Driving on a Track
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Discussion

The_Burg

Original Poster:

4,853 posts

237 months

Monday 19th August 2013
quotequote all
Kind of fancy driving on a track, though i imagine a track day to be full of folk going flat out in all sorts of cars.

Not looking to race or even go 10 10ths. Just a lot faster than the road without wrecking my car or destroying a set of tyres in a day. More like finding where the limits are without spinning out in front of another car etc. Possibly with the wife having a play too.

Rockingham is nearest. Is there anything like that? Yes i looked on website.

ewenm

28,506 posts

268 months

Monday 19th August 2013
quotequote all
Maybe start with an airfield day rather than a track day - fewer hard things to hit if you get it very wrong! There's a website called UK trackdays or something similar that lists lots of options.

Matt UK

18,080 posts

223 months

Monday 19th August 2013
quotequote all
My first trackday was a 'New to track days' novice day session at Brands, I think it was MSV.

It was good - everything was laid out simply, we were all in the same boat, the driving on track was steady and respectful as we all novices.

I think they run these sessions fro just am/pm/evening if a whole day is too much.

Warn your bank balance though as you are on a slippery slope - you'll return home, put the car in the garage, reflect on your day over a cuppa, and then fire up the laptop and book another track day that evening!!

bstark

204 posts

156 months

Monday 19th August 2013
quotequote all
Or do a 'race' experience with MSV or someone similar if 'being on track' is what you fancy.

It's a controlled environment, it's someone else's car, and you get some instruction. If you like it and find it frustratingly slow then move up to a track day.

SystemParanoia

14,343 posts

221 months

Monday 19th August 2013
quotequote all
how about a sprint

http://www.curborough.co.uk/

WS14 9PA

not far from you either smile

driverrob

4,832 posts

226 months

Monday 19th August 2013
quotequote all
Matt UK said:
My first trackday was a 'New to track days' novice day session at Brands, I think it was MSV.

It was good - everything was laid out simply, we were all in the same boat, the driving on track was steady and respectful as we all novices.

I think they run these sessions fro just am/pm/evening if a whole day is too much.

Warn your bank balance though as you are on a slippery slope - you'll return home, put the car in the garage, reflect on your day over a cuppa, and then fire up the laptop and book another track day that evening!!
+1 to all that.

They have very strict rules on these novice days so you can concentrate on learning how your car behaves and how you cope at high (cornering speeds) without the risk of being wiped out by some ego-chasing knob.

The_Burg

Original Poster:

4,853 posts

237 months

Monday 19th August 2013
quotequote all
driverrob said:
Matt UK said:
My first trackday was a 'New to track days' novice day session at Brands, I think it was MSV.

It was good - everything was laid out simply, we were all in the same boat, the driving on track was steady and respectful as we all novices.

I think they run these sessions fro just am/pm/evening if a whole day is too much.

Warn your bank balance though as you are on a slippery slope - you'll return home, put the car in the garage, reflect on your day over a cuppa, and then fire up the laptop and book another track day that evening!!
+1 to all that.

They have very strict rules on these novice days so you can concentrate on learning how your car behaves and how you cope at high (cornering speeds) without the risk of being wiped out by some ego-chasing knob.
New to track day sounds the sort of thing. Brands is a bit far. Car needs to make it home as it is a daily driver too.

Clark3y

132 posts

161 months

Monday 19th August 2013
quotequote all
To be fair, there are pretty few ego-chasing knobs in the trackday scene that I have seen.

Matt UK

18,080 posts

223 months

Monday 19th August 2013
quotequote all
The_Burg said:
driverrob said:
Matt UK said:
My first trackday was a 'New to track days' novice day session at Brands, I think it was MSV.

It was good - everything was laid out simply, we were all in the same boat, the driving on track was steady and respectful as we all novices.

I think they run these sessions fro just am/pm/evening if a whole day is too much.

Warn your bank balance though as you are on a slippery slope - you'll return home, put the car in the garage, reflect on your day over a cuppa, and then fire up the laptop and book another track day that evening!!
+1 to all that.

They have very strict rules on these novice days so you can concentrate on learning how your car behaves and how you cope at high (cornering speeds) without the risk of being wiped out by some ego-chasing knob.
New to track day sounds the sort of thing. Brands is a bit far. Car needs to make it home as it is a daily driver too.
Have a look here:
http://www.msvtrackdays.com/car-home/novice-only.a...

Your car should get you home - just remember that it's only driven as hard as you want to drive it.

Personally I like to think of a race track as a one-way b-road and prefer to get lines / braking / steering smooth as possible without driving it like my tails on fire. You do come across the odd one that seems determined to drive every session at 11/10ths, but they are pretty easy to spot and wave on past you.

The_Burg

Original Poster:

4,853 posts

237 months

Tuesday 20th August 2013
quotequote all
Looks like we could do 20m session at Rockingham for £30 ish. Doesn't sound long but from my experience MX sessions it's probably enough for a trial. Hopefully my MG Trophy can survive it. Wouldn't put daily driver MGF VVC through it and suspect it may kill it.

AMST09

570 posts

203 months

Tuesday 20th August 2013
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Just done my first track day at rockingham and was brilliant, everyone was great

you do come away thinking just need to alter this and it will be much better so going to cost you more,

You shouldnt get any where near using a set of tyres up!

mark944gold

128 posts

185 months

Wednesday 21st August 2013
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I would suggest the 20 min session at Rockingham would be ideal for you as a cheap first experience, I did one a while back when I changed cars just to see how it behaved on the track before a full track day and found there was only about 12 cars on the track which meant lots of room to experiment without getting in other cars ways. Best bet is to call Will at Rockingham and talk to him about it. As an additional bonus If you the book a full track day at Rockingham they will knock £30 of the price.

QBee

22,106 posts

167 months

Tuesday 27th August 2013
quotequote all
Do try a half day or evening at Bedford Autodrome, just off the A6 north of Bedford. MSV own and run it ( they also own Brands, Oulton, Cadwell, Snetterton) are professional and well organised. It's an old airfield, an interesting circuit and very little to hit. I span harmlessly twice last time out. An Exige did a whopper spin at around 100 mph, half tarmac, half grass, still didn't hit anything. I did 187 miles on track tyres and didn't wear them much, as it is good surface. It has proper pits and loads of space.