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Car Chase Heroes, Blyton, Lincolnshire
Stuart finance director, July 2019
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I am a self-confessed car nut and fortunate enough to have a performance car of my own. The Atom is a car that balances budget with high end performance and for that reason it features regularly with amateur motorsports drivers on track days. It was for those reasons that the Ariel Atom has been on my list of things to try for a while now.
When I think of Lincolnshire, I think of Lincolnshire sausage, great coastline and old WW2 airfields and now of course-Blyton Park Race Circuit. Blyton Park is home to Ginetta as it is the official test track for the long-established British racing car which makes it a perfect setting for my test drive.
I arrived early, checked in at reception which was busy and full of excited like-minded petrol heads. The safety briefing was light-hearted but with some serious points that were aimed at getting the most from your experience but also to remind you that this can be a dangerous sport at times. Once the briefing was out of the way we all approached the staging area where the cars were coming in and out of and where we waited our turn.
I have been on a few of these days now and I always opt up on the extras. A sighting lap to see the track before I do my laps, extra laps for me to drive a bit longer, and taking a high-speed passenger drive at the end to see how the car handles when driven nearer its limit compared to how I drove it. Yes this does cost more on the day but considering you may have travelled a couple of hours to get there it makes a big difference on the day if you can save a few pounds for these extras. They are very much worth it.
My instructor was experienced and he soon got an understanding for my level of skill. I trusted him completely and followed his instruction’s closely and I very quickly became absorbed into how the Atom handled and the feedback it gave me. The drive was electrifying and even better than I had hoped for. The speed you feel is heightened how exposed you are, plus its very real in any case given the Atom does 0-60 in 3.5 seconds, and so it’s closer to a motor bike than a car when you think about it! It takes a degree of nerve to drive it fast but when you do, you are rewarded handsomely. I was hooked and wanted more! And still do!
Top Tip
Trust your instructor and hold your nerve.
