Should I take my car on a track day?
Discussion
Hello PHers
I have an RX7 which I am itching to take on the track later on in the year (or possibly next year) but I have mixed feelings on whether I should or should not.
My car is in good mechanical condition with low mileage but I am scared that the stress caused by the track day will take its toll on the car and I don't want to be left with large repair bills.
Anyone here with an older and infamously unreliable car done the same and had any major problems, or was there no issues during the day at all?
I have an RX7 which I am itching to take on the track later on in the year (or possibly next year) but I have mixed feelings on whether I should or should not.
My car is in good mechanical condition with low mileage but I am scared that the stress caused by the track day will take its toll on the car and I don't want to be left with large repair bills.
Anyone here with an older and infamously unreliable car done the same and had any major problems, or was there no issues during the day at all?
I would.
You can get to know your car far better than you ever could on the road.
But don't be under the impression that trackdays are cheap. It'll cost you in tyres, brake pads and petrol at the very least - in addition to the cost of the day itself. Any other sort of failure just has to be dealt with. Just take your time and don't try and be a hero on your first day, build up slowly and you shouldn't have any problems.
You can get to know your car far better than you ever could on the road.
But don't be under the impression that trackdays are cheap. It'll cost you in tyres, brake pads and petrol at the very least - in addition to the cost of the day itself. Any other sort of failure just has to be dealt with. Just take your time and don't try and be a hero on your first day, build up slowly and you shouldn't have any problems.
On the one hand your car can be put under far more stresses than on the road - long periods of WOT, heavy braking, fast cornering.
On the other hand, it really is up to the driver how fast / hard you want to push.
My advice would be to book a local novice half day / evening event. Start real slow, then build up.
Basically just treat the track as if it were a nice b-road where you know nothing is coming the other way and enjoy it.
My only watch out would be that wearing a helmet reduces your senses a bit and I found dulled my ability at first to 'feel' what the the car was telling me - couple this to the excitement of being on track for the first time and it's easy to bang into the rev limiter or lock a wheel under braking.
Again my best advice would be - start real slow, then build up as you and the car find your comfort levels.
And have fun! I still sleep like a cat on a hot tin roof the night before a track day!
On the other hand, it really is up to the driver how fast / hard you want to push.
My advice would be to book a local novice half day / evening event. Start real slow, then build up.
Basically just treat the track as if it were a nice b-road where you know nothing is coming the other way and enjoy it.
My only watch out would be that wearing a helmet reduces your senses a bit and I found dulled my ability at first to 'feel' what the the car was telling me - couple this to the excitement of being on track for the first time and it's easy to bang into the rev limiter or lock a wheel under braking.
Again my best advice would be - start real slow, then build up as you and the car find your comfort levels.
And have fun! I still sleep like a cat on a hot tin roof the night before a track day!
In the past I have done the following:
Bought a 2 yr old 997, did a trackday the next weekend in torrential rain.
Bought an 18 yr old MX-5 for £850, did a trackday three weeks later with zero prep on the car.
On both occasions, both me and the cars survived intact.
You can have the world's best prepped car, and still spring a leak on the first lap. You can have the biggest heap of junk in the world, but it'll stay together forever. Trackdays are too much fun to spend time worrying about what could break, as long as you've checked the basics then that's all you can do really.
JFDI.
Bought a 2 yr old 997, did a trackday the next weekend in torrential rain.
Bought an 18 yr old MX-5 for £850, did a trackday three weeks later with zero prep on the car.
On both occasions, both me and the cars survived intact.
You can have the world's best prepped car, and still spring a leak on the first lap. You can have the biggest heap of junk in the world, but it'll stay together forever. Trackdays are too much fun to spend time worrying about what could break, as long as you've checked the basics then that's all you can do really.
JFDI.
I brought my daughter up well.
When she was in Bath uni I would pick her up and take her to Castle Combe and we would charge round in my Dolly Sprint, moving on she first used her Cavalier SRI red top with no probs then a Saab turbo which she did not like her Nissan 200NX blew, her Toyota Celica, VVT blew, her Subaru WRX 350bhp was fun and her Mazda RX8 was not much fun she now races her Porsche Boxster and also track days it and its fun and successfull just like her!
OP dont be a wuss just do it! its addictive I did my last one on mon this week at Thruxton and I am nearly a pensioner.
When she was in Bath uni I would pick her up and take her to Castle Combe and we would charge round in my Dolly Sprint, moving on she first used her Cavalier SRI red top with no probs then a Saab turbo which she did not like her Nissan 200NX blew, her Toyota Celica, VVT blew, her Subaru WRX 350bhp was fun and her Mazda RX8 was not much fun she now races her Porsche Boxster and also track days it and its fun and successfull just like her!
OP dont be a wuss just do it! its addictive I did my last one on mon this week at Thruxton and I am nearly a pensioner.
Can you afford to fix it if it breaks?
Can you get it home if it breaks?
Can you manage without it while you fix it?
A track day will put more stress on the suspension, wheel bearings and tyres, but providing they are in goodcondition this just causes sone extra wear. I normally allow one track mile is equal to say five road miles.
If you use full throttle on the road without it going bang then it should not on track, the proviso is - keep an eye on your temp gauge and don't overheat the engine. Allow a couple of cooling off laps before coming back into the pits.
Check the oil level between runs and for any coolant loss, check the condition and pressure of your tyres also.
ENJOY
Can you get it home if it breaks?
Can you manage without it while you fix it?
A track day will put more stress on the suspension, wheel bearings and tyres, but providing they are in goodcondition this just causes sone extra wear. I normally allow one track mile is equal to say five road miles.
If you use full throttle on the road without it going bang then it should not on track, the proviso is - keep an eye on your temp gauge and don't overheat the engine. Allow a couple of cooling off laps before coming back into the pits.
Check the oil level between runs and for any coolant loss, check the condition and pressure of your tyres also.
ENJOY
phazed said:
As your in Essex, how about an evening session on Brands Indie circuit, usually about £100.
It's not as boring as it looks on the telly - you climb out of the pits, fall off the cliff that is paddock hill bend, plunge down, then up hill to Druids, plunge down again, and at the end of the lap you have a good long straight to get up some speed, take a breath and check the dials. The telly makes it look nearly flat - it is far from flat..Apart from the geography, there aren't too many bends to remember, and you can learn the lines and watch yourself progress.
QBee said:
phazed said:
As your in Essex, how about an evening session on Brands Indie circuit, usually about £100.
It's not as boring as it looks on the telly - you climb out of the pits, fall off the cliff that is paddock hill bend, plunge down, then up hill to Druids, plunge down again, and at the end of the lap you have a good long straight to get up some speed, take a breath and check the dials. The telly makes it look nearly flat - it is far from flat..OP - You can choose your pace on a track day. I've never had major issues, mostly because I have to drive it back home so keep within mine and the car's limits.
bicycleshorts said:
Alongside Donny, Brands is one of the tracks in the UK I really want to do at some point. Sadly a bit of a travel from Edinburgh (Cadwell was bad enough)!
OP - You can choose your pace on a track day. I've never had major issues, mostly because I have to drive it back home so keep within mine and the car's limits.
Funny that - Knockhill really appeals to me in my less armco-phobic moments, but the travelling would be a killer. OP - You can choose your pace on a track day. I've never had major issues, mostly because I have to drive it back home so keep within mine and the car's limits.
You are right about going your own speed. Can't remember if anyone has said yet, but track days have rules, for everyone's benefit.
Rule 1. We all go in the same direction (I am sometimes the exception to this rule, never intentionally.....!)
Rule 2. We have a few sighting laps at helmet-off speeds first to learn the tack.
Rule 3. Overtaking is only on one side,they tell you which side, and only when the car in front makes it clear he has seen you coming (if overtaking is on the left, the car in front moves right and indicates right)
Rule 4. Overtaking is only permitted on the straights
Rule 5. Anyone seen driving stupidly or dangerously will get a chance to explain themselves before being banned.
Rule 6. Racing is banned
Rule 7. Timing is banned
Rule 8. Drive with a silly grin on your face at all times - its immense fun.
Peter will tell you, he has never seen two cars collide on a track day. It's safer than you would expect.
QBee said:
Thanks for all your comments... I definitely think its something I now want to do asap. I have 2 cars so if something was to go wrong, worst case scenario is it would be stuck on the driveway until I could afford to fix it!Might try an airfield first so there is no barriers to hit!
I don't suppose anyone has been to North Weald or any other airstrip - would I get the same enjoyment out of it?
I have done airfields. Bedford Autodrome, where a number of us are going on Monday, is an ex-airfield. They are fun in a slightly different way. It's not a race circuit, but there are challenging bends, and as you said, very little to hit. My last airfield track day I span the car 4 times, because I could in safety. I was closer to the limit for that reason.
You might still get a booking for Monday if you have the time available. It's an MSV event (Motor Sport Vision). They have good skilled trainers who can teach you the necessary skills.
I am sure there is a PHer or two who have been to North Weald. Seeby for one, he lives about three miles from there.
You might still get a booking for Monday if you have the time available. It's an MSV event (Motor Sport Vision). They have good skilled trainers who can teach you the necessary skills.
I am sure there is a PHer or two who have been to North Weald. Seeby for one, he lives about three miles from there.
Brakes will take a hammering above all else- make sure they are in perfect condition, new hi temp fluid, decent pads etc., or even upgrade them. You can get trackday insurance, but these policies tend to have a high excess (maybe £1K). The biggest difficulty will be choosing a day / circuit avoiing all the wanna-be racers who don't necessarily care about having or causing an accident. One way to reduce the risk might be to find out if any marque or model clubs run solus events, at which you would hope that drivers are like minded and more interested in driving their cars home again than performing demon late braking manoeuvres.
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