[Malcolm]

Knowing the organisers of Gold Track as I do, and I intend one more day with them this year, hopefully this month, I can already hear Melindi pulling my leg about 40s at sign on! Yes, it is up to drivers to take their issues to the organisers and for them to follow any legitimate complaint through. However it is up to each individual driver to use fair and proper driver ettiquette whilst on track. It is made specifically clear at the driver breifing to all and sundry to use mirrors to let quicker cars through. It is not a race so there is no benefit in creating a train of cars. If you let cars through promptly you actually gain because you can then concentrate on what is in front of you and not behind plus no one behind will get frustrated at your holding them up and so try a kamakasi move risking both cars colliding. And if you are concerned about your own cars health then keeping it out of a risk zone has to be good.

Once you have turned into a corner on a race track, that corner is then finished with, even before you get past the apex point. Maybe after the apex if you are a novice. This gives you plenty of time to look in your mirrors which allows you to see comfortably past the rear wheel arches as you are not looking directly behind. Any car lurking becomes instantly visible allowing you to deal with it. If it got close to you before the corner, you can bet your last £ it is quicker than you, so let it past by just delaying 2 seconds on the gas pedal before the straight. Come the next corner that car is gone, leaving you to play with your own braking point and turn in point.

What I want to avoid happening, hence this post, is others thinking of GT40s as I think of, say, Imprezza drivers on track. They can be damn fast cars. But they corner like shopping trolleys. They have to brake so early so I catch them easily. Come the next straight and they hoof it down the straight often pulling away from me and suprise, suprise I am right up their backside at the next corner. Over a lap they are much slower than me and on track days that is the critical issue for letting people past especially as the rules state no overtaking in corners or out braking into corners. The organisers I know specifically refer to this in breifings but it is often ignored and a reputation results.

With regard to Jono's post above, I suspect you are right and there is an element of hypocracy from the PHers involved. Also most likley from me too!

Brian you are right, this sort of thing happens at all track days to some degree or other. At Gold Track days there is a noticeable difference in driver standards between group one and group two. But most 40s are not quick enough on a lap time to be in group two.

This thread is not intended as a witch hunt, apologies if it has come across as such. It is meant more of a tease/constructive criticism to encourage all to drive responsibly on track to avoid the kind of incidents that we all want to avoid.

To roughly repeat what Charles said above, if I am at a track at the same time as you and there is anything you think I could say that may help you, please do ask. You don't have to take advice, but it may help occaisionally. Also if I am doing anything wrong, please tell me, I want to hear it! I always want to better my driving.