http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/?p=357
Over the Christmas Break, Wakefield Park underwent a major revamp, resurfacing the whole track, plus tidying up the run off areas and track edges. We were lucky enough to get the first exclusive drive of the track! (well second – the first were a historic car club, for whom the track was built for in the first place!)
http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/wp-cont...1/pit-lane.jpg Pit Lane
The first thing you will notice as you arrive is the freshly laid tarmac in pit lane. It’s so much darker than the rest of the paddock, and it’s also about 2 inches higher than the original ground! In fact, that’s the most prominent factor you see when you take a look around, the track is now higher than it used to be. You wonder if the altitude difference will affect engine performance...
Thanks to Wakefield Park, we were actually given the first laps to be experienced by a street registered car, only a few old historics (with bicycle tyres!) and the safety car had driven prior. Even Shelton couldn’t tell us what the track would be like, and he lives there!
So, we had to figure it out for ourselves, and boy is it an experience. Having never driven on a new track ever, and accompanied by the fact that the most laps I had ever done were at Wakefield, it felt so disorientating on the out lap. It felt like I had never been to this track before, even if the turns still went the same way.
http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/wp-cont...8/01/jacky.jpg Jacky Yick
We got to take two cars down to the track, Jacky Yick’s Echo, and Dumhed’s S13 monster. Both told two different stories, which will be described below. Dumhed’s S13 posted a 1.12.2 previously on the old circuit, with $100 Nankangs, whereas Jacky’s Echo posted a best of 1.19.1. Unbelievably, Jacky’s laptime came in at 1.18.0, a massive one second difference to previous and all on a track that lacked rubber, and was very dusty.
So where did all the extra speed come from? We tried to point out the major differences below.
Smoothness
http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/wp-cont...01/driving.jpg Back Straight
The first question many will ask is whether or not the characteristic bumpiness of the track has disappeared. Well, yes and no. The track was still a little bumpy in the S13, but it was probably just the way the ground went underneath. The major bumps though, like the braking zone for turn 10, have all gone, so all the stiffest of cars won’t have a problem here anymore.
Track Width
http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/wp-cont...o-straight.jpg Turn 10
The whole circuit is now generally wider than it used to be. There is an extra 20-30cm in width on every corner, which ultimately brings up corner speed. This is probably where quite a bit of time is being made up over the lap.
The biggest change, however, comes from the widening of the Turn 2 entry point which dramatically changes the characteristics of the corner. The Straight Line (see The Circuit – Issue 2) may not become as useful anymore, because there is quite a bit more room to the left of the track now, and those who used to struggle in between gears may not have to anymore. Shelton believes that certain cars will be able to pick up to a staggering 1 second a lap in that corner alone!
http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/wp-cont.../easy-flat.jpg Turn 9
Turn 9 is also quite a bit faster, and most who had trouble doing that flat previously, may be able to do it now, although it will still be debatable if going flat will actually reduce your lap times.
Flattened Ripple Strips
http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/wp-cont.../01/turn-4.jpg Turn 4
When they resurfaced the track, they didn’t dig up the old stuff, just laid down some new tarmac instead, which explains why that track is about two inches higher than previous. In fact, it’s higher in some places than others. You can tell, because they haven’t bothered making new ripple strips, so the track actually covers most of them, in order to not leave any ditches.
http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/wp-cont.../01/turn-5.jpg Turn 5
Therefore, there aren’t really anymore ripple strips that will bounce your car in the air anymore, like turn 4’s used to. Couple that with new, hard as rock, but smooth, dirt on the inside of the corner, you can expect cars to really cut corners to gain a few extra tenths per lap!
Sticky Black Stuff
Those who had trouble putting power down can now rejoice! We found on the day that, although the track was dusty and “green”, the actual compound of the tarmac seemed to be stickier, meaning you can carry more speed into the corner and put down more power. In Jacky’s Echo, you could pretty much floor the throttle from the apex of the Fishhook without spinning the inside wheel. Than could never happen before.
Flat Character
The most debate on the resurface will be about the character of the circuit. Most corners have been flattened out, meaning it’s now less dramatic and more textbook. There were still parts of the old track that had a crown in the road, which is very anti-racetrack! That meant there used to be unique lines on certain corners which defied classic driving techniques.
For example, turn 6 used to have the most dramatic crown in the road and a large, but smooth, ripple strip on the right. The most correct line through here used to be an extremely early turn in, almost as if to cut the corner. Once in the corner, the ripple strip would push you into the positive cambered road and you could drive through like on rails. If you missed the corner entry by even a meter, you could get caught on the other side of the crown, meaning the negative camber would force your car into understeer.
http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/wp-cont.../01/turn-6.jpg Turn 6
Now the corner is just flat. In the S13, if you turn in with the same line of old, the car just becomes a mess of front tyre squeal as you fight to keep the car on line. In other words, it has become a classic and normal corner, where normal techniques apply.
http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/wp-cont...01/cut-top.jpg Turn 5
You might also notice that turn 5 is now shallower than it used to be. They literally cut out the hill, so now difficult elevation drop is not there anymore. That also cuts the difficulty factor a little too, replacing the old corner with a new, more straightforward one.
http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/wp-cont...rn-5-jacky.jpg New
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1070/...80ba311f7e.jpg Old
Danger
We did a short inspection and found one dangerous spot on the track. The entry to turn 9 seems to have a large dip to where the old ripple stip used to be - so beware! Drop a wheel here and you might be forced to leave the track!
http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/wp-cont...rn-9-entry.jpg Turn 9
Conclusion
After some though it was easy to see how even Jacky’s underpowered “flat in every corner” Echo could gain a second per lap with the new surface. The track is wider, less bumpy and grippier, meaning lap times of old will no longer mean a thing. If Jacky had cut some corners (which would have been downright rude for a first drive!) then there is no doubt he could have gained another half second.
After us, Gary Wilmington (the track manager) took out a V8 Auscar, and was instantly 2 seconds a lap faster than he had ever been – ever!
So, it will be interesting to see at our next Trackday in February just how much faster the track has become. I wouldn’t be surprised if everybody dropped their lap times by, on average, a second a lap too. But will hardcore Wakefield enthusiasts like the new character?
http://wp.circuitclub.com.au/wp-cont.../01/turn-3.jpg Turn 3
My personal opinion? Yes there are some subtleties that are missing that I truly loved. I spent so many laps figuring out those little nooks and crannies and now it seems they have mostly gone. The new circuit seems to favour smoother, more textbook inputs now, and the slight aggression that made an expert Wakefield driver will no longer stay true.
But on the other hand, the Wakefield I drove that day was a completely new track, and I’m excited to find out all about it. The lines are now completely different in most places and cars are just going to feel that much faster around there.
Overall, it’s sad for those who never experience the old Wakefield Park with its crowned track and all its undulations. But watch out lap times! Want to do a lap under 1.10? How about a 59?
