I need your help for Mallory Park circuit rides! 11th August..

[Chris Y]

Hello!

Right. As most of you will know, I'm racing a Mighty Mini Cooper at Mallory Park, in Leicestershire on the 12th of August.

There will be Mini Se7ens, Mini Miglias, Mighty Minis, and Super Mighty Minis racing, as well as the 'Fastest Mini' race. These will all take place on the Sunday..

The event is also a Mini festival - there will be all sorts of Mini related shenanigans. Stunt drives, re-enactments of the Italian Job, Concors events, a cavalcade of Minis around the circuit, and rides around the track (and the chance to drive your own Mini around the track!). Most of this (esp. the on-track activities) will take place on the Satuday beforehand.

Now then. There was an opportunity for me to get involved in driving members of the public around the track. The organisers would have paid me for doing so... Sadly, they already have found enough drivers, so they don't need me

The good news is that the Saturday is also a TrackSense track day, which means for a modest sum, I can take people out on to the track in my race car anyway!

They're offering sessions on the track for £20 a time. You get £15 minutes for this.. The alternative is to spend about £100, and get as much circuit time as you like all day!

So - I need a show of hands. I'm thinking about spending the £100 and having all day to take people round the track. Depending on how many of you sign up, the price will come down...

I'll definately get below £10.. If I get more than 15 people signing up for a go - I'll drop the price to a fiver each. Depending on the time and demand, I'll try to squeeze 4 laps on the track for each of you..

The other thing I may need is helmets. Although I'll confirm this when I call TrackSense tomorrow.. My brother has one or certain, and I think Craig has one we can use (right Mr. Anthill?)

Right then - some of this is subject to change, but I'll find out more in the next few days - and like I said, it depends on how much time I can get, and how many of you are interested..

Attached is a piccy from last year's Festival cavalcade!

Okay, form an orderly queue.. Hey! No pushing at the back, Craig

[Craig]

Can I buy two goes ??

[Craig]

PS - you forgot the photo!

[Minardi fan]

Moi please.

[SPOONERBORO]

god damn why do i have to work on the saturday im gonna miss out - chris if i turn up at about 9pm will they still be doing circuit ride?

[Chris Y]

Err. Whoops about the photo. Try now

Craig - yes you can, provided you're not doing someone else out of a ride (we'll use our discretion on the day )

Spooner - I don't think they'd let us out that late - there's a bit of a curfew at Mallory.. I'll ask them though - I have a number of questions... Anyway - ask for the day off!

Maisie has just [been] volunteered to be my secretary for the day. She will be taking money, organising a schedule, etc.

[SPOONERBORO]

well i am the boss so i guess i could have a go - but well when your young and want to get on you have to work the required every other saturday but hey i see what i can try!!

[Sparky]

Er.. Me!

Can we call my go the 'Race Engineer On-track Car Development Program'?

That way, if I feel that a little more diagnosis is needed...

Definately. Whatever the cost. Gotta be pedalled around in the Vogster at full chat...

[Minardi fan]

Originally posted by SPOONERBORO
well i am the boss so i guess i could have a go - but well when your young and want to get on you have to work the required every other saturday but hey i see what i can try!!

Try having to work 3 out of 4 Saturdays... *sob*

[D428 CHO]

I'd *love* to but I'll be on holiday that weekend

[bella]

re the picture, i have never seen so many minis in my entire life!

mini mini mini mini mini mini....

not sure if i'm going to be there or not (bloody olds haven't decided when they're going on hols yet, and when i can join them...), but if i'm there, count me in!

[WoodyTJ]

Yippee ...... me me me me me

Ohhh how exciting ... especially as I didn't get the chance to ride with Rick last year! (But be warned I will be crapping myself!)

[Chris Y]

It's a good job I'm getting that loo roll holder fitted to the passenger door later this week then

Mr. Fan! Can't you take the day off work? You *have* to be there

Sparky! Call it whatever you like - you're first

Now - some news.. I rang TrackSense today and they confirmed that everything was cool with the race car and such (it is road-legal). The cost will be £125 to me, but I reckon if you guys pay between £5-£10 I can make most of that back.

I thought there was going to be an extra charge per passenger as stated on their website, but after speaking to them today that doesn't seem to be the case..

The bad news? Well, I tried to book it over the phone, but BOIIING!, I've just bounced off my overdraft limit, and I used up all my credit years ago However, a nice cheque has arrived in the post earlier today, so I will have enough to pay for it, but not until next Wednesday. We should be alright on this one

Anyway, I'm definately going to need some helmets - so those of you who can make it - ask your friends or have a hunt in your loft for some spares we can beg, borrow or steal!

[Minardi fan]

Mr. Yates... THAT weekend has been booked off work for ages sir! You really think I'm going to miss 2001 Minis on one track at once?!?! NEVER!!!!!!!!



And look, I already put my name down... a bit further up!

[woodyracing]

sure, id love to be driven round in your mini if possible

WoodyRacing.

[SPOONERBORO]

just make sure you have the alcohol after you have been in the car woodytj - we know what happens when u sink i few of the merry liquid type!!

[Chris Y]

What are you saying about our beloved Trace and excessive alcohol consumption?

Mr. Fan - I thought from the tone of your last message that you were wussing out - I apologise

So, to recap so far, we have 8 on the definates list:

Sparky
Craig (x2?)
Minardi Bloke
Maisie
WoodyTJ
WoodyRacing
My brother
Kay from Mini City Mag forums

and a further 3 on the 'possibly' list:

Mr. Spooner (possibly)
Bella (possibly)
My mother [Mrs. Doyle] (possibly)

..in roughly the order that people posted. Looking good so far, but keep 'em coming

[Craig]

No one else ?! Blimey...!

[Chris Y]

Looks like you might get your two runs after all, Craig

I just hope we can get all these runs in.. I've heard that we'll be lucky to get 5 sessions in over the course of the day (because of the popularity)..

I'm assuming each session is 15 minutes, and I reckon 3 laps and a passenger changeover will take up 5 minutes. So, if everything goes to plan, and we do get only 5 sessions, then we can still get 15 people round the track in that day..

Of course - I'm hoping to get a few more than 5 sessions in, but we'll have to see what happens on the day..

[Craig]

Mrs Doyle is gonna get a go ? Cool!!

[bella]

damn the olds, i still don't know when i'm going on me hols.
should the worst happen, and i'm stuck on a sunlounger in the south of france, i donate my turn to the nearest little kid you can find... betcha can't make the kid sick....

[WoodyTJ]

As I am going with Phil - he might want a go to if thats possible?

Soooooooo excited

[Chris Y]

Yep - I reckon we can...

In the next few days, I should be getting some more info from the people who run the track day, and when I get it, I'll try to put together some sort of timetable..

For now, it would help if you could tell me how early (or late) you can make it, and I'll try to assemble some sort of running order.. The day will run from 9am to 5pm, but the earlier you can make it, the better, so that I can leave some time for surprises...

[Minardi fan]

I shall be arriving at whatever time WoodyTJ does. Which will be... I have no idea...

[WoodyTJ]

I should be there all day