1 day car racing experiences
Discussion
Avoid the schools with the highest profile, they tend to have the tutors who got furthest up the ladder of competition before they stalled and so have the biggest chips on their shoulders. ( remember faking it)
Thruxton or Mallory Park are good bets, good experienced sociable tutors.
Thruxton or Mallory Park are good bets, good experienced sociable tutors.
I did a 'Red Letter Day' at Thruxton. It was a half day 'Introduction to motorsport', 3 laps in an MG ZS with instructor, 3 you drive, then 7 in a formula Renault single seater (damn it's quick!). It was great, and you could buy more laps, or laps in the 360's that were hammering around.
£150 for the course I did, a year ago.
I think the website is www.redletterdays.co.uk
Sparks
£150 for the course I did, a year ago.
I think the website is www.redletterdays.co.uk
Sparks
I did a similar day at Brands Hatch last year, started out being tutored in an Audi TT for four or five laps, after which the instructor shows off for a lap! Then into the single seater Audi for a similar number of laps.
Nerve wracking going down Paddock Hill for the first time in a single-seater!
A great (half) day, but not a real introduction to motor sport.
Cost was £99 with lastminute.com.
Nerve wracking going down Paddock Hill for the first time in a single-seater!
A great (half) day, but not a real introduction to motor sport.
Cost was £99 with lastminute.com.
I've just had to pull out of one actually because I jarred my shoulder skiing at the weekend. It's in a Palmer Audi at Silverstone and was through red letter days. Cost £185 the gf tells me. I'm planning to arrange another one in a few weeks when my shoulder has settled down.
Bugger, was looking forward to it too.
Bugger, was looking forward to it too.
Where possible go straight to the track and ask there - Red letter days are overpriced and generally only an Experience as opposed to proper tuition.
I've been to Silverstone 5 times now (lots of pressies over the years) you always learn something but it takes a brave instructor to tell you to get you foot down when he's only known you 2 minutes.
Why not look at something like 1stLotus or similar where you spend a halfday/day at an airfield hooning about in an Elise or similar?
I've been to Silverstone 5 times now (lots of pressies over the years) you always learn something but it takes a brave instructor to tell you to get you foot down when he's only known you 2 minutes.
Why not look at something like 1stLotus or similar where you spend a halfday/day at an airfield hooning about in an Elise or similar?
I did the Elise at Thruxton. Amazing value.It was all day, with (I think) 15 laps. Then I did some laps in a Formula Renault (pay extra, but well worth it) and finally a ride with an instructor in a boxster where we raced (sorry, drove quickly) with a Lotus Elise. And we won!!!
I had actually wanted a female instructor (less ego thing) but the male tutor I got was a lovely guy. Very patient and good at explaining what I was doing wrong.
If you can, though try and get Jillian Goldsmith. In her spare time she races a DB4 GT Zagato, and is very quick..
(She was also in the first Goodwood revival race. At the start, Damon Hill missed a gear and she had no choice but to go into him. A few laps later, Hill spun off and said (on TV) "I think I was hit from behind by a woman"
I had actually wanted a female instructor (less ego thing) but the male tutor I got was a lovely guy. Very patient and good at explaining what I was doing wrong.
If you can, though try and get Jillian Goldsmith. In her spare time she races a DB4 GT Zagato, and is very quick..
(She was also in the first Goodwood revival race. At the start, Damon Hill missed a gear and she had no choice but to go into him. A few laps later, Hill spun off and said (on TV) "I think I was hit from behind by a woman"
Thanks for your responses, much appreciated. Has anyone tried the Ferrari racing experiences with the 'larger' gift companys that run at Brands Hatch/ Silverstone etc. I feel a little sceptical about freedom to use the cars power vs instructors/schools unwritten rules? (i.e. not able to explore the cars potential).
Cinque, I think you will find that they all run either rev limiters or restrictors on the throttle movement. However I have never heard of anyone complaining that the speed was restricted too much.
If you like it and want to play unrestricted on a regular basis, buy one of the outdated single seaters, like a 1700 Renault for about £2500 and use it at track days. A lot of people do that.
If you like it and want to play unrestricted on a regular basis, buy one of the outdated single seaters, like a 1700 Renault for about £2500 and use it at track days. A lot of people do that.
I've done a couple of these days now. One at Oulton Park in TTs and Formula Audis, and one at an airfield in a 355, 348, dax rush, pug 306 rally car and vauxhall astras.
The half day at oulton cost £85 (£150 normally) and was run by octagon. It was OK by not much track time and piffling 4k rev limiters so breaking wasn't strictly necessary. Oh yeah, they also flag you for going too fast or overtaking. My mates day was ruined because some twat wouldn't let anyone pass him.
The airfield day was very different. It cost £230 and is run by Vision Motorsport. There's quite a lot of time spent in the cars and the instructors encourage you give it some. Take this Dax round this course then get it sliding round those cones over there. Off ya go. Or in the 355: Be smooth but make sure you take it up to 7 and a half grand. The day wasn't an introduction to motorsport but it was bloody good fun and highly recommended. Vision Motorsport seem to be one of the better companies doing this sort of thing.
PS for classifieds try www.findit.co.uk
The half day at oulton cost £85 (£150 normally) and was run by octagon. It was OK by not much track time and piffling 4k rev limiters so breaking wasn't strictly necessary. Oh yeah, they also flag you for going too fast or overtaking. My mates day was ruined because some twat wouldn't let anyone pass him.
The airfield day was very different. It cost £230 and is run by Vision Motorsport. There's quite a lot of time spent in the cars and the instructors encourage you give it some. Take this Dax round this course then get it sliding round those cones over there. Off ya go. Or in the 355: Be smooth but make sure you take it up to 7 and a half grand. The day wasn't an introduction to motorsport but it was bloody good fun and highly recommended. Vision Motorsport seem to be one of the better companies doing this sort of thing.
PS for classifieds try www.findit.co.uk
The best place to find cars like that is in the classifieds of the Autosport. Most of the cars are much dearer than that, but occasionally one comes along.
Failing that put a wanted ad in the Autosport, "wanted cheap single seater for track days etc".
I do actually know someone with just such a car for sale, however I recommend that you should go to a day out at a circuit as you originally intended before you buy. You never know, you might find you like it so much you want a competitive car to race
Failing that put a wanted ad in the Autosport, "wanted cheap single seater for track days etc".
I do actually know someone with just such a car for sale, however I recommend that you should go to a day out at a circuit as you originally intended before you buy. You never know, you might find you like it so much you want a competitive car to race
tripps said: I did a similar day at Brands Hatch last year, started out being tutored in an Audi TT for four or five laps, after which the instructor shows off for a lap! Then into the single seater Audi for a similar number of laps.
Nerve wracking going down Paddock Hill for the first time in a single-seater!
A great (half) day, but not a real introduction to motor sport.
Cost was £99 with lastminute.com.
I did this one and honestly I thought it was shit (as Mat says) 4k rev limiter and people slowing down for corners and not letting you past on the straights, just bloody frustrating really.
If you get a good (considerate and understanding) bunch of people on the same course then I'm sure it would be different, but I'm getting anoyed just remembering it
As I mentioned on another thread I am facing the same (rather pleasant) dilema at the moment...
Parents, fiancee and possibly soon-to-be inlaws (so plenty of cash potentially) have offered something car/track related for my 30th birthday.
A number of places (some found through oily pages) offer to hire cars out for a trackday for about 500 quid, or half day for 300 quid-ish. Would have to add the cost of the trackday to that obviously.
Although this makes an expensive day, would this be worth it over a day course in a rev/throttle limited car, with an 'instructor' who is there more to keep you in check? Something like that would really fcuk me off
It's just hard for me to justify to myself £500 to *hire* the car...
Anybody have any other alternatives?
Cheers, Phil
Parents, fiancee and possibly soon-to-be inlaws (so plenty of cash potentially) have offered something car/track related for my 30th birthday.
A number of places (some found through oily pages) offer to hire cars out for a trackday for about 500 quid, or half day for 300 quid-ish. Would have to add the cost of the trackday to that obviously.
Although this makes an expensive day, would this be worth it over a day course in a rev/throttle limited car, with an 'instructor' who is there more to keep you in check? Something like that would really fcuk me off
It's just hard for me to justify to myself £500 to *hire* the car...
Anybody have any other alternatives?
Cheers, Phil
Bob Pearson said: Avoid the schools with the highest profile, they tend to have the tutors who got furthest up the ladder of competition before they stalled and so have the biggest chips on their shoulders. ( remember faking it).
Eh?? Unless I misse a LOT watching that program I thought that the instructors weer great and that brat needeD a damn good kicking (and had I been that US tennis player he'd have got one too!)
Mind you, Id agree about avoiding the high profile schools, but only cos they're far more expensive!
filmidget.... I knwo what you mean but...depends (I would say) on your current level of track experience/ability. You'll get a lot more f**ked off if you're either spinning a lot or getting past by absolutely everything and you dont have an expert there to tell you why....
Night
Nightmare,
I certainly don't want to re-open the faking it saga, it was dissected by everyone in the country at the time.
But risking that, I always feel that awkward pupils arise in all walks of life and the part of the job of an instructor, at school or anywhere else is to be able to deal with them and rise above them.
In their case their ability to call him insulting names and laugh at his efforts could only have come to them with such ease as a result of much practice. That being the case what makes you think that they wouldn't treat you or anyone else the same way.
I certainly don't want to re-open the faking it saga, it was dissected by everyone in the country at the time.
But risking that, I always feel that awkward pupils arise in all walks of life and the part of the job of an instructor, at school or anywhere else is to be able to deal with them and rise above them.
In their case their ability to call him insulting names and laugh at his efforts could only have come to them with such ease as a result of much practice. That being the case what makes you think that they wouldn't treat you or anyone else the same way.
Nightmare said:
filmidget.... I knwo what you mean but...depends (I would say) on your current level of track experience/ability. You'll get a lot more f**ked off if you're either spinning a lot or getting past by absolutely everything and you dont have an expert there to tell you why....
Night
T'is a very good point. Perhaps I overestimate my so far untried track talents
I mean principally about the spinning, I hope I am to so proud as to worry about being passed. Although I wouldn't want to get in the way of others, and be a blight on thier day.
The car hire companies will supply a body to look after the car all day, and provide "car and circuit familiarisation". But I do not suppose this would necessarily mean worthwhile tuition.
After discussions last night, may go for a cheaper bit of track 'fun' (half?)day from parents, and have a day clay pigeon shooting from Fiancee instead (yes, inspired by another Pistonheads thread - I can't understand why I haven't tried it before...)
Cheers, Phil
GregE240 said: I've just got a Red Letter Day present for being geeky at work, so I'll have to have a look tonight and see what I'm allowed to book.
Must admit, giving an Elise a good spanking around Thruxton sounds good...
I thought it was damn good. The best value for money of the "experiences things". The instructor I got was a good lad too - most amusing when he grabs the wheel and pushes the car back onto the correct line!
Wasn't peturbed when I ran a little wide and clipped a cone either - which was very forgiving.
I have considered buying five or six of the Elise courses in a row and trying to get the same instructor...Thruxton weren't having any of it though...although I'm sure one could...but not guarantee the instructor.
As with all schools..the instructor is partially there to preserve the car. But there wasn't any of this don't put your foot down stuff...
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