Track experience as present for sisters 30th - Suggestions?

[Utterpiffle]

Hi,

My sisters 30th is coming up 26th July. She is a keen driver, and as much as I hate to say it as her big brother, she is reasonably competent/confident behind the wheel.

I would like to get her some track time for her 30th - perhaps one of those days where you get to drive a few cars - on saying that, maybe even in just one car with some instruction. She has never been on a track before.

Any suggestions of one of these track experience days would be most welcome. Are there any that stand out as particularly good value? I've tried googling it, but there appear to be thousands of different offers, so I put it to the collective wisdom of PH! I have about £200 to spend.

She lives in London, but goes to Mums in Andover regularly, so any circuit in the south or south east would be preferable.

Thanks in advance...

[marcosgt]

Andover's right next to Thruxton (maybe 5 miles away).

You could get her a half day where she drives a supercar and a single seater race car.

Something like this http://www.thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/tesco_... might be a little over your budget, but they have plenty of options and some will fit your budget.

M.

Edited by marcosgt on Tuesday 29th June 14:28

[Porkie]

double the budget and treat her to half day at Palmersport.

its SOOOOOOOOOOOO much better than anything else out there.

Nothing come close in my opinion and experience

[y2blade]

Boobles will be along in a moment

[boobles]

y2blade said:

Boobles will be along in a moment

Contact Virgin Experiences. Mine was at Silverstone 4 laps in a Gallardo (they have lots of cars to choose from) & it cost £120 all in. Fantastic day out & highly recommend booking it through Virgin Experiences. I live in Andover myself but chose Silerstone rather than thruxton because of the chance to drive around the best circuit in the uk. (my opinion)

[robg2]

If all else fails, just send her to Marham. Talk to my bro about it if you like.

[McSam]

boobles said:

Contact Virgin Experiences. Mine was at Silverstone 4 laps in a Gallardo (they have lots of cars to choose from) & it cost £120 all in.

That strikes me as colossally expensive? I know these things often are, but my recommendation would be to contact the Silverstone Academy and go for the Half-Day ARDS course. £295, so stretching the budget a bit beyond breaking point there, but you'd be looking at about 3 times as much track time per pound as the "driving experiences" that are around. That and you're being tutored by a race instructor who's trying to teach you proper racecraft and track driving, rather than (not always but often the case) someone who's just trying to make sure the car survives. Paying a load of money for a few laps in a supercar is fine until you're told to short-shift it all the time..

That said, if it is just for the experience of a car that's in a completely different league to anything else she'll ever drive, have a look around trackdays.co.uk, or any of those mentioned. More spent generally equals better value with any of these.

[boobles]

McSam said:

boobles said:

Contact Virgin Experiences. Mine was at Silverstone 4 laps in a Gallardo (they have lots of cars to choose from) & it cost £120 all in.

That strikes me as colossally expensive? I know these things often are, but my recommendation would be to contact the Silverstone Academy and go for the Half-Day ARDS course. £295, so stretching the budget a bit beyond breaking point there, but you'd be looking at about 3 times as much track time per pound as the "driving experiences" that are around. That and you're being tutored by a race instructor who's trying to teach you proper racecraft and track driving, rather than (not always but often the case) someone who's just trying to make sure the car survives. Paying a load of money for a few laps in a supercar is fine until you're told to short-shift it all the time..

That said, if it is just for the experience of a car that's in a completely different league to anything else she'll ever drive, have a look around trackdays.co.uk, or any of those mentioned. More spent generally equals better value with any of these.

For me this was ideal. Few hours out of my day driving my dream car.
Wasn't interested in driving anything else, so £120 driving 4 laps with a certificate & an afternoon i will never forget for as long as i live. + i was allowed to literally cane the nuts of the Gallardo, so short shifting was not happening at all.

Edited by boobles on Tuesday 29th June 20:26

[marcosgt]

boobles said:

y2blade said:

Boobles will be along in a moment

I live in Andover myself but chose Silerstone rather than thruxton because of the chance to drive around the best circuit in the uk. (my opinion)

Which circuit did you drive at Silverstone? Presumably not the GP one.

I've never liked Silverstone as a circuit and avoid going there as much as possible, so each to their own

M.

[Utterpiffle]

Wow, thank you for all your replies. Definite food for thought in here...

I think I'd like to get her more of a driving day than an experience though. I reckon she'd get more out of half a day in a normal-ish car with some tuition that a four lap blat in a super car.

marcosgt, thanks for the Thruxton link - looks to be some good stuff on there.

McSam, excuse my ignorance, but I cannot find an ARDS course on the Slverstone Academy. I guess if I do have to spend more, I might be able to get my other sister involved.

Rob, I have obviously considered the Marham option, but I don't think it is fair to dump my sister on you and Stu for the day!

[boobles]

marcosgt said:

boobles said:

y2blade said:

Boobles will be along in a moment

I live in Andover myself but chose Silerstone rather than thruxton because of the chance to drive around the best circuit in the uk. (my opinion)

Which circuit did you drive at Silverstone? Presumably not the GP one.

I've never liked Silverstone as a circuit and avoid going there as much as possible, so each to their own

M.

North part i think. The new bit anyway. Even got to drive from the F1 pits.

[y2blade]

boobles said:

marcosgt said:

boobles said:

y2blade said:

Boobles will be along in a moment

I live in Andover myself but chose Silerstone rather than thruxton because of the chance to drive around the best circuit in the uk. (my opinion)

Which circuit did you drive at Silverstone? Presumably not the GP one.

I've never liked Silverstone as a circuit and avoid going there as much as possible, so each to their own

M.

North part i think. The new bit anyway. Even got to drive from the F1 pits.

you did the "National Circuit" mate
you came out the pits then up to left kink atmaggots then turned right, down the national straight and left into brooklands, right round luffield and back onto the main start finish straight

Edited by y2blade on Wednesday 30th June 10:09

[boobles]

y2blade said:

boobles said:

marcosgt said:

boobles said:

y2blade said:

Boobles will be along in a moment

I live in Andover myself but chose Silerstone rather than thruxton because of the chance to drive around the best circuit in the uk. (my opinion)

Which circuit did you drive at Silverstone? Presumably not the GP one.

I've never liked Silverstone as a circuit and avoid going there as much as possible, so each to their own





North part i think. The new bit anyway. Even got to drive from the F1 pits.

you did the "National Circuit" mate
you came out the pits then up to left kink atmaggots then turned right, down the national straight and left into brooklands, right round luffield and back onto the main start finish straight

Edited by y2blade on Wednesday 30th June 10:09

Thats the one.

Great bit of the circuit in my opinion.

[Cavey]

Chris

Blowing own trumpet here, but we offer a track day car hire and tuition package, ideal for novices or less experienced drivers. Website: www.bathperformancecars.co.uk.

Your sis would have use of the car (Lotus Elise or Westfield but the former probably better for a novice) for a whole day, to include tuition. We use airfield track days in the West Country, but there are also days at Abingdon airfield near Oxford.

Let me have your email and I'll send you some more details.

Martin