Autocar/Pamlers
19 March 2003, 11:11 AM
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Autocar magazine is doing a special track day event on the 31st March (yes, after the clocks go forward!!) with Subaru up at Bedford Autodrome.
For £165, you get unlimitied track time in your own car (open pit lane) plus the chance to drive the 2003 WRX and STI.
Subaru will be giving away souvenir goodie bags to everyone who turns up, and the Autocar road test team will be on hand to give flying laps to anyone who wants one. You'll also get a free 12 week subscription to Autocar as part of the deal....
These events are great fun - Bedford Autodrome is a quick circuit with loads of wide run off, and it's good for beginners and veterans. We use the South West circuit - 3 miles long, lots of swooping fast corners, a very long straight, and not too hard on brakes and tyres.
The day runs from 3pm until 8pm, with a barbecue afterwards (again, included in the price).
There are only 40 places available, and 12 have already been taken.
To book, or for more information, go to www.palmersport.com/autocar
[Edited by Stuart_Forrest - 19/03/2003 11:12:29]
For £165, you get unlimitied track time in your own car (open pit lane) plus the chance to drive the 2003 WRX and STI.
Subaru will be giving away souvenir goodie bags to everyone who turns up, and the Autocar road test team will be on hand to give flying laps to anyone who wants one. You'll also get a free 12 week subscription to Autocar as part of the deal....
These events are great fun - Bedford Autodrome is a quick circuit with loads of wide run off, and it's good for beginners and veterans. We use the South West circuit - 3 miles long, lots of swooping fast corners, a very long straight, and not too hard on brakes and tyres.
The day runs from 3pm until 8pm, with a barbecue afterwards (again, included in the price).
There are only 40 places available, and 12 have already been taken.
To book, or for more information, go to www.palmersport.com/autocar
[Edited by Stuart_Forrest - 19/03/2003 11:12:29]
19 March 2003, 10:59 PM
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depends on what exhaust system you're running.
Palmers regs are:
Static: 101dB(A) at 2/3 maximum revs ½ metre from the exhaust at an angle of 45 degrees.
Drive by:
87.5dB(A) at a minimum of 60mph measured 20 meters from the centre line of the vehicle accelerating maximally.
I know that there was a **** up last time, but this will be different - Subaru are involved, and Palmers won't want to cause a scene in front of a client.
Go on - you know you want to!!
Palmers regs are:
Static: 101dB(A) at 2/3 maximum revs ½ metre from the exhaust at an angle of 45 degrees.
Drive by:
87.5dB(A) at a minimum of 60mph measured 20 meters from the centre line of the vehicle accelerating maximally.
I know that there was a **** up last time, but this will be different - Subaru are involved, and Palmers won't want to cause a scene in front of a client.
Go on - you know you want to!!
20 March 2003, 10:21 AM
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So if the "atmospheric conditions" force 
Palmersport to reduce the db limit to 85 again, and cars fail,you think Palmersport will turn a blind eye because Subaru are there?
Is it open purely to Subarus by the way?
Cheers
Palmersport to reduce the db limit to 85 again, and cars fail,you think Palmersport will turn a blind eye because Subaru are there?Is it open purely to Subarus by the way?
Cheers
20 March 2003, 05:12 PM
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Sounds good. But and there is always a but if you take your own Subaru and it is still within the warranty period I am sure Subaru will take an interest if at a later date you make a warranty claim!
20 March 2003, 07:57 PM
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Palmers regs are:
Static: 101dB(A) at 2/3 maximum revs ½ metre from the exhaust at an angle of 45 degrees.
Drive by:
87.5dB(A) at a minimum of 60mph measured 20 meters from the centre line of the vehicle accelerating maximally.
I know that there was a **** up last time, but this will be different - Subaru are involved, and Palmers won't want to cause a scene in front of a client.
Static: 101dB(A) at 2/3 maximum revs ½ metre from the exhaust at an angle of 45 degrees.
Drive by:
87.5dB(A) at a minimum of 60mph measured 20 meters from the centre line of the vehicle accelerating maximally.
I know that there was a **** up last time, but this will be different - Subaru are involved, and Palmers won't want to cause a scene in front of a client.
Mr Palmer seems so worried about the noise regs, I can't see him bending the rules for IM's sake!! The other problem is, several Subaru owners have had warranty claims voided due to the car having sustained "track use" so how is that going to work? Will people who take their own Subaru's on the track on this day have an "exemption certificate" or similar from IM, in advance?
BTW, what time will the track be open from and to? I can't believe it will still be open at 8pm as it get's dark around 4-5pm (depending on the weather) at the end of March.
Ta,
Matt
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20 March 2003, 08:43 PM
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This is turning into a bit of a flame war, which wasn't intended.
- Noise regs weren't changed on any of the 12 trackdays that we did last year, including one attended by IM themselves.
- Clocks go forward the weekend before the track day. Therefore the sun sets at 7:45pm (yep, I was amazed too - I thought the clocks moved forward much later in the year). Track will be open until 8pm.
- Can't comment on the warranty issue I'm afraid. Having said that, I'm sure that the IM spies won't be taking note of reg numbers - it's being run by the press and events team rather than any particular dealer.
- The track day is open to all comers, not just scoobies. We get everything from Rover 800's to SL55 AMG's, and pretty much everything in between.
- Noise regs weren't changed on any of the 12 trackdays that we did last year, including one attended by IM themselves.
- Clocks go forward the weekend before the track day. Therefore the sun sets at 7:45pm (yep, I was amazed too - I thought the clocks moved forward much later in the year). Track will be open until 8pm.
- Can't comment on the warranty issue I'm afraid. Having said that, I'm sure that the IM spies won't be taking note of reg numbers - it's being run by the press and events team rather than any particular dealer.
- The track day is open to all comers, not just scoobies. We get everything from Rover 800's to SL55 AMG's, and pretty much everything in between.
21 March 2003, 05:59 AM
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Stu,
Sounds a brill event 
but I believe "We" are all banned by Mr Palmer after my last SIDC Bedford event 
i'll just have to wait till IM/Mitzy/TVR/Vaux do another event somewhere else for my next car.
Tony
Ps great circuit and last time stopped in a lovely hotel for 2 nights
Sounds
a brill event but I believe "We" are all banned by Mr Palmer after my last SIDC Bedford event i'll just have to wait till IM/Mitzy/TVR/Vaux do another event somewhere else for my next car.Tony
Ps great circuit and last time stopped in a lovely hotel for 2 nights
21 March 2003, 08:15 AM
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Stuart,
Not at all a flame war but you have to understand that many people have already been burnt by both Bedford Autodrome/J. Palmer and IM so you can't blame people for being cautious now!!
How can you be sure? IM have done it before so why wouldn't they do it again? I personally wouldn't put my car on a track knowing that IM would have a presence there without a guarantee, in writing, from IM, in my hand, before the start of the event that stated that my warranty would not be voided!!!
On the daylight point, according to various sources, sunset on the 31st March at Bedford is due to be approx 7:29 (BST) so I would expect the track to shut around 7pm at the latest due to fading light (Bedford won't run right up to when it's dark but will close a while before (by previous experience) and this is assuming it's on a bright day. To say the track will be open until 8pm IMHO is very optimisitc, more like 7pm I would have said!
Tony, IIRC, Mr Palmer decided to "ban" the SIDC from running track days at Bedford (when he mistook the members of Scoobynet for the SIDC) so technically, if you are a member of the SIDC then you are banned from Bedford but if you just happen to own an Impreza (but are not a memebr of the SIDC) then you should be ok
Ta,
Matt
[Edited by mutant_matt - 3/21/2003 8:26:41 AM]
Not at all a flame war but you have to understand that many people have already been burnt by both Bedford Autodrome/J. Palmer and IM so you can't blame people for being cautious now!!
Can't comment on the warranty issue I'm afraid. Having said that, I'm sure that the IM spies won't be taking note of reg numbers - it's being run by the press and events team rather than any particular dealer.
On the daylight point, according to various sources, sunset on the 31st March at Bedford is due to be approx 7:29 (BST) so I would expect the track to shut around 7pm at the latest due to fading light (Bedford won't run right up to when it's dark but will close a while before (by previous experience) and this is assuming it's on a bright day. To say the track will be open until 8pm IMHO is very optimisitc, more like 7pm I would have said!
Tony, IIRC, Mr Palmer decided to "ban" the SIDC from running track days at Bedford (when he mistook the members of Scoobynet for the SIDC) so technically, if you are a member of the SIDC then you are banned from Bedford but if you just happen to own an Impreza (but are not a memebr of the SIDC) then you should be ok
Ta,
Matt
[Edited by mutant_matt - 3/21/2003 8:26:41 AM]
21 March 2003, 11:09 AM
#11
Stuart,
JP also didn't change the noise regs on 5 previous days that I've done there as well, but he did on the last one....
He also came on here afterwards with a frankly unnecessarily arrogant attitude stating such things as we were trying to "cheat" the noise meters and our "boyracer type exhausts" were the problem. Not the sort of customer relationship response that was expected.
I understand that he has to protect his business, however there are ways of doing it. I was one of several drivers summarily told to leave, despite my car having passed earlier that morning, before the regs were reduced, and on every single occasion prior to this day that I had also paid good money to attend. At no point did anyone offer any commiseration or compensation (until long afterwards following some fairly heavyweight discussions).I didn't claim anything myself as, after driving to Northampton and back, I was able to bodge a Impreza sport back box onto my car, which meant that I got 3 hours on the track in the afternoon. Hopefully this didn't do anything bad to my car as it has been specifically mapped for the usual induction, exhaust and fuelling conditions that it runs. That worked out at a pretty expensive £58 an hour for a frankly wasted day.
I think that the Autodrome is probably the best venue in the country for this sort of thing, which is why I am sad that I feel unable to go back there due to his heavy handed attitude.I'm sure JP'll lose no sleep over my stance but I'm not the only one to feel this way..
Sorry for the long post, but it might explain why you're feeling like you're being flamed. Car and Car Conversions is due to publish a lengthy article on the above disrupted track day in the near future.
Have fun on the day anyway.
John
JP also didn't change the noise regs on 5 previous days that I've done there as well, but he did on the last one....
He also came on here afterwards with a frankly unnecessarily arrogant attitude stating such things as we were trying to "cheat" the noise meters and our "boyracer type exhausts" were the problem. Not the sort of customer relationship response that was expected.
I understand that he has to protect his business, however there are ways of doing it. I was one of several drivers summarily told to leave, despite my car having passed earlier that morning, before the regs were reduced, and on every single occasion prior to this day that I had also paid good money to attend. At no point did anyone offer any commiseration or compensation (until long afterwards following some fairly heavyweight discussions).I didn't claim anything myself as, after driving to Northampton and back, I was able to bodge a Impreza sport back box onto my car, which meant that I got 3 hours on the track in the afternoon. Hopefully this didn't do anything bad to my car as it has been specifically mapped for the usual induction, exhaust and fuelling conditions that it runs. That worked out at a pretty expensive £58 an hour for a frankly wasted day.
I think that the Autodrome is probably the best venue in the country for this sort of thing, which is why I am sad that I feel unable to go back there due to his heavy handed attitude.I'm sure JP'll lose no sleep over my stance but I'm not the only one to feel this way..
Sorry for the long post, but it might explain why you're feeling like you're being flamed. Car and Car Conversions is due to publish a lengthy article on the above disrupted track day in the near future.
Have fun on the day anyway.
John
21 March 2003, 11:15 PM
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Matt,
You always translate the rubbish I write into what I meant to and do it soooooooooo nicely 
Fat boy,
To stick up for the guy he could have just said to hell with it, shut up shop, and sent us all home (As I was told by the marshells he did with the Bikers) If any of us had owned Bedford we probably have done exactly the same and tried to get as many on the track but do enough to apeased the Locals.
I was gutted for the few that had to go Myself I had a 400 mile round trip, 2 nights in a hotel, £200 in track insurance and the entrance fee I would have been a bit peeved off to say the least. fortunately I was allowed to stay.
Tony
You always translate the rubbish I write into what I meant to
and do it soooooooooo nicely Fat boy,
To stick up for the guy he could have just said to hell with it, shut up shop, and sent us all home (As I was told by the marshells he did with the Bikers) If any of us had owned Bedford we probably have done exactly the same and tried to get as many on the track but do enough to apeased the Locals.
I was gutted for the few that had to go
Myself I had a 400 mile round trip, 2 nights in a hotel, £200 in track insurance and the entrance fee I would have been a bit peeved off to say the least. fortunately I was allowed to stay.Tony
23 March 2003, 01:34 AM
#13
you changing your tune again Tony?
http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/threa...hreadID=178498
My letter to CCC which will be published next month. I wont be attending Bedford Autodrome in future.
http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/threa...hreadID=178498
My letter to CCC which will be published next month. I wont be attending Bedford Autodrome in future.
23 March 2003, 11:25 AM
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John,
Yes I have change my mind again and not I didn't know or agree to what he did (on previous thread) but I can understand why he did it, Which were my comments on this thread.
If anyone of us were running a 360 day a year buisness like this we would have to respect the council and resident's views. If you didn't there would not be a buisness next year. And he fought for the comprimise to get most out on the track instead of shutting up shop and sending us all home.
I believe the handling of the matter wasn't good PR wise by any standard by both parties 
Emotions on both parts played too a big part in debate and end result IMHO
As we were both were there but I was only there as an entrant and not party to the control and organizers as were you. This is my view three months on and weighing up the arguements by both sides hence some differing statements made.
Tony SIDC 1347
Yes I have change my mind again
and not I didn't know or agree to what he did (on previous thread) but I can understand why he did it, Which were my comments on this thread. If anyone of us were running a 360 day a year buisness like this we would have to respect the council and resident's views. If you didn't there would not be a buisness next year. And he fought for the comprimise to get most out on the track instead of shutting up shop and sending us all home.
I believe the handling of the matter wasn't good PR wise by any standard
by both parties Emotions on both parts played too a big part in debate and end result IMHOAs we were both were there but I was only there as an entrant and not party to the control and organizers as were you. This is my view three months on and weighing up the arguements by both sides hence some differing statements made.
Tony SIDC 1347
23 March 2003, 06:18 PM
#15
I wasn't part of the organisors tony, no idea why you think that?
I think it's been debated enough, so lets not go there again. It should be interesting what is printed in CCC, i can imagine what Bedford may write in reply. I particularly want to see if they say they reserve the right to drop the noise limits on the day in future, if that is the case they have to change their website to reflect that.
Everything in my letter is factual, that is how it happened, the aim of the letter was to correct a badly written article! It was very unfortunate the way Jonathan posted his thoughts on here, an apology for his problems at his venue causing us problems would have been welcome, instead he chose to accept no blame and tried to shift that blame onto his clients, thats not very smart or fair IMHO.
I think it's been debated enough, so lets not go there again.
It should be interesting what is printed in CCC, i can imagine what Bedford may write in reply. I particularly want to see if they say they reserve the right to drop the noise limits on the day in future, if that is the case they have to change their website to reflect that.Everything in my letter is factual, that is how it happened, the aim of the letter was to correct a badly written article! It was very unfortunate the way Jonathan posted his thoughts on here, an apology for his problems at his venue causing us problems would have been welcome, instead he chose to accept no blame and tried to shift that blame onto his clients, thats not very smart or fair IMHO.
