Lotus Elise @ Brands Hatch
So, for those that know me as an individual, you all know how much im trying to get onto the real race track. I've invested countless hours and £££ into my Mazda Rx8, in hopes that one day it will be ready to crash into a barrier at turn 1 with a stupid smile on my face. Sadly this is still something that requires some effort, and every now and again i get posts of events at my local circuit (Brands hatch) that I cannot refuse thanks to my "Urges".
One such event was being hosted by David Pittard, a Top ARDS Instructor who has won the 24h Nordschliefe...ye, so I instantly started to beg my fiance to release the funds required to partake (despite it being my own damned money). She gracefully granted me permission to go, my face grinning like a school boy at the thought of being able to drive a real car once again. I used to think I had this "Race Addiction" under control, to an extent, but as she pointed out, every time i see a race car whether it be a Renault Clio or a Le Man prototype, i "get that sparkle" in my eye. I don't know what she means, but regardless I happily departed with my hard earned cash and set of to Brands Hatch not really knowing what to expect.
Meeting up with David I was slightly nervous, I always am at these type of events as the fact of the matter is, it's not my car. He was a great guy, very talkative and down to earth and that settled you down to a point where you almost felt comfortable crashing his car into a barrier. Of course we all hoped we wouldn't be "that guy" who ended up doing that, but the thought never left the back of my dam brain as I really hate making mistakes. That being said we did run into some technical issues early one, guess who was driving at the time. So, felling guilty as hell I apologised several times hoping the car would magically fix itself. Thanks to some persistent wrapping of metal wire the car was fixed and the other guys went out with David.
The day was a great experience, the amount of cars and the variety of machinery was spectacular. When I wasn't in the car, I became the biggest nuisance in the paddock as I asked pretty much everyone I could find, asking if I could film their car. However, as always, the motorsport community responded with open arms and I got up close and personal with some great pieces of Kit. Speaking to the drivers and owners it's always fascinating to hear their journey, how they got to where they are and the cars journey as well. Nowhere else is sporting world is this possible and it is one of the reason I adore the sport.
Going back out with David I went on a longer run, the track becoming less packed as we entered the later half of the afternoon. Thanks to David and his tuition, I began to find that comfortable spot and broke into the 59's. I knew that we could quiet easily break into the 58's, with most the time being found under braking, especially into druids and Turn 1. However, having had issues already that day I decided to play it a tad safe while still pushing the car in the corners. Regardless of performance, this was an epic experience, David really does make you feel relaxed in the car and that really does allow you to focus on the job at hand. His tuition is always spot on, displaying his knowledge of the car and the circuit which gives you confidence to keep your foot down to find that extra tenth or two.
What else is there left to say other than, it was a blast and is so far the best experience i've had behind the wheel of a car. I am hoping to take part in future events, as I learnt more in that one day than I did in ten years of sim racing. So, if you are looking for that thrill, i'd highly recommend you contact David (http://www.davidpittard.co.uk/) Please to take time to watch the video I created and thank you once again for reading. Matt / OverTheLine92
