Vectras can be fun!
29 April 2001, 12:39 AM
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Not just any old Vectra mind you!
Yesterday I had the pleasure of doing the "John Cleland Vectra Experience" at Knockhill (the pleasure was increased cos I hadn't had to pay for it
).
The cars in question are refugees from the Vauxhall Vectra SRI Challenge which ran as a BTCC support for a few years and which was supposed to be a feeder class for Touring Cars. John Cleland now has a couple which he uses for days at (mainly) Knockhill and Croft. He donated a place at Knockhill to the Scottish Motor Racing Club. They put it in a prize draw for marshals who worked at ever days racing at Knockhill last year and I was the lucky winner.
The cars are fully prepped race cars, 250 bhp(it says here), 6 speed straight cut gear boxes, slicks etc. The format is that after briefings from a Knockhill instructor and from John, you get taken round the circuit 3 or 4 at a time in a road car so you can see where the road goes (I was the only person on the course who'd been round before). You then get two 5 lap sessions driving the cars with one of the Knockhill instructors. Finally a three lap session with JC to show you how it should really be done.
The cars surprised me by being much easier to drive than I had expected. They don't sound particularly loud from the outside (they never did, even when they were racing) but inside the car - deafening! So much gearbox noise! They don't feel particularly fast in a straight line compared to road going Scoob - but I think that's deceptive. Certainly hitting 6700 rpm in 4th on the approach to the hairpin was enough for me! Brakes are amazing (but more on that in a minute
) and the grip in the corners astounded me. I have to admit that this was my first drive on slicks though.
Finally my demo laps alongside John. As I got into the car he remarked "just as well you're the last one out today - the brakes are on their way out". Thanks John, very reassurring! I've been driven round Knockhill in a variety of things and by a variety of racing drivers of differing abilities but the laps with John were an eyeopener. Neat, tidy and very fast. The left hander at the foot of Duffus was perhaps the most impressive part of the lap, big lateral G. Oh yes, the brakes. Well lap two, approach to McIntyres, brake hard, front brakes don't want to play anymore, gravel trap seen approaching through side window, BIG slide and ...he catches it and we're away to the chicane. Big adjustment to brake balance before we got to Clarks!
So a superb afternoon. Great cars to drive and John entertaining as always. Would I have paid for it? At £400 I would have said "no" before hand. Having done it though I'd say "maybe".
Thanks to John, Knockhill and SMRC.
G
Yesterday I had the pleasure of doing the "John Cleland Vectra Experience" at Knockhill (the pleasure was increased cos I hadn't had to pay for it
).The cars in question are refugees from the Vauxhall Vectra SRI Challenge which ran as a BTCC support for a few years and which was supposed to be a feeder class for Touring Cars. John Cleland now has a couple which he uses for days at (mainly) Knockhill and Croft. He donated a place at Knockhill to the Scottish Motor Racing Club. They put it in a prize draw for marshals who worked at ever days racing at Knockhill last year and I was the lucky winner.
The cars are fully prepped race cars, 250 bhp(it says here), 6 speed straight cut gear boxes, slicks etc. The format is that after briefings from a Knockhill instructor and from John, you get taken round the circuit 3 or 4 at a time in a road car so you can see where the road goes (I was the only person on the course who'd been round before). You then get two 5 lap sessions driving the cars with one of the Knockhill instructors. Finally a three lap session with JC to show you how it should really be done.
The cars surprised me by being much easier to drive than I had expected. They don't sound particularly loud from the outside (they never did, even when they were racing) but inside the car - deafening! So much gearbox noise! They don't feel particularly fast in a straight line compared to road going Scoob - but I think that's deceptive. Certainly hitting 6700 rpm in 4th on the approach to the hairpin was enough for me! Brakes are amazing (but more on that in a minute
) and the grip in the corners astounded me. I have to admit that this was my first drive on slicks though. Finally my demo laps alongside John. As I got into the car he remarked "just as well you're the last one out today - the brakes are on their way out". Thanks John, very reassurring! I've been driven round Knockhill in a variety of things and by a variety of racing drivers of differing abilities but the laps with John were an eyeopener. Neat, tidy and very fast. The left hander at the foot of Duffus was perhaps the most impressive part of the lap, big lateral G. Oh yes, the brakes. Well lap two, approach to McIntyres, brake hard, front brakes don't want to play anymore, gravel trap seen approaching through side window, BIG slide and ...he catches it and we're away to the chicane. Big adjustment to brake balance before we got to Clarks!
So a superb afternoon. Great cars to drive and John entertaining as always. Would I have paid for it? At £400 I would have said "no" before hand. Having done it though I'd say "maybe".
Thanks to John, Knockhill and SMRC.
G
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