[Londoner]

I was lucky enough to get a day out at Palmersport recently (at the Bedford Autodrome) - the finale being 15/20 minutes racing five mates in formula 3000s!

It really is some day out, can highly recommend, especially after a dose of lockdown. The m2 was also so much fun but this and the Le mans cars are something else.

[Watsey]

Palmersport is a superb day out - I've been three times and loved every one. As you now know, the instructors push you to your limits.

The single seaters take a lot of mental recalibration - you've got to trust the lateral grip a lot more. Be more assertive !

Best car of the day ? JP-LM, without a doubt.

[G50]

That looks awesome! Reminds me of playing something like Project Cars... Specifically when you switch it to manual mode and forget which buttons change gears

I can imagine these cars take a large amount of adjusting to though, I've had a fair amount of track time and don't for a second thing I'd be able to jump in one of those and be smooth and quick. Bloody love to try though. I have no interest in driving somebody's ferrari round a track for 15mins at 5/10ths on one of these "supercar experiences" , but this looks like a proper motorsport experience, and have heard good things about Palmersport in the past. Is it Jonathan Palmer's business?

How much we talking for one of these experiences?

[Watsey]

Yes, it's Jonathan Palmer.

According to the website pricing for the full day experience (which I highly recommend) starts at £745.

For the sheer variety of cars, the quality of the instruction. and the amount of track time it's good value IMO.

[JNW1]

Looks great fun OP!

On a much more mundane level my cousin and I did an M4 experience with MSV at a very wet Donington Park on Wednesday. Have to say that was great fun too albeit also a salutary reminder of how limited my abilities are; being a decent, competent, driver on the road - which I'd like to think I am - is one thing but to be consistently quick on a track is another matter entirely!

Given a bit more time I'm sure I'd have improved but it does bring it home the ability and concentration the top racing drivers must have to drive so near the limit for, say, the length of a Grand Prix. And unlike our experience event they're not just focused on what they're doing with their own car, they're obviously also competing with the other people on the track while they're doing it....

[Bibbles]

It's pretty much the best day out in cars you can do. The instructors get you to really push the cars (and yourselves) to the limit. I've been 5 times but not for a couple of years. Mental note made to get another day booked in.

[G50]

Originally Posted by JNW1

Looks great fun OP!

On a much more mundane level my cousin and I did an M4 experience with MSV at a very wet Donington Park on Wednesday. Have to say that was great fun too albeit also a salutary reminder of how limited my abilities are; being a decent, competent, driver on the road - which I'd like to think I am - is one thing but to be consistently quick on a track is another matter entirely!

Given a bit more time I'm sure I'd have improved but it does bring it home the ability and concentration the top racing drivers must have to drive so near the limit for, say, the length of a Grand Prix. And unlike our experience event they're not just focused on what they're doing with their own car, they're obviously also competing with the other people on the track while they're doing it....

It really does make you appreciate racing drivers. I can do 10-15mins of pushing myself before my concentration starts to drop and I have to have a cool down lap and a breather, and in June when it was hot I was dripping.

Reading Tiff Needell's book and I can't even imagine the 24hr races he describes, brutal 2-3hour stints.

[dizzy619]

We will raised one on here a few years ago... It's does feel another is due... @nisfan hint hint

[Tengocity]

Definitely the best track experience going! We definitely need to try and get a group sorted again.

[JustChris]

Originally Posted by Watsey

Palmersport is a superb day out - I've been three times and loved every one. As you now know, the instructors push you to your limits.

The single seaters take a lot of mental recalibration - you've got to trust the lateral grip a lot more. Be more assertive !

Best car of the day ? JP-LM, without a doubt.

I recall one of them. Great days.

That open seater was one of my favourites too, oddly when lowest and most exposed, I felt most at home. One of the cars I felt really comfortable finding the limits at on track and did...manage to spin it 3 times in 6 laps This only encouraged on as nothing truely awful happened.

Watsey was the JP the open 2 seater? This was easily my fastest car, somehow the instructor just relaxed me much quicker and the balance of power and handling in that car for my (terrible, it was my first track event) skill level was very accessible.

A fine motley crew.

I still very much enjoyed Terry dumping the Caterham into a hedge though.

OP nice lap and thanks for bringing this up.

PS the car I least enjoyed on track was the M4. It felt heavy and about to 'snap' out at almost anytime. It was an odd feeling driving home one mine that night!

[NISFAN]

Aaaah, memories

Such a fantastic day. Just seems to fly by in a blur. Our team was fastest average or something like that which meant we bagged a cap.

Must do it again

[SteveChester]

I'd defo be up for this at some point - never driven a single seater and fancy having a go

[Watsey]

Originally Posted by JustChris

I recall one of them. Great days.

That open seater was one of my favourites too, oddly when lowest and most exposed, I felt most at home. One of the cars I felt really comfortable finding the limits at on track and did...manage to spin it 3 times in 6 laps This only encouraged on as nothing truely awful happened.

Watsey was the JP the open 2 seater? This was easily my fastest car, somehow the instructor just relaxed me much quicker and the balance of power and handling in that car for my (terrible, it was my first track event) skill level was very accessible.

A fine motley crew.

I still very much enjoyed Terry dumping the Caterham into a hedge though.

OP nice lap and thanks for bringing this up.

PS the car I least enjoyed on track was the M4. It felt heavy and about to 'snap' out at almost anytime. It was an odd feeling driving home one mine that night!

Yes, JP-LM is the twin seat open cockpit. Awesome cars.

The instructors are excellent. Almost impossible not to get massively into it when you've got a friendly but pushy voice on the helmet intercom shouting "wait for the apex, power, power, full power, 7K, up one, power, full power !" for lap after lap.

[Watsey]

For those that haven't been, Bedford West circuit is used for the Palmer single seaters and also for How Fast (this used to be an EVO event but is now run by MSVT).

My fastest lap in my F31 30d, on road tyres, is 1:29.7. Not too shabby for a 1.75T hearse.

Several of us on the Forum meet for track sessions, including NISFAN, Tengocity and dizzy619 and it's interesting seeing the performance improvements as suspension, brakes, wheels and tyres are perpetually upgraded. It gets expensive though !

[NISFAN]

Originally Posted by Watsey

For those that haven't been, Bedford West circuit is used for the Palmer single seaters and also for How Fast (this used to be an EVO event but is now run by MSVT).

My fastest lap in my F31 30d, on road tyres, is 1:29.7. Not too shabby for a 1.75T hearse.

Several of us on the Forum meet for track sessions, including NISFAN, Tengocity and dizzy619 and it's interesting seeing the performance improvements as suspension, brakes, wheels and tyres are perpetually upgraded. It gets expensive though !

Ha, nothing to do with upgrades. More driver evolution

[dizzy619]

Originally Posted by NISFAN

Ha, nothing to do with upgrades. More driver evolution

Absolutely..

[Watsey]

Well if the switch from petrol to diesel, remapping to 400bhp, LSDs, coilovers, £5K Alcons, race pads and track tyres don't make a difference then collectively we've wasted an awful lot of money

[G50]

Originally Posted by Watsey

For those that haven't been, Bedford West circuit is used for the Palmer single seaters and also for How Fast (this used to be an EVO event but is now run by MSVT).

My fastest lap in my F31 30d, on road tyres, is 1:29.7. Not too shabby for a 1.75T hearse.

Several of us on the Forum meet for track sessions, including NISFAN, Tengocity and dizzy619 and it's interesting seeing the performance improvements as suspension, brakes, wheels and tyres are perpetually upgraded. It gets expensive though !

I'd certainly be up for joining a forum palmersport event, and wouldn't mind coming on track with you guys at some point, however my BMW is a long way from being track ready, and my track car is too loud for Bedford at 104db on a static test.

[dizzy619]

Originally Posted by Watsey

Well if the switch from petrol to diesel, remapping to 400bhp, LSDs, coilovers, £5K Alcons, race pads and track tyres don't make a difference then collectively we've wasted an awful lot of money

[gippy]

i'm looking at doing the extended driving event in May, covid willing, googling around trying to find out info on helmets and this thread came up!
if anyone else is interested in doing a palmersport day on here, lets arrange something maybe?

here's my best lap in the f3000 from 2017, haven't been back since and i think its about time. pretty sure i can beat joylon palmers time...
if anyone wants to tag along i can get you up to speed very quickly
lets get a group of us going, would be ace!

i also drove in full wet conditions that year later on....it was even more fun.

[Ronstein]

Originally Posted by gippy

i'm looking at doing the extended driving event in May, covid willing, googling around trying to find out info on helmets and this thread came up!
if anyone else is interested in doing a palmersport day on here, lets arrange something maybe?

here's my best lap in the f3000 from 2017, haven't been back since and i think its about time. pretty sure i can beat joylon palmers time...
if anyone wants to tag along i can get you up to speed very quickly
lets get a group of us going, would be ace!

Tidy!!

[F20MAW73]

That looks an amazing day out, I will love a shot in that.

My sons new go kart is sat there with nowhere to go right now. Gutted as we had some really good plans this year with track days and progressing with his racing.

ps ignore the shiny bow on the the front on the kart, it was a Christmas present)