Lying awake in the wee small hours, I was musing on the many different types of driving I do and wondering why some appeal to me and some really don’t.

As a motoring journalist, it has always felt as though I am supposed to like driving on a racetrack. I like speed, there’s no one coming the other way (one hopes), and usually the car provided is immensely capable. All well and good, but I suspect it is the g-forces that my body doesn’t like. I was no fan of fairground rides as a child either!

If I recall, my last time on track was at Mondello Park with Suzuki, driving the then new Swift Sport. Rather unusually, there was no instructor by my side barking orders and after one parade and sighting lap we were off. I say we; I was a tad more sedate.

Wanting to enjoy myself, rather than turn the experience into an ordeal, I turned the climate control up, put on some relaxing music and drove at my own pace. After a couple of laps, my rear-view mirror filled up with sporty Swifts, all jockeying for position, and I was happy to let them rush on by.

I have also been lucky enough to have passenger rides on track too. Matt Neal in the BTCC Civic Tourer is an experience I won’t forget in a hurry. Strapped in tightly and with no means of communication with my chauffeur, we belted round a rain-soaked track for what seemed like an eternity. I spent my time trying to decide which particular corner we were going to crash on. Of course we didn’t as I was in capable hands.

In the debrief that followed, Matt told me that the car should feel as though it was on the point of spinning, or he wasn’t going fast enough. Well, he WAS going more than fast enough. I felt rather sick and queasy for the rest of the day.

I have also been invited to experience Genesis’ new track taxi at the Nürburgring. A lovely offer met with a very schnell nein danke.

In complete contrast, stick me in a fast car on a country lane, and most will struggle to keep up with me. A few seasoned journos have commented on my fast road driving, and those same kind folk usually then mock my pathetic track efforts.

I suppose it’s all about one’s comfort zone and as someone who has the fine, and mighty fast Dales’ roads outside my back door, this is what makes me happy. And with an ever-increasing number of test cars coming my way, it keeps me busy too.

I tried my hand at go karting with friends the year before last and the combination of petrol fumes and a tight track, meant I retired well before the end. I was also tired of being overtaken regularly by the speed demons in the group. A beer in the pub afterwards was much need to soothe my frayed nerves.

I cannot think of any occasion I have been scared behind the wheel on the public highway. I’ve driven round Athens in the rush hour, been harried by German coach drivers whilst driving through what was then Yugoslavia in the middle of the night and plied many a rain-soaked motorway. When it snows, I’ll venture out, keen to practice my car control in tricky conditions.

Off-roading in the mud is a joy, but speeds are low with nothing to upset my delicate constitution. Just the challenge of good car control at relatively low speeds.

So, in future, any kind invitations to drive or passenger on a racetrack will be politely refused, but any other motoring activities I’m more than game for. In the meantime, with two interesting press cars on the driveway, I’m off to do what I enjoy. I hope the sheep can hop out of the way quickly. I feel the need for speed.