Slow Tracks

[QBee]

Kent Border Kenny said:

Do they have separate sessions for people like this?

There are novice track days.
Look out for them on the track day organisers' websites.

They can be a mixed blessing:

1. They often tend to be sessioned, so you are divided into say three groups and you get on track for 20 minutes every hour, which can be frustrating.
2. Mixing with 60-80 other people as inexperienced in track days as yourself can be less safe, not more, because
3. A number of novices will try to prove they are Lewis Hamilton from the moment they get on track.
4. Experienced track dayers instinctively obey track day rules, inexperienced ones have to think about it.

It depends on your car and your competence. I started with a normal track evening, followed by a novice day.

The evening, at Cadwell Park, was great, purely because there was an experienced guy in a similar car to me who gave me some sound advice.
Halfway through the session I did indeed run wide at Charlies, but his words rang in my ears, and rather than fight it and end up backwards in the barrier, I let it run onto the grass, collected the car and my thoughts carefully and got back onto the track without drama.

I found the novice days alarming. I am not Lewis Hamilton, but I did have 42 years (now 50 years) driving experience in a number of powerful cars. The number of drivers whose brains went to mush the moment they got on track was scary, and getting past them was similarly alarming as I could never predict which way they would go next.

So what I am saying is that there are novice days, but if you are a competent and cool driver consider just going on a standard track day, listen carefully to the briefing, take your time and build up gradually (you have all day), keep your on-track sessions to 15-20 minutes, and remember it's not a race. Ask for and take passenger rides - they're free. Choose open pit lane format over sessions every time. And if at all possible, go along with like minded friends. But if not, spot the people with a similar car to yours, park next to them, and introduce yourself right at the start. One of the best track days I ever had was with a group of friends in the same make of car, the next best was when I joined a group of MX5 drivers, all 30 years younger than me. We are a friendly lot, and the paddock chat and banter is as much a part of the day as the driving. You will only be on the track for about three hours, so it's good to have someone to talk to the rest of the time.

[Kent Border Kenny]

I’ve done a fair few days previously, but want to be a bit careful with my new car both because I spent quite a lot of money on it and because it’s reasonably fast.

I’d prefer not to annoy the really fast guys as I learn what the car’s all about, or to find that I’m having to pass too many people who are taking it easy in more “normal” road cars.

I’ll probably just book into Brands and if it’s not enjoyable then come home again.

[Cambs_Stuart]

Bedford is a good fun track. A nice long straight to get your breath back and few good corner combinations. I prefer it to Snetterton, but to be honest, I'm happy on either. Wet sessions are the best in a Clio, they are a lot of fun to chuck about. Which is lucky as the 4 track days I've been on this year have all been very, very wet.

Edited by Cambs_Stuart on Tuesday 10th November 12:08

[braddo]

Kent Border Kenny said:

I’ve done a fair few days previously, but want to be a bit careful with my new car both because I spent quite a lot of money on it and because it’s reasonably fast.

I’d prefer not to annoy the really fast guys as I learn what the car’s all about, or to find that I’m having to pass too many people who are taking it easy in more “normal” road cars.

I’ll probably just book into Brands and if it’s not enjoyable then come home again.

Have a look at Lotus-on-Track - they take any 2 seat sports cars, the driving standards/manners are excellent, numbers are low and cost is very reasonable.

[Kent Border Kenny]

braddo said:

Have a look at Lotus-on-Track - they take any 2 seat sports cars, the driving standards/manners are excellent, numbers are low and cost is very reasonable.

Will do, thanks.

[fred bloggs]

Brands hatch is a weird one, in that when you think you are fast, your actually slow, and vice versa.
The indy track is perhaps the hardest uk track to fully master, despite being so short. Not surprising I could get round faster in a 1974 celica with 130bhp than a 1992 mitsi evo1 with 390 bhp.

[ESDavey]

Big vote for wet track days. You get to the limit a lot quicker = less stress on the car and great learning about moving the weight of the car.

I track a TVR and get hammered in the wet especially on hard braking (weight on the front wheels, 5lts of engine braking on the rear = precision on the downshift). Any idiot can go fast but it takes skill to brake and corner efficiently.