2019 - Back to Spa-Francorchamps - This Time with Other USA7s Members - Track Day Reports

So I am back to Spa for some days on track. This time I brought Jeff @JBH and Rahul @rnr from this USA7s plus quite a few other track day friends.

Yesterday was the museum to see the rotating car displays.

Some freebies from when I bought my UK Caterham.

Jeff was running a Ginetta. His assessment at the end of the two days on track was that the Ginetta is a great handling car, but way down on power (138 hp). At 1850lbs, it is very much a momentum car. The Bookatrack photographer put the second Ginetta into the wall at Campus corner illustrating that sudden throttle lift or sudden power will spin it.

Rahul was running the Golf R32 with a few track mods.

My trusty beastie!

We all survived day 1, albeit a little tired and sore. There is a fair amount of G forces on the body around this track and that adds up over the course of the day.

Day 2 weather was cold, sleet and rain. A day to take it easier on track. Jeff @JBH and myself with my Caterham.

It goes without saying, this was ballistically quick on track.

One of the new Alpine A110s - great looking sports car. Yes that is a Ferrari 275 GTB next to it. Yes he took it out in the rain and snow. Yes he did spin it. Yes he is my hero!

My rental car for this trip was something really unusual. Who of you has heard of a manufacturer called “DS”?

So I had a DS7.

It’s part of Peugeot/Citroen group but is a unique vehicle line. It was mostly well equipped - no power seats or rear vision camera. It was really quite nice to drive except...it had a 1.5L diesel. No turbo. It was sadly lacking in the engine ferret department. Glaciers have moved quicker.

We all survived day 2. Rahul managed an exciting but safe spin at Pouhon.

The Bookatrack mechanics took to calling Jeff’s Ginetta, the “Love Nest”. Why? Well he and his significant other were spending a lot of time in the small enclosed cabin (on track) that the Ginetta has.

So late Sunday, when the Ginetta arrived in the pits with steamed up windows, the crew started laughing. Their laughter (and mine) increased once the instructor exited the passenger seat.

The weather was pretty rubbish. Snow, hail, sun, sleet, sun, rain, etc. We had all seasons in each hour every hour. So the Caterham on semi slick tires quite frankly sucked unless there was a dry line. Otherwise I was like a cat in a wet bathtub. The Focus RS Sport - 350hp, all wheel drive was a star. Perfect for the conditions.

A number of cars had drivers that ran out of talent - BMW 5 series, a VW fun cup thing (guaranteed at these events), and a Caterham.

A Caterham 420R is a pretty quick cat for Spa. I am still going through the data but the quickest lap I had was a 2min48.2. Lap record is 2min43 with equivalent race Caterham. An R300 lap record is 2min45. For a Focus RS, Renault Megane or Golf R32 then higher 2min50s was considered “good”.

The Ginetta is relatively low powered say 145hp with around 1500lbs. Very nice handling and brakes. So it’s quick in the context of its power/weight ratio but will not compare to a 420R. 210hp at 1350lb. But it is a very nice track car as it is all purpose built.

In the dry at Spa you want a Caterham. In the wet you want an all wheel drive car or a Caterham with proper track wets.

Those without a Caterham or a Ginetta, rented from RSR Spa, a very professional outfit just outside the circuit gates. L to R: Renault Clio, Renault Megane Cup, Ford Focus RS Sport, and VW Golf R32

The obligatory videos are now ready

1) The straight ahead cam with good sound and data

2) The 360 cam. Double click on the video to see it on the youtube page. Use your mouse/arrow key to pan the camera around. Lap 1 you can look back at Doofus waving at a friend after Radillion in the Focus RS or on lap 2 follow the Aston Martin DB2 as I (eventually) pass it on Kemmel Straight. Look down for the data overlaid on the headlight

Some extra photos of the day

Chasing a buddy Mike through Eau Rouge and up to Radillion. He rented from RSR Spa. A good outfit to rent from if you are looking for more car choice.