Track Day Noob

[t4thomas]

A track day newbie has some questions:

1. What's the best way to get started in the South East?
2. Is it possible to get driver instruction in your own car?
3. What upgrades should be considered at a minimum?
4. What's the deal with insurance?

[gruffalo]

Car: quality brake pads and fluid along with a good check up on hoses, fluids and general condition tyres no more than half worn.

Snetterton is a good circuit to learn no with a good mix of corners.

Book 1-2-1 instructor for the day, you will learn so much it is incredible.

[QBee]

Insurance: depends on the car. Some classic policies include track day cover, so for example my 16 year old TVR is covered. You can also get cover one event at a time, but it's expensive that way.

Track day insurance will only cover your own car, and only for 90% of the value.
But it is understood that you cannot claim off anyone else, even if it's their fault. Road rules do not apply.
So nobody can claim off you either.

You would be unlucky to sustain any damage.
I have done over 30 track days without any, but it does happen, both from own error and from other people's.
And sometimes from car failure. I lost my brakes at 120 mph on my last one, more luck than judgement that I didn't hit anything or any other car.

You take your car on track at your own risk.

[Steve H]

As above really, you don't say what car you would be in but making sure the brakes and tyres are just up to a decent standard is important, everything else would generally be fine on most cars for your first day on track.

Brands may be local to you but I'd agree that Snetterton is a better bet - it's a longer track and will tend to feel less busy. Other alternatives mostly involve coming up to the midlands, Donington, Silverstone and Rockingham are all decent alternatives if within sensible range.

No doubt someone will suggest Bedford some time soon as the only place a novice should go to . Yes, it's got lots of runoff which is great if you think crashing is essential but it is also quite hard to learn compared to other circuits and doesn't encourage accurate driving or consistent lines IMO.

Instruction should be made available by the event organiser, you can book 20 minute sessions for a bit of basic guidance to get you settled in or longer sessions if you prefer or you can get an instructor with you for the whole day. Each route has different advantages (and costs!) but if you are on a budget just get one session with the staff instructor booked for mid-morning and ideally another for early afternoon - you'll be amazed how much difference it will make.

If you haven't been to a trackday before as a spectator it would be worth going along to one to see how it all works, there will be plenty of people there to talk to and you'll get a much better idea of what you'll be getting up to when you go along to drive.

[Jim1985]

I did Oulton Park as my first day in an entire road spec Impreza, granted it had Brembos and decent pads etc. You can book tuition but book in advance, try not to follow other car's lines - they may not know what they're doing either!
Also, dont put your handbrake on when you come in - could be an old wive's tale but thats how you set your pads on fire apparently.

[QBee]

.....or warp your disks

[Altrezia]

South easy? Brands hatch, or possibly Silverstone/Combe depending on how far you want to drive.

Just go along and take it easy. Make sure the car is in good mechanical condition, but I would say don't bother doing any modifications until you know you like trackdays and want to do more. A normal standard car can do at least a few laps at a time without failing. Just take it at your own pace and enjoy it

[t4thomas]

Hi All,

Thanks for all your comments and sorry for the slow response!

I have a series 1 Peugeot 106 Rallye 1.3 8V.

As you've suggested, I am going to start off by getting some basic brake upgrades - probably Mintex 1144 pads/discs and some road/track brake fluid.

I found out that MSV run a general track evening at Brands, so I may get myself booked on that later this month; Brands is less than 30 minutes away from me and will hopefully be quieter on an evening session.

Assuming things go well, I'll give modifications and a trip to Snetterton some more serious thought.

Thomas

Edited by t4thomas on Thursday 31st March 22:07

[CABC]

t4thomas said:

Hi All,

Thanks for all your comments and sorry for the slow response!

I have a series 1 Peugeot 106 Rallye 1.3 8V.

As you've suggested, I am going to start off by getting some basic brake upgrades - probably Mintex 1144 pads/discs and some road/track brake fluid.

I found out that MSV run a general track evening at Brands, so I may get myself booked on that later this month; Brands is less than 30 minutes away from me and will hopefully be quieter on an evening session.

Assuming things go well, I'll give modifications and a trip to Snetterton some more serious thought.

Thomas

Edited by t4thomas on Thursday 31st March 22:07

evenings and w/ends tend to be busier and more chaotic, so beware. Avoid the early rush and it'll ease off second half of the evening though.
While some say Bedford, i say Combe is good too. not as bad as its reputation suggests if you build up speed progressively.
Snett excellent.

[Neil - YVM]

t4thomas said:

Hi All,

Thanks for all your comments and sorry for the slow response!

I have a series 1 Peugeot 106 Rallye 1.3 8V.

As you've suggested, I am going to start off by getting some basic brake upgrades - probably Mintex 1144 pads/discs and some road/track brake fluid.

I found out that MSV run a general track evening at Brands, so I may get myself booked on that later this month; Brands is less than 30 minutes away from me and will hopefully be quieter on an evening session.

Assuming things go well, I'll give modifications and a trip to Snetterton some more serious thought.

Thomas

Edited by t4thomas on Thursday 31st March 22:07

Evening sessions at brands tend to be crazy busy, so you que for ages to get out on track.

Better bet is , as others have suggested Snetterton.

[QBee]

I'd go along first to watch a track day. Register for passenger rides (costs £5-10), hire or take a helmet, wander around, explain why you are there, introduce yourself to people, and ask for passenger rides. You don't need to be there all day, perhaps just from 9.30 to 12.30.

Next, book on and go to a full day novice track day. It may well be in sessions, allowing you to be with people with similar experience/cars. A full day allows you time to get used to things and not be rushed. Take some instruction fairly early in the day. Well worth it.

I would avoid evening sessions initially - everyone is very aware how little track time they have, and therefore go hell for leather to make good use of the time. You could well feel overwhelmed as a novice in a lower powered car, living your track life through the rear view mirror.

[t4thomas]

Ok, thanks for the comments re: evening days!

I'll go along as a spectator at Brands one evening soon and then try and get myself booked in for Snetterton.

[QBee]

http://www.msvtrackdays.com/car/calendar/2016/apri...

There's a novice only day at Snetterton on 24th April.........

[Steve H]

Novice days. An opportunity to go on track with a group of equally inexperienced drivers .

I'm not a fan .

[QBee]

I agree, but the alternative is being out on track with cars that are travelling a great deal faster, and numbers on track and speed differential are a problem for the novice.
Like you, I can spot the novices and make allowances, but from their perspective, constantly having to let faster cars past can thoroughly disrupt their own progress.
MSV do say that they book fewer cars on novice days, so that the track is quieter.

[BobToc]

I did my first track day at an MSV novice session at Snetterton. Actually didn't do that much driving (maybe 4 sessions of 15 mins, one with an instructor). It was excellent and would definitely recommend it.