track day beginner advice?

[Selton95]

Well as there is nothing to do at all in Leicester me and my best mate thought we'd try and get into doing a few track days a year if possible.

his dad is a mechanic and we both have storage for the car and some accessories.

we both are massive fans of honda and think we'll try to get some form of honda as a track car

just wondering what the basics are such as is there a limit on engine size, how trackday insurance works and whats reasonable if we can even get insured that is.


also any advice is greatly welcomed, thanks.

budget is about 3k if anyone was wondering

[Mobsy]

One of you swap your daily driver for something that can tow.
Get this http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/motorsport/... or something like it.
Spend the balance on a trailer.
Don't bother with insurance just fix it if you bend it or break it and sell the good bits.
Have lots of fun without worrying how you will get home.

[Selton95]

i thought you had to have insurance?

[Mobsy]

No requirement for TD insurance or for an MOT (car has to be in a safe condition though).

[KarlMac]

Mobsy said:

No requirement for TD insurance or for an MOT (car has to be in a safe condition though).

What happens if you hit someone else?

[KarlMac]

Mobsy said:

No requirement for TD insurance or for an MOT (car has to be in a safe condition though).

What happens if you hit someone else?

[Mobsy]

Unless you're a lunatic that shouldn't happen. Overtaking by consent and only on straights, realising it's not a race. Track day organisers are now making it patently clear that as a participant you cannot claim for any damage from another participant, the organiser, the circuit owner or anyone. If anyone doesn't agree to that they don't drive.

Track day insurance will only cover you for damage to your own car and, I think, costs about 10% of the value insured and has a large excess.

Edit: Forgot to say, if you drive like a lunatic you will be quickly black flagged and invited to calm down or go home.

[Herman Toothrot]

I think the best thing is turn up to a smaller airfield day in your daily driver - then decide what you want as you will see other cars and how they perform. It gives you a base and understanding how conventional cars fall down. Put it this way years ago 10 maybe I lived next to a guy who had a Ferrari 360, RX7, Supra and Skyline R33. When I was prepping my car he came out asks what I was doing, told him track day at Castle Combe. He said can I come, I said of course - he gave me the entry money and asked me to book it. Day came and he hired a Nissan Primera from Eurocar, not a gt just a regular bog standard family hire car, had it on 3 wheels for most of the day, car coped fine he had great fun. We all laughed at him but he said why run my cars and have to pay for the brakes & tyres?

Ok highly risky taking a hire car out but write it off would have been cheaper than a bit of panel damage on his Ferrari.

As a beginner you don't need a special car, I've seen people lapping faster than some guys with caterfields with 1990 full trim estate 3 series BMW diesels child seat still strapped in the back.

[andycaca]

Selton95 said:

i thought you had to have insurance?

nope, although it is an option.


http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

my track car now has insurance so i can drive it on the road and have it mapped properly etc.
however, when on track and sprinting i will be removing number plates and tax disc to prevent something like the above link occuring.

also agree about the "no insurance claim against 3rd party" mentioned above, being more rigidly mentioned in the briefing.

Edited by andycaca on Friday 28th February 11:03

[BritishRacinGrin]

KarlMac said:

What happens if you hit someone else?

Kiss and make up in the pitlane. Or fisticuffs. Everybody is responsible for their own damage though, so even if somebody hits your car and damages it you just have to suck it up and get it fixed yourself.

[BritishRacinGrin]

P.S. Are people who were born in 1995 old enough to drive nowadays? Jeez I feel so old.

[upsidedownmark]

andycaca said:

nope, although it is an option.


http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

my track car now has insurance so i can drive it on the road and have it mapped properly etc.
however, when on track and sprinting i will be removing number plates and tax disc to prevent something like the above link occuring.

also agree about the "no insurance claim against 3rd party" mentioned above, being more rigidly mentioned in the briefing.

Edited by andycaca on Friday 28th February 11:03

You can indeed insure your own car, for damage to it. However, unless it's worth significant money it is probably not worthwhile. As stated, you're agreeing to take responsibility for your own damages when signing up. Third party insurance is not available. Frankly it's only common sense - the average joe turning up with their road car can't afford to be picking up the tab for (say) a bent P1; that would price 90% of the market out of the game. If you can afford to bring a P1 to play, great, but your lookout.

The 'loophole' is that technically, you cannot sign away negligence. If you do something outright bone headed and kill someone, a signature on a bit of paper is not going to save you. Simple really, don't be stupid! That doesn't mean if you have an accident you will get screwed, it means you have to be demonstrably negligent. Same applies elsewhere in life.

The case referenced above arguably never should have happened, has lead to a tightening up of terms, and (broadly) it seems to be the opinion of those in the know that, had it been properly defended, rather than self defended, should/would have been thrown out.

However, taking the plates / tax disc off is a) not exactly grown up, and b) is not going to protect you a damn. You can still be identified. Stand by your actions and your driving - doesn't mean you have to be like miss daisy, just be a bit sensible when you need to be, and cut loose when you don't.

[Cavey]

Track day insurance is typically 1% of the value of the car for the day. Some insurers will give you cover for a few days as part on an annual policy as long as its a recognised track and organiser, and you have to notify the insurer.

I had a go in a bog standard Civic Type R (2nd Gen) at a track day a couple of years ago. Was very impressed by the steering and grip levels, and the mechanicals as always with Honda felt very solid. You could certainly have a lot of track fun in one, and on a reasonably sensible budget.

[Selton95]

thanks all, we were going to look at a type r, but wasnt sure if we would be able to use it as we're both 19. Was also looking at things such as a astra sri or gsi but wasnt sure whether or not to go for it. another option we was looking at was a nova saloon conversion to use but thought it'd be expensive and not as track worthy

[Craikeybaby]

It is a bit of a PH stereo type, but have you considered an MX-5?

[andycaca]

Selton95 said:

thanks all, we were going to look at a type r, but wasnt sure if we would be able to use it as we're both 19. Was also looking at things such as a astra sri or gsi but wasnt sure whether or not to go for it. another option we was looking at was a nova saloon conversion to use but thought it'd be expensive and not as track worthy

assuming you are able to get the car delivered to the circuit (towcar and trailer),a type-r will make a fantastic relatively cheap and excellent fun car. i cannot under emphasise how much nicer and easier it is being able to use a trailer to transport a track car.

being trackday only, you wont need to worry about MOT, insurance or practicality so you can strip it to the bone, chuck sticky tyres on it and have an absolute blast.

to reply to upsidedownmark (been there myself, oops!), my track car only ever sees the road when driving from garage to workshop (half mile, max) and on the odd occasions it is being mapped. otherwise it lives on a trailer behind a dirty great transit van. i get where youre coming from if i were a spotty yoof trying to my clever with my "road" car insurance but i would like to hope my track driving sense wont end up with an incident as in the previous link (a good friend of mine, as it happens).


there are loads of threads in this forum regardinng "my first trackday, what to expect" so i wont reiterate them here. go read, and if you have any questions ask away. just know that you will have a great time and if you need assistance during the day you are highly likely to find it from your fellow trackdayees.

[mad4amanda]

You dont need a track bred monster to have fun on a track day especially at first, I have seen everything on track from a standard punto with wheel trims to an aygo again completely standard, both drivers however did the sensible thing of booking some mid morning instruction and by the end of the day were running well and embarrassing several big egos in so called sportscars in the twisty bits .
You may need to consider how you get it to the track as unless you take a trailer test your licence wont allow you to tow a car on a trailer , so then you need to buy a car that you can drive to and from the circuit and therefore insure tax and mot.
I would start by doing a novice day in your road car and go from thereor if funds allow hire a car for the day companies like Book A Track do caterham hire or MSVT do track days where you have the use of a Peugeot GTI or RCZ and an instructor for the day 121, MSVT charge from about £600 all inclusive ( trackday, hire , instructor, helmet). Not sure what BAT charge.
Personally I would go for a track rather than an airfield as at the end of the day you want to be able to say to your mates I have driven at Brands Hatch or wherever and when you see the BTCC on TV you might get a better idea from the in car stuff .
I did some airfield days many years ago and found them to be desolate and for the most part boring (flat),lacking in facilities ( shelter toilets and a cafe) and very abrasive and wearing on tyres (hidden cost) yes you couldn't hit much apart from cones and straw bales but if you do try and go flat out at once and drive to the conditions and your ability you shouldn't hit anything on a proper track even though they have armco and gravel.

Just seen your location, Donnington would be the closest decent track with character in my opinion or do a road trip to Brands, Cadwell or Oulton , I have never found Silverstone or Rockingham that good to visit.

Edited by mad4amanda on Friday 28th February 13:47

[Selton95]

my friends farther has traders insurance so could drive it or tow it anyway, i think im really looking forward to trying it

[Terzo204]

For a 3k budget a trailer is not an option and a well maintained honda can be driven to the track and back without any issues. You need to ensure you have plenty of pads and tread though.

Donny is a great track. A challenge, but a great track

[Mobsy]

Trailer : http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/big-stuff/t... £1575
Car : http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/motorsport/... £1495

Total : £3070