Mini Tech Reviews

Updated: 25/12/03

Brooklands Track

Track	Rating *****	Comments
Layout	*****	Multiple variations
Surface	****	Fairly smooth
Grip	****	Good
Facilities	*****	Excellent
Pit Area	*****	Excellent
Driveability	****	Fast & Flowing
Membership	Fees	Web Sites
Track	Ł75	GM Models
Club	Ł25	Kent IC Club
-	-	Local Weather

The track was extended and re-tarmaced in April 2002, at the same time the control tower was rebuilt along with a covered pit area, this work is still ongoing but once the promised toilets and other facilities are finished it will be a first class track. Unfortunately the club doesn't run races for 1/10th scale cars so you can only use the track to practice on at the moment, rumour has it that this is going to change.

The track has been developed around the 1/5th scale cars so is quite wide, it also means that there are no real hairpin bends when using the full circuit although you have the option of about 10 different track layouts, this means that you can include a couple of the tighter corners into your chosen circuit, other drivers permitting! This is probably one of the major pitfulls of having multiple track layouts, when you are there practicing other drivers turn up and just start driving a different layout to the one that you may be using, this can inevitably lead to contact between the cars and when those cars are 1/5th scale it's like hitting a brick wall. This is not a poor reflection on the track but more the discipline of the drivers using it, unfortunately your'll always come across these idiots at most tracks. The other problem when 1/5th cars are out on track at the same time is that you cannot hear your own car which makes it more difficult to

drive and listen to how the engine is performing.

The track is 364m on it's longest layout, it also has an 85m straight if you miss out the first chicane section, this then leads you into a 190° banked curve and through a fast left hand kink followed by a right/left dog leg into the infield section, a short straight leads into a slightly bumpy 190° left hand bend another short straight into a 190° right hand bend in front of the control tower onto the start/finish line straight, a long 180° right hand sweeper then takes you back onto the main straight. The first chicane is about 2/3rd's of the way down the main straight this is a relatively tight right/left combination that re-enters the main straight before the banked curve, this seems to be the favoured track layout and also the longest. There are various other options including cutting out the banked curve, the infield section or either end of the track.

Conclusion:

For me the track is ideally located being a 15 minute drive from home, for most people it is probably tucked away too far in the South East corner, the expensive Ł100 joining fee probably doesn't encourage people to travel the extra distance to use the track. This is a shame because the track is excellent but unless more people running 1/10th join, the club is not likely to cater for them with race meetings. The BRCA runs some successful 1/8th Championship meetings here, the club has listened to the criticism's raised about the damaging raised concrete on some of the corners and smoothed them out. The pit area is excellent being fully undercover, there is an on-site cafe that is run independently of the club, we're told that the facilities will be improved by the addition of toilets, the control tower is undercover and offers a very good elevated view of the track, there are also no time restrictions on track usage unless there is a race meeting on.

The toilets have now been built and the track is to be further extended and modified to allow 11 different track layouts. The track recently held the only Schumacher Nitro BTCC meeting to run this year, and although the numbers were depleted it was a very enjoyable days racing and since then a further 1/10th Nitro meeting has been scheduled for the weekend of 23/24th August 2003 with the full backing of the BRCA and CML Distribution. This should prove to be a very popular meeting and should pave the way for further meetings next year.

The Kent IC Club has now been formed and runs at the Brooklands Circuit. This caters for 1/10th 200mm and 1/6th scale Nitro cars. The club is investing a lot of money into the track with updated timing software, and possibly personal transponders for club members. The winter race series is up and running and the membership is starting to swell with a lot of the Aldershot club members starting to join, the atmosphere at the club meetings is very relaxed and enjoyable and as more members join the quality of the racing will also improve.

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