Track day newbie in a mk1b mr2

[G_T_smith]

Gutted to say I cannot lose my track day virginity at Anglesey, so where would people recommend. I'm looking for lots of bends with plenty of run off space

I live about 5 miles from Castle Coombe but have heard it is more suited too faster cars??? Should I give it ago or is it worth travelling a bit further a field.

cheers Greg

[tamiyauk]

I love Castle Combe but have not been to to many other tracks to compare, I live in Kent and in the past Brands Hatch has always been expensive so I make special trips to Combe.

Peter Scatchard of the MR2MK1Club organises our entry to some track days there which are often perfect for a standard car as you buy 15 minute sessions rather than doing a whole day which is not too heavy on brakes etc.. The dates for 2006 are here: http://www.mr2mk1club.com/CastleCombe06.html

This is also a good article on track day preperation: http://www.mr2mk1club.com/trackdayprep.html

Although there are often lots of fast cars at the Action days I have been to Combe for they are certainly not all real fast, there are lots of smaller hatchbacks, Mini's, MX5's etc.. so you don't feel intimidated at all.
Also you are not allowed to race and the organisation is great, overtaking is just on the straight bits and the faster cars have to behave.

I'm hoping to be there for April

[Quigonjay]

Gutted to say I cannot lose my track day virginity at Anglesey,

still places left mate

[System-G]

MotorSportVision has just lanched a couple of new Beginer Only days.

MotorSportVision Link - Click Here

[Lauren]

Combe is an okay circuit though the 'action' type days are appallingly marshalled and i always worry that they'll put people off trackdays for life because of the total lack of courtesy/awareness and the sheer bloody mindedness and crap driving of the majority of attendees.

Castle Combe's own trackdays that are run as full days are fine as are track day organisers that hire out combe. But the days when you turn up and buy 15minute sessions with drivers of all/no ability are just a liability.

The circuit itself is more fun than it looks, but its no peach of a circuit. Its pretty fast which will make your MK1 feel slower than it is IYSWIM. Still its not a bad place to start.

Donington is very good, you'll like it there. Think you should come to angersea though as its the perfect circuit/environment in which to lose your track virginity. Plus you'll be amongst loads of other MR2s, so you can bag passenger rides etc and get an idea of what the MK1 will do on track.

[G_T_smith]

Thanks for all the replies.

Anglesey would be great and a good chance to say hello to everyone, but unfortunatly I can't make that weekend

The Classic and sports car action day at Coombe is sounding like a good bet. I assume this is not the 15min slot system that you mentioned Lauren?

Sorry but another silly question, if I book direct with the circuit it appears to be more expensive than with www.bookatrack.com, do you get anything extra by booking direct with the circuit, (e.g. less cars on track etc). I guess bookatrack are ok as IMOC is using them for Anglesey?

ta Greg

[Lauren]

Thanks for all the replies.

Anglesey would be great and a good chance to say hello to everyone, but unfortunatly I can't make that weekend

The Classic and sports car action day at Coombe is sounding like a good bet. I assume this is not the 15min slot system that you mentioned Lauren?

Sorry but another silly question, if I book direct with the circuit it appears to be more expensive than with www.bookatrack.com, do you get anything extra by booking direct with the circuit, (e.g. less cars on track etc). I guess bookatrack are ok as IMOC is using them for Anglesey?

ta Greg

The action type days are the very days i'm talking about. Its difficult because its a good social event and it was on a CCC day (what it used to be called before the mag folded) that i got my first taste of track action. I staunchley defended the CCC type days, for years to my friends in the trackday community. But i had another go a couple of years ago on one of the action days and was just appalled at the bad and dangerous driving i witnessed.

I work for bookatrack, IMOC has used them for trackdays as a club since 2001, so we've done quite a few days with them at various circuits/airfields. So yes bookatrack are fine.

If its a bookatrack event at combe then it will be 4x15min sessions, so you get 15mins per hour rather than the usual 20. So more cars can book up. This is because of the car track limit being so low. ie 10 cars (due to noise restrictions). So there is loads of room, but track time is a bit short.

I don't know about combe's own days (i did one 5 years ago, but things may have changed since). If its open pit in format or in three sessions of 20minutes then i can understand the higher price.

[BenF]

I agree with Lauren on this one - I did a CCC day back in 1998 and in one session was nearly shunted off the track by someone outbreaking themselves behind me

A quick google for footage gave this :

Video that shows it in all its 'glory':

http://www.fluke-motorsport.co.uk/video ... ideos.html

Threads:

http://www.skylineowners.com/forum/show ... ge=1&pp=15


Basically too many big egos, too much 'racing' and not enough curteous driving.

For me, I'd always pay a few more quid and go to an organised day where there will be marshalling to ensure the standard of driving is good.

I can understand the temptation to do a few sessions there, but the risk to you personally and your '2 isn't worth it IMO.

[tamiyauk]

From what Lauren and Ben are saying I guess I've been very lucky at Combe Although this may explain why I feel the need to fit a roll cage in my car!
When I get the car I'm going to keep sorted I'll definately be along to some of the IMOC days and I'll be expecting great things Lauren
Combe has given me the bug for track days and if IMOC's are even better then I'll be well chuffed.

[Squizz]

Greg,

Five miles from Combe?! Check out www.motorsport-events.co.uk !

Most of their events are at airfields, two of which are on your doorstep. One is Hullavington, and the other is Keevil. I've been to both driving our 200SX track toy, and blagging passenger rides in my friends MK1 MR2 (Now ours! ).

Each day costs about £95 and includes a bit of tuition, I think. Extra tuition is pretty cheap too.

Check out our track days page on this site. Follow the links to see loads of piccies from Hullavington:
www.torquingcars.co.uk/zed-power/track.html

Can't go wrong, can ya...

Rich.

[BenF]

Just to add - if you want to do a cheap day, you can sometimes get half a day from Bookatrack if at an event they're not completely full.

ISTR Lauren has said that they typically charge 60% of the day rate to just do the afternoon session only.

[G_T_smith]

Big thanks again for all the replies, I didn't even known about Hullavington and Keevil.

I'll give motorsport-events a buzz as it sounds as thoguht they do tuition along with the track day, which given the fact that I have never been on a track will probably be a good thing