Tack days

Author
Discussion

20bjames

Original Poster:

39 posts

146 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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Hi all I am very keen about getting into track days I am a wheelchair user and drive with hand controlls I have a car I would use for on the track do I need to get a racing license any information would be much appreciated

AdiT

1,025 posts

157 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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No you only need a valid driving licence.

joe_90

4,206 posts

231 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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As above, but I recommend to anyone, get some tuition first time out, it only costs abou £30 and will make the day far more fun.

shim

2,050 posts

208 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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SMG car and good race seat would be obviously beneficial.

Quite high percentage of M3 CSL owners have been disabled or with limb issues and I have done many a trackday with them at full pace. Seen all types of conversions for hand controls

AdiT

1,025 posts

157 months

Tuesday 24th February 2015
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I've got a mate who drove at a lot of track days in his bike engined MK Indy with hand controls. He's sold it now and is building another quicker one.

hufggfg

654 posts

193 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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Hi James,

As everyone has said here, hand controls should pose absolutely no problems at all with regards to doing a track day and you certainly don't need a race licence for track days, just a normal road licence.

Instruction is absolutely key (for anyone starting out doing trackdays), and this is somewhere you might find it beneficial to find an instructor who has experience with instructing on hand controls, I have no idea, but there may be some things you do slightly differently, as accelerating/braking while cornering might be slightly more difficult. You could either speak to the Track Day Organiser about whether they have any instructors with that experience, or you could hire your own instructor for a full day (this can be done at a surprisingly reasonable cost if you book it directly with them, rather than pay the TDO for instruction) that way you can talk to them beforehand.

If you ever did want to go down the racing route, the MSA are actually incredibly helpful with trying to provide for any disabilities which budding racers may have. There are whole sections of the rule book which deal with disabled drivers and make allowances for necessary vehicle modifications.

So what's the car you're thinking of using?

drakart

1,735 posts

210 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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My girlfriend is a wheelchair user but tracks her GT3 all the time and will be racing this year too. Happy to have you along for a day to show you what's what and how track days work.

I'll DM you.
Andrew

20bjames

Original Poster:

39 posts

146 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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Thanks for all giving me some good info I will try find a track around york area and get started

andyiley

9,219 posts

152 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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Elvington is the closest to York, followed by Blyton (near Gainsboro, Lincolnshire) and Croft (near Northallerton) Of those for a starter I would recommend Blyton over Elvington, both of which are ex-airfields.

AdiT

1,025 posts

157 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
quotequote all
andyiley said:
Elvington is the closest to York, followed by Blyton (near Gainsboro, Lincolnshire) and Croft (near Northallerton) Of those for a starter I would recommend Blyton over Elvington, both of which are ex-airfields.
Got to agree Blyton is perfect for a first track day. It might be an ex-airfield but they've laid a circuit on top rather than just laid out a course with cones. Not a lot to hit either.

andyiley

9,219 posts

152 months

Wednesday 25th February 2015
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AdiT said:
andyiley said:
Elvington is the closest to York, followed by Blyton (near Gainsboro, Lincolnshire) and Croft (near Northallerton) Of those for a starter I would recommend Blyton over Elvington, both of which are ex-airfields.
Got to agree Blyton is perfect for a first track day. It might be an ex-airfield but they've laid a circuit on top rather than just laid out a course with cones. Not a lot to hit either.
Also Elvington is RIDICULOUSLY hard on tyres, I went through a full brand new pair of rears on my first & last visit.

mgv8dave

826 posts

213 months

Thursday 26th February 2015
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To the OP.
You can do a track day as long as you have a road licence, no matter that you are in a wheel chair or not.
All you have to do on the day itself is inform the TDO who will make sure that the safety crew / medics at the circuit are aware of your situation so that if there a issue on track they can attend to your needs.
As for getting tuition it is money well spent, spend £100 on tuition and you will feel the benefit. spend £100 on modifications and you more than likely won't benefit much at all.
Tuition is the best thing to spend money on and will help you in more ways than just going faster.

The main thing with a "Track Day" is to have fun and drive home, which I am sure you will as once bitten it is all down hill from there.

QBee

20,980 posts

144 months

Thursday 26th February 2015
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Couple of points:

As already said, you just need a valid driving licence.......BUT you MUST have it with you. They normally only need the photocard, but take both parts to be safe.

The other thing you must have is a crash helmet, but you can usually hire one at the circuit.

Have fun and take plenty of breaks - you and the car will both need them.