Ultimate Car Control Course - Robb Gravett
03 March 2006, 11:15 AM
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Ultimate Car Control Course - Robb Gravett
The Video of the day is now attached here and a full report at post 5! Superb day, I think the Video should speak for iteself!
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/A...FAA8E2B689.htm
Enjoy!!
Anyone on here done the course/have any views??
I saw the Ultimate Car Control Course with ex BTCC champion Rob Gravett advertised on PistonHeads and have booked both me and the mrs to give it a go tomorrow - has anyone else on here done this before the day? If so what did you think of it? Any tips on how to get the most from the day would be appreciated...
Oh and I am taking the Scoob and looking forward to finding the limits of the car since fitting the T20 kit!!
Taking the in car camera too so hopefully we will have some good video footage from the event!!
Cheers,
Mark
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/A...FAA8E2B689.htm
Enjoy!!
Anyone on here done the course/have any views??
I saw the Ultimate Car Control Course with ex BTCC champion Rob Gravett advertised on PistonHeads and have booked both me and the mrs to give it a go tomorrow - has anyone else on here done this before the day? If so what did you think of it? Any tips on how to get the most from the day would be appreciated...
Oh and I am taking the Scoob and looking forward to finding the limits of the car since fitting the T20 kit!!
Taking the in car camera too so hopefully we will have some good video footage from the event!!
Cheers,
Mark
Last edited by MBK; 05 March 2006 at 05:37 PM.
03 March 2006, 02:14 PM
#2
Haven't done the course but look forward to your video - was looking to do something similar probably next year (DIY has me too busy this year), would be good to hear what you both make of it. Hope you have a good day for it without rain / snow etc. 
05 March 2006, 06:27 PM
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Ultimate Car Control Course - Video and Report
Here is the vid if you don't want to read the words!!
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/A...FAA8E2B689.htm
When a course starts with bacon rolls for breakfast its usually a good sign in my book and so it was to be.
After a quick breakfast it was off to the Classroom for about 40 minutes where Rob Gravett, ex BTCC Champion and winner of over 100 competitive races, outlined his unique take on ultimate car control. I'm not going to give away Rob's secrets here (if you watch the video closely you might be able to work it out) I wouldn't want to spoil the fun if you go on the course! I can say that although its a day about going more quickly safely its mostly about braking...
The emphasis is on safety, learning and fun....and it is a lot of fun.
We were soon in the cars - initially a Mercedes C-Class Coupe with Rob who demonstrated the main techniques to all 15 participants, then we each got to have a go in the Merc, a Z3 or a Z4 (which were all good fun). A basic cone slalom was used to learn the basics before moving on to a more complex track. The 'playarea' (I think that about describes it!) is massive, flat and there is nothing to hit so its as safe as is its ever going to get.
Time for a quick break to let the learning sink in. The participants might be drinking tea but most are still in the cars reliving the experience, which is how Rob likes to work the learning. Then its back out on the track in either the event cars or your own - most, including me, opted for their own car. There was some impressive kit out to be driven...a sublime Noble M400, 911, a gaggle of TVR's, the Lotii triplets and asorted others including my Scoob. All 4 instructors are great helping everyone to get the techniques right. My girlfriend came along in her Ibiza Cupra and loved every minute of it, especially inder the guidance of Cate Walton, their very own VBH, fast posh bird!! Lots of tyre squealing and brake dust later its time for a final session in the classroom before lunch.
After lunch the slaloms are gone - replaced by a technical cone circuit with plenty of different corners to try the new skills on. First Rob took groups of 3 out round the circuit in a Smart Four Four. We could tag along behind in our own cars to learn the circuit - you will see me following the Smart in the STi and getting a right ear bashing from the mrs too!!
Then it was out on to the circuit for some quicker laps, keep learning the technique and getting quicker, more advice as required from the instructors who were on hand to ride along if requested. As the day wore on the pace got quicker and the fun started. The Noble was in a different league but other than that the Scoob well able to hassle the rest quite nicely thanks to the T20 upgrades, which showed their quality yet again. Its a lot of fun chasing down a TVR T350 or a Lotus Exige then having a good chat with the drivers afterwards. On one of the final runs I was out on track with the Noble M400 and managed to hold station for a couple of laps before his P-Zero Corsa race tyres warmed up and then he was long gone and the STi got very hot and bothered in the brake department - producing some very impressive smoke before a slow cool down run. The scoob was faultless all day, so easy to control at and beyond the limit. The first corner was a 75mph sweeper into a 20 mph 90 degree right hander - it was great to hear the car balanced, all 4 tyres chirping away as the car searches out the last bit of grip, over 75mph there was just a gentle 4 wheel slide very easy to hold and correct. Braking into every corner was crisp and getting the power down easy, most of the time the track size restricted full throttle blasts! Riding in some of the higher powered RWD cars made me realise what a handful they can be and just how east the Scoob is to hussle along at a fair pace. For anyone thinking about modifying better brakes and dialing out understeer would be my recommedation before adding more power. Plenty of the cars here had more power than the Scoob but could they deploy it as well??
I had a couple of passenger rides in the TVR Cerbera 4.8 and the Noble, both were seriously impressive, the TVR a real handful and the Noble just awesome, when both turbo's kick in its like being punched in the back!! No ABS meant plenty of drama and ended in a huge spin, which was just a great laugh with nothing around to worry about! The Noble would definately be on my shopping list...as would (surprisingly) a Honda S2000 which is a quick and stable machine.
This is a course for anyone who wants to improve their driving, its not just about speed. The speed comes as a secondary of getting the techniques right...and I guarentee you haven't heard this stuff before (unless you know Rob!). The improvement from start to end of day was clear to see and that just left the certificates to be handed out and a spirited drive home...(and me seriously considering buying a Spec C earlier than I thought!!)
Check out PistonHeads for details of future courses.
http://videos.streetfire.net/video/A...FAA8E2B689.htm
When a course starts with bacon rolls for breakfast its usually a good sign in my book and so it was to be.
After a quick breakfast it was off to the Classroom for about 40 minutes where Rob Gravett, ex BTCC Champion and winner of over 100 competitive races, outlined his unique take on ultimate car control. I'm not going to give away Rob's secrets here (if you watch the video closely you might be able to work it out) I wouldn't want to spoil the fun if you go on the course! I can say that although its a day about going more quickly safely its mostly about braking...
The emphasis is on safety, learning and fun....and it is a lot of fun.
We were soon in the cars - initially a Mercedes C-Class Coupe with Rob who demonstrated the main techniques to all 15 participants, then we each got to have a go in the Merc, a Z3 or a Z4 (which were all good fun). A basic cone slalom was used to learn the basics before moving on to a more complex track. The 'playarea' (I think that about describes it!) is massive, flat and there is nothing to hit so its as safe as is its ever going to get.
Time for a quick break to let the learning sink in. The participants might be drinking tea but most are still in the cars reliving the experience, which is how Rob likes to work the learning. Then its back out on the track in either the event cars or your own - most, including me, opted for their own car. There was some impressive kit out to be driven...a sublime Noble M400, 911, a gaggle of TVR's, the Lotii triplets and asorted others including my Scoob. All 4 instructors are great helping everyone to get the techniques right. My girlfriend came along in her Ibiza Cupra and loved every minute of it, especially inder the guidance of Cate Walton, their very own VBH, fast posh bird!! Lots of tyre squealing and brake dust later its time for a final session in the classroom before lunch.
After lunch the slaloms are gone - replaced by a technical cone circuit with plenty of different corners to try the new skills on. First Rob took groups of 3 out round the circuit in a Smart Four Four. We could tag along behind in our own cars to learn the circuit - you will see me following the Smart in the STi and getting a right ear bashing from the mrs too!!
Then it was out on to the circuit for some quicker laps, keep learning the technique and getting quicker, more advice as required from the instructors who were on hand to ride along if requested. As the day wore on the pace got quicker and the fun started. The Noble was in a different league but other than that the Scoob well able to hassle the rest quite nicely thanks to the T20 upgrades, which showed their quality yet again. Its a lot of fun chasing down a TVR T350 or a Lotus Exige then having a good chat with the drivers afterwards. On one of the final runs I was out on track with the Noble M400 and managed to hold station for a couple of laps before his P-Zero Corsa race tyres warmed up and then he was long gone and the STi got very hot and bothered in the brake department - producing some very impressive smoke before a slow cool down run. The scoob was faultless all day, so easy to control at and beyond the limit. The first corner was a 75mph sweeper into a 20 mph 90 degree right hander - it was great to hear the car balanced, all 4 tyres chirping away as the car searches out the last bit of grip, over 75mph there was just a gentle 4 wheel slide very easy to hold and correct. Braking into every corner was crisp and getting the power down easy, most of the time the track size restricted full throttle blasts! Riding in some of the higher powered RWD cars made me realise what a handful they can be and just how east the Scoob is to hussle along at a fair pace. For anyone thinking about modifying better brakes and dialing out understeer would be my recommedation before adding more power. Plenty of the cars here had more power than the Scoob but could they deploy it as well??
I had a couple of passenger rides in the TVR Cerbera 4.8 and the Noble, both were seriously impressive, the TVR a real handful and the Noble just awesome, when both turbo's kick in its like being punched in the back!! No ABS meant plenty of drama and ended in a huge spin, which was just a great laugh with nothing around to worry about! The Noble would definately be on my shopping list...as would (surprisingly) a Honda S2000 which is a quick and stable machine.
This is a course for anyone who wants to improve their driving, its not just about speed. The speed comes as a secondary of getting the techniques right...and I guarentee you haven't heard this stuff before (unless you know Rob!). The improvement from start to end of day was clear to see and that just left the certificates to be handed out and a spirited drive home...(and me seriously considering buying a Spec C earlier than I thought!!)
Check out PistonHeads for details of future courses.
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