2015 Driver Safety and Circuit Training at Winton on Saturday March 28

Neil Choi · December 28, 2014, 09:19:35 AM

For 2015, the once a year Driver Safety and Circuit Training event is scheduled at Winton on Saturday March 28.

Two events are offered:

Driver Safety:

Aimed at the young or inexperienced drivers or even drivers just wanting some advanced education with their Alfa. It will involve activities that you can't perform or practice on the public road unless in the event of an emergency. Activities such as heavy and threshold braking, braking in the wet, on corners, off camber braking etc. Swerving in an emergency, in wet and non ideal conditions. Driving at a slightly higher road speed than legally allowed and performing emergency actions. Basic and advanced car control, discussion and demonstration on the best method to car control in various conditions. Experience the actions of ABS, ESC and the various modern electronic aids provided in your car.

The event will be conducted on the long circuit extension of Winton Raceway and will run from 8am to 3:30pm with a lunch break and a session on the short circuit.

The event is limited in entry numbers. Regulations will be published shortly with a very reasonable entry fee.

You do not have to have an Alfa to enter.

Circuit Training:

This event is aimed at the Alfa drivers who are more spirited and experienced. The driver is wanting to enter sprint events or have done a few events already.

The training will provide instructions and techniques on cornering the circuit, braking and race lines, there will be some technical discussion on car dynamics and circuit techniques. It is about lapping the circuit fast and smoothly however it is not about racing which is the next level up and more advanced, this is a circuit training event.

An instructor is provided to guide you around the circuit and monitor your improvement during the course of the training.

The event will be limited in entry numbers. Regulations will be available shortly with cost being very reasonable.

For both events, if interested you are should be considering them and set aside the weekend now.

You are welcome to contact me with enquiries or questions.

neilchoi116@gmail.com
0433 11 66 47

Neil Choi · February 16, 2015, 10:15:14 PM

Circuit Training and Driver Safety

Supplementary Regulations and Entry Form are now attached below.

Entries are now invited and welcomed.

Remember we only run this once a year.

obersturm · February 16, 2015, 10:53:56 PM

Hi Neil,

I was wondering if I can join in the fun for the circuit training with a Mazda if I haven't got the Alfa going by than?

If that was and option I'll sign up straight away....

Neil Choi · February 16, 2015, 11:45:23 PM

Any car is fine.

Except for a Toyota.

Stuart Thomson · February 17, 2015, 06:30:09 PM

Particularly if you park your Toyota like this ...

Garibaldi · February 17, 2015, 07:57:38 PM

To be fair to the Toyota driver the car on their left is quite close to the white line. Unfortunately Toyota drivers are overrepresented in these sorts of issues as Toyota is the number one selling vehicle brand in Australia. We are a curiosity to Toyota drivers, they don't understand car enthusiasts or our passion for Alfa Romeo. To them a car is a way of getting from A to B reliably and economically. Different strokes for different folks.

hmd · February 18, 2015, 09:37:44 AM

Quote from: Stuart Thomson on February 17, 2015, 06:30:09 PM
Particularly if you park your Toyota like this ...

The Camry was just getting frisky with the sexy looking MiTo.

Neil Choi · March 16, 2015, 11:11:40 PM

Just a reminder if entering. We only get one day a year to run this worthy program for all level of drivers especially new drivers. It is highly well worth it.

Neil Choi · March 19, 2015, 08:00:29 PM

It is planned to have private open practice on Saturday from about 3pm, there will be a small fee and your car must be scrutineered before you are permitted onto the track, once circuit training is over. Please check in prior to have all your documentation in order, license and club membership. Well I only worry about the license which you must have.

If you are wanting to do private open practice, you must let me know (neilchoi116@gmail.com).

Neil Choi · March 21, 2015, 06:46:12 PM

Final call for anyone interested.

Alfa156Melb1 · April 03, 2015, 08:43:23 AM

I just wanted to say thankyou to Neil for running an amazing day. And a HUGE thank you to my instructor Joe Aldi - you're a legend. I can't believe how much I learnt in such a small amount of time.

I can't wait to get involved in the sprint serious now and get back on the track!

Thank you also to all those that helped put the day on!

Cheers,
Dave.

Neil Choi · April 03, 2015, 09:19:49 AM

Quote from: Alfa156Melb1 on April 03, 2015, 08:43:23 AM
I just wanted to say thankyou to Neil for running an amazing day. And a HUGE thank you to my instructor Joe ~~Aldi~~ Ardi - you're a legend. I can't believe how much I learnt in such a small amount of time.

I can't wait to get involved in the sprint serious now and get back on the track!

Thank you also to all those that helped put the day on!

Cheers,
Dave.

Corrected for you, Joe is a pharmacist, doesn't own a supermarket.
Joe is one of the better drivers (amongst many) in the club. And one of my racing mates but I don't want him racing with me!!!!!!!

Alfa156Melb1 · April 03, 2015, 09:24:47 AM

Oops

Maybe I was going for a Re-Brand..?

Well, as supermarket he was great - as a pharmacist I'm even more impressed...

He's aggressive on the track, great lines - showed me some tricks - now the track makes sense. I have had some experience on it on a bike but it never clicked, until last weekend anyway.

Mick A · April 03, 2015, 10:22:49 AM

It was good following you guys for a few laps (I was instructing the driver of the M3), the GTA was pretty much sliding all the way around the back half of the circuit!

Not sure it was the 'fastest' way around, but certainly the most entertaining to watch!

Mick

Alfa156Melb1 · April 03, 2015, 11:13:26 AM

Haha

Mick from Monza? Thanks for helping out with my brakes mate - awesome job! On Monday I had the system flushed and filled with Penrite racing. - feels much better now, as the old fluid was probably off anyway.

Yes, definitely not the fastest way round but lots of fun.

I must admit I was full of Cold and Flu pills, antibiotics and other bits and pieces as i had bronchitis - i didn't want to miss out on the day so i forced myself to go with a pharmacy full of medication. In hindsight, not the best decision - my head wasn't were it should have been on the day and it put my recovery back a week

Apart from having little to no self control over speed.. I've had many years experience on tracks on motorcycles. Not at Winton, mostly at Boadford and Phillip Island. We used to run training days on those tracks so i have a lot of experience there in training Knee down, advanced techniques, braking blah blah - not competition or race lines though. Plus we hosted a track day every month for 3 years..

A nice trick to get a bike to turn in quicker into a corner is to brake deep into it. This loads the front, alters the fork angle which gives you quicker steering when you need it.

Not so with a car! At least not with someone of my lack of skill. But old habits die hard - rather than braking straight, I repeatedly kept on braking into corners which really upset the car. Much to Joe's irritation.

Also my corner entry needs to be slower.. and I need to work on being smooth.

I haven't been near a track in 10 years and this was the first time on a track in a car for me, I had a load of fun and it laid the foundation that i need to work on improving and address lap times while keeping the car clean and tidy

I sincerely hope that next time you follow the GTA, it will be somewhat more boring & faster than the last

Oh - and I'll make sure the brake fluid is fresh too! lol

I didn't end up taking many pics over the day, but I took some - here's a few of them. Sorry, they aren't that good.