first time trackday advice and tips?

[timmomr2]

some of my mates are trying to organise a track day at oulten park and i really want to go. ive had my car back for aboyt 2 months now after alot of bodywork and ive never been on track before. i was just wondering if some people can enliten me /give me some advice as i dont want someone to stuff it into me. any advice is welcome, from how is best to set my car up to weather i need a helmet or not.

i have tein superstreets and im going to stiffen the car up a bit before i go on track but not sure how much. i rekon more at the back than the front and i also need to adjust the camber on the front as ive noticed a bit of understeer and hopping when going fast on the roads. im also running falken f452's wich are good but i dont think ill be pushing them to mega limits. im just going to gradually build myself up but wouldnt mind some advice on how to avoid the people that are going to go al out and not be bothered about stuffing there cars. i dont know where to start with adjusting the camber on the top mounts either so if someone could tel me a good setting to start with ill get my mate to change it for me.

cheers timmo

[loudandproud205]

Best advice is to get an instructor out with you.

Personally I wouldn't bother altering the car from road spec of your happy with it.

Keep an eye on your mirrors.

There is no need to feel you have to drive flat out drive how you feel comfortable.

I recently did some time at rockingham and spent a good while driving like miss daisy assesing how the car felt and understand the track layout.

[Bender Unit]

A bash hat, proper shoes and all your arms and legs covered are basic essentials at every trackday.

You can get a bash hat for £50 from a local motobike shop if your strapped - but obviously the more you spend the safer you are - but then saying that is easier than finding £500 for a top of the range helmet.

Just take it easy, enjoy the day and go at you own pace that your comfortable with and you will be ok. A tutor session will get you on the right path and mean you enjoy the day alot more.

Dont feel obliged to go faster or drive differently to accomodate anyone else on track - if your a rolling road block then thats fine, they can get around you when its safe to do so.

The first time the GF did a session she was so worried about getting in peoples ways she was practically diving off the track at every opprtunity to move over.

General manners on track are very good but there are always some tools, they are obvious so just avoid them, and equally dont try and race anyone, your likley to get served by somone alot quicker and by the time you work this our you will be sliding off the track.

[brgbrm]

Hi Tim

Some good advice there. I would definitely get some instruction to begin with, they will show things like how to hold steering wheel, meaning of balanced throttle, how to be smooth on controls etc etc. Totally invaluable. Book a session with the track day company in advance, and arrange that the instruction is as early in the day as possible.

It's *great* fun!! I like it so much that I'm moving on from my V6 to an Elise. But having said that, my 2 litre na is just as fast as the v6 in the bends!!

Marc

[brgbrm]

Yes, I'm a bit wimpish like that, too! It's only good manners though, when a much speedier vehicle is behind. It's one of the irritations at the end of the day, getting back on ordinary roads and finding people don't politely pro-actively get out of my way!!

The first time the GF did a session she was so worried about getting in peoples ways she was practically diving off the track at every opprtunity to move over.

[dave1814]

Hi guys, question, whilst we are on the subject of track days, whats the deal with insurance, is it compulsory on the track?

thanks,
Dave

[Jaspa]

Hi guys, question, whilst we are on the subject of track days, whats the deal with insurance, is it compulsory on the track?

thanks,
Dave

Nope, and TBH I don't bother.
You can get trackday insurance for ~£80 for the day. But if something does go wrong, you're looking at a silly excess to claim.

[dave1814]

thanks, thats what i thought.

What would happen if you hit someone else?

Also, say your 2 goes pop and you cant drive it home, how do people go about getting recovery back home? I have RAC cover but im not sure if they would cover a car thats been on a track or not! lol


sorry for the n00b questions but its something id really like to get into!

[Bender Unit]

At a trackday - if you bend it you mend it, if someone bends it for you ... you still mend it.

There is no insurance on track so you are soley responsible for any damage to you car regardless of who is to blame.

I always take a tow rope with me, worst case a mate can drag you home or at least down the road so you can get collected by the AA. To be honest I doubt the AA guy will care unless he is a jobs worth?

Touch wood I havent seen a smack on track thats incapacitated a car yet, only mechanical failures.

On the track day insurance side of things I swear a mate found a place that would do it for £12 a day - will ask him about it again.



Dont worry about asking questions lad, everyones got to start somewhere, go prepared, go at your own pace and just enjoy yourself and you will have a great time.

I always take a bag of tools, a jack, some oil, zip ties, leccy tape and some sealing bandage, a foot pump and a tow rope. Should be able to fix most things in the pits with those bits.

I also take a tarp - lay the tarp out, put the tools and jack etc on the tarp then fold it over and tuck it up under the tools, jack - this way when you out on track if it rains all your bits stay dry. A kiddies pop up play tent works a treat as well.

[dave1814]

thanks a lot for that mate great help.

now all i need to do is sort a car and budget how much this little lots gonna cost me!!!!