How frequent are trackday crashes at Rockingham?

[negev]

Going to rockingham tomorrow, trying to decide whether the insurance is worth it or not.

My car is worth about £2000, insurance is £85 for the day with excess covered, but that means they will only pay out if the damage is over £1000, anything less I'm screwed.

How frequent are crashes at rockingham? It's quite wide track I think with lots of room for error.. I'm thinking I just won't bother..

[V8mate]

Crashes into other drivers? Very rare, I'd say.

Skidding off the track? Well, it's certainly one of the slippiest surfaces of the UK circuits, but there's plenty of run off in most places. Just try and stay off the outer wall!

[negev]

yeah it's definitely other drivers i'm most worried about!

[V8mate]

I don't think I've ever seen two trackday drivers collide. I'm sure it's happened, but it's not a regular event at any circuit.

[jonnyleroux]

V8mate said:

I don't think I've ever seen two trackday drivers collide. I'm sure it's happened, but it's not a regular event at any circuit.

Thankfully exceptionally rare. Vast majority of cases involve at least one race car (driving too close) and I can count on one hand the number of times there's been one completely 100% innocent party (on BaT events).

In other words, if you use your mirrors (get out of the way of quicker cars so they're not up your chuff getting wound up), look a long way ahead for any issues (or potential issues based on observed driving standards) then you simply won't have any issues with other drivers.

Jonny
BaT

[dapearson]

Should be alright. I've only ever seen one crash at rockingham, which was a mate in a caterham who never crashes, but his brakes failed on his way into the first corner (hairpin left off banking). He collected another caterham, who's owner was...erm...not happy. Oddly enough Jonny he was a racer.

Never seen any other contact there though. Plenty of people go straight on at the first corner, and there's deep gravel at all the other places i've seen people go off.

Just take it easy and keep an eye on your mirrors.

p.s. Hopefully it will be dry. Rockingham is as slippery as a greased weasel when it's wet, far worse than Donington. Quali for our races there last year was absolute insanity, never known a surface like it!

Edited by dapearson on Friday 24th May 15:01

[negev]

weather looks good for tomorrow

[nsa]

I've never seen two cars collide on a track day either, not even on You Tube.

[Wh00sher]

dapearson said:

p.s. Hopefully it will be dry. Rockingham is as slippery as a greased weasel when it's wet, far worse than Donington. Quali for our races there last year was absolute insanity, never known a surface like it!

I`m sure it took a great deal of experimentation with various compounds to find one that`s good in the dry and as slippery as Rockingham in the wet

[maxgas]

I have been twice and there has been one crash of a porsche 911 in the infield section, which took out the rear end..

Ouch! Looked expensive.

Second time , no crashes.

So I would say you have a 50 % chance!!

[AWK-53]

nsa said:

I've never seen two cars collide on a track day either, not even on You Tube.

Action day at Castle Combe count? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEYcFAEA1CQ

[Munter]

AWK-53 said:

Action day at Castle Combe count? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CEYcFAEA1CQ

No. They are a unique situation on 5 laps dirt cheap. Very different people and attitudes to a trackday.

[whingebag]

I think Rockinghams worse initially when just starts to rain and then seems to get a little better after a bit - or it could be I'm just adjusting to it.

Saw a car loose it and end up sideways at the top of Cadwell's mountain for the car behind to T-bone. The marshall was speedy with the red flag but it all happened in a flash.

Seen another car spin across the grass at Bedford then shot back across the track between two cars now under yellows. Bloody close.

Insurance is a bugger. Only worth it if you need to make a claim!

[IronFire]

Ha funny thread. Was at Rockingham on Saturday and it was a mess. I think we had five red flags before lunch. One included a Caterham t-boning a track prepped Saxo. Saxo looked like a write off although the front of the Caterham looked better.

I will ask in future if the Caterham academy lot are going to be turning up at future track days. Way too much wasted time with cars being hauled out of the grass and near misses with their interpretation of 'over taking on straights only'. Three line a stern coming through on my inside on Pif Paf is great when your all racing and can take your car home on a trailer. Not so great when you need to drive it back down the M1 to get home.

[negev]

Yeah that Saxo looked mashed, the owner did not look happy! My mate wandering around his car grinning and taking photos probably didn't help much either lol :/

Those caterhams really were quite aggressive, whenever we saw one coming we pulled right and slowed down to let them past.

This is me driving:

http://youtu.be/Ol_zwEsZ_CA
http://youtu.be/6H1HepyzdNg

And my mate Proge:

http://youtu.be/hZQEkRqhPjA
http://youtu.be/1QLuaIq-9cA

[dapearson]

hmmm. Yes i can imagine some of the academy lads being quite racey. There's a time and place for proper racing, and trackdays aren't it. Nothing to be gained. They're new to it though and are no doubt just comparing penis size...

[dapearson]

p.s. handleld cameras will land you in trouble on trackdays. Get a proper mount.

[V8mate]

I wish they'd bring back the International Long for trackdays; makes Pif Paf such a lovely high speed section.

[Munter]

dapearson said:

p.s. handleld cameras will land you in trouble on trackdays. Get a proper mount.

Racers testing. Hand held camera.

Who was "running" this day?

[Zumbruk]

IronFire said:

I will ask in future if the Caterham academy lot are going to be turning up at future track days. Way too much wasted time with cars being hauled out of the grass and near misses with their interpretation of 'over taking on straights only'.

Last year & the year before I shared a sprint at Lydden Hill with the Academy guys, and both times they all got dragged off at lunch time for a "shouting at" by the Clerk of the Course for holding the proceedings up because of multiple crashes due to talent failure/over-enthusiasm. So it isn't just track days ...