Donington, donuts and dope
Discussion
Did anyone else get the email from Opentrack re Donington? Sounds like quite a night:
“After taking this morning to consider my email I thought I would drop you all a line regarding last night at Donington Park, and also in general the attitude of some drivers towards other drivers on track and the Opentrack staff.
This email is being done without the aid of Ai so it may be blunt and contain spelling mistakes in parts but I am sure you will all see my point.
Track days are fun, they have been and always will be a fun way to explore your limits and that of your car, no one is standing in the pits looking for the next Lewis Hamilton trust me I would of been spotted years ago as everyone knows a Vito van is always the fastest vehicle.
Joking aside last night and indeed some other past evenings at Donington have seen some truly shocking behaviour both on track and in the paddock area.
We have had people doing Doughnuts in the pit lane ... Yes thats right Doughnuts in the pit lane at the end of the night. People selling and others smoking Dope in the garages, groups of drivers changing wrist bands, people with fake driving licences or even claiming to of lost it only to find out when we check DVLA that they have actually been banned, the list could go on and on.
Now this behaviour does not happen at other circuits we visit, so why Donington ? Well everyone has a theory, maybe it is because we have larger group bookings where large groups of friends attend on Mass with maybe 4 or 5 drivers trying to share one car and impress their mates. But whatever the reason is, it must stop.
Last night in particular was shocking, I gave up counting the Red flags. One just 47 seconds after a re-start. I do wonder how some people managed to make it to the circuit up the Motorway alive let along home again. Simply put things have to change at Donington Park as I will not allow the minority of drivers to spoil it for everyone else. Not only do you put yourself at risk but also other drivers, speed is fantastic and we all love it, but if you have been sitting in the pits for 10 minutes do not expect the slick tyres that offered great grip last time you were out to be back up to working temperature for two or three laps, not just 1/2 a lap.
Moving on at Donington we have 10 evenings left this year : ( If I can cope )
So from now on at every evening for the remainder of 2025 there will be a mandatory drivers briefing in the pit lane at 17:10 a wrist band will also be issued for this drivers briefing, with out it you do not go on track.
If you miss sighting laps you will have to sign an extra indemnity form before going on track.
Should you get ONE BLACK FLAG for poor driving standards that will be the end of your night. ( I will make the decision not Circuit staff )
Should you cause ONE RED FLAG due to poor / careless driving that will be the end of your night.
I am sorry if this seams "harsh" but before there is an incident that costs an innocent party Financial loss / Car damage / Physical damage / the list is endless this has to stop.
If you or your group do not feel that you wish to play by the rules there are plenty of other Organisers that I am sure will take your money.
Apart from that please all have a great weekend.
Dave.
Opentrack.co.uk”
“After taking this morning to consider my email I thought I would drop you all a line regarding last night at Donington Park, and also in general the attitude of some drivers towards other drivers on track and the Opentrack staff.
This email is being done without the aid of Ai so it may be blunt and contain spelling mistakes in parts but I am sure you will all see my point.
Track days are fun, they have been and always will be a fun way to explore your limits and that of your car, no one is standing in the pits looking for the next Lewis Hamilton trust me I would of been spotted years ago as everyone knows a Vito van is always the fastest vehicle.
Joking aside last night and indeed some other past evenings at Donington have seen some truly shocking behaviour both on track and in the paddock area.
We have had people doing Doughnuts in the pit lane ... Yes thats right Doughnuts in the pit lane at the end of the night. People selling and others smoking Dope in the garages, groups of drivers changing wrist bands, people with fake driving licences or even claiming to of lost it only to find out when we check DVLA that they have actually been banned, the list could go on and on.
Now this behaviour does not happen at other circuits we visit, so why Donington ? Well everyone has a theory, maybe it is because we have larger group bookings where large groups of friends attend on Mass with maybe 4 or 5 drivers trying to share one car and impress their mates. But whatever the reason is, it must stop.
Last night in particular was shocking, I gave up counting the Red flags. One just 47 seconds after a re-start. I do wonder how some people managed to make it to the circuit up the Motorway alive let along home again. Simply put things have to change at Donington Park as I will not allow the minority of drivers to spoil it for everyone else. Not only do you put yourself at risk but also other drivers, speed is fantastic and we all love it, but if you have been sitting in the pits for 10 minutes do not expect the slick tyres that offered great grip last time you were out to be back up to working temperature for two or three laps, not just 1/2 a lap.
Moving on at Donington we have 10 evenings left this year : ( If I can cope )
So from now on at every evening for the remainder of 2025 there will be a mandatory drivers briefing in the pit lane at 17:10 a wrist band will also be issued for this drivers briefing, with out it you do not go on track.
If you miss sighting laps you will have to sign an extra indemnity form before going on track.
Should you get ONE BLACK FLAG for poor driving standards that will be the end of your night. ( I will make the decision not Circuit staff )
Should you cause ONE RED FLAG due to poor / careless driving that will be the end of your night.
I am sorry if this seams "harsh" but before there is an incident that costs an innocent party Financial loss / Car damage / Physical damage / the list is endless this has to stop.
If you or your group do not feel that you wish to play by the rules there are plenty of other Organisers that I am sure will take your money.
Apart from that please all have a great weekend.
Dave.
Opentrack.co.uk”
Ah yes, an evening at Donington. Did it once, never again. Evening sessions in general to be fair, I don't really see the point as you still have to take an afternoon off work.
But sounds fair to me, so many incidents of poor driving seem to go unpunished on trackdays, so this sounds a good move.
Only hope they can distinguish between bad driving and genuine mistake, but on a dry summers evening there really shouldn't be any reason to go off.
But sounds fair to me, so many incidents of poor driving seem to go unpunished on trackdays, so this sounds a good move.
Only hope they can distinguish between bad driving and genuine mistake, but on a dry summers evening there really shouldn't be any reason to go off.
opentrack said:
So from now on at every evening for the remainder of 2025 there will be a mandatory drivers briefing in the pit lane at 17:10 a wrist band will also be issued for this drivers briefing, with out it you do not go on track.
I'd have assumed/hoped there was already a mandatory drivers' briefing before anyone was allowed on the track 
Maybe that's the problem. Remember the good old days (pre covid) when you got one wristband at sign on, and another after the briefing?
But yeah, do opentrack not do mandatory briefings normally? In fairness, javelin do online ones these days, only msv seem to do actual in person briefings any more.
But yeah, do opentrack not do mandatory briefings normally? In fairness, javelin do online ones these days, only msv seem to do actual in person briefings any more.
Well open track and Donny is quite a combination.
Donny is a bloody nightmare I think the operators book too many cars and it's just chaos. I was there with a premium operator the other week and although we didn't have the burnouts and dope there were way too many cars booked on and enough red flags. I think I'm actually going to stop going unless someone wants to do a 60 cars day and actually only have that many cars booked on. Last year I made the misjudgement of booking a Javelin day and simply packed up and came home at 11.30. standards with Javelin have evaporated since Covid also 120 plus cars booked on. Nuts.
Donny is a bloody nightmare I think the operators book too many cars and it's just chaos. I was there with a premium operator the other week and although we didn't have the burnouts and dope there were way too many cars booked on and enough red flags. I think I'm actually going to stop going unless someone wants to do a 60 cars day and actually only have that many cars booked on. Last year I made the misjudgement of booking a Javelin day and simply packed up and came home at 11.30. standards with Javelin have evaporated since Covid also 120 plus cars booked on. Nuts.
Seems fair from Dave tbh Opentrack is usually my go to when looking to do a track day and I like evenings as I use my daily car so not fussed about pounding round all day long and there cheaper.
I’d have no issue with ending your day from a black/red flag as permanent rule for all track days.
Iv personally had or seen no major issues or silly behaviour but Iv not done a track day this year.
I’d have no issue with ending your day from a black/red flag as permanent rule for all track days.
Iv personally had or seen no major issues or silly behaviour but Iv not done a track day this year.
geeks said:
Everytime I read about track day woes like this. It’s always Opentrack. Just saying!
I've done a couple of evenings this year with Javelin, a friend has done a couple with 2 other TDO's, both of us have had 1 rubbish evening and 1 very good.Rubbish evenings were 7 red flags in 2 hours, including cars off on the first corner after track re-opening etc. Good evenings were 0-1 flag the whole evening.
I live 20 mins away and have done a fair few days and evenings there, my opinion (based on nothing really) is that evening track days tend to bring out a different type of driver to say a weekday driver, as the cost is less plus don't need to take a day off work etc...add this to the fact Donington is very accessible from 3 cities means its quite easy for people to just rock up with no experience and not take it very seriously, as opposed to say going to Cadwell on a Tuesday (you need more commitment to do that).
So yes it is more accessible now, which is a good thing, however with that there needs to be some discipline/respect with that...which in my opinion starts with the briefing being in person, some very clear rules that are then applied.
I am not really up for having to sit behind a couple of Suzuki swift friends have a track battle literally 1-2 meters from each other while around other cars and doing so for 3 laps while blue flags are getting waved...and yes I slow down and let them do their thing, but this shouldn't be happening in the first place.
I assume others also find the evenings worse, or is it just me?
I think opentrack are quite a good track day organiser, and these issues are mainly Donington specific but not entirely.
The issue with dope/weed/ganja - i am glad this has been raised, when you can smell it above the smell of fuel, oil, tyre smoke and clutch you know there is a problem. It might also be the reason behind people crashing within 45 secs of the circuit going green.
I hate to admit it, but maybe we need to go back to full driver briefings at the circuit. I hate them with a passion, but you have to make it harder for those that think its a bit of a laugh, or who are there to practice the driving skills they think they need, to help them get away from the fed's whenst TWOCING a car.
But the Td organisers have to take some responsibility and stop loading up the tracks with 100's of drivers.
The issue with dope/weed/ganja - i am glad this has been raised, when you can smell it above the smell of fuel, oil, tyre smoke and clutch you know there is a problem. It might also be the reason behind people crashing within 45 secs of the circuit going green.
I hate to admit it, but maybe we need to go back to full driver briefings at the circuit. I hate them with a passion, but you have to make it harder for those that think its a bit of a laugh, or who are there to practice the driving skills they think they need, to help them get away from the fed's whenst TWOCING a car.
But the Td organisers have to take some responsibility and stop loading up the tracks with 100's of drivers.
Are open track still doing online briefings? Staggering is if so. It's a couple of years since I did the javelin day which was also online only but what's the reasoning behind not doing an in person one 5 years after Covid necessitated it?
I only do RMA/Lotus on track/gold track and all of these have very experienced participants but all do in person briefings. It's tedious when you've sat through 100+ others bit very very important.
I've done the odd MSV day which are a similar price point to the cheap ones but they do proper briefings and have better control over driving standards so it can be done. Any TDO just doing online only briefings wants banning these days. It's the very clientele that need everything fresh in their minds when they take their knackered 172 out to spill oil on the 2nd lap
circuit days also get an honorable mention as they do things right as well.
I only do RMA/Lotus on track/gold track and all of these have very experienced participants but all do in person briefings. It's tedious when you've sat through 100+ others bit very very important.
I've done the odd MSV day which are a similar price point to the cheap ones but they do proper briefings and have better control over driving standards so it can be done. Any TDO just doing online only briefings wants banning these days. It's the very clientele that need everything fresh in their minds when they take their knackered 172 out to spill oil on the 2nd lap
circuit days also get an honorable mention as they do things right as well. Terminator X said:
At Bedford it has only ever been the very best behaviour. Remind me to stay away from Donny!
TX.
Wasn't it Bedford someone else was posting about recently when referencing some 'have a go hero' in a BAC Mono driving in to another trackday participant, and then refusing to take the blame for their actions? But yes, stay away from Donny - probably a bit too much geography to it for the Bedford crowd TX.
OpenTrack do online briefings but have a 10-15 minute briefing/chat before sighting laps. I personally think it works well - a balance between 40 minute rambles and no in-person chat at all. I was one of their trackdays the other week and there was someone in the signing on queue exclaiming to his mate about how he'd just skipped through the online briefing "in the van on my way here". Not entirely sure how you get rid of that arrogant approach really.
I did Donington a few years ago pre-covid with opentrack and aside from the donuts that experience sounds familiar. So many red flags and also they ended up gathering everyone together in the afteroon for a b
king and also mentioned the same thing about people smoking weed in the pit.
I'm actually doing an MSV Novice day there at some point, I'm hoping that won't be so bad as it's not open pit format and hopefully won't just be full of actual race teams looking for a cheap test which was my experience the last time I went.
king and also mentioned the same thing about people smoking weed in the pit. I'm actually doing an MSV Novice day there at some point, I'm hoping that won't be so bad as it's not open pit format and hopefully won't just be full of actual race teams looking for a cheap test which was my experience the last time I went.
IdiotRace said:
…and hopefully won't just be full of actual race teams looking for a cheap test which was my experience the last time I went.
I have not seen the donuts or weed smoking. But whenever I’ve been to Donington (except with Lotus on Track), most of the cars there were race cars of some description. Gassing Station | Track Days | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff