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Rally Driving Experience at Brands Hatch.

Beans

Hyper Poster
For my 50th Birthday I asked for a Rally Driving Experience and I choose Brands Hatch at the location (everyone knows Brands hatch).

I registered and they said I could buy and extra Experience for £39, and this was to drive the Palmer Jaguar JP-LM, and OMG was that a ride, the chap(Tony) said “do you like speed” to which I said “yes” and he said “righty ho we will let it rip then”, to which I replied “go for it”, and he flaming did, he had said “when I put my visor down you do same” and that was it 3 laps of the track holding on to the handle with my arse very close to the ground going at god knows what speed hitting the coloured strips and sliding round the corners, it was over too soon. I said to him, “that was far better than any Rollercoaster I had ever ridden” he replied, “We are here to please”. I thanked him and said “one day I will do that again”, and he said “don’t leave it too long”…and laughed.

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(This one was not me)
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I had to quickly catch the mini bus to my Rally Experience Briefing as the Jag ride cut it close so out I jumped and straight into the briefing, the chap explained the fundamentals of sliding cornering braking etc, and being the only female in the room he picked on me a bit and said “are you scared”, I said “not likely after that Jag ride and the fact I have waited all these years to do this”. And they all laughed. Then he announced my instructor, he said yours is Tommy Cooper, “Just like that”, I thought he was joking but he wasn’t my instructor was Tom Cooper.

We went to Stage 2 first, this wasn’t viewable to the public, but it was nice and muddy and I was soon taught how to use the handbrake to slide round corners, Tom said I was an unusual female as I picked it up very quickly where most just slowly plodded round, I told him I like to do adrenalin activities and he said he could see that. Got the feel of the Peugeot 206 very quickly and the 20 mins on Stage 2 passed so quickly, sad as I really like stage 1. We finished with a timed lap.

We then went to Stage 1, this track was longer but dryer so sliding using the handbrake was a bit difficult, even Tom struggled on his lap. Phill could also view this one so took a few photos and video with his iPhone. I did a few 360’s on this one as the corners were dry and traction was very different from Stage 1, but I like the spin outs, they were more fun than flying round the track, again the 20 mins went too fast, we did the timed lap, then Tom took me round at his speed, now that was good, but I didn’t feel in any danger, I just kept trying him to get it to go faster, to which he laughed, he thought I was mad, but in a good way.

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I was soo sad it was over, we went back for a de-brief with our spectators and got our certificates and analysis, to which I was quite pleased, and I was not that much out on the 4 other males speeds I was very pleased….

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Ian

From CoasterForce
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Social Media Team
lol! I love the report at the end. Not like you to take it easy ;)
 

Beans

Hyper Poster
The engine was screaming, 2nd gear and doing 50/60mph, I thought the engine was going to blow, if it had balls then they would have exploded...
The use of the hand brake was very very exciting though, never 360'd a car with such passion before...LOL

I am car 1 going round the track

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-zg9ahzjII&feature=plcp[/youtube]
 

furie

SBOPD
Staff member
Administrator
Moderator
Brilliant, I'll do something like this myself one day :lol:

We bought Minor_Furie a driving experience a few years back and he loved it. Not sure I'd be too keen on the rally one, I'd much prefer a track racing one.

Really glad you had a great day to remember your 50th with, great idea - certainly not shocked to took the piss going too fast :)
 

bmac

Giga Poster
Would love to do a rally driving experience one day soon, I love the feeling of sliding so much <3. Although I'm sure I'll be in for a wake up call since sliding on 25 degree banking in a modified is nothing compared to sliding on flat ground, especially on dirt.

Great way to celebrate your 50th, Brands Hatch is one of my favorite British race courses.
 

marc

CF Legend
Tried doing a track day when I was 30 but failed the medical test due to my back :( it was for single seaters though.
 

Beans

Hyper Poster
I didn't have to do a medical test for the Rally, but had a very tight 5 point harness, the Jaguar was so tightly harnessed that it felt like you were pinned down, the chap who loaded you pulled all the sraps, you were deffinately NOT going to fly out, it was a punch the clip type of exit, and you had to hit it hard to get it undone.
Still not medical questions for that one either though. It was so fast, but as Phill was behind me in the queue not real photo oppotunities for that one. Phill did and M3 BMW as he was fed up with waiting for Jag.
 
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