Maserati and GTR forum

[Andyk]

Gents, I have been speaking to Dave from the GTR forum around the OYM day and the comments from both ourselves and the comments on GTR forum......

We both agree that we are at OYM for the same reason and that is to raise money for charity and a rift between both our forums is just not the way forward as we will be sharing the same bit of track again next years so need to offer a hand of friendship and put the comments from both sides behind us.

We are speaking to John about a few issues with the track....last corner etc so hopefull next year we can make the day better and a bit safer......

Dave has been very honourable in starting the ball rolling on this one so all I ask is that we stop some of the more personal comments.....We all have one very important thing in common...We all love great high performance cars and lets face it they don't come much greater than Maserati and the GTR.......

This is my thread to Dave and the GTR chaps.....

Good afternoon all....

First of all a big thanks to Dave for his email and taking a step to put this right. 2nd a big thank you for support the event over the years...We couldn't do this without the support of you and your stunning cars.

It was a great day last weekend and just a shame that our two forums have started a sort of slagging match over the day......This is def not what the day is all about....We are all there for one thing...to raise as much money for charity as we can and this we do very successfully year in year out.

There is nothiing wrong with a bit of banter but it does seem to have gone a bit too far and I would like to apologies for any offence that may have been caused from threads on both forums.

If you drive a Maserati, Ferrari, GTR, M3 etc......It makes no difference as we all have one thing in common and that is a love for great performance cars and they do not come much greater than Maserati and the GTR.....We should be sharing our passion of cars and not having a go at each other.....So I thing we should start a fresh as next ear we will be sharing the same bit of track again and I for one would love to be taken around by one of you....Never been in a GTR but from the way you made me look like I was standing still on the back staright I need a ride gents....

Speaking to Dave I think that we need to look at the back staright and into the final corner again and I will talk to John on this.....There are drivers with lots of different ability and 3 or 4 into one can get a little hairy from 140/170 miles an hour.

Gents again a big thank you for support our day and I look forward to seeing you all next year.....I will def come over for a chat.

 

[CatmanV2]

Hear Hear, Andy.

I've missed most of this, but playing catch up right now.

C

 

[Andyk]

Dave posted this on the Brunty thread but wanted to add it here in case it's missed...


Hi All. Following on from Andy's post on the GTR forum....

My name is Dave Wilkins and I am the GTROC East midlands rep and organised the GTRs attendance at the charity day. I have done it many times before (someone else did it last year) and keep trying to help improve the safety and the money raised for charity.
Unfortunately we seemed to have got off on the wrong foot this year and we can hopefully fix this.

Dom had a bump with a cone after a near coming together with a white Maserati (Dom sends his apologies as he was a bit off with the driver who did stop to see if he was ok).
You all know about David (sumo69) and Marks? coming together in our pit area which I had to try and break up.

We seem to have got to the bottom on what was going on and there was some misinterpretation of braking and positioning after the briefing which we will sort out for next year. I only drive an old R32 and cannot get over 150 on the straight but I have competed in an R32GTR and can late brake if you want and even trail brake into the corner!

I appreciate Andy taking the time to comment on our forum and would like to apologise if some of the comments on our forum cause offence and if our driving upset you. As Andy has said a bit of banter is fine, causing offence is not and causing accidents is definitely not.

As you can hopefully see, most of our drivers love your cars and indeed some have been close to purchasing one. They are very different cars but at the end of the day they are both hi-performance cars and we love them so we are all the same.
After reading some of the comments, I admit I have not driven an R35 but my old R32 is four wheel drive but very tail happy especially in the wet. You would be forgiven for thinking it has no clever computers on it at all.

Just has Andy has said he will do, I will visit your club next year and have a chat. I may be tempted for a passenger ride as well!

Cheers,
Dave (Middle class but chav) Wilkins

 

[BennyD]

Thanks to Andy and Dave for making the effort to sort this out. As long as we all work together towards the same ends this saga can have a happy ending. Thanks again and see you next year.

 

[Felonious Crud]

Thanks to Andy and Dave for making the effort to sort this out. As long as we all work together towards the same ends this saga can have a happy ending. Thanks again and see you next year.

100% agree.

 

[CatmanV2]

100% agree.

How about a mixed gate next year?

C

 

[dem maser]

Well done on your hard work Andy

 

[Tipmethewink]

Really impressed with this. I was a bit disappointed by our reaction to the GTRs. I haven't been on the GTR forums because forums often reflect only the worse aspects of their participant's interests, as we seem to have shown to a degree, it's just fuel to the fire.

That said, I assume that I'm the white GT driver that upset Dom and I sincerely hope that he incurred no damage in that incident. That first sighting lap pretty much put paid to any enjoyment of the day for me. I'll not be back.

 

[BennyD]

Please don't say that, everyone makes mistakes and it is a measure of our character as to how we bounce back from adversity. Whoever was at fault for whatever is no Longer relevant, don't forget it's about raising funds for a good cause and you are a much appreciated part of our attempts to do that. I really do hope we see you again next year.

 

[Andyk]

Gents, thanks for your support........This was the first year for most of us and I did feel the briefing was set up for people who had been there before as they talked about corners as if you should know where and what they looked like.......I will be chatting to John to so if we can improve this and will work close with Dave on GTR as it is clear that with Maserati and the GTR's being some of the quickest cars on the day we need better control maybe....

Anyway, I think a drink in the hotel bar next year will get us all off on the right track......Dave is even now thinking of getting Tshirts made after seeing what C had done.....Friendship, long may it continue.

 

[dem maser]

Really liked the GTR when i had one for a day.....fastest thing ive ever driven.....love to be in one on a track.....

 

[Tipmethewink]

Please don't say that, everyone makes mistakes and it is a measure of our character as to how we bounce back from adversity. Whoever was at fault for whatever is no Longer relevant, don't forget it's about raising funds for a good cause and you are a much appreciated part of our attempts to do that. I really do hope we see you again next year.

You're absolutely right Benny, I didn't intend to be quite so blunt. I'm just acutely aware of my responsibility for the wellbeing of any passengers.

 

[CatmanV2]

Please don't say that, everyone makes mistakes and it is a measure of our character as to how we bounce back from adversity. Whoever was at fault for whatever is no Longer relevant, don't forget it's about raising funds for a good cause and you are a much appreciated part of our attempts to do that. I really do hope we see you again next year.

Well said, Benny. Tip, it would be a terrible shame not to see you there.

C

 

[Felonious Crud]

You're absolutely right Benny, I didn't intend to be quite so blunt. I'm just acutely aware of my responsibility for the wellbeing of any passengers.

I fully understand that. Note that my next comment is NOT directed at GTR owners or any one driver or club, but is general and relevant to me as much as anyone else. There does need to more disciple on the circuit. We're not just a bunch of lads out for a blast, we had people on board who wanted a thrill but not to be put in danger. A mistake at the speeds all our cars are capable of on the back straight could end up worse that dented pride or bodywork. All abundantly obvious I know. My point is, some greater control needs to be in place to get the cars around the corner at the end of the straight without risk of losing control or worse. I hate to be risk averse / nanny-state crarp and all that, but for this event with such a broad range of experiences and abilities the risks are high. If it was a track day it would be different.

All that said, it was a great day and I WILL be back next year and fully intend to get some track and fast driving tuition between now and then.

Finally... I'm pretty sure it was Dave in the blue GTR that took my eldest lad for a lap. The treacherous sod keeps referring to how fast the car went . Mercifully he's also still talking about all the Maser laps he blagged (thanks to you all for taking him out).

 

[davewilkins]

Hi all.
No it was not me in a blue GTR, that will be Andre I guess. I did a limited number of laps at 4pm ish in a grey 1992 GTR as most people will not go out in anything but the latest model.
I am aware of different abilities at this event. My car may be slower that a lot of the cars there but I brought it with very sticky road legal track tyres, the car set up for the track and I have sprint, time attack and lots of track day experience.

I checked before the event to see who had been to this event before and what sort of track experience people had. I also sent out quite a lot of information by email to the drivers to try and give them everything they needed before the event as on the day it is all too rushed when you come out of a briefing at 8.55 am, have to brief your drivers and then start taking customers out at 9am????
John Miskin (in the black GTR that you spotted could drive his car properly) took all the drivers who had not been before out for a passenger lap of the track before I let the drivers out by themselves. He had brakes pouring smoke off within two laps and some of our drivers got out of car shaking!
This is the sort of laps he could have done all day but I told my drivers to go fast on the straight by all means but take it easy on the corner as that is where accidents would happen and also where you can hit the trucks, parked cars etc.
Admittedly that has caused problems but that is for ourselves and the organisers to sort out for next year.
I will be sending a message to Andy this morning to try and go into a bit more detail but if I can help you lot next year before the event, I will.
Dave

 

[CatmanV2]

Hi all.

John Miskin (in the black GTR that you spotted could drive his car properly) took all the drivers who had not been before out for a passenger lap of the track before I let the drivers out by themselves.
Dave

From my perspective as a total novice, I may well have found something like this very useful. Newton kindly cam round with me, and I learnt a huge amount in nothing flat, but there's always way more to know....

C

 

[Andyk]

We will do things very differently next year..The brief was set up for drivers who had driven Brunty before....The chap briefing should have a map of the course to show the corners as he spoke about the course...as they do at Llandow.......Will be feeding this back to John......

 

[davewilkins]

I will send you one of my emails Andy that I sent my drivers. I cobbled together a map of the track. Is your asda email ok?
I know this is not a track day but my rule is, new track, spend a couple of hours learning the track. Then go out for instruction with a race drive to be pushed really hard to get fast laps in. This event does not allow this and is nothing like this.
I think the faster drivers need to remember the slower drivers. Everyone is doing it for the fun of it and for the charities.

 

[davewilkins]

Thanks to Andy and Dave for making the effort to sort this out. As long as we all work together towards the same ends this saga can have a happy ending. Thanks again and see you next year.

Thanks for this comment...

Originally Posted by BennyD

GTRs are fantastic cars, it's just a shame they are falling into the hands of kn0bs these days. Hyperformance is becoming too affordable and, IMO, the GTR is becoming the well heeled chavs weapon of choice.

I am going to use it as my signature! It still makes me chuckle. The 35 owners are normally called elitist and stuck up!

 

[Andyk]

Thanks for this comment...


I am going to use it as my signature! It still makes me chuckle. The 35 owners are normally called elitist and stuck up!

Glad we can have a chuckle about it Dave...