In the latest instalment of doing UK/European track days in a Caterham, this time we are at Anglesey, Wales. It is way oop northern end of Wales – a 5+ hour drive from Heathrow airport. You can get closer by flying from the USA into Manchester but I have had enough of third world airports this year. Ideally you would double head this event with an Oulton Park Day – about 2 hours away. Anglesey is only 70 something miles from Ireland across the Irish Sea. This location on the Irish Sea presents problems and opportunities. Opportunities, as this is one of the most scenic circuits on earth perched on top of the cliffs above the crashing ocean. Problems, because of that ocean, winds can be sweeping across the track at gale force and it is highly likely it will rain while you are there.
Naturally, I was rolling eyes the day before my event when I discovered it was perfect sun, no wind as I knew then that I was going to have a crap weather day the following day…guaranteed.
Anyway, I was last at this circuit in 2014 running a rental R300 race car at here
http://www.usa7s.net/vb/showthread.p...rack-with-Croc
and here
http://www.usa7s.net/vb/showthread.p...light=anglesey
This time would be with more hp with a 420R under my seat.
For an overview of the circuit we have the map:
There are two basic circuit configurations – International GP with the second long hairpin and Coastal which cuts that phallic portion of the circuit out and introduces the corkscrew to connect the hill to pit straight.
In case you wonder why I come this far for a circuit? Its exciting. No other circuit puts as much G forces on my body. By the end of the day my neck hurt, I had bruising from the side bolters of the seat, my fingers hurt from throwing the car into corners. And for all that it is not a very fast track in average speed. Its also very pretty around the Anglesey peninsula.
We ran International in the morning and then Coastal in the afternoon to give some variety.
The day before my event there was a Plop Race going on. This name, more commonly associated with the short sharp sound of a fresh log playfully slapping at water in a toilet bowl, was actually referring to a completely different kind of shit in that it was scooter endurance racing. Yes! Who knew that 8 hours of 50cc racing could be so exciting. I pissed myself laughing at the crashes, the collisions and the “I am unable to avoid the tire wall” moments on the circuit with the most run off of any circuit out there. The rules are simple – you must use the correct engine with its limited displacement. No mods of brakes or chassis allowed. Fairing/bodywork is free to modify in that you can remove it or run it. Streamlining is not allowed. Engine is free to modify but folks, keep in mind that if you give a 50cc engine a compression of 7 then it will not last one lap of the circuit let alone 8 hours. There is no point being the fastest on the warm-up laps. One team in the pits I chatted with had burned through 5 engines by 3pm. He hoped they would finish as he had no more engines…oops!
So with that in mind, my track overview photos will include many examples of “plops” on the track.
Turn 1 after the start line is a fast left hander. Tight entry but opens up nicely on exit with a good run possible into turn 2 – just watch the cars exiting the pits here.
First photo is of the “The Banking” i.e. a banked turn 2. Background is the Irish Sea and the mountains of Snowdonia (BTW very good twisty roads in there on your way to and from Anglesey).
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