Well primarily to have a terrifically good time hacking around one of the best motorcycle racetracks in the western spiral arm of the galaxy and hopefully learning a bit more about high speed riding without the added zest of lurking volvo's, lemming pedestrians or Gatso's.
The first day is Thursday the 15th of August and the second, surprise! surprise!, is Friday the 16th.
Please, please, please try to get your bike scruted on the evening before as we can't possibly manage to get everyone seen to first thing in the morning,
Again, You should have your bike checked over on the day (or on the evening before if at all possible). On the Wednesday, scrutineering^H^H^H safety checks will take place at Cadwell Park once we're allowed into the circuit.
If you're in Louth, it might be possible to find a Scrut by sticking your head into the bar of the Kings Head and asking around for an Ixion Scrutineer... they'll be the ones looking thirsty :-)
On the Thursday and Friday mornings scrutineering will open at 07:30(ish) and will continue until 08:45
We will be checking that bikes have scrutineering stickers displayed before they are allowed on track. Cadwell Park officials will be checking for noise test stickers before you're allowed on track for everything after the first session.
People who are riding on the Friday only, should have their bikes scrutineered on the Thursday evening if possible. As almost everybody will be in Louth, just drop into the local pub's, find a scrutineer, buy them a pint! and get your bike checked over.
It's worth noting here that the Scruts don't get paid or receive a discount on the trackday for all the work they do on everyones behalf; please say thanks and offer to buy them a drink... they might say no... but at least do the decent thing and offer.
| Day | Begin | End | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | 19:00 | ????? | Scrutineering at Cadwell Park |
| Thursday | 07:00 | 08:45 | Scrutineering at Cadwell Park including NOISE testing |
| Thursday | 08:00 | 08:55 | Rider's Signon in Clubhouse |
| Thursday | 09:00 | 12:30 | Circuit riding starting with the sighting laps |
| Thursday | 12:30 | 13:30 | Lunch |
| Thursday | 13:30 | 17:00 | Circuit riding |
| Thursday | 17:00 | 17:30 | Time for Tea! |
| Thursday | 17:30 | 19:15 | Bonus Evening Session! |
| Friday | 07:45 | 08:35 | Scrutineering at Cadwell Park if you didn't get scruted the previous day |
| Friday | 09:00 | 12:30 | Circuit riding |
| Friday | 12:30 | 13:30 | Lunch |
| Friday | 13:30 | 17:00 | Circuit riding |
| Friday | 17:00 | Chucking out time | Pack up your stuff and head to the King's Head in Louth for an evening of food, fun, friendship and frolics |
People that are doing both days won't need to get their bikes re-scruted providing the scrutineering stickers are still intact and you didn't go tarmac surfing.
Please get to the circuit in plenty of time to allow for scrutineering and signing-on. I'd suggest that you will have to allow at least 60 minutes for this so you'll need to arrive at 0700-0730 (ugh!).
For those of you that don't know... its the tall open-ended building in the Cadwell Paddock... you really can't miss it. Please don't park your bike in the entrance unless you're queuing for scruting or anywhere that obstructs the exit at any time.
Sign-on will take place in the Clubhouse... just down the hill from the paddock. If you don't know just ask someone - there will be loads of evil biker scum mooching around; but don't be scared they're all Ixionites.
The Clubhouse serves hot food and with only an hour's break it's not worth heading off anywhere else.
Obviously the first group back out after lunch should start assembling in good time.
BTW, the clubhouse will be open all day for coffee, snacks and use of the loo. There are also loos in the paddock area.
If you need get fuel from somewhere else (Cadwell's petrol not being the cheapest around) then go get it as soon as you come off the track.
With Scamblesby Petrol Station now closed, you'll have to take yourself into Louth (a right hand turn out of the circuit entrance) and use the filling stations there - it's about a five mile trip.
Please do not keep fuel in containers (apart from your petrol tank!) at the circuit unless you have a fire extinguisher stored alongside. The Cadwell Management get very upset about loose cans of fuel.
One further note on fuel - you will be using a lot more petrol than normal (for example I've managed to get the consumption of a ZX9R down to the low twenties on trackdays whereas, even with spirited riding, on the road it was more like 40+mpg). Keep a careful eye on your petrol level and consider running the bike with the fuel tap set to reserve so that you don't get fuel starvation halfway along the main straight just don't blame me if you do this, forget to watch your petrol level and run out!
On the slowdown lap for your final session, give the trackside marshals a wave - they've sat around all day watching over everyone so show your appreciation.
They can hang out with the Ixies while they wait to go on track, drink coffee with folk in the Clubhouse or walk around the circuit perimeter if they wish (there's a track that runs round the whole of the Club circuit - about an hour's gentle amble). Good places to spectate are up by the Gooseneck (a five minute walk from the Clubhouse). where you'll probably see people make a complete pigs ear of the corner and end up going for a nice trip over the grass
I'd also suggest that spend some time watching from Hall Bends; the squiggly bit just after the Clubhouse - follow the track through the trees.
If you are bringing a spectator along, please tell them not to wander around the staging area or the controlled parts of the circuit!
Note: Animals are NOT permitted anywhere at the circuit (we got a special exemption for Fong :-) so please don't bring fido along.
He couldn't make it last year and hasn't, yet, confirmed for 2024 but we're hoping he will.
If he does manage to come along, his pics will available for download (free) from http://gallery.jackstringer.co.uk.
As in previous years, Off-Track HQ will be based at the Kings Head in the centre of Louth - you'll probably be able to get your bike scrutineered there on the Wednesday and Thursday evenings (please do this if at all possible - it'll save a lot of time in the morning). There'll also be a considerable amount of beer disposal and bragging going on, so if you're staying in Louth I'd suggest you walk on over and join the party - just take it easy with the booze if you're riding the next day.
One Important Note: No open Fires are allowed (yes in theory this includes barbequeue's although attitudes seem to have been relaxed about this). Anyway... the rule is 'no open fires'; Cadwell had some very bad experiences with the PB Frenzy a few years back and have banned all fires in the paddock outright. Please honour this - it would be a shame to lose the opportunity of camping in future years.
So, I'd suggest that you travel up on the Wednesday afternoon and partake of the track-walkabout in the company of experienced Cadwellians (or on your own if they CBA); which may happen at 19.00 (or as soon as any on-track activity ends).
So that you've some idea of the circuit layout, here's a rough diagram (click on it to see a larger version). Please note: the layout of Barn corner was tweaked in 2000 so if you've not ridden Cadwell for a some years take a few laps to learn the changes; especially the 'truck stop' between Mansfield and the mountain; oh, and the foliage on Hall Bends was severely cut back in early 2004... and they took out the big tree on Coppice. As I said, spend a few laps relearning the circuit.
