Keevil Track Day - a few general questions

[Alf Essex]

I have decided that Simon's (21TVR) Tuscan track day at Keevil is an opportunity too good to miss

Being a track day virgin I have a couple of questions. I know that previous threads have covered track day questions so these are more general questions;

1) I have bought my own crash helmet but do most people take their own racing overalls? Just that I read that you need to be fully covered (arms/legs) and wanted to know what most people feel comfortable wearing. Is it better to invest in overalls if going to do a number of track days, I certainly don't want to turn up with some and end up looking a numpty lol

2) Clearly there will be tyre wear and as I am taking my car to Silverstone the following weekend for the F1 I just want to know how much wear could I expect (if driving correctly & being a novice)...my tyres are new as only had car from new since 1st March. I don't want to be in a position that I've worn out the tyres and can't get new ones in time for the GP. I guess this goes for break pads also. Any views?

3) How much extra Fuel should I take - standard 5 gallon petrol container ok?

4) I currently drive with tyre pressures at: Back - 24.5 Front 22 (I think)...if I need to increase them for the track....what is the normal setting??

Thats it for now....

Alan.

[ehasler]

Alan,

I always wear my race overalls, gloves and boots on track days as I have them anyway and I may as well be as safe as possible. If the worst does happen, they won't do much good sitting in my wardrobe at home!

Not sure about tyre pressures to be honest, but they will go up anyway due to the increase in temperature (for example my Westfield is set to 16psi cold, which rises to 21psi when hot). I don't know what the optimum track pressures are for a Tuscan, but I'll try to remember to ask at Castle when I pick my car up on Saturday.

I've got a spare 20l jerry can which I can bring along in case you need more fuel.

[Alf Essex]

Tks for that Ed.

See you Sunday.

Alan.

[andyvdg]

Yes you must wear all your overalls, gloves, boots, nomex fire suit, fluid bottle and tear off visors just because it'll make you the fastest person on the track.

My tyre wear isn't too bad on my SO2s - 2-3mm say over a day. I pumped them up by 5 psi - to 26, 28.

Brake pads - you'll wear these more quickly if you are the last the late breakers and do that when they are hot (pads wear a lot more quickly when they get too hot - you'll also lose the plastic hub covers.) I'm not and have just had the rears replaced at 14000 miles (front's half worn).

Cheers,

Andy.

P.S. I will just bring my helmet, gloves (sweaty hands), boots (feel for pedals).

[21tvr]

I have decided that Simon's (21TVR) Tuscan track day at Keevil is an opportunity too good to miss

Being a track day virgin I have a couple of questions. I know that previous threads have covered track day questions so these are more general questions;

1) I have bought my own crash helmet but do most people take their own racing overalls? Just that I read that you need to be fully covered (arms/legs) and wanted to know what most people feel comfortable wearing. Is it better to invest in overalls if going to do a number of track days, I certainly don't want to turn up with some and end up looking a numpty lol

2) Clearly there will be tyre wear and as I am taking my car to Silverstone the following weekend for the F1 I just want to know how much wear could I expect (if driving correctly & being a novice)...my tyres are new as only had car from new since 1st March. I don't want to be in a position that I've worn out the tyres and can't get new ones in time for the GP. I guess this goes for break pads also. Any views?

3) How much extra Fuel should I take - standard 5 gallon petrol container ok?

4) I currently drive with tyre pressures at: Back - 24.5 Front 22 (I think)...if I need to increase them for the track....what is the normal setting??

Thats it for now....

Alan.

1) You don't need track pyjamas - ok if your a old hand you can swagger about in them and then go happily sideways round all the corners, but when your noticeably taking the wrong line on corners it might just fall into the numpty section - having said that nobody will care or mention it, your not on test, ever in my limited experience, there is no clique, especially at Motorsport Event's do's
That's what I like about them, you can be parked next to 170k Ferrari and a Peugeot 206 - nobody asks what you do for a living or how long you've been doing track days - no baggage, great!
I just wear a shirt that i'm comfortable in - JC if the car catches fire it's all gone horribly wrong somewhere else anyway! head for the grass in a straight line and get out!

2) You will get tyre wear, well at least you will if you start doing it right and pushing yourself (which after all is what it's about!) I did about four Airfield days on the one set of already worn S02's which came with my pre-enjoyed Tusk. The corners of the tyres mainly go but it's not the end of the world!
I put a brand new set of Toyos on and promptly went out the next day and practised lift-off oversteer with the back squallying away on very abrasive tarmac at Enstone (sic)
But although I kept peering at them grey faced, they seemed to stand up and when I got home I measured the tread (a bit anal I know) and had only lost 2mm

Brake pads will be fine but will be worn down big time. The hotter they get the more the material will come off, you could fit a harder compound but then there's no need at this stage in your racing career!The thing to do is to go out on circuit for four or five laps and then come in and let everything cool down while you have a coffee and think about it. It is possible to get through a set of pads in one day but i think you won't unless you really are travelling! So maybe a quarter or half your pad ?

3) Fuel. I have easily gone thru a tank and a half, the fuel economy gauge just steams up and the needle drops off! I take two Jerry cans with me and often use them and then drive home on the half tank left! Fuel is more difficult at Keevil because the nearest 98RON is a long way away. Again it depends on how vigourous you are with the right hand pedal. I think you'll only use a tank-full

4) Tyre pressures are a tricky one. You are meant to increase the pressure so as to sort out the tyre profile better, but i have increased the pressure to that stated in the handbook and found the car a bit lively!! So I kept reducing it. I run on the road pressure now because that is what I want to learn. Just bring a pressure gauge with you and check them before you start - make sure they are all at the right pressure (what ever that is!?!)

These aren't hard and fast figures, everybody drives differently and will brake and accelrate at different points.

It is very addictive though!!!

hope this helps

Simon

[Alf Essex]

Yep cheers Simon it does. I just didn't want to get in the position where I can't take the car to Silverstone the following weekend because I had worn tyres & pads, sounds as though this won't be the case for 1 track day (I am a novice after all!)

Alan.