Economic downturn and track days

[dxb335d]

Will we see cheaper track days this year? I hope so.

[mmm-five]

Not necessarily cheaper, but possibly fewer.

[legaleagleboy]

OR even busier trackdays as we try and escape from the economic gloom for a few hours! NB As most companies have committed to their 2009 schedule, I suspect that price reductions from the circuit owners are highly unlikely.

[Birdthom]

Prices are much higher this year from what I have seen, mainly due to circuit owners ramping up their circuit hire fees which TDOs then pass on to punters. The circuit owners finally seem to have realised that there is a big demand and their pricing has only just caught up after a few boom years with relatively cheap prices. I think the timing might be a bit unfortunate for us all, but then I was at Rockingham at the weekend and it was fully booked with people trying to escape the gloom, so maybe they've got it spot on.

T

[dxb335d]

Shame, because most are 120-200 each and once fuel paid, tyres taken into account and insurance its nearly a K a day.

[antnicuk]

I was at rockingham also. That was £175 which is more than i would normally want to spend. Prices have gone up this year which is a shame but they seem to be booking up quicker and fuller than before. While they do, the prices will only go up!

[james28]

It is an expensive game
I bought mhy mk1 golf gti to enjoy some cheap track action but after paying for the day fuel then brakes tyres it is becoming quite an expense
Going to do a few more then sell the car i cannot really afford 200 pounds once a month for track days

[antnicuk]

A few people i know go to the ring instead of doing track days as the cost of going for a few days compared to a decent track day here made it worth while...... Thats probably still the case but the Euro is crap and fuel costly but then track days have gone up so maybe its still worth it, just everything is too bl00dy exxpensive.

I'm going twice this year but in my daily driver not the track car which is a shame. Its too far to drive it and too far to trailer it for me.

[silv]

dxb335d said:

Will we see cheaper track days this year? I hope so.

I doubt it ! There is a lot of talk about better deals "now's the time to buy" etc etc but I've not seen cheaper track days. So far the days I have booked and looked at for in 2009 are more expensive than last year. I agree with everyone on this thread who has said that track days have got more and more expensive. One way of getting the price down is to get a group together and ask TDO for a better deal. Worth a try

[ginettajoe]

silv said:

dxb335d said:

Will we see cheaper track days this year? I hope so.

I doubt it ! There is a lot of talk about better deals "now's the time to buy" etc etc but I've not seen cheaper track days. So far the days I have booked and looked at for in 2009 are more expensive than last year. I agree with everyone on this thread who has said that track days have got more and more expensive. One way of getting the price down is to get a group together and ask TDO for a better deal. Worth a try

Teesside Autodrome, Middlesbrough are proposing to run days on a regular basis, tailored to any individual motor clubs requirements. The cost will vary between £75 & £99 per day, depending upon what deal you desire. The £99 day, includes bacon sandwich & tea or coffee on arrival, open pit lane until lunch, buffet lunch provided, and then resume OPL until 4.00pm. There is then a 10 minute qualifying session in twin engined karts, followed by a 20 minute race, with trophies to 1st,2nd & 3rd plus the winner receives a free place on one of the next days!! Instruction is available at £20 for 20 minutes, and the emphasis is on having a safe, cheap but extremely enjoyable day.
Maybe this will solve many peoples problem, creating a very affordable day. The circuit is just under 1 mile with a combination of fast & slow corners, good elevation changes, fast banked corner, and a chicane. Although it can't be regarded as Oulton Park or Silverstone, it is an ideal "Club" venue with speeds of 100mph achievable in Elises or similar.

HTH

[mgv8dave]

There are good value days to be found if you look around.

Track days are like supermarkets some are like Asda some are like Waitrose. Like everything in life you get what you pay for. But look hard enough and there are good days to be had.

[LuckyP]

mgv8dave said:

There are good value days to be found if you look around.

Track days are like supermarkets some are like Asda some are like Waitrose. Like everything in life you get what you pay for. But look hard enough and there are good days to be had.

Can you point me in the direction of Aldi please.....

[fergus]

ginettajoe said:

silv said:

dxb335d said:

Will we see cheaper track days this year? I hope so.

I doubt it ! There is a lot of talk about better deals "now's the time to buy" etc etc but I've not seen cheaper track days. So far the days I have booked and looked at for in 2009 are more expensive than last year. I agree with everyone on this thread who has said that track days have got more and more expensive. One way of getting the price down is to get a group together and ask TDO for a better deal. Worth a try

Teesside Autodrome, Middlesbrough are proposing to run days on a regular basis, tailored to any individual motor clubs requirements. The cost will vary between £75 & £99 per day, depending upon what deal you desire. The £99 day, includes bacon sandwich & tea or coffee on arrival, open pit lane until lunch, buffet lunch provided, and then resume OPL until 4.00pm. There is then a 10 minute qualifying session in twin engined karts, followed by a 20 minute race, with trophies to 1st,2nd & 3rd plus the winner receives a free place on one of the next days!! Instruction is available at £20 for 20 minutes, and the emphasis is on having a safe, cheap but extremely enjoyable day.
Maybe this will solve many peoples problem, creating a very affordable day. The circuit is just under 1 mile with a combination of fast & slow corners, good elevation changes, fast banked corner, and a chicane. Although it can't be regarded as Oulton Park or Silverstone, it is an ideal "Club" venue with speeds of 100mph achievable in Elises or similar.

HTH

Not seen their proposed track or layout, but that sounds like a great day, with a couple more quid spent making all the difference to the enjoyment of those that attend. Highly commendable.

Why can't some of the large companies put their collective hands in their pockets to provide a butty or similar? I know some provide free tea/coffe (certainly true of the bike t/day organisers).

[jleroux]

fergus said:

Why can't some of the large companies put their collective hands in their pockets to provide a butty or similar? I know some provide free tea/coffe (certainly true of the bike t/day organisers).

Most circuits have a single (third party) company who are contracted to provide catering and they'll get proper sh!tty if you start handing out free food and drink. What may seem a very simple and cheap exercise can have serious implications further down the line.

Jonny

[AndrewD]

jleroux said:

fergus said:

Why can't some of the large companies put their collective hands in their pockets to provide a butty or similar? I know some provide free tea/coffe (certainly true of the bike t/day organisers).

Most circuits have a single (third party) company who are contracted to provide catering and they'll get proper sh!tty if you start handing out free food and drink. What may seem a very simple and cheap exercise can have serious implications further down the line.

Jonny

So the TDO pays the third party for free bacon rolls and we're all happy

[Elderly]

jleroux said:

fergus said:

Why can't some of the large companies put their collective hands in their pockets to provide a butty or similar? I know some provide free tea/coffe (certainly true of the bike t/day organisers).

Most circuits have a single (third party) company who are contracted to provide catering and they'll get proper sh!tty if you start handing out free food and drink. What may seem a very simple and cheap exercise can have serious implications further down the line.

Jonny

You could hand out food and drink vouchers that have to be used with the contracted catering company?
(Don't do it by the way ..... it's bound to impact on what we pay a TDO for a trackday.)

But what's wrong with taking sandwiches ?

[legaleagleboy]

A good deal on food is not the issue here when we are all spending at least £200 or for some considerably more than £500 plus per trackday all up.

Great that fuel is now so much cheaper, that can save loads on a 200 mile trackday with say another 200 there and back home.

Tyre costs likely to skyrocket soon as most of them are imported - buy them cheap whilst you can! (yes I know the oil price is down but the £ is sick)

Learn to service your car, if you don't do it yourself - so you can divert more of your money to trackdays

Searching for the best trackday deals is key if you are on a tight budget - no point in looking for an 'open pitlane Silverstone GP' trackday in July when your budget might suit Teeside in January. Yes, getting together with some friends to strike a deal is good but can be quite a lot of unnecessary aggro and not actually save that much.

My best tip to save money is to arrive at a circuit near where you live (not much fuel needed), turn up late morning, have cash in your pocket and do a deal at the circuit for the afternoon when it will be quieter. You get on cheaper and 3 or 4 hours is more than enough time to stretch your legs on track. NB I have done this a couple of times BUT be prepared to say no as well - one TDO does not play ball and likes to charge outrageous prices for a half day.

Have fun

[james28]

+1 for the above
the other way is to do like i have and find a third party thats interested and share the cost of the day but its still a costly game no matter how you look at it especially if done every month or a couple of times a month

Edited by james28 on Tuesday 3rd February 19:14

Edited by james28 on Tuesday 3rd February 19:14

[ginettajoe]

legaleagleboy said:

A good deal on food is not the issue here when we are all spending at least £200 or for some considerably more than £500 plus per trackday all up.

Great that fuel is now so much cheaper, that can save loads on a 200 mile trackday with say another 200 there and back home.

Tyre costs likely to skyrocket soon as most of them are imported - buy them cheap whilst you can! (yes I know the oil price is down but the £ is sick)

Learn to service your car, if you don't do it yourself - so you can divert more of your money to trackdays

Searching for the best trackday deals is key if you are on a tight budget - no point in looking for an 'open pitlane Silverstone GP' trackday in July when your budget might suit Teeside in January. Yes, getting together with some friends to strike a deal is good but can be quite a lot of unnecessary aggro and not actually save that much.

My best tip to save money is to arrive at a circuit near where you live (not much fuel needed), turn up late morning, have cash in your pocket and do a deal at the circuit for the afternoon when it will be quieter. You get on cheaper and 3 or 4 hours is more than enough time to stretch your legs on track. NB I have done this a couple of times BUT be prepared to say no as well - one TDO does not play ball and likes to charge outrageous prices for a half day.

Have fun

The problem with trying to do a deal at the circuit is, if the track gay organiser has any common sense, he would rather turn someone away, than accept a sum lesser than what everyone else pays. Once it becomes known that he will accept a deal, everyone assumes they can turn up, negotiate a deal, and go on track. The fact that the TDO has paid out £13,000 to hire the circuit, plus another £2000 of overheads, why oh why would he want everybody turning up, thinking the can have a few hours on track for £100. Even if he allowed 100 people to do it, he has collected £10,000, effectively costing himself £5000 to allow you to have a deal!! Any track day organiser that will allow a deal like that is about to go out of business, .......... It's a no-brainer!!!!!

[philevo6]

Ive found that over the past year prices are going up.A trackday and fuel/food for me is over £400

Trackday £200+,fuel £150,fuel for van,food,bits and bobs £75-100

Oulton park is near me and its very expensive compared to most tracks...WHY!!!!!

I have found an oulton park bargain tho,,,,sort of...£149 for a saturday at oulton...march 21st.

focused events.

Edited by philevo6 on Tuesday 3rd February 20:39

Edited by philevo6 on Tuesday 3rd February 20:39