Junior Track Driving Experience

[Hoolio]

My eldest turns 13 in a couple of weeks. He wants to do a track driving experience, where he drives, in a sports/supercar for his birthday.

Any recommendations please?

We're based in Hampshire so preferably close(ish) but happy to travel.

[CraigyMc]

Hoolio said:

My eldest turns 13 in a couple of weeks. He wants to do a track driving experience, where he drives, in a sports/supercar for his birthday.

Any recommendations please?

We're based in Hampshire so preferably close(ish) but happy to travel.

Most experience days (sports cars on track) require a full driving license.

YoungDrive would be something like a dual controls corsa on tarmac but not on the public road, however this isn't "sporty".

Karts would fit the bill, at 13 a lot of places will let him out in adult-sized stuff (I'm assuming here that like most modern tweenagers he's 7ft tall by 11 years old).

Thruxton has a decent kart track with a rental fleet, though I don't know their criteria for age. Barton Stacey (Forest Edge kart club) don't have a rental fleet, but you are surrounded by people who run karts and that's a negotiation away from running him in one of them.

[Baldchap]

Everyman do kids days in supercars.

https://www.everymanracing.co.uk/product/junior-tr...

40% discount ATM as well.

[donkmeister]

Sixth Gear do them too.

[donkmeister]

CraigyMc said:

Most experience days (sports cars on track) require a full driving license.

YoungDrive would be something like a dual controls corsa on tarmac but not on the public road, however this isn't "sporty".

Those who do them have dual controls in Ferraris etc. I understand the sixth gear one is relatively slow speeds around a coned off course rather than hitting three digits on the straights, can't say for the everyman one.

[numtumfutunch]

Bit of a curve ball and not what you asked but mine did an official Land Rover off road thing at the age of 11 and it was completely and utterly superb

He'd never as much as moved the car up the drive yet scored a full fat RR just by asking for it and then had an hour of what felt like full on off roading to me in the back seat but which probably used a microscopic amount of the cars ability. The other cars were a mixture of Sports, Evoques (no, really) and Defenders

The instructor was superb and when we did a river crossing and the lad said "which way" when the only sensible option was straight on to the other bank the guy replied "whatever you fancy" so he turned right and we drove up the river at a fairly jaunty angle for 200y

Fantastic day, really great and would recommend. Price was OK all things considered and I suspect they run them as cost neutral for good brand PR - which certainly worked for me

And I never thought a RR could do that let alone with a novice 11y old at the wheel

Cheers

[Haltamer]

The RR one is a good mention - I can't remember how old I was at the time (13ish probably) but I still remember the driving!

Under 17 Car club should get a mention too!

[BertBert]

U17CC is superb, but not a one off thing. In fact requires the commitment of many weekends over several years!

[Byker28i]

Thuxton - won't let them out in the supercars, but other things. Most want a full driving licence before they'll let you drive exotic

Perhaps suggest the 4x4 or skidpan?
https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/junior-st...
https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/junior-4x...
https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/skid-juni...

[Hoolio]

Thanks for the suggestions. Will take a look at Everyman and 6th Gear.

I have suggested an off-roading experience and he isn't keen on that idea. Any further suggestions greatly appreciated.

[Snatch1]

My 14 year old son did the Everyman day. He drove a 430 spider, an R8 and a Gallardo! He absolutely loved it and reliably informs me that he reached 87mph in the Gallardo!

We live in Hampshire and selected Dunsfold so he could drive the Top Gear track. Unfortunatley, despite being on the airfield it wasn't the Top Gear track but almost an oval layout.

Unfortunately we missed the included Arial Atom ride as it was too late in the day and they had to stop. To their credit the team there gave us the professional photos for free (we hadn't ordered them) and an Atom ride for him plus an M3 ride for the pair of us on a circuit near Aldershot the following day. It was only 15 mins from us so no problem at all.

He's also done a couple of the junior driving days which he also enjoyed (30 minute lesson driving a Micra with an instructor), but not as much as the supercars!

Edited by Snatch1 on Thursday 26th January 17:36