Talk a good lap - Oulton

[Blue_SV650S]

I've posted Mallory and Snetterton, here is Oulton. Please note this was written before the chicane was put in between Foulstons and Knickerbrook.

Oulton

This has to be one of the most exhilarating tracks in the UK, I have only been there a few times, but it is implanted in my memory forever. Much like Cadwell, this track has a bit of everything, but even more 'raw' and rewarding if you get a good lap.

Flat stick down the start straight, moving to the left of the track for Old Hall, this corner is a bit tricky to get right and in the wet there is a hoofing puddle at the apex mid corner, so wet and damp/dry lines are slightly different. As you pass the end of the pitwall on your right, there is a little mud track on the left hand side 'verge' use this as your braking marker. It seems there are two lines through here, the 'wide' line which is the most natural and least risky, or there is the tight 'overtaking line', but you have to judge this just right not to run out of track on the exit. The apex is where there is a slight dip in the track (hence why there is a puddle there in the wet). Get on the power just before the apex and drive hard out the corner. The corner is well cambered throughout but it quickly disappears on the exit which lends itself to running wide. Move to the left on your run down to Dentons.

This is more of a right kink in the track than a corner, but it is a blind crest and a leap of faith as you can't see the corner until you're turning into it and you need to still be flat out. There is a sign post that actually shows a left hand corner here, not a right hander, this is actually the sign for the next corner not this one, be wary of this the first lap round as you don't want to be turning left at this point, if you did you would go turf surfing! Full chat and moving to the right to Cascades.
This is a left hander and very similar to Mansfield at Cadwell, it had a downhill entry and 90 degrees. This corner however is crucial to get right as you need good drive out of it as there is a straight(ish) after it. There is no obvious braking marker here so 'wing' it. The bike will be a little unsettled after Dentons, this will settle though before you need to be too hard on the brakes. It seems that most people brake unnecessarily early for this corner and places can be made if you're cleaver. Turn in where there is a service road on the right, apex half way round the kerbing on the left and really fight to hold it there until the end of the kerbing, before powering up and driving hard out of the corner else you will end up going wide. When on the power you will drift across the track thinking that you'll run wide, but if you have held the inner kerb long enough it'll be fine. Keep right on the short run down to Island Bend.

This is a seriously quick left kink, and a 'big ball' corner to be quick round it. if you are really brave (or on a small cc bike) don't brake, just roll off the throttle slightly, but I tend to give a quick grab of the brakes and it is a bit bumpy at this point, which tends to upset the bike a little. There is a service road on your right; turn in point is as it ends. The apex is just before where the kerbing on the left ends. You should just be on getting on the power a bit now and the bike will naturally drift to the right on the exit. You don't need to use the whole of the track on the exit, about half will do, any more and you will only make work for yourself on the entry to The Shell Oils Hairpin.

Wicked camber here and although the surface seems to change and look rough, there is plenty of grip, expect some major lean angles to the vertical here. Braking here is a short sharp stab, you can carry a good speed through the corner and run the brakes all the way in if necessary. Although it is best to enter from the left, beware of people coming up the inside and 'stuffing' you up. If you come in a bit hot this is a double apex corner, else you are just hugging the inside all the way round. Get on the power as you pass the kerbing on the left of the track. The camber suddenly drops away on exit and there is a tendency to drift wide. You can hook up really hard out of the corner if you get it right though. Take the right kink apexing roughly at the centre of the kerbing on the right, the bike will drift left, get back over to about mid track for Foulstons Chicane

This is a cracking chicane, the first turn is a slight left hand kink (the entry to the chicane), get off the right side of the bike to set your body position up properly for the chicane. Straight line the entry as much as possible, braking hard as you can, apexing at the bollard on the kerbing. Once through the first left hand kink, throw the bike hard right aiming to apex about 2/3 of the way round the kerbing. The apex on the left is now visible (was obscured by the bollards in the chicane), it's where the kerbing on the left ends. Your on the power before you clip the second apex but not full chat or the bike tends to drift wide. Wind the power on whilst drifting over to the right kerb. Things get a bit bumpy and ragged at this point and the front reaches for the sky as you go over the crest. Keep it nailed and move left on your way to Knickerbrook

This is a very fast right hand bend which exits into a hillclimb. The track is quite wide at this point and is a keen favourite overtaking place for people on the brakes. Hit the brakes hard just after he 100 yard marker, braking is fairly brief, but severe. There is a gap between two bits of kerbing on the left; this is your turn in point. Apex at the end of the 1st bit of kerbing on the right (where a side entrance starts) and get back on the power, keep the bike turning and head up the hill to Clay Hill.

Work the bike back to the right hand side of the track and turn in where the track turns left (there is a kinda lump where the track goes form right to left). Move the bike over to the right whilst under full power going up the hill under the advertising bridge. This is the most exhilarating part of the track, take a deep breath and enjoy. Clay Hill is a very fast left hander over a blind crest, awesome! The apex is just after the brow so you can't see it but you can and have to really power through here for a good lap. The front (and possibly rear) will go light at the crest, you can actually keep it nailed, but there is a voice in your head that tells you to feather the throttle, ignore it and get on the tank. After the crest you will be thrown to the right of the track, which although unnerving is right where you want to be for the left kink which is coming up. Clip the left hand kerbing as it starts and fight to keep the bike left for Druids

This is a deceptive corner and it is oddly shaped and therefore it isn't apparent where you should be going. Hit the brakes when you clip the kerbing on the left hand side. turn in just after where the barrier starts. This is a double apex corner and if you cock up the first bit, it throws you off the second apex. The first apex is at the middle of right hand side kerbing. Let the bike drift to the left, but keep it cranked over. Let it go to about mid-track and you are set up for the second apex. Hit the apex which is just after half way through the next bit of kerbing on the right. Power out of the corner as hard as you possible, but get on the tank and get the bike as upright as possible quickly, you are about to go over a hump which will cause a huge wheelie. The camber also falls away here as well so the bike will drift wide. This stretch is just a series of humps, keep it nailed and move to the left on your way to Lodge.

This is the trickiest corner on the track, it looks simple enough on approach, but it seems to tighten up something rotten and the camber drops off completely, there is a huge tendency to overcook it and on the exit run out of track. Brake as late and hard as you dare, this is the favourite out breaking place and the last real overtaking opportunity before the line, so watch people up the inside. Turn in really late aiming to clip the kerb on the right about 2/3 of the way round, the late turn in helps you 'square' the corner off and helps prevent you going wide. The track drops away now and tightens. Hit the apex and get on the power big time and storm down the hill. Pull the bike back to the right and you want to be in about the centre of the track at the bottom of the hill, lined up nicely for Deer Leap

This is yet another blind crest with knob all run off and a tasty pitwall to greet you if you get it wrong, big knackers through here. This is a left hander, apex at the crest you will feel like you are going to bang your head on the barrier that is on the left of the track here, but don't worry you won't and this is where you need to be. Keep to the left side of the track as much as possible hooking up banging it through the box. The front will paw the air again here and the bike will drift out to the pit wall on the right hand side of the track as you exit the corner. It is pretty solid so you don't want to be hitting it, there are a few bumps that unsettle the bike here, especially as the front is light, but head down and head for the finish line.

As I said in the intro, this is an awesome track and really rewarding. When the pace rises so exponentially does you pulse!
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The purpose of life is to fight maturity.