z4mr

This is a Fecking looooonngggg postpost about me finding the answer to the first paragraph and my experience with everyman.

In the past, I've always passed Impreza STi's and other powerfull 2 litre turbo cars on the motorway in whatever car I drove(at my normal cruising speed of my vehicle at that time). I couldn't understand why the drivers of such cars would never be in the fast lane(lane 3). Why wouldn't they be cruising at rep mobile speeds, as I usually did. Did they buy the car for posing in? Did they have too many points on there licience? Were they looking for a challenge?

I couldn't understand why the Impreza and Evo drivers were cruising in 6th/top gear in the slow or middle lane.

Until yesterday.

After getting used enougth to drive safely in my car after 2 months and a few runs on the motorway I was ready to transform my (Deep breath)2 litre STi Blob eye 05 type UK
into a long distance car(toy).

'Yesterday was the day when I was going to an everyman track day, which was bought using the Tesco clubcard vouchers. The car I would be driving was the Subaru Impreza STi. . '

'Fast forward'.

I am now in front of all the cars that the instructors would be driving for their citing laps. These cars were 2 Alpina D3's, 2 STI Impreza's and I can't remember the rest(Ashton Martin?). 3 passengers were randomly assinged to each car. Luckily I was choosen to go into the STI Impreza. On closer inspection both the Scoobies were the 2.5 Hawkeye STI, I really wanted a 2 litre but ahh never mind. The instructor asked us 3 what cars would we be driving today. 'Aston Martin' said the old man(not really that old but hey), 'Lamborghini Gallardo' said the strong guy next to me. Then all eyes on me, all exspecting for me to Say Ferrari, Porsce or Audi R8. After a short pause I said proudly 'IMPREZA'
and : were the replies from my passengers(not seriously I might add). 'You'll be with me later then', said the instructor.

I noticed that the corner called Elephant only had one 'brake' marker for 2 braking points which was a little confusing later on.(Siting lap finished) Right any questions?

Is the rev counter on? (me)
?????? Dunno, changing gear takes 2 seconds anyway so it don't matter (him)
Is this standard?
Straight from the showroom.

(out side the car) Strong guy says, 'he didn't know much about the car did he?!
yeh.Ahh well tis guys gotz skillz he don't always drive this car.

While waiting patiently for my turn to drive, I got to see cars like the Mazerati Quatraporte(sp?), Audi R8, Gallardo, Vanquish V12(looks crap compared to the Mazza next to it)) and the other cars they had, being fired up and then whizing round the track.

Here I am now next to the instructor in the driving seat of the.................... IIIIIImprezaaaaaa!......STi UK off course

'Have you been on a track day before?' (him)
No.(me)
'Do you have any experience with this car?'
'No, but I own the 2 litre STi. '
'Great. Now that either meant or (damn another Driving God wannabe)
I really didn't know. but I am hoping it was because I am a mellow guy.

'Do all your checks first, the rear view mirror is mine though'
'Does this thing change the height of the streeing wheel?......doh never mind'

Later on. 1st lap
'Right, its clear, join the track and stay left.' Peeeeeeeeeeoooooooowwwwwww a Caparo T1 overtakes and vanishes into the distance.
'Step on it'
'It feels so different (it was the torque and maybe the extra 20bhp)
'Shift Up'
I looked at the revs 6k
Get ready to brake, and don't get to close to the Aston Martin. Right its safe to overtake.

''In the breifing we were all told that we wern't allowed to change gear with out the permision of the instructor"

I stepped on the pedal in 4th at 3200rpm, waiting then BOOOM!
'WAHHHHHH'
'Get back on the racing line'
'Okay (I see brake sign) braking'

Now we're at the slow corners near the pits in 4th at 1k revs nearly stalling the thing.
shouldn't I shift down
Oh yeah sorry
It's alright The racing instrctors were more concerened with the racing line.

2nd Lap was
Next was a long right and I turned in too early ooooppppsy.
'You turned in too soon so you lost all that speed you made
sorry
'Its alright, you're doing well.'

End of second lap. 'Don't get too near Ferrari, his brakes are better than yours'. I forgot to shift down at the slow corners(near the pits) as I was getting really close to the Ferrari.

3rd Lap
'Right, overtake Ferrari'
Foot down, revs are again 3200rpm, ' overtaking.......huh nothings hppening' The Ferrari starts to pull away.
'Yeh he's a Ferrari, he'll always beat you in the straghts'
But I can shift down to 3rd get the turbo on
'ohh yeah, sorry, get ready to overtake on the next straight','Overtake'
'Shifting down to 3rd
My instructor waves his fellow instructor good bye. 'Get ready to brake, come to the left, back to the right'.
Jeeeezz, Ahhhhhh, Woooooww
Come back into the pits and park next to the Mazzerati
phew

I would have loved to book another couple of laps in that car and a passenger lap, with the instructor driving to see what the car can really do. But I had other things to do in Lester. Next time, if I drive one of the supercars I am going to go slowly too(like the other guys) . The Hummer H2 looks interesting aswell. I also want to try the RX8 in Thrxton Hope there turbo'ed.

Later on with near half a tank left in my car I thought this can cover 89 miles easy. Halfway through my journey home a Passat Diesel comes from the second lane to follow me. Now if anyone has a faster cruising speed than me I always let them on their way. Because I don't like to play on the roads, I just concentrate on my cruising speed, stuff that helps prevent fatal accidents and keep a clean licience/NCB.

So I followed, 'when it was clear', the Passat that was cruising at the faster rep mobile speeds. I was impressed that I wasn't gaining quickly in 5th(5000rpm) on the Passat. When it was clear I would change to 6th at 5.5-6rpm, leaving him behind. Little did i know, i was going to get OWNED by the Passat real soon. 20-30 miles later with traffic and a big round about ahead he passed me again(for the umpteenth time). So I was directly behind him on a red light behind a queue of cars. My fuel gauge was ON E(empty). I waved at him but got no response, never mind.

So he went into the distance(OWNED right there) while I was slowly accelerating and changing gear off turbo and cruising in 6th at 70mph(proper 70mph). Now I know why Impreza's and Evo's hog the slow lane. Now I REALLY understand the Famous qoute:


'Impreza's and Evo's, can overtake everything.................Except petrol stations

****. I calculated that I still had enougth to cover the 25 miles left to my local petrol station. Few miles later red light on. I Pass 3 petrol staions, Jet, Texaco, BP. I can make it, I convinced myself. If not I would be getting off many male drivers.

'Why doesn't the trip computer say how many miles I have left', Why doesn't it make a ping or beep noise?etc I thought to my self.

**** **** ****....................... , 10 miles later still no sound or further warnings from the car.......I............. .............
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...........saw a Shell station and filled up with optimax(half tank). The End.

Well theirs my introduction, everyone. Sorry I can't do refunds for the peeps who want there 5 minutes back. If the Law/police are reading this than its all fiction guv.

corradoboy

No it bloody isn't I skipped a bit in the middle but I'm assuming that you've realised there's a time and place for hero driving and how costly such driving is And how good a Scoob holds itself amongst its peers, but ultimately ends up humble

cw42

iTrader: (1)

Nice write up of your track and new scooby ownership. You wont catch me in the slow lane too often
YouTube - m60 manchester ring road

Going 4 400bhp

iTrader: (2)

That was a wicked read!

Laughed my head off! Try drivng a 4.4 !!!!! Then ul be really pissed!

TurboMav

Err wtf?

GazTheHat

Some people cruise on the motorway because they dont want to be tear arsing around, they might have points or not feel the need.

+Doc+

They sit in the slow lane cause its too expensive to be flat out in the fast lane and its bloody uncomfortable!
Not the car for motorway cruising, hold its own on the track though

z4mr

thanks for all the nice comments guys. What's a 4.4? I drove a Ferrari 430(amonst many other cars)at Thruxton a couple of days ago.if you mean one of them?

gingerboy

I did the rally day at everyman the other week........ corporate do, drove RS Focus, Polo Group N and an Evo V.

The Focus and Polo were for a gravel section which was great fun and the Evo was for the tarmac section, great day and fortunately the instructor we had for our group was great, a guy called Robert (50 something with a beard) really good guy. He took me on a few fast passanger laps in the hawkeye sti.............. good god could he drive.

Seeing somebody throw a scooby around that really knows what they are doing puts into perspective how little us road warriors really know .

I'm fairly sedate but like you used to have a 2.0 wrx sti, well a TSL333 Blobeye to be precise and whilst I would say I was a pretty competent driver I was gob smacked at how much further the limits are / were than you think they are i.e. in terms of handling, cornering and braking.

Of course their is a huge difference between what is safe on the track and what I would consider safe on public roads.

Like you, I had a great day and even got the "Driver of the day" trophy, I was well chuffed . My wife said I was very sad .

Regards

GB

MrRA

Was all that just to tell us that Scoobs are crap on juice?