The race at Lydden Hill didn’t seem all that appealing to me. Driving to deepest, darkest Kent for the race on a Saturday didn’t fill me with joy after the escapades of getting to Castle Combe on Friday night, and Lydden was an extra hours travel! Instead I decided to go on a track day at Cadwell Park, a track I’d been told was hard to learn so it was probably a good idea.

The day was organised by Mitsubishi Lancer Register so the chances of it being full of ‘my turbo’s well big innit’ types was quite high. There was an element of chaviness but nowhere near what it could have been. Everyone I spoke to was really down to earth, probably because this was at a Lancer club track day and not in a McDonald’s car park. Amongst the Evos there were numerous other cars from Caterhams, Nissan GTRs, a TVR Cerebra, a load of Time Attack cars who were practicing for their event tomorrow and even a KTM X-BOW. Then there was my MR2, probably the slowest car there. On the straights anyway. Things were a bit different in the corners which is where the MR2 excels, and over the course of the lap it was far from the slowest thing there. I’ve always found clubs offer the best driving standards like Lotus on Track and MLR was no exception. Everyone moved over at the first opportunity to let you past. The other nice thing was when a very powerful car backed off they were still accelerating as quick as the MR2 at full berries, but they’d realise what was going on and back off further to give you a helping hand to pass where they’d sit on your bumper all the way down the straight, probably laughing at the screaming engine struggling to get up the hills. When we arrived at the first corner roles were reversed and I had a laugh at how well the little Toyota out handled them.

Stewart Grove also came down who has been playing Grand Prix Legends with us for a few years now. He used to drive a Mk1 MR2 on the roads so he was interested to see what a track prepared one could do. He’d also just starting racing karts and had ridden motorbikes at Cadwell before so I was worried he’d find the MR2 a bit tame. He seemed to enjoy it though.

Having spent all day driving around I confirmed two things I had been told. Firstly it’s a tricky track to learn, and secondly it really is a mini Nurburgring. Some corners are insane like the Gooseneck, and other sections are steep like The Mountain. And I really do mean steep! Ian admitted to dropping a brick through the Gooseneck when the back end stepped out (but quickly straightened up) towards the end of the day when he was a passenger. At least he might shut up about the Rockingham tank slapper now .

So yet another good day, no problems with the car and I was now really looking forward to racing here armed with knowledge on what tyre pressures to use. If only the circuit was a bit closer, as it really is a fantastic place.