OV9

I'd argue it's better when it's cold/wet. Limits are a lot lower - when I went it was torrential rain and I was amazed at how quickly I could go/stop/turn in the Giulia; I'd imagine they'd be significantly higher in the dry!

Also, practically zero tyre wear too

So yeah, wouldn't worry too much, you'll have a great time and learn loads regardless!

MikeHunt wrote: Fri Jul 25, 2025 9:52 am

Jobbo wrote: Fri Jul 25, 2025 6:47 am I didn’t realise he was doing them in the Midlands now. I’d have joined you but I’m busy that day.

Thats a shame, would have been good to meet you. I have been trying to book for a while, it does seem popular, so it's difficult to find a weekend slot that the long range weather forecast doesnt predict too hot/wet. The local slot swung it for me.

Matt may say wet is good, but my previous time at North Weald over 20 years ago it was pissing down all day and I don't think that added fun to the experience I'd trade a bit of tyre wear.

We should do a Midlands meet at some point. Even if it's just for a curry.

Are there a few more locals? I know Dan uses the same valeter, small world.

Heard that cutnall green is very good.

The Entouraj? It has an excellent reputation but I've never tried it, despite passing it very regularly.

@speedingfine is fairly local, @Matty isn't that far away somewhere around the Black Country.

Yeah, I'm just on the M54, not far from Cosford.

TBH I've lost track of who else is central; other than who Simon's mentioned. Feel like everyones gone north of the wall these days....

@MikeHunt since I've driven through Cutnall Green a couple of times I realise you might have meant the Chequers rather than Entouraj. It had a good reputation when it was run by the same people as the Bell & Cross in Clent, no idea who runs it now.

We should arrange something anyway. There or somewhere else - Bromsgrove is fairly handy for the M5 if Matt wanted to join.

I was talking about Entouraj, which used to be Rajdoot but has changed owners. Heard both are good.

There are some decent roads in that area too.

There's @dan locally too - I knew I'd forgotten someone obvious. Think that's it for people on the current roll-call list, although @Jimmy Choo and @240PP are half an hour or so down the road in Glos.

Curry you say.

Arden Tandoori in Henley is pretty good.

Chennai Lounge in Bromsgrove does an excellent takeaway but i've not eaten in, I bet it would be good.

Anytime after the 9th August and i'll bring the elise too.

dan wrote: Tue Jul 29, 2025 5:19 pm Anytime after the 9th August and i'll bring the elise too.

What year?

Any.

Curry, you say?

It'll have to be after 9th for me - I'm busy all next week. Should probably start a new thread.... coming up.

... and here it is: viewtopic.php?p=242107#p242107

I really enjoyed this and would recommend to anyone regardless of ability or car.

Being in a group of 4 is about right as you arent hanging around too much, have some people to chat to and gives your tyres a chance to cool down. The other cars were an MG Midget, v6 Emira and a v12 Vantage S.

I has been a long time since I was on track, in fact my last instructor was at castle coombe in 2005. So some of the exercises were quite beginner as you would expect, such as hand placement and ring to undo decades of muscle memory. Finding the cars limits, such as breaking, understeer and oversteer. Fortunately it did rain, so switching off the traction and controlling the cars position with only acceleration was interesting, it was like a huge German spirograph.

As much as I love my m550, I confirmed what I already knew, it's a great road car but not something built to be thrown around and skidded like a hooligan and I would have definably enjoyed the day in something half the weight such an an mx5 or going back to my old Clio 182. I was thinking about the 2 car garage all way down the m6 home.

Andy is a great bloke, I am already looking to book again. If you are thinking about it, north wield wont be holding too many more events as the land has been sold, so get in quick.

Glad you enjoyed it, you do learn loads regardless of the car you're in! Bit of rain adds to the fun but yeah, you probably 'struggled' as I did in the QV, slight nudge of the throttle with all the aids off and it moves around.

Don't forget he's just moving up to the Midlands, so still going as he did before, just relocating. He's also doing events at Thruxton now (for those of a southern disposition) but that's more expensive.

I'll be booking up next year for sure, although still unsure about his activity days now being 24 people. Seems to high for me.

Nice one @MikeHunt.

@Matty I thought he did 12 and 24 fun days? Do you know if he'll still be doing SELOC days? What's his Midlands venue?

I intend to do one in the spring, it's a nice way to start the year of motoring.

I don't mind the 12 cars, but probably something like 8 would be perfect (which he will do if you organise the people). I still think something like that with ov9ers would be ace...

If I were to do a 4 car day, it would have to be with other people that have done it already, I wouldn't be bothered about doing the braking and steering exercises again, high speed corner and larking about on the track all day would be better.

You're right, he is still doing the odd 12 person. I thought he'd increased it across the board.

The new location is Stafford Driving Centre, although there appears to be a lot of grass embankments do you may want to be less adventurous on that track

I've no doubt he'd do activity days for any number of people of you were all willing to make up the difference in costs. Looks like his charge is about 1500/day, but even with 8 that's still only £190, still cheaper than most track days.

Matty wrote: Tue Sep 16, 2025 4:18 pm The new location is Stafford Driving Centre, although there appears to be a lot of grass embankments do you may want to be less adventurous on that track

One of the drivers had a very close look at one of these when correcting a slide went wrong, splitter and a tyre off the rim but thankfully not too much damage.

Ah that's a shame, the whole point of them was that it's pretty close to zero risk.