Track Day Beginner - some tips and advice please
Discussion
RSbandit said:
Bedford is one of the best circuits for beginners tbh, lots of space and in full GT layout quite long so never feels busy.
Couldn't agree more. It's flat, the surface is good, all of the corners are well-sighted and there's plenty of runoff if it goes wrong.I did my first ever trackday on the GT layout, and couldn't recommend it enough.
RSbandit said:
Bedford is one of the best circuits for beginners tbh, lots of space and in full GT layout quite long so never feels busy.
It is, and probably a good location for the OP. No racing, so you don't have club racers using the trackday for testing. But to be honest, Snetterton is a pretty good beginner's circuit. I've owned a Focus ST170 in the past and currently track my mk2 RS. I'd imagine the ST170 will be great fun, they were pretty well fettled out of the box. Only consideration from me for first time on track in such an old car is rear suspension bushes, the control blade front bushes on my Focus are shot and makes the car unpredictable esp at e.g. Riches, Palmer, Coram. Mk1 Focus suspension is very similar design so something to bear in mind. In my experience the front end tends to look after itself, the back end needs looking after.
checkmate91 said:
I've owned a Focus ST170 in the past and currently track my mk2 RS. I'd imagine the ST170 will be great fun, they were pretty well fettled out of the box. Only consideration from me for first time on track in such an old car is rear suspension bushes, the control blade front bushes on my Focus are shot and makes the car unpredictable esp at e.g. Riches, Palmer, Coram. Mk1 Focus suspension is very similar design so something to bear in mind. In my experience the front end tends to look after itself, the back end needs looking after.
It’s a 2002 ST170 but has only just ticked over 42,000 miles. Last year I replaced the rear springs, lower arms and all the anti roll bar bushes and then had the geometry checked. Mine has the Recaro seats and while it’s not exactly quick, it can be punted along a “B” road at quite a pace without trying too hard. I’m hoping it will be fun on track too and not too hampered by the overly long gearing in 2nd and 3rd. Thanks for your encouragement 😃
C70R said:
RSbandit said:
Bedford is one of the best circuits for beginners tbh, lots of space and in full GT layout quite long so never feels busy.
Couldn't agree more. It's flat, the surface is good, all of the corners are well-sighted and there's plenty of runoff if it goes wrong.I did my first ever trackday on the GT layout, and couldn't recommend it enough.
J4,
I always post the same to these threads lol. Snett is my local and a great track, also, a great place to start back at.
You don’t need to be diving out of folks way, plenty of places they can pass ya if needed.
Car wise - definitely try to flush the fluid with something a bit more suitable. I use RBF600 in the Vette and it gives me a few days before boiling. Snett is gonna get your brakes hot!! Whether you’re a beginner or not! On that note, do NOT be afraid of bailing into the run off under the bridge. We’ve all done it. My lad used to marshall at Snett and that is the place where most of the action is, take the run off if in doubt 🤣
Prep for you? Couple of pints night before to help you sleep?
Other than that, have fun. Always have fun at Snett and have made numerous friends there too, great place.
Hope to see you there sometime
I always post the same to these threads lol. Snett is my local and a great track, also, a great place to start back at.
You don’t need to be diving out of folks way, plenty of places they can pass ya if needed.
Car wise - definitely try to flush the fluid with something a bit more suitable. I use RBF600 in the Vette and it gives me a few days before boiling. Snett is gonna get your brakes hot!! Whether you’re a beginner or not! On that note, do NOT be afraid of bailing into the run off under the bridge. We’ve all done it. My lad used to marshall at Snett and that is the place where most of the action is, take the run off if in doubt 🤣
Prep for you? Couple of pints night before to help you sleep?
Other than that, have fun. Always have fun at Snett and have made numerous friends there too, great place.
Hope to see you there sometime
SAS Tom said:
I’d advise better brakes as everyone else has. Road pads tend to get too hot very quickly and it’s an easy way to spoil your day.
Being a beginner can be worse for the brakes as they tend to brake longer and more often increasing the heat in the brakes.
Yes and no.Being a beginner can be worse for the brakes as they tend to brake longer and more often increasing the heat in the brakes.
I'd always advise a brake fluid change for a first-timer, simply because of his infrequently it gets done. As a 'while you're in there', there's zero downside to switching it out for something like Typ200, which is a cheap and easy way to guard against it overheating.
I'd stop short of recommending track-focused friction material though. A newbie is going to be doing short sessions, and hopefully not testing the limits of their brakes. Decent OEM stuff (as you'd hope would be fitted to any well maintained car) with plenty of meat will absolutely be adequate.
I say that as someone who tracked cars as a newbie on OEM pads without issue. While I'll never be part of the "done a set of pads by lunchtime, mate" crowd, there's no reason why OEM pads shouldn't work just fine in this case.
Track pads are a minefield, and before long you're justifying spending 300+ quid on a set of Carbotechs that don't work from cold on the road and squeal like mad.
Get a couple of days on OEM kit to see whether trackdays are for you, and then start looking at upgrades.
C70R said:
Yes and no.
I'd always advise a brake fluid change for a first-timer, simply because of his infrequently it gets done. As a 'while you're in there', there's zero downside to switching it out for something like Typ200, which is a cheap and easy way to guard against it overheating.
I'd stop short of recommending track-focused friction material though. A newbie is going to be doing short sessions, and hopefully not testing the limits of their brakes. Decent OEM stuff (as you'd hope would be fitted to any well maintained car) with plenty of meat will absolutely be adequate.
I say that as someone who tracked cars as a newbie on OEM pads without issue. While I'll never be part of the "done a set of pads by lunchtime, mate" crowd, there's no reason why OEM pads shouldn't work just fine in this case.
Track pads are a minefield, and before long you're justifying spending 300+ quid on a set of Carbotechs that don't work from cold on the road and squeal like mad.
Get a couple of days on OEM kit to see whether trackdays are for you, and then start looking at upgrades.
It's very easy to get caught up in trackday "upgraditis". Start by just enjoying your road car as it is. I'd always advise a brake fluid change for a first-timer, simply because of his infrequently it gets done. As a 'while you're in there', there's zero downside to switching it out for something like Typ200, which is a cheap and easy way to guard against it overheating.
I'd stop short of recommending track-focused friction material though. A newbie is going to be doing short sessions, and hopefully not testing the limits of their brakes. Decent OEM stuff (as you'd hope would be fitted to any well maintained car) with plenty of meat will absolutely be adequate.
I say that as someone who tracked cars as a newbie on OEM pads without issue. While I'll never be part of the "done a set of pads by lunchtime, mate" crowd, there's no reason why OEM pads shouldn't work just fine in this case.
Track pads are a minefield, and before long you're justifying spending 300+ quid on a set of Carbotechs that don't work from cold on the road and squeal like mad.
Get a couple of days on OEM kit to see whether trackdays are for you, and then start looking at upgrades.
But as others have said, brakes need to be in good condition, so decent fluid is a good idea.
SpudLink said:
C70R said:
Yes and no.
I'd always advise a brake fluid change for a first-timer, simply because of his infrequently it gets done. As a 'while you're in there', there's zero downside to switching it out for something like Typ200, which is a cheap and easy way to guard against it overheating.
I'd stop short of recommending track-focused friction material though. A newbie is going to be doing short sessions, and hopefully not testing the limits of their brakes. Decent OEM stuff (as you'd hope would be fitted to any well maintained car) with plenty of meat will absolutely be adequate.
I say that as someone who tracked cars as a newbie on OEM pads without issue. While I'll never be part of the "done a set of pads by lunchtime, mate" crowd, there's no reason why OEM pads shouldn't work just fine in this case.
Track pads are a minefield, and before long you're justifying spending 300+ quid on a set of Carbotechs that don't work from cold on the road and squeal like mad.
Get a couple of days on OEM kit to see whether trackdays are for you, and then start looking at upgrades.
It's very easy to get caught up in trackday "upgraditis". Start by just enjoying your road car as it is. I'd always advise a brake fluid change for a first-timer, simply because of his infrequently it gets done. As a 'while you're in there', there's zero downside to switching it out for something like Typ200, which is a cheap and easy way to guard against it overheating.
I'd stop short of recommending track-focused friction material though. A newbie is going to be doing short sessions, and hopefully not testing the limits of their brakes. Decent OEM stuff (as you'd hope would be fitted to any well maintained car) with plenty of meat will absolutely be adequate.
I say that as someone who tracked cars as a newbie on OEM pads without issue. While I'll never be part of the "done a set of pads by lunchtime, mate" crowd, there's no reason why OEM pads shouldn't work just fine in this case.
Track pads are a minefield, and before long you're justifying spending 300+ quid on a set of Carbotechs that don't work from cold on the road and squeal like mad.
Get a couple of days on OEM kit to see whether trackdays are for you, and then start looking at upgrades.
But as others have said, brakes need to be in good condition, so decent fluid is a good idea.
There's a culture online where nothing less than the absolute best is good enough, when that's absolute toss.
j4r4lly said:
The Focus has very recently had a set of genuine Ford front and rear discs, pads and 2 new front calipers. It’s a relatively light and low powered car with large discs all round so it’s probably fine for a session with a beginner at Snetterton.
Yep. Get out there 
I don't like Bedford. Too many really slow, boring corners and very hard on brakes. Snetterton a bit better for that together with some better higher speed corners.
Brands will also be fun, but just start gently and don't lift off the throttle through Paddock! You don't have to be going 10/10ths to enjoy the Brands rollercoaster.
Oh, and if the track is wet, get an instructor and/or experiment with avoiding corner apexes. There is way more grip on the outside of the corners in the wet, so a wet track day can still be interesting to learn new lines and not spend the whole time feeling like you're about to spin (which is how the dry line feels).
braddo said:
Yep. Get out there
I don't like Bedford. Too many really slow, boring corners and very hard on brakes. Snetterton a bit better for that together with some better higher speed corners.
Brands will also be fun, but just start gently and don't lift off the throttle through Paddock! You don't have to be going 10/10ths to enjoy the Brands rollercoaster.
Oh, and if the track is wet, get an instructor and/or experiment with avoiding corner apexes. There is way more grip on the outside of the corners in the wet, so a wet track day can still be interesting to learn new lines and not spend the whole time feeling like you're about to spin (which is how the dry line feels).
Are you sure you don't meanI don't like Bedford. Too many really slow, boring corners and very hard on brakes. Snetterton a bit better for that together with some better higher speed corners.
Brands will also be fun, but just start gently and don't lift off the throttle through Paddock! You don't have to be going 10/10ths to enjoy the Brands rollercoaster.
Oh, and if the track is wet, get an instructor and/or experiment with avoiding corner apexes. There is way more grip on the outside of the corners in the wet, so a wet track day can still be interesting to learn new lines and not spend the whole time feeling like you're about to spin (which is how the dry line feels).
'don't lift off the brake through Paddock'?
Unless you are intending to drift round it that's what I would advise!
(In softly sprung non-hardcore-track cars, trail braking is highly advisable if you are not to have terminal understeer.)
Edited by arkitan on Monday 22 January 17:27
I would be very loathe to do a car trackday without fresh high performance brake fluid and better than OEM pads.
There are other options that might help to get more cooling air to the brakes, but generally they are more hassle than a fluid/pad upgrade.
You might get away with OEM if you don't drive too hard in perhaps 2 or 3 lap runs or your car is very much a very focussed performance model.
You will get some warning that your brakes are wilting if you stay with OEM, heed those warnings.
Trackdays are meant to be fun, whatever you do enjoy the day, even if it means a little bit of pre trackday prep.
There are other options that might help to get more cooling air to the brakes, but generally they are more hassle than a fluid/pad upgrade.
You might get away with OEM if you don't drive too hard in perhaps 2 or 3 lap runs or your car is very much a very focussed performance model.
You will get some warning that your brakes are wilting if you stay with OEM, heed those warnings.
Trackdays are meant to be fun, whatever you do enjoy the day, even if it means a little bit of pre trackday prep.
Another vote for Bedford for beginners; it's interesting enough to be fun and is pretty safe by design. Yes there's a couple of tight corners, but there's also plenty of fast bits especially the section after the long straight on the SW circuit (which is my preference over GT, but it is whatever it is on the day). I'm relatively local to Brands and happy to help with coaching if dates work - I'm not qualified as such (unless you count thousands of TD miles!) but have done the left hand seat thing quite a lot. Brands is... interesting! For such a short track (assuming Indy as GP trackdays are rare) it's really quite technical and as others have alluded to Paddock Hill is probably the biggest one to get your head around, but Clearways is quite challenging too with multiple potential lines in & out. YOU DO NOT WANT TO GO OFF AT PADDOCK 
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