trackdays?

[towelie]

Right well for my birthday i got £200 to go towards a track day and £100 quid for something for my car.

So basically my thinking is, I need proper pads and new discs( they melt even on a fast b road) I'm contemplating whether the 1.8 brake upgrade is worth it as I'll have to get new pads and discs anyway.

second question is where should I go, which is relatively near to the Wirral or Leeds and will be good for a track day novice?


cheers

Towelie

[snotrag]

Elvingtons not far from Leeds. Was there with a bunch of MX-5s on Saturday. Javelin run days there quite often now, next one is in may, I must get signed up one of these days!

[PGD5]

Elvington would get my vote too, or maybe Blyton when they have finished laying their new track.

Tyre wear is rough at elvington as its a concrete airfield, but with some part worn tyres stuck to a set of cheap spare rims the fun factor is outstanding!

[MX-5 Lazza]

Cadwell Park!!!!! It's THE track for MX5s!

I haven't actually been there yet but it's on my "To-do list". It's just a bit far away from me so would really need a long weekend and I don't often get that amount of time away (however many chocolates/flowers etc. I've bought).

ETA: Oh, and as for brakes, just fit a decent set of pads to your stock discs. As long as the discs are in good condition and the callipers aren't sticking they will be fine. Go for Axxis ULT if you can find them, Mintex 1144 if you can afford them or EBC Yellowstuff if you need them quickly.

Edited by MX-5 Lazza on Monday 4th April 14:06

[Richyvrlimited]

Oulton Park is a fabulous circuit, with a bit more room for error than Cadwell. Pretty close to the Wirral too for you.

[towelie]

Cheers, yer I'll have a look at Elvington and Cadwell then, Cadwell is quite a bit further away, but does look good.

How much to use part worns for? looking at my tyres at the moment thinking they're looking quite close to the legal limit..

on 5 speeds website he says he stocks axxis ultimates so think i'll be giving steve a call, the disks look pretty tired also..

[Munter]

If you want the brakes to last. You'll need better brake fluid as well as the good pads.

Something with DOT4 and Racing written on it.

Something like this: http://www.opieoils.co.uk/p-862-silkolene-pro-race...

Basically look for the highest wet boiling point that you are prepared to pay for.

[Scho]

MX-5 Lazza said:

Cadwell Park!!!!! It's THE track for MX5s!

I haven't actually been there yet but it's on my "To-do list". It's just a bit far away from me so would really need a long weekend and I don't often get that amount of time away (however many chocolates/flowers etc. I've bought).

ETA: Oh, and as for brakes, just fit a decent set of pads to your stock discs. As long as the discs are in good condition and the callipers aren't sticking they will be fine. Go for Axxis ULT if you can find them, Mintex 1144 if you can afford them or EBC Yellowstuff if you need them quickly.

Edited by MX-5 Lazza on Monday 4th April 14:06

Agreed, Cadwell is the bollards. It is tricky though and not much run off in places.

Perhaps anglesey would be the best place to start? cheaper than Oulton.

The afternoon sessions at cadwell at reasonable @£125 from trackdays.co.uk

Re pads, I've got 1.6 OE discs and axis ultimates. I usually split my trackdays with a mate. We run my car non stop for hours on track and get zero fade.

IMO not worth bothering with 1.8 discs. just extra unsprung weight!

[towelie]

Thanks for all of the replies, I'll track down soem axxis ultimates and will swap the brake fluid out, is dot 5.1 overkill? already got ss braided lines so should be no problems there.

looked at a few youtube videos of cadwell an i was thinking there isn't much room for error, so probably not the best idea for a first trackday.

Also think I may be able to convince my brother and his mate to bring his r26r to the same day, so should get a few interesting passenger rides lol

I'll have a chat with them tonight and see what they want to do, oulton park also looks like a good shout!

[Munter]

towelie said:

Thanks for all of the replies, I'll track down soem axxis ultimates and will swap the brake fluid out, is dot 5.1 overkill? already got ss braided lines so should be no problems there.

When it comes to brake fluid the higher the DOT number does not mean the higher the temperature. Most racing fluid is DOT 4. DOT 5.1 doesn't go as high in temperature as it has to meet other requirements that DOT4 doesn't meet.

Sure racing fluid might be overkill. But I know how gutted my friends were when I spent lap after lap going around the track with no problems, while they were having to stop to cool their brakes down. All it took was pads and fluid.

[Scho]

Munter said:

When it comes to brake fluid the higher the DOT number does not mean the higher the temperature. Most racing fluid is DOT 4. DOT 5.1 doesn't go as high in temperature as it has to meet other requirements that DOT4 doesn't meet.

Sure racing fluid might be overkill. But I know how gutted my friends were when I spent lap after lap going around the track with no problems, while they were having to stop to cool their brakes down. All it took was pads and fluid.

I'm running bog standard fluid and I don't get any problems at all. We were lapping silverstone for 2/3 hours non stop the other week and had no problems with the brakes at all. Just nipping into the pits for a quick change of driver.

My car is fairly light now though so that probably helps take the strain off the brakes.

[skinny]

standard dot 5.1 is higher spec than standard dot 4. however, racing dot 4 is higher spec than dot 5.1!

for brakes, just get some decent fluid (either 4 or 5.1) and as above, axxiss ultimates if you can find them or mintex M1144 if you can afford them.

for the track personally i love cadwell but i really wouldn't have liked to do it for my first ever track day.

[JQ]

Anglesey is a great circuit for a beginner as it has loads of run-off being a former airfield and really suits the MX5. Plus it's very close to the Wirral. I've not done Cadwell yet but it is looking very tempting with Mazda-on-Track later this month.

[PGD5]

If your a novice.. don’t do Cadwell park for gods sake! Its not the best place for a first timer imo. Yes it is an amazing track and one defiantly worth doing, but not your first ever track experience :no:

At an airfield venue you can press on and feel what the car is like close to its, or your limits with still very little risk in terms of damage.

Anyway I'm sure this has been covered many times, and its up to you at the end of the day. You could go along and spectate at trackdays and get a feel for the place and track before you book. Chat to some friendly drivers and you may even get a few laps in their passenger seat

[roddo]

Cadwell is a little tight but please don't be put off. I will be there and will give passenger rides/tuition if required.

[skinny]

it's also quite long and technical. even with tuition i'd suggest you start off somewhere like bedford, castle combe, or even donny!

[Gizmo!]

I want to do Snetterton this year. Definitely change the fluid, no point having new discs/pads if you can't touch them without boiling the juice.

[piefacemate]

If you're using oem pads, disks and fluid but not cooking them, one has to question one's commitment.

[MX-5 Lazza]

piefacemate said:

If you're using oem pads, disks and fluid but not cooking them, one has to question one's commitment.

Maybe he just doesn't brake

[GravelBen]

piefacemate said:

If you're using oem pads, disks and fluid but not cooking them, one has to question one's commitment.

I dunno about that, I never lacked commitment in failing to cook the oem 1.6 brakes (with fresh dot4 fluid) on my previous Mk1. With standard power and regular (budgetl) road tyres the tyres were always the weakest link.