Atom X - Celebrating 10 Years of the Ariel Atom - 4 / 5 / 6 September 2010

[Richard Marler]

<a href="http://www.tracker.co.uk/"><img src="http://www.marler.plus.com/Tracker-AtomX.jpg" alt="Tracker" /></a>
<a href="http://www.ultimateear.com/"><img src="http://www.marler.plus.com/ultimate_logo.jpg" alt="Ultimate Ear" /></a>
<a href="http://www.richardeggerinsurance.co.uk/"><img src="http://www.marler.plus.com/AAOC-AtomX.jpg" alt="Richard Egger" /></a>



General Information

The event will run from Saturday the 4th of September 2010 to Monday the 6th. The event name is Atom X, but pronounced Atom 10.

The factory are fully supporting the event, have been integral in the planning and organisation and will be in attendance on each day. After much discussion, it has been agreed that the format of the event will be a mix social gathering, road rally (hooning) and track day. The factory are taking responsibility for the first two days of social gathering and road rally, the club are taking responsibility for the first ever exclusive UK track day. The reason for the split of activities is clear, in that we are looking to attract owners that do not regularly track their cars, and that may not be active in the club or even on the forum. We hope the event will encourage more owners to join the club and more potential owners to take the plunge.

In order to get a firm idea of numbers we will be looking for people to commit to the event by making a non-refundable deposit of £100. This deposit will be payable ASAP and will go directly towards the track booking costs. We are looking to keep overall costs for the weekend in the region of £500 per person, not including sundries like petrol, etc., but the final figure may be more or less depending on the numbers we get. We are looking to get in the region of 50 + cars attending the event. It is not the intention or purpose of this event to make any money for the club or factory.

Saturday 4th September

The factory will be open for arrivals at 10am; please take notice of the car park attendants who will be parking everyone nice and tightly – there’s quite a few cars to fit into a small space!  The ‘build challenge’ to see if a group of Ariel technicians can build a car in one day will commence at 10am sharp!  For those who fancy getting their own hands dirty there will also be a timed wheel change challenge for people to take part in with a prize for the fastest time.

There will be a talk on some pre, during and post track day inspection tips in the service department for those who want to carry out some routine checks and maintenance on their cars to keep them in tip-top condition.  During this talk the factory will also advise of some commonly needed specialist tools to carry out these checks and their local Snap On Tools dealer will be in attendance, his van fully stocked with these items along with the usual range of hand tools, jacks etc. if anyone wishes to purchase tools as used by the Ariel factory technicians.  Ariel/Snap On will be offering a mail order service too for those who don’t want to carry their new purchases on the rest of the trip!

Ariel are taking this opportunity to launch their eagerly-awaited Atom V8; this will be a sneak preview for all owners before the car is properly launched in the major motoring journals during the week following the event.  This will take place just before lunchtime so everyone can have a good look round it, take some photos and ask any questions they may have!

A local sandwich shop will bring their van to the factory at around 12.30pm so people can purchase hot and cold snacks and drinks as required.  The factory will be offering free tea and coffee throughout the day also.

Between 2 to 3pm the Treasure Hunt will commence.  This will be for everyone present and will take in some of the local sights and good roads in the region; the Treasure Hunt should last for around 2-3 hours, during which time the factory will be closed while everything is prepared for Saturday nights dinner.

By 6pm it is expected that everyone will be back from the Treasure Hunt (unless they have got seriously lost!) and will then want to head back to their hotels/B&B’s/tents to prepare for the evenings festivities.  If people wish to leave their cars at their respective hotels and B&B’s (so they can take advantage of the free alcohol!) there will be a minibus running in between Yeovil and the factory which could pick up anyone staying in Yeovil, Lanes Hotel, West Coker or East Chinnock; the bus will pick up in Yeovil at 7pm sharp then make its way back to the factory from there, picking up where necessary.  There will then be a minibus taking people back to their hotels/B&B’s at the end of the evening.  If people are interested in using this service then please e-mail Tom at the factory so he can gauge numbers.

The factory dinner is scheduled as 7.30 for 8pm start and will be based around local produce.  Please note that local bitter and cider will be provided along with wine accompanying the meal and the usual range of soft drinks.  If anyone doesn’t fancy any of the above drinks then please feel free to bring a quantity of your tipple of choice!

Note to anyone wishing to camp behind the factory:  The camping field behind the factory will be available for use from Friday night onwards but please be aware it is exactly that – a field!  There are no showering or toilet facilities there although campers may of course use the facilities at the factory (although there are no showers) during Friday early evening and Saturday, the factory will also be opened early on Sunday morning for campers to use the facilities.


Sunday 5th September

There will be a minibus again running between Yeovil and the factory to collect any stragglers who may have abandoned their cars at the factory the previous evening!  As everyone is doubtless aware there is a Breakfast being laid on in the Tithe Barn at the Haselbury Mill behind the factory; this will commence at 8.00 am and will run until 9.30am.  The cost of this will be £8 per person all inclusive for coffee, tea, juices, cereals, toast etc as well as the mandatory Full English Breakfast!  Everyone will need to pay for this themselves on the day.

The Road Rally will commence at 10am sharp from the Haselbury Mill Car Park.  The route takes in some of the best roads in the local area and follows the coast road along to Weymouth, cutting inland from there to Matchams Park for the Karting.  Please note that everyone should make sure that they have a full tank of fuel before turning up to the start of the Road Rally – on Sunday morning there will be no chance to fill up until quite a long way into the journey!  If anyone would like a route map that they can load into their TomTom then please contact Tom at the factory and he can e-mail you one over.

The arrival time for the Karting is 1pm; then everyone will be briefed and can split up into their teams which will be decided beforehand given the number of people attending!  The Karting is expected to finish between 4pm and 5pm, then the Road Rally will continue on to the Goodwood Hotel for the dinner.
 
At The Goodwood Hotel there should be time for a shower or even to use the hotel's spa facilities, before meeting at 7pm for pre-dinner drinks in the Cedar Suite Foyer. Dinner will follow at 8pm in the Cedar Suite. Everyone should have provided menu choices (see below) to Tom by Wednesday 26th of August. In the morning breakfast will be served in the Richmond Arms Restaurant from 6.30am, before making the 5 minute drive to the motor circuit. Please make sure to arrive at the motor circuit promptly for 8am.

Monday 6th September

Arrive at 8am at the historic Goodwood Motor Circuit for sign-on and noise testing. If you have any problems with the noise test, please talk to one of the factory guys, who will hopefully have some equipment for helping reduce noise. Briefing by Goodwood head instructor John Powis will commence 8.30am in the Jackie Stewart Pavillion. John will be available throughout the day to give driver instruction. Drivers will be split into 5 groups of 10, based on experience level. The track will be open from 9am to 12.30pm and then from 1.30pm to 5pm, running 3 sessions per group in the morning and 3 in the afternoon. In the periods you are not on track, you can go to the skills area (a large car park near Goodwood House) and test your skills on a timed slalom sprint circuit.  Note: getting to the skills area involves driving part of the famous Goodwood hill climb, although obviously not at racing speeds. Lunch will be served between 12 and 1.30pm in the old control tower.

As a first for the AAOC in the UK we are exclusively renting the circuit that hosts the annual Festival of Speed and Goodwood Revival. It is our feeling that the excellent facilities at the Goodwood Estate will provide a fitting finale to our Celebration of 10 years of the Ariel Atom. If we can be anywhere near as welcoming and generous as our American friends were during Atomfest, then I am sure this will be an event not to be missed.


Update 1 - 21.12.2009
The track day at Goodwood is being structured specifically to encourage people that would not normally take their cars out on track. We will probably have novice sessions, in which it really doesn't matter if you pootle around slower than you would on the road. At any track day, it is anyway the responsibility of the experienced drivers to fully make allowances for novice drivers, but at this event we will be concentrating hard on safety and comfort for guys and girls that have maybe never been on track. Driving your Atom on track will make you a safer road driver, is safer than driving at speed on the road, and will give you an idea of what your car is capable of.

So for ANYONE that is nervous about the idea of tracking their car, please don't be, please try it and I promise you you will be glad you did.

Update 2 - 22.12.2009
The day we have currently booked at Goodwood, is a 105dB day, but this limits the number of cars allowed on track at any one time to 5. Hence we are in negotiations with Goodwood, to separate the cars into two groups (below and above 98dB), such that for the quieter cars we can allow up to 10 cars on track. In addition, we will have the separate skills area, all planned to ensure that there is not too much waiting around.

Obviously it would help a lot if we could ensure all cars were below 98dB, but that may well be difficult, in particular for the Atom 2 220 cars.

Update 3 - 15.06.2010
Based on the numbers we have already booked and kind sponsorship from Richard Egger, Tracker and Ultimate Ear, we are aiming to set the price of the track day at £200. This price is less that originally expected and includes one car, one driver, one passenger and two lunches. I think this is pretty good value for the AAOC's first UK exclusive Atom track day and also covers rental of the skills area up by the main house and the Jackie Stewart Pavilion. We also have Goodwood's Chief Instructor for the day to offer advice to novices and pros alike.

We have also now confirmed the day as a 98dB day to allow 10 cars on track at a time. Ariel will be bringing equipment with them to help quieten any cars that are struggling with this limit. If you have any concerns with this, please let me know.

Update 4 - 02.07.2010
Expected costs update:

Day 1
Factory Day - no cost
Factory Dinner - no cost, other than any drinks you may wish to buy
Hotel - your cost or Camping - no cost

Day 2
Factory Breakfast - approx £8 per person (tbc)
Roadtrip - no cost, other than petrol, ferry, etc.
Karting - approx £35 for 3 hours (tbc)
Goodwood Dinner - £40 per person, including some wine, plus any additional drinks you may want to buy
Goodwood Hotel - £89 per room, payable direct to the hotel

Day 3
Trackday - £200, for up to two people sharing a car, including lunch for both and use of the skills area
Non-driving participation - £30 person, including lunch



Update 5 - 29.07.2010
The factory have confirmed that the 500 will be launched on the Saturday of Atom X and will drive up to Goodwood for the Monday, but WILL NOT now being doing hot laps. The reason is that there is no way to get the car under the 98dB limit for the day. Instead Keith Wood and his brother Matt will being giving hot laps to owners and participators on the day in a 300 and a 245. I think this is a shame, but the situation is out of my hands.

[Richard Marler]

Below are the details to allow you to pay the £100 deposit

UK Bank:
Sort Code: 08 92 99
Account No.: 65 16 05 61
Reference AtomX

International Bank:
BIC: CPBKGB22           
IBAN: GB15CPBK08929965160561
ARIEL ATOM OWNERS CLUB LIMITED                                       
The Co-operative Bank p.l.c.
PO Box 101
1 Balloon Street
M60 4EP  Manchester
United Kingdom
Reference: AtomX

PayPal
paypal at atomclub dot com (replacing the at with an @ and the dot with a .)
Reference: AtomX

[Richard Marler]

The track day cost will depend on the numbers we get, but I am expecting it to be between £250 and £350. That price will include 1 driver, 1 passenger, lunch for both and either use of the karting circuit and a skills area at Goodwood. For anyone wanting to attend the day, but not drive their car, or any additional passengers, there will be a participation fee (tbc) which will allow you to be a passenger in any car, access to the Atom 500 hot laps (subject to availability), lunch and the karting.

You will be booking and paying for your hotel rooms directly. However, we have negotiated a group price of £89 per room for the Sunday night (05.09.10) at Goodwood and, when we better know the numbers for the Saturday night, we will negotiate room rates for that night also. If you are camping on the Saturday night, there will be no cost for the use of the field.

Goodwood Hotel is now taking bookings for this event.

If anyone's deposit comes to more than the cost of the activities they wish to take part in, it will of course be refunded.

For now we need to get a better ideas of numbers for the various activities. For each group attending, please could you fill out the following form. I am sure I have missed something or made some mistakes, but I need to start gathering the information. Please cut and paste the form, replacing the red text with your answers. If you wish to attend the track day, but not drive, please count yourself as a participator. For the final question please state if you would prefer use of the karting circuit, which is right inside the circuit, or use of a skills area which is a 2 minute drive from the circuit:

Name:
Day 1 - Factory Activities: Number of People
Day 1 - Factory Dinner: Number of People
Day 1 - Accommodation: Camping / Hotel Twin / Hotel Double / Booked
Day 2 - Factory Breakfast: Number of People
Day 2 - Road Trip: Number of Cars
Day 2 - Matchams Karting Break: Number of People
Day 2 - Goodwood Dinner: Number of People
Day 2 - Goodwood Accommodation: Twin / Double / Booked
Day 3 - Goodwood Trackday: Number of Drivers
Day 3 - Goodwood Trackday: Number of Passengers / Participators
Day 3 - Goodwood Trackday: Driver Category Beginner / Intermediate / Advanced

[Richard Marler]

HOTEL INFORMATION

04/09/2010

The factory has recommended the following hotels for the 4th. You will need to book and pay for a room directly with the hotel of your choice. If you wish to camp instead, then the club needs to know (by filling out the activities form).

Summer Lodge Country House Hotel is around 15 miles away at Evershot, a very pretty Dorset village as featured in Thomas Hardy’s Tess Of the d’Urbervilles.  If you like silver service and good food this is for you, but it is expensive.  Various celebrities also frequent Summer Lodge. 
www.summerlodgehotel.co.uk&nbsp;
01935 482000

Lanes Hotel, West Coker.  is a very nice old hotel around 5 miles away. Recently refurbished in a contemporary style with excellent food and rooms. It is wise to book early.  Approx £120 per night. 
www.laneshotel.net&nbsp;
01935 862555

Haselbury Mill, Haselbury Plucknett is an old mill located behind Ariel Works set in picturesque surroundings.  Good food, just a stroll away from Ariel
Motor Company and is relatively inexpensive at approx £60 per night.
www.haselburymill.co.uk&nbsp;
01460 77095

Oxbridge Farm is around 10 miles away from Ariel Motor Company. A delightful, friendly B&B in the heart of the Dorset countryside, about 5
miles away from the coast.  For those interested in horses there is a livery/eventing yard here and there is plenty of room for parking trailers although the roads leading to it are quite narrow!  The breakfast is excellent and they can provide evening meals to a very high standard on request.  Approx £35 per night. 
www.oxbridgefarm.co.uk&nbsp;
01308 488368

Premier Inn Yeovil is one of the chain of Premier Inns around 8 miles away on the outskirts of Yeovil.  ‘Cheap and cheerful’ accommodation –
guaranteed to be clean and with plenty of hot water though!
www.premierinn.com
0870 8506364

05/09/2010
Goodwood Hotel are now accepting bookings for Sunday 05/09/2010.

We have reserved 50 rooms: 30 King and 20 Twin.

The reduced club rate is £89 per room, per night. You will be paying the hotel directly for these rooms and this does not include the dinner.

To confirm bedrooms guests can phone reservations directly (+44 (0)1243 775537) quoting Ariel Atom Owners.  Any bedrooms not confirmed by Monday 9 August 2010 will be released.  

Your rooms will be available for check in from 14:00 and we require you to check out of your room by 12:00 noon on your day of departure.  You are welcome to make use of the leisure facilities outside of these times and we can store your luggage for you.

[Richard Marler]

ATOM X - EVENT SPONSORS

<a href="http://www.richardeggerinsurance.co.uk/"><img src="http://www.marler.plus.com/AAOC-AtomX.jpg" alt="Richard Egger" /></a>

Richard Egger Insurance are specialist Insurance Brokers, we specialise in looking after the needs of people in and around the world of motorsport.

From full race and rally teams, all the way through to the individual competitor and enthusiast. We offer cost effective solutions for specialist cars, sports and performance cars, modified and exotic cars. We are insurance partners to the Lotus 7 Club and Caterham Motorsport.  We offer insurance for the road, track days and active competition, through a personal service from people that understand the cars and the sport. Call us on 0115 985 0165.

<a href="http://www.ultimateear.com/"><img src="http://www.marler.plus.com/ultimate_logo.jpg" alt="Ultimate Ear" /></a>

UltimateEar are attending the Atom X Goodwood trackday and have come up with some specials for the day, which represent considerable savings over their RRP.

Squidgy Blocker £40 (RRP £59) p&p £2.50
SoundEar Monitors  £150 (RRP £170) p&p £6
SoundEar Monitors plus Squidgy Blockers £180 (RRP £229) p&p £6
SoundEar Monitors plus Squidgy Blockers plus Autocom loom part 2091 £200 plus FREE POSTAGE (RRP £255)

These prices are one-off's and only available to those who order at the track day. For any who cannot have their impressions taken on the day, Ultimate will honour the price, although they will have to have their impressions taken locally. This can cost up to £25, unless they are able to visit Ultimate's offices for the impression.

[Richard Marler]

ATOM X - MERCHANDISE

[Richard Marler]

More ...

[Richard Marler]

The factory are about to start collecting meal choices for the Goodwood Dinner. We will need to know the name of the diner(s) and their choice from the following selection. If you would like to pre-empt contact from the factory please email Tom your selection. Thanks


Leek and Potato soup
Or
Shaved Melon and Parma Ham with Citrus Yoghurt
Or
Chicken Liver Parfait Balsamic Onions, Toasted Brioche

~~oOo~~


Free Range Chicken Breast with Chorizo Farce
Or
Slow Roasted Salt Cured Salmon Creamed Celeriac, buttered Sugar Snaps
Or
Baked Flat Mushroom, Marinated Vegetables and red pepper dressing

~~oOo~~

Fresh Cream Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce
Or
Mango Charlotte, Passion Fruit Sauce
Or
White Chocolate and Raspberry Brulee, Almond Tuille

[bm97ppc]

Summary of the timetable (Please ensure you have read the full version above as it contains important information)

Saturday 4th September

10:00  – Factory Tour etc.
12:30  – Lunch
14-15:00 – Treasure Hunt Begins / Getting lost
18:00 – Treasure Hunt Ends / Un-getting lost
19:30 – Dinner at the factory

Sunday 5th September

08:00 – Breakfast @ Haselbury Mill
10:00 – Road Rally Commences from Haselbury Mill Car Park
13:00 – Karting
19:00 – Pre Dinner Drinks @ Cedar Suite Foyer
20:00 – Dinner in the Cedar Suite

Monday 6th Septmber

06:30 Breakfast @ Richmond Arms Restaurant
08:00 Trackday Begins
12:30 Lunch  @ The Old Control Tower
13:30 Trackday Restarts