefit financially from. I have been in it and it is staggering, but I would much rather it wasn't out when we were.

Trax... Again, I couldn't agree more. Then again, you won't see me out on track at Trax as I think the format is asking for accidents. Too many cars out, very limited time, huge baying crowds, high percentage of first timers/novices... its always going to become a race and someone is always about to have a big off.

 

OK, lets cut the crap out and get to the real point that is being made by the thread starter.

Oh, and to add, i didnt attend the AGM as i had famaly issues but it was pretty obvious what my views were, the commitee knew those. I didnt renew my SIDC membership as the main benefit to me of the club was access to track days.

I would also like to add i consider the guys on the Committee as friends so there is no "having a go" in this post, i am just stating the situation as i see/saw it.

The intent was very clear. Last year the SIDC had a problem, or rather a percieved problem. They were getting complaints from Subaru driving SIDC members that they couldnt get a place on track because non Subaru driving members were taking places earlier and filling the days. The committee made a decision, mid term, to change the rules and allow Subaru drivers first choice of the places and only if those places were not filled did they then allow cars like my westfield on track, this putting me on a reserve list from day one.

I was not prepared to accept this as i will not sit in lymbo waiting for a decision, i dont need to. I never booked a day on track with the SIDC again.

The issue that really upset me though, was the use of "safety" as a reason for limiting the events to subaru's. This was stated in true grip in the article writen by pete.

There was absolutely no logic to that article using "safety" as a reason to seperate the cars for two reasons.
#1 was that it simply wasnt factually correct, there was not and never has been any issue over safety regarding the difering performance of the cars, end of story. If there were a safety issue circuits like Donington would not allow mixed sessions and guys like Rob Mac would not allow the cars to be mixed as Rob is very safety concious and very experienced. It was a bull**** reason.
#2 If it was unsafe, it would always be unsafe. It doesnt sudenly become safe because the numbers arent making the event financially viable so you have to ask for other cars to attend.

The SIDC commitee are entitled to make decsions as they see fit, that is their perogotive. I didnt agree with that decision and i told them so.

The article was very badly written IMHO, it should have just stated the REAL reason why they wanted to limit the cars on track to Subaru's, that of wanting to give it's Subaru driving members a chance to drive on track. I have no problem with that at all. I had a problem with the rules changing mid term, but thats a seperate issue.

So the situation now is this. The SIDC couldnt make up the numbers with Subaru ownly cars so they have invited no Subaru's to attend. That was inevitable. The Safety issue was bogus, should never have been raised in the article because it simply does not stand up to scrutiny. I think this is a case where pete got it wrong, thats doesnt happen very often. I have the utmost respect for pete and he knows this, he wont have a problem with me telling him i think he got it wrong either because we are always dead up front. Nothing worse than not knowing what people really think.

So in sumary, safety is not an issue. There hasnt been a big turnaround in phylosophy, it's just a case of a badly written article coming back and biting you in the ****.

Thats my view on it anyway.

 

John,

Thankyou - glad someone see's my point.......

Pete,

Please check this thread out:

http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/thread.asp?threadid=85782

you mention Oulton and Brands as not being suitable - I assume these track days are run in sessions then?

thankyou for ignoring my point that was made by you amongst others in the committee, of lightweight cars with high powered engines being potentially dangerous on SIDC trackdays. Thankyou to John for bringing that up and putting it fairly straight.

you also say other Japanese marques that are invited as the performance is similar, mentioning the GTR Register. So a 400/500/600 hp Skyline is similar in performance to a UK Scoob?
Sorry Pete- that doesnt really make sense to me.

Finally, a thought on the so called boy racer element. Mentioning no names, the behaviour of a certain high profile member was absolutely disgraceful - I know quite a few agree with me on that - if that behavious had been seen at Saxo/Nova/Escort days, everyone would have probably sneered at that being typical boy race behaviour. As it is one of OUR members though, it's ok

Reiterating an earlier point - when I asked Stef if Ian and I would be allowed to bring the Westfield to SIDC days, he replied it was doubtful - something to do with not being looked on favourably by SIDC or some other rubbish.

But now it appears I can

 

Just making the above link clickable .

http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/threa...threadid=85782

Cheers
Lee

ps. You OK after the accident John? Is the Westie no more?

 

Pete

It may not have been the Easy track approach at Brands, that put people off but more the fact there were so many track days last year, that there were more than enough to go around. This means for the modest earning owner (like me) who may only be able to do 3-4 track days a year, would pick and choose the best value days, or in my case somewhere that I haven't been before.

Last year seemed to be saturated with track days, out-weighing demand and hence the need to fall back on non scoobs to make up the numbers.

F

 

Someone mentioned something about your Westie, hope all is well, and fixed for the Ring

I have been fortunate to attend 3 SIDC T/Days last year in a Honda CTR, always very well run (big thanks to Stef and Rob), but IMHO no different (safety wise) to an Bookatrack, Easytrack, or Tracksense day, and have seen equally if not more damaged cars than their events.

I like the variety of cars, on track, and if its like the Honda club, they just don't get enough cars along to their events for it to be financialy viable, hence share it with another club.

I do understand where the SIDC are coming from as the Lancer Register days are the worst, they open up to all makes, whether its the over subsciption or not who knows.

Perhaps SIDC members who own Scoobs, pay a discounted price and others the standard rate, keeps all parties happy.

 

Hi Matt.

No, my westie is not OK, it has a written off chassis and N/S front corner. Cost of repare is around £10K so it's looking like a write off sadly.

I dont want to get into how i did this as i have the insurance to sort out now. I just have to thank westfield for making my particular model, the ZEi220 and putting it through all the type aproval crash tests as i am sure if i were in a lightweight bike engined version i would not be typing this.

If the westie is rebuilt, and it's a big if, it's going to take the factory 6 weeks to make a new chassis and body (it's unique) and swap the good parts over. So definately no ring trip for the car. I'll be there though, in my Sport. I'll have plenty of time to show newbies the track instead.

OH, and matt, can you send the video you have of me at cadwell where i take off on top of the mountain and go up the straight sideways with the tyres spinning, that would be nice to have now. Thanks.

 

Really gutted to hear about the accident, glad you are OK thou.

John no problems mate, i will put on to VHS and bring it to the Ring.

John i would really appreciate your help at the Ring, with the damper settings, i have some rough ideas, and general tips to improve my times and technique. Unfortunatly the speed limiter will still be on so no major high speed records.

I love Anglesay, and with Oulton International they are my favourite tracks, i was alledgly recorded at 53.5 seconds two weeks ago, not bad for an unskilled driver , in a hot hatch by a bloke sat on the pits.

Craig what engine are you using in the Westie ?

 

be a pleasure to help Matt. why arent you derestricting the car?

 

I had two days to think about that one

1. Really short of cash, due to overspending on the suspension front. Don't know anywhere, that can do it for sensible money, been quoted £300, which seesm silly when you see below.

2. Looking likely the 1.6 will soon be a Spoon 1.8 engine, which will have a new ECU 9800 Rev limiter here we come , which will remove the limiter.

Looks like i will be hitting the 125MPH Speed quite often

Any ideas local (ie North west), who can help, most places just scatched their heads, and mumbled replace Speedo, but can't guarentee it will work. I think there is some Chip on the Gearbox.