Track Days

[Fats25]

It is my sisters 30th next month, and completely out of the blue my Mum has just called me saying that my sister is hinting about doing a track day in a supercar. I know there are tons of places out there that do this sort of driving experience thing, but I have to be honest is not something that has ever appealed to me, so I am not that familiar with it! I prefer to put my own bike on the track.

• Not too fussed about location - although within 3 hours of London would be good)
• Not too fussed about cost - it is my little sisters 30th after all
• I want to make sure she gets value for money though - i.e. good training, and as much time on track as possible, with the opportunity to drive a car (Ferrari, Lambo, Porsche etc) that she would never get the opportunity to drive.

She has never done anything like this before, and truth be told, is a terrible driver!

So what would PH recommend? Who has done them?

possibly should have gone in general gassing! Mods - feel free to move if you wish!

Edited by Fats25 on Thursday 1st April 12:16

[NDA]

Google 'Goodwood Track Days', there's a fair amount of choice.

She will need an instructor to go with her (which will be automatic in any event).

Track days are good fun, but maybe you should go down there and then drive her home - sometimes it's easy to forget you're not on the track for the drive home!

[mrmr96]

What you've described isn't a 'track day', it's a 'driving experience' day. The 'best' one in the country is the Palmersport day at Bedford Autodrome, but it's between £600 and £1k depending who you book with. You spend the entire day driving different cars and it's 100% awesome (I have done it as a guest of RBS a couple of years ago.)

Alternativly, to do an actual trackday in someone elses super car will be even more expensive I would think. Or to get the cost down a bit there are loads of other 'driving experience' days, where you get to drive 1,2 or 3 super cars for a few laps each. Beware, though, they are not all equal - some want you to pussy foot around but others really want you to nail all the cars to the redline. (Palmersport was proper awesome for this - No 'Limits' at all.)

[louiebaby]

mrmr96 said:

The 'best' one in the country is the Palmersport day at Bedford Autodrome, but it's between £600 and £1k depending who you book with. You spend the entire day driving different cars and it's 100% awesome (I have done it as a guest of RBS a couple of years ago.)

It's brilliant. It costs a lot. It's worth it.

[theundecided]

I've read that Bedford Autodrome is good in the sense that it had long, wide grassy run-offs if things go wrong. And there's no gravel/litter to knacker your car up if you spin off.

[Fats25]

I mean Driving Experience.

I am sure her husband did one last year at around Warwickshire/Staffordshire - which is probably where she got the idea - so fancied somewhere different. I think that was a Ferrari experience.

Palmersport sounds a little pricey - was thinking sub £500

Just looked - and Palmersport looks excellent! Too expensive for her - but I may fancy this myself!

Edited by Fats25 on Thursday 1st April 12:41

[mrmr96]

theundecided said:

I've read that Bedford Autodrome is good in the sense that it had long, wide grassy run-offs if things go wrong. And there's no gravel/litter to knacker your car up if you spin off.

Run offs are great in most places, but there is gravel on one turn. (On the exit of the left handed hairpin at the bottom of the 'main' pit straight)

[zcacogp]

mrmr96 said:

Run offs are great in most places, but there is gravel on one turn. (On the exit of the left handed hairpin at the bottom of the 'main' pit straight)

Yup, and I've seen an E30 going into it too.

No damage done (car was on two wheels but landed back on all four). And it is amazong how much gravel is shifted when a tonne of car hits it at a half-decent lick ...


Oli.

[theundecided]

I'll watch out for this corner then!

Hoping to join one of PH days there.