If you’re unfamiliar with the International Circuit at Birmingham Wheels, this video gives a pretty good glimpse of the track:
Off the line you’re immediately into a tight right / left combo, before a short straight leads into two quick right turns taking you through 180 degrees. I’ll call these turns 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively. Turn 5 is a fast right to left chicane leading into a long straight. You need to be hard on the brakes for turn 6, a 180 degree right hairpin bend. You can stay planted through turns 7, a mild left, and again through 8, a tighter left, which leads you into the final bend – another 180 degree hairpin right. A quick blast down the home straight and you’re back into turn 1.
Sadly, despite leading (twice) and setting the fastest lap I didn’t actually win on the day. Birmingham Wheels did supply some awesome race stats showing I took 3rd place on the line – absolute daylight robbery was suggested. Unfortunately the race data doesn’t show me being forced through the barrier on turns 6 and then 3, or my self imposed spin whilst gunning for 1st place a third time, so you’ll have to take my word on that 
Whatever the results, the twelve of us had a great day. Afterwards I spoke with the guys running Birmingham Wheels and they were happy to grant up to 20% off track time to students presenting the SmarterCard. Further details have been posted to the Birmingham Wheels page on SmarterNights. If you’re wondering what the SmarterCard is, click here.
