Mapping the Test Track

[Eyce]

(insert lurker introduction, etc)

After seeing the first episode and wondering what the f**k the test track comprised of, I googled where the hell it was situated and went from there.

So got a google maps pic of Camden Airport- Thank christ it's a high res one.

So I got to work 3 hours after watching the show, I've come up with this as a first draft.



Now, there's obviously going to be bits wrong- for example I've got no idea if there's a slight chicane just before the straight or if it was just a power dash, but yeah, it's a good try to start with, right?

[cpd]

Great job. I've added the corner names from 01x01 and a path to estimate track length (~1.4km). The laps that were shown were very heavily edited. Direction is anti-clockwise.

[forza077]

pretty close I think... but the track is pathetic!!!

[BlitzR]

The track it pretty undramatic, the first corner is far too slow. Parts of the track seem more like an obstacle course then a track since the car has to slow down so much(or Stigo isn't exactly fearless) .

[cpd]

Based on the lap length (1400m), and Vince C's time (1:34), his average speed was 53kph (33mph). Does that sound about right? Is my maths wrong?

The Stigs' 1:22 works out to 61.2kph (38mph).

The average speed of the 911S PDK was 70kph (43.5mph).

[cpd]

Just worked out Ellen MacArthur's average speed in the Liana...



107kph (67mph). LOL

[Wildy]

So it is an actual loop then.

I was thinking it was more like a rally track. I guess that's from the editing.

cpd

That looks about right. I got the same number.

[Eyce]

To be honest, I think they should remove the Bus Stop- They've already got the exact opposite one in Clarkson Corner.

I think they tried to make the course as long as possible, because it's clear they didn't exactly have the space...

Edit:

Here's what I think would work better (2am Job, kill me.):



It's fast (Check), has a couple of sharp corners (check) and has a couple of sweepers (check).

The only problem is the width down on the lower end of the track- You'd think it wouldn't be too bad to extend the asphalt by 5m or so, wouldn't you?

[tuesday]

To be honest, I think they should remove the Bus Stop- They've already got the exact opposite one in Clarkson Corner.

I think they tried to make the course as long as possible, because it's clear they didn't exactly have the space...

Edit:

Here's what I think would work better (2am Job, kill me.):



It's fast (Check), has a couple of sharp corners (check) and has a couple of sweepers (check).

The only problem is the width down on the lower end of the track- You'd think it wouldn't be too bad to extend the asphalt by 5m or so, wouldn't you?

That's pretty cool actually.

[Seasonone]

To be honest, I think they should remove the Bus Stop- They've already got the exact opposite one in Clarkson Corner.

I think they tried to make the course as long as possible, because it's clear they didn't exactly have the space...

Edit:

Here's what I think would work better (2am Job, kill me.):



It's fast (Check), has a couple of sharp corners (check) and has a couple of sweepers (check).

The only problem is the width down on the lower end of the track- You'd think it wouldn't be too bad to extend the asphalt by 5m or so, wouldn't you?

With a "follow through" like that the track would need to be much wider. Some of those google people can work how long that strait would be





If they kept going in the same direction that first turn looks subtle enough to go all out and stay on the track and than it would still use that good chunk of pavement where "the question mark" is. It would suck to give up that usable space.

Shame they couldn't get enough money to put a 5mx5m patch by the chicane and make it more of a chicane and not 2 crash barriers that a lotus can sneak through going strait.

[Eyce]

It's more of a shame that they thought they could build a track at Camden Airport- whoever did the research on where to possibly shoehorn a track onto an Airstrip should have been shot. It's just limited whatever the hell they could do, really. Even then, it's just boring to watch cars slowly travel around the track- the chicane just makes it so much slower for a more potentially dramatic foot-to-the-floor moment.

[SL65]

Here's what I think would work better (2am Job, kill me.):

Hey, thats exactly what I had in my mind when I was looking at Google Maps of the airport well before the program went to air.

Much nicer, IMO

The main problem with this test track is it is too narrow. It is very tight and technical, which is no bad thing IF the camera work is right. What I mean by that is - the cameras get right in there and expose the cars bodyroll (if any) and zoom in to see any flex in the tyre wall (actual tyres of the cars).

But instead, it looked like the cameras were mounted somewhere where all those green shrubs appear on Google Maps and you had no sense of what the hell was going on. Very shabby indeed.

[Eyce]

The main problem with this test track is it is too narrow. It is very tight and technical, which is no bad thing IF the camera work is right. What I mean by that is - the cameras get right in there and expose the cars bodyroll (if any) and zoom in to see any flex in the tyre wall (actual tyres of the cars).

But instead, it looked like the cameras were mounted somewhere where all those green shrubs appear on Google Maps and you had no sense of what the hell was going on. Very shabby indeed.

I found out why, here's one of the camera crew:

[Dsemaj]

Yeah, they really need to learn how to film the track properly. I remember TGUK had the same sort of problems when they first started.

[JPDyno]

Well done mapping the course guys. I had a look on google maps and had no idea.
definately could use some improvement. Though i will reserve judgement until i see a lap using some decent camera angles.

[Spudgy]

The track is the only thing I found disappointing in the show. I really wish they could have gone with a small club circuit somewhere like 5th gear does. They're just a stones throw from Oran Park, though it won't be there for much longer.

Good to see the full layout. From the camera work I also thought it was a straight stage instead of a loop.

They need a few higher speed corners in there though, and more width so they can throw the car around like UK Top Gear does. There just isn't enough width to do the sweepers like Eyce posted.

[cpd]

This is pretty good. It places the narrow sections where speed won't be too high (after the question mark and the short blast after the bus stop), with the high speed right-left sweeper at the current location of Clarkson opening out onto the main (wide) runway. The only other change I'd suggest is to move the chicane on the main straight about 100m closer to the corner to increase potential top speed.

A quick path in Google Earth says the lap length of this layout is ~2km.

I can't help wondering if they were very restricted about which parts of the tarmac they could close for shooting. There were Cesna's taxiing in the background of the Hummer lap!

[underscore]

Isn't there a good track about an hours drive north of there (Eastern Creek). I suspect they didn't want to go to a real track was to stop people going there in there cars and running around like idiots saying how they can drive faster, and therefore better, than such and such.

Only 2 hours to Wakefield Park

[deags]

i feel you could have made a much better track with this heh. http://www.sleemancentre.org.au/file...20Map%20V2.pdf

all the roads are more than two lanes wide(parking on the sides).

Unfortunately it is in Brisbane.

Nots: Map has no scale. But google maps would give an idea of size .

[mitchtj]

Seems to be predominantly a horsepower track judging by that