New to track days, info please!

[nicky996]

Am thinking of booking a track day at Goodwood for my husband's birthday. He has a Porsche 996 C2 coupe 02 plate.
Anyway, as I would like it to be a surprise, what checks/modifications etc are needed for a track day? I know the noise limit at Goodwood is 95decibels, how could I check the car is below that before I book the day? I think the car may have a sports exhaust, if it has it would have been sold originally like that, not modified later.

Do we need different tyres or any extra insurance? Or anything else!?
Help!!!!!!!!!

Many thanks

[gtdc]

There are two different noise limits at Goodwood. If there are 10 cars on track at once the limit is 98dB. if there are 5 cars on track at once the limit is 105dB.

Check with whoever looks after his car whether it's got the sports exhaust or not.

If he hasn't done Goodwood before check with the company you are booking with that they are using proper ARDS instructors and that your husband will get some on track coaching with them in his first session on track.

Melindi
www.goldtrack.co.uk

[Incorrigible]

You don't mention how much track experience he has

IMHO I wouldn't like to have my first outing (certainly not in such a nice car) at Goodwood, it's too fast and commiting. I'd prefer something smaller where you can really chuck it around (Brands hatch for example)

But it may well suit him

[fergus]

Depending upon where you are based in the country, Bedford Autodrome offers possibly the safest introduction to circuit driving in the UK. Apart from one corner, there's nothing to bump into if things go a bit pear shaped! Only thing is that the noise police like to frequent Bedford sometimes. To be sure of the dB output, contact book-a-track - they will lend you a noise meter for a day for a nominal fee. That way you save the potential of a wasted journey.

Would also advise against Goodwood as a 1st circuit. You can get too close a view of the hard stuff around the edge of the track - and thjat's if you remain on the 'mac!

Hope he enjoys the day whatever you choose!

PS As Melindi has already mentioned (plug for GoldTrack - they're good by the way!) - buying some tuition is probably the part of the day he'll gain most from and will allow him to enjoy the rest of the day in saftey having (hopefully) learnt some new skills

[ishaun]

nicky996 said:

Anyway, as I would like it to be a surprise, what checks/modifications etc are needed for a track day? I know the noise limit at Goodwood is 95decibels, how could I check the car is below that before I book the day? I think the car may have a sports exhaust, if it has it would have been sold originally like that, not modified later. Do we need different tyres or any extra insurance? Or anything else!? Help!!!!!!!!! Many thanks

Insurance usually carries a big excess - weigh up premium with excess. Although on the whole track days are extremely safe, accidents do happen usually through over exuberance, saw a Porsche spin at Goodwood a couple of years ago into the barriers, body twisted but occupants OK. In that respect certainly worth taking our personal injury insurance, normally available with track organisers. Again the organisers will be able to give you far more advise on what to do and not.

With respect to car set up, most people use standard road tyres although wear will probably be up to 10 times more per mile depending on driving style. Oil surge can be problem due to increased cornering speeds the long fast corners cause the most problem (plenty of those at Goodwood), not sure what the set up is on the Porsche (baffled sump etc). Usual checks on levels, brake pads etc. required. Also tyre pressures, worth dropping a few pounds of pressure.

With reference to noise levels - might be worth finding out whether anyone has a noise meter, maybe at one of your local Porsche meets, maybe worth another posting. Not knowing what type of sports exhaust fitted 98dB is quite loud, have passed this in the past with a relatively loud Westfield with single silencer and rattling baffles.

Goodwood is great circuit, with good run-off areas. Great day out - Enjoy

[GreenV8S]

ishaun said:

Goodwood is great circuit, with good run-off areas.

... on one side, and solid earth banking on the other. If you go off at Goodwood it is likely to be at very high speed, with a very good chance that it will end abruptly. There are not many circuits that scare me, but Goodwood does.

[canam-phil]

Is it OK to send an email through your profile as I have some information that is best not posted!

[willr]

If this is going to be your first trackday, I recommend either hiring a car (with instruction) or trying one of the Porsche Club days ( www.msdpcgb.co.uk/pages/track04/trackdaycal.asp ) - you may be able to get better insurance prices.

Why not try the Porsche Club day at Bedford on 13th Aug...

[catretriever]

If your husband is a novice then go for a sessioned day rather than open pit lane. Session days usually split each hour into three 20min sessions for Novice, Intermediate & Looney Tunes. Much less daunting for a Newbie.

[coyoteracer11]

Or if a complete novice go for an airfield day (nothing to hit!), or a tuition/airfield event like a Motorsport Events Academy day. See www.motorsport-events.com for details. I'm not associated with them in any way but have done several of their days and find them well-organised and good VFM.

Only downside with an airfield is that you'll do the tyres pretty quickly as the surface is a lot rougher than a circuit. I agree as a circuit Bedford is probably best for a newbie, though you don't get many sessioned events there and there's normally some pretty quick stuff.

Andrew

[steve rance]

I agree that Bedford is the best choice for a novice. Fastrakdays have an evening session for next Tuesday. That would be ideal because there will be only 30 cars max on the circuit which is 4 miles long. Often at Bedford Days there can be over 100 cars booked in and that can be daunting for a first timer.

See www.fastrakdays.co.uk

Steve R

[gtdc]

But if Goodwood is what floats his boat then it ought to be Goodwood. Nothing wrong with the place whatsoever - if he isn't experienced he'll be with an instructor and if he doesn't take hos brain out nothing'll happen to him. I've run days at goodwood for 12 years and have onle had 3 bits of damage on our days in all that time. All of those were daft mistakes by experienced people.

[kickstart]

Having had a 996 with a sports exhaust, unless it is the proper porsche one with a switch to turn on/off there is a very good chance that it will be very close to 98dB.
Remember to warm the car up properly before noise testing as this helps. Having been testing and doing track days at Goodwood for over 20 years it is one of the very best circuits in the country. If you are looking for insurance it is very expensive and generally has a mega excess eg £5,000 plus but it is available try www.moris.co.uk

[GreenV8S]

gtdc said:

I've run days at goodwood for 12 years and have onle had 3 bits of damage on our days in all that time. All of those were daft mistakes by experienced people.

It's a great circuit, but I wouldn't say it's suitable for a novice trying to get to grips with the car. In order to get anywhere near the limit of grip you need to be going awfully fast, so as a novice either you have to go far faster than is prudent, or resign yourself to the fact that you aren't getting anywhere near the limits of the car. And what's the point of going on track if you're just cruising round? Ideally you want a circuit with plenty of visual cues to help you judge your cornering and braking points, keep the speeds low so you don't have to read the track too far ahead, and some slow corners where you can feel the car moving around without putting your life on the line.

[elderly]

GreenV8S said:

gtdc said: It's a great circuit, but I wouldn't say it's suitable for a novice trying to get to grips with the car. In order to get anywhere near the limit of grip you need to be going awfully fast, so as a novice either you have to go far faster than is prudent, or resign yourself to the fact that you aren't getting anywhere near the limits of the car. And what's the point of going on track if you're just cruising round? Ideally you want a circuit with plenty of visual cues to help you judge your cornering and braking points, keep the speeds low so you don't have to read the track too far ahead, and some slow corners where you can feel the car moving around without putting your life on the line.

Very well argued and explained ......
now - suggestions please for that 'ideal' circuit
with all the features you describe above.

[fergus]

GreenV8S said:

In order to get anywhere near the limit of grip ..... you aren't getting anywhere near the limits of the car. And what's the point of going on track if you're just cruising round?

To be fair, if it's someone's first track day, they aren't necesserily going to be going all out, even towards the end of the day. If the car is on standard tyres and the driver is inexperienced(?) on track, then the speeds at which the car is able to corner may well be lower than a smoother, more experienced driver anyway.

Perhaps they just want the experience of driving in an unrestricted environment.

Just my £0.02!
chrs

[55jnj]

fergus said:

Bedford Autodrome offers possibly the safest introduction to circuit driving in the UK. Apart from one corner, there's nothing to bump into if things go a bit pear shaped!

Which corner are you referring to ?

[GreenV8S]

55jnj said:

Which corner are you referring to ?

I can think of two - the left hander that leads onto the back straight (solid earth bank on the outside), and the right hander that leads on to the pit straight (armco barrier on the inside).

[55jnj]

GreenV8S said:

55jnj said: Which corner are you referring to ? I can think of two - the left hander that leads onto the back straight (solid earth bank on the outside), and the right hander that leads on to the pit straight (armco barrier on the inside).

The left hander that leads onto the back straight was re-modelled a couple of years ago to slow it right down. Instead of heading straight for solid banking @ 90' from the fastest part of the circuit, as was before, the track now kicks right then a very slow left, to join the back straight. Sure someone could understeer into the solid banking at that point, but their speed would be a fraction of what it was.

As for armco on the pit straight, again a possibility no doubt but the momentum of the car carried through from the right hander at the start of the pit straight, is much more likely to take one into the infield rather than back towards the garages.

Still agree Bedford is the "safest" circuit of all in the country & ideal for beginners etc.

[GreenV8S]

The worry is that if the back steps out and you don't quite catch it you can easily end up turning the 90 into a 180 if you see what I mean.