Our sons trackday experience
- Thread starter Geedee
- Start date
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vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Holy <bleeping> Gees! That had to be a blast!!!
tail end charlie
Senior Airman
- 615
- Aug 24, 2010
I only raced at Thruxton once and finished eighth....absolutely fantastic circuit, really hard to find a line around the fast bends around the back and bumpy as hell which upset my bike set up for smoother circuits we only had three laps practice. On a M/Cycle braking for the chicane is heart stopping because you are going around a right hand corner from max speed.
If that was his first time on a track he will NEVER forget it it will take years to wipe the grin from his chops.
When I was racing we used to say "when the flag drops the bullsh*t stops" well done to your son for going out and finding out how fast he actually is rather than blathering in a bar, from what you posted he got some respect from people who know whit from sh*t which I am sure will mean more than any ill informed opinion including if I may say his dad.
If that was his first time on a track he will NEVER forget it it will take years to wipe the grin from his chops.
When I was racing we used to say "when the flag drops the bullsh*t stops" well done to your son for going out and finding out how fast he actually is rather than blathering in a bar, from what you posted he got some respect from people who know whit from sh*t which I am sure will mean more than any ill informed opinion including if I may say his dad.
Last edited:
lesofprimus
Brigadier General
Absolutely frickin Awesome!!! What a great gift Gary, something he'll remember for the rest of his life....
What kind of speeds did he get up to???
What kind of speeds did he get up to???
Aaron Brooks Wolters
Brigadier General
Hey Gary, you don't want another son do you?
Hell of a present and looks like he did a superb job and had a blast to. Oh, and excellent shots to sir.
Hell of a present and looks like he did a superb job and had a blast to. Oh, and excellent shots to sir. 
Njaco
The Pop-Tart Whisperer
Its gonna take years to get that smile off his face. What a frickin' great gift!!! Now I know what I want for my burfdae!!!
syscom3
Pacific Historian
The expression on his face was worth the price of admission.
Crimea_River
Marshal
So that's how you Brits learn to drive! My 16 year old son is being subjected to my wife taking him around the block in our Toyota minivan. Great gift Gary, but now you'll need to buy him a Cayman for Christmas!
Majorly jealous, always wanted to do something like that but haven't yet had the chance. Looks like a blast.
evangilder
"Shooter"
Looks like a great time!
tail end charlie
Senior Airman
- 615
- Aug 24, 2010
Thruxton was an operational airfield in WW2
Before Thruxton could be used by Ninth Air Force fighters, it was necessary for US engineers to put down Marsden Matting and concrete reinforcements beside the perimeter track to provide additional aircraft standings. While a good proportion of the personnel could be housed in the hutted accommodation on the dispersed camp, this only catered for 1124 persons so others had to live under canvas tenting.
While under USAAF control, it was known as USAAF Station AAF-407 for security reasons, and by which it was referred to instead of location. It's Station-ID was "TX".
[edit] 366th Fighter Group
Thruxton was transferred to the USAAF Ninth Air Force on 3 January 1944. On 1 March the 366th Fighter Group was transferred to the airfield from RAF Membury. Operational squadrons of the group were:
389th Fighter Squadron (A6)
390th Fighter Squadron (B2)
391st Fighter Squadron (A8)
The 366th was a group of Ninth Air Force's 71st Fighter Wing, IX Tactical Air Command.
The 366th FG flew Republic P-47 Thunderbolts on ground attack missions and the group entered combat on 14 March with a fighter sweep along the French Normandy coast. Subsequent operations were designed to prepare the way for the invasion of the Continent. On D-Day, the group flew fighter sweeps over Normandy, attacking such targets as motor convoys and gun emplacements.
The group lost 27 P-47s on missions flown from Thruxton. In air fighting, the CO, Colonel Dyke Meyer, shot down two enemy aircraft on the 12 April mission but the most successful was 12 June when 10 enemy aircraft fell to the group's guns. The total of credits of enemy aircraft shot down while flying from Thruxton was 23. The group moved to its Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at St. Pierre du Mont, France (ALG A-1) on 17 June constructed right behind the coastline near Omaha Beach only six days after the first landings. The last squadron to move to France was the 398th FS, leaving on the 20th. A rear party of USAAF personnel remained at Thruxton until July.
From the continent, the 366th FG frequently attacked such targets as railroads, highways, bridges, motor transports, gun emplacements, supply depots and troops, providing tactical air support in support of U.S. First Army. The group often escorted bombers that hit airfields, factories, and marshalling yards and sometimes flew area patrols and on occasion dropped leaflets.
The group flew its last mission, attacking harbors at Kiel and Flensburg, on 3 May 1945 from its ALG at Münster/Handorf Airdrome (ALG Y-94), Germany. It remained in Germany after the war and, assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe, becoming part of the occupation force.
The 366th Fighter Group was inactivated at Fritzlar, Germany on 20 August 1946.
Before Thruxton could be used by Ninth Air Force fighters, it was necessary for US engineers to put down Marsden Matting and concrete reinforcements beside the perimeter track to provide additional aircraft standings. While a good proportion of the personnel could be housed in the hutted accommodation on the dispersed camp, this only catered for 1124 persons so others had to live under canvas tenting.
While under USAAF control, it was known as USAAF Station AAF-407 for security reasons, and by which it was referred to instead of location. It's Station-ID was "TX".
[edit] 366th Fighter Group
Thruxton was transferred to the USAAF Ninth Air Force on 3 January 1944. On 1 March the 366th Fighter Group was transferred to the airfield from RAF Membury. Operational squadrons of the group were:
389th Fighter Squadron (A6)
390th Fighter Squadron (B2)
391st Fighter Squadron (A8)
The 366th was a group of Ninth Air Force's 71st Fighter Wing, IX Tactical Air Command.
The 366th FG flew Republic P-47 Thunderbolts on ground attack missions and the group entered combat on 14 March with a fighter sweep along the French Normandy coast. Subsequent operations were designed to prepare the way for the invasion of the Continent. On D-Day, the group flew fighter sweeps over Normandy, attacking such targets as motor convoys and gun emplacements.
The group lost 27 P-47s on missions flown from Thruxton. In air fighting, the CO, Colonel Dyke Meyer, shot down two enemy aircraft on the 12 April mission but the most successful was 12 June when 10 enemy aircraft fell to the group's guns. The total of credits of enemy aircraft shot down while flying from Thruxton was 23. The group moved to its Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) at St. Pierre du Mont, France (ALG A-1) on 17 June constructed right behind the coastline near Omaha Beach only six days after the first landings. The last squadron to move to France was the 398th FS, leaving on the 20th. A rear party of USAAF personnel remained at Thruxton until July.
From the continent, the 366th FG frequently attacked such targets as railroads, highways, bridges, motor transports, gun emplacements, supply depots and troops, providing tactical air support in support of U.S. First Army. The group often escorted bombers that hit airfields, factories, and marshalling yards and sometimes flew area patrols and on occasion dropped leaflets.
The group flew its last mission, attacking harbors at Kiel and Flensburg, on 3 May 1945 from its ALG at Münster/Handorf Airdrome (ALG Y-94), Germany. It remained in Germany after the war and, assigned to the United States Air Forces in Europe, becoming part of the occupation force.
The 366th Fighter Group was inactivated at Fritzlar, Germany on 20 August 1946.
tail end charlie
Senior Airman
- 615
- Aug 24, 2010
Geedee
just as a matter of interest did the school give him lap times, was he getting quicker throughout or was the real muscle car the fastest per lap?
just as a matter of interest did the school give him lap times, was he getting quicker throughout or was the real muscle car the fastest per lap?
Airframes
Benevolens Magister
Great stuff Gary, and it's obvious your lad had a fantastic day. You do relaise, it's now going to cost you a fortune, as he'll now be aiming for F 1 ?!!
Vic Balshaw
Major General
Gee Gary what a fabulous present for your son and as you say he was all smiles from ear to ear and who wouldn't be. As a kid my Dad took me to Castle Combe on race days, but that was a long time ago when most cars still had spokes on the wheels. Some great pictures to
great stuff Gary....
.....so for the 21st....will it be down on the deck and flying Jets over the countryside!
.....so for the 21st....will it be down on the deck and flying Jets over the countryside!
seesul
Senior Master Sergeant
Gary, you´re the DADDY!
T Bolt
Colonel
Fantastic Gary! He'll remember that day the rest of his life!!
- Thread starter
- #19
tail end charlie
Senior Airman
- 615
- Aug 24, 2010
Thanks for the comments guys.
Yup....he's still smiling !. I did think about about spiking his supper the night before so I would have had to go in his place !
He came home from college today and said he's brought a VR6 motor for his Golf...he's driving around in a 2 litre injection Mk3 Golf at the moment, as if thats not fast enough.
I'm waiting for the day when he comes home and says he's brought a Ferrari...
Kids of today...
Geedee
what did he set his fastest lap in, what was his favourite car on the day?
