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ROUND 4: CROFT
ROUND 4: CROFT

Up to Yorkshire for a bit of argie bargie

careful not to out-brake yourself. Although
entry to Clervaux is still pretty quick, in a
BTCC car it’s 4th gear, but try not to take too
much inside apex kerb as it’s quite
aggressive and can throw you out. The car
will drift from the apex and it’s easy to run out
of road very quickly, so it’s easy to drop a left
wheel in the gravel, especially if too much
entry speed is carried, so my suggestion is
build up here.

Quick squirt through a kink to Hawthorn
Bend, which is a long, never-ending right-
hander, which leads up to the Chicane, so
we’re down one gear and then get the front of
the car in tight and try and keep it there. If
you get on the gas too fast the car can run
wide through the corner, which will
compromise speed through and, more
importantly, exiting Chicane. So keep car tight
and line up Chicane. Be careful with cold
tyres through here on the first lap as it will be
first time you really need the right rear, so the
back end can step out on exit if you attack
too hard. You really need to be inch perfect
through this right-left Chicane, and carry as
have to say, right from the off, I only know much speed as possible as it’s a long run
Croft from watching it on TV. And even down to Tower Bend after.
Ithen, I am still not that up to speed with the
make up of the circuit. One thing you will So you’ve made it through the Chicane. On
notice is that Croft and Oulton Park have the run down to the 90-degree right Tower
swapped places in the BTCC calendar this Bend, this straight is quite bumpy and water
year. But fear not, I know a man that knows can collect in hollows when wet, so watch out
this circuit only too well. Yes, here’s our man for aquaplaning down this section. In the
Matt Neal to take you around Croft in Detail. braking zone for Tower there are two crests in
the road and the target is to brake on the
Matt Neal on Croft second one, but beware if you hit the brakes
exactly on it or after it as the car can skip as
One of my favourite circuits on the BTCC the road drops away, so you think you can
calendar. It’s our only trip to the North East brake later but the circuit can catch you out.
side of the country and when we get there the Saying that, you can be quite brave into
circuit is a real challenge with the local fans Tower as it does have a bit more track to play
always giving terrific warm support. with. We brake all the way into the apex,
trying to get on the gas as hard and early as
Croft is very clean and picturesque, neatly cut possible because again exit is critical. Stay off
lawns and a neat compact pit lane with all the exit kerb as it costs you time, then you’re
amenities close by. As a driver it requires a on the run down to the ultra-fast left-right Jim
high level of commitment, so racing and Clark Esses, which are a big commitment flat
finding an optimum balanced setup is key to out in 6th gear. You do have run off, but still
a fast lap. need to be on your game using all of the flat
apex kerbs on both left and right sections.
To talk our way round, the start/finish straight This may be the fastest point of the circuit on
is faster than you think, preceded by a hairpin exit and again it’s a 6th gear corner next,
that is probably the tightest corner of any which is a right-hander called Barcroft. It’s
circuit in the UK. It’s a good drag down to probably my favourite corner of the track.
turn 1, Clervaux, where we are well into 6th Don’t be afraid to use a lot of apex kerb –
gear by the time we arrive. It’s a challenge getting through the corner fast is not so much
being accurate with your braking point, so be the issue, but hanging on to and stopping the

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