Snetterton

Location

Snetterton Motor Racing Circuit is situated 10 miles north-east of Thetford on the A11 from London to Norwich. It is built on a disused World War II airfield and as such is virtually flat, very exposed to the elements and can be bloody cold in the Winter.




Click on the map above for map of Snetterton area

Circuit Diagram



Click on the image above to get a more detailed track diagram

Photos

Report

On 22 May 2000 I had my first track day in a Se7en and enjoyed it so much I have to tell you about it.

After stuffing the car with spare oil, coolant, fuel, tools, helmets and waterproofs during the week Friday had come and I'd finished work, I felt so good just anticipating a track day.

Got up Saturday morning at 4:30 to what looked like brilliant weather and waited for Chris Kent to arrive at 5:20. Fortunately he didn't get lost finding my house. We squeezed ourselves into the Se7en and headed off, got to the end of the road, and turned round, I'd forgotten my wallet.

After a false start we were off, we met Andrew Winfer by the M3 and headed off at a steady pace (so that Andrew didn't need to refuel or get any points !) under a perfectly clear blue sky (Thank you God).

After the tedium of the M3/M25 (we wanted to get there quick) we headed across to Hatfield and the A1M, through the Galleria tunnel Andrew dropped it a cog and gave it some stick, Hatfield must have thought it was an earthquake, it must have registered 6.0 on the Richter scale (thank God there were no noise tests at Snetterton.

When we got to Baldock we headed cross country on the A505 towards the A11. When we got onto the virtually dead straight A11 we were behind a white pick-up truck doing about 80, but slowing down for every speed camera, obviously a local and mindful of points on our licences we stayed with him for a fair distance until he pulled off. Then we hit it, FOG, I couldn't believe it, we'd come all this way to risk being fogged off. Arrived at the Esso garage by the circuit to find a garage full of Se7ens, bliss. The guy behind the counter was playing snooker with Se7ens, 'which colour is your's' he said, far better than 'is yours the Mondeo :-)'

Once in the pits, we found a garage for the two of us, together with a guy from Promosport who had a Se7en that they'd hired out to some Yuppies from the City (more later).

After signing on and putting the coloured sticker on the headlight to identify which group we were in, we went off for drivers brief. Five minutes later it was sighting lap time, my stomach was churning, 10 years of Karting hadn't prepared me for this. This was 20 grand's worth of my hard work and I was risking it all if I had a big off.

Once on the track I was in a day dream for the first lap and was completely lost trying to remember where we were, what gear I was in (and what I was supposed to be in). The second lap was better and by the time we rolled back into the pits I felt happier.

After the Red and Blue groups had their sessions it was our turn. I had Chris in with me and Andrew had his mate Dave with him.

Off we went, Riches was fine, no problems there, then came Sear OK going in, but BIG tail slide on the exit, caught it and carried on, but not happy with the handling, a bit tail happy. A few laps later going down Senna Straight and there's red flags, oh shit, what's happened, then we saw them, two yellow front cycle wings (not mine) in the middle of the track, someone hadn't used the right Sikaflex !

Came back it at the end of the session and dropped the rear tyre pressures from 25 to 22.

The Promosport Yuppies were out and back in after a few laps, we looked on with interest at what was going on as the driver called the mechanic over, AND ASKED FOR HIS TRAINERS, he'd been driving in his stocking feet !, he put his trainers on IN THE CAR and off he went. Two laps later he was back, stopped, left trainer off, hands it to the mechanic and off again, laugh, we nearly fell of the pit wall, the guy had turned up in a V reg carrera and was driving in bloody trainers !

As the day wore on the times got faster and my car was handling much better but still a bit slidey through Russell. The Bomb Hole and Coram which had scared me at the start of the day I was now really enjoying, I was managing about 90 through Coram, what a great feeling.

On some of the sessions it turned into a F1 style procession as the odd slow plonker crawled round the corner on the racing line then floored it down the straight, if people want to do that they should do it on the Kings highway, not on a race track in a Se7en. I got so fed up I broke both rules on one lap, I overtook about 5 cars on the right going into Russell and took one guy round the inside at Coram, very satisfying.

In the afternoon I bummed a ride in Mick Smith's car, which he's just finished rebuilding after major head work. Unfortunately it was running a bit rough so he couldn't get it's full potential out of it, but it was still quick compared to mine and sounded fantastic. We had one spin in the middle of Russell but emerged unscathed. The big brake kit really made a difference compared to my standard normal brakes, anyone getting a Se7en, get the big brakes.

At the end of the day we'd all learned a lot, I'd spun my car once at Russell and watched helpless as the car behind came through hoping he'd miss me, he did. I also had a minor off at the second part of the Esses and ended up doing a bit of rallying in the gravel next to the track before coming back on.

I've still got a full set of tyres, but they're not a lot better than the old Michelins. Roll on Yokohama's. I think these tyres will see me through Scandi though.

It was a thoroughly enjoyable day, lots of big grins, the passengers had fun and there were no major mishaps.

I can thoroughly recommend Snetterton to anyone thinking of doing a track day.

My only minor gripes are that there were no instructors available to give advice, no cones to indicate braking, turning, Apex and exit to the Novices and those stupid coloured stickers wouldn't come off the headlights, other than that the organisation was excellent, Nick and Julie Richens did a great job, not forgetting all the marshals without who we'd never have got on track.

All in all A grand Day Out !