Had a bit of fun last week at Bovingdon Airfield and got to try out a supercharged Ariel Atom and an Evo VIII too.
The weather was woeful and the conditions not ideal but still made for a fun experience. I had the choice of 4 laps in either the Evo or an M3, both cars stripped out, full roll cage and I am sure some supporting mods to give a bit of reliability due to the nature of their use!
I chose the Evo, I was interested to compare it with the Scoob, albeit not exactly standard, I felt it was going to be the best drive in the damp conditions compared to the M3 anyhow. The M3 was being used for drift demo's so probably wasn't really set up for use on the track!
I can only presume the instructor/bloke who they put in the car to make sure I didn't do anything stupid didn't see a helmet as being a necessary requirement...
After the basic track layout was understood they then put me in the Atom, the experience was more like climbing in to a rollercoaster with a stupidly uncomfortable seat and being strapped in until only my arms could move!
Unfortunately the Atom was a little on the 'used' side, sloppy gear change, an accelerator pedal that felt more like the clutch and no working rev counter or speedo!
To top it off apparently a week or so before my visit someone had managed to plow it in to a barrier or hay bale and destroy the nose-cone, so the car was looking pretty sorry for itself whilst it was off the car and being repaired.
I did around 8 laps, being fairly gentle around each bend due to the nature of the car and the road surface, but still managed to open it up along the straighter sections of the track. It was a mad piece of kit, requiring total concentration all the time.
Despite my progressive power delivery out of each corner I still managed to spin it on lap 4, no real indication it was going to happen!
The instructor who was with me in the Atom was really good, certainly knew his stuff and when he gave the drifting demo in the M3 I was blown away, incredible!
Overall it was a fun and interesting experience, one I would like to attempt again on a dry, sunny day! The Evo felt similar to the Scoob handling wise but far more linear in terms of power delivery and its availability (a welcomed nudge to make me consider a few mods and remap for mine!).
The Atom was a tough car to drive but the conditions were not favourable to a car of its make-up. It took little effort to get up to speed and the benefits of being able to see the front wheels and apexes were essential to a track novice like me, great for learning!