Track Day Beginner - some tips and advice please

[braddo]

No need for the OP to do anything whatsoever to his brakes for a first-time track day. Book track day, turn up, drive.

[braddo]

arkitan said:

Are you sure you don't mean

'don't lift off the brake through Paddock'?

Unless you are intending to drift round it that's what I would advise!

Being on the brakes all the way through Paddock makes no sense whatsoever! Especially a FWD hatchback. Especially for a first timer.

Focus ST170 approaching Paddock - brake in a straight line, ease off brakes (don't just lift your foot off suddenly), turn in smoothly and keep throttle neutral so that the car is balanced through (down! ) the turn. Once you're sure you're not heading to the gravel, start getting onto the throttle as you're heading to the bottom of the rollercoaster.

Feel free to chuckle/swear as your car compresses through the dip and storms up the hill

[j4r4lly]

I seem to have started a bit of a debate here regarding brakes etc.

So I have booked Snetterton for 23rd Feb and hope to have a lot of fun learning the car and track and generally being able to drive briskly without having to worry about pedestrians, speed cameras, potholes, HGV’s and all the other things we have to consider in day to day driving.

The car has fresh brake fluid which is around 2 weeks old, new Ford front and rear discs and pads and new front calipers, rear springs, lower arms, TCA bushes and four wheel geometry set up. It’s also had new cambelt, tensioner, water pump, auxiliary drive belt, full service including plugs, fuel filter and of course oil and filter. Hopefully it will stand up to the 150 round trip to get there and back and a day of having fun.

I’m old enough now to be well aware of my limitations and certainly won’t be going to set any lap records. I’ve also booked an instructor session to get the best out of the day.

Many thanks for everyone’s comments and advice, it’s been really interesting.

J4

[C70R]

j4r4lly said:

I seem to have started a bit of a debate here regarding brakes etc.

So I have booked Snetterton for 23rd Feb and hope to have a lot of fun learning the car and track and generally being able to drive briskly without having to worry about pedestrians, speed cameras, potholes, HGV’s and all the other things we have to consider in day to day driving.

The car has fresh brake fluid which is around 2 weeks old, new Ford front and rear discs and pads and new front calipers, rear springs, lower arms, TCA bushes and four wheel geometry set up. It’s also had new cambelt, tensioner, water pump, auxiliary drive belt, full service including plugs, fuel filter and of course oil and filter. Hopefully it will stand up to the 150 round trip to get there and back and a day of having fun.

I’m old enough now to be well aware of my limitations and certainly won’t be going to set any lap records. I’ve also booked an instructor session to get the best out of the day.

Many thanks for everyone’s comments and advice, it’s been really interesting.

J4

You'll have a great time, I'm sure.

If you haven't booked a garage, make sure you take a warm coat and/or an umbrella. And consider whether you can fit your tools into something waterproof, like a Really Useful storage box, so they don't get wet while you're on track.

If you do come into the pits with warm brakes, park the car in gear and leave the handbrake off. It's not super-likely to happen, but there's a small chance that the rear pads may bind to discs when warm.

[SpudLink]

j4r4lly said:

I seem to have started a bit of a debate here regarding brakes etc.

So I have booked Snetterton for 23rd Feb and hope to have a lot of fun learning the car and track and generally being able to drive briskly without having to worry about pedestrians, speed cameras, potholes, HGV’s and all the other things we have to consider in day to day driving.

The car has fresh brake fluid which is around 2 weeks old, new Ford front and rear discs and pads and new front calipers, rear springs, lower arms, TCA bushes and four wheel geometry set up. It’s also had new cambelt, tensioner, water pump, auxiliary drive belt, full service including plugs, fuel filter and of course oil and filter. Hopefully it will stand up to the 150 round trip to get there and back and a day of having fun.

I’m old enough now to be well aware of my limitations and certainly won’t be going to set any lap records. I’ve also booked an instructor session to get the best out of the day.

Many thanks for everyone’s comments and advice, it’s been really interesting.

J4

Sounds like you've done all you need for a great day.

Remember, anything you don't need on the day, leave it at home. It's easier than looking for somewhere to stow it when you're at the track.

[FastNLoud]

C70R said:

You'll have a great time, I'm sure.

If you haven't booked a garage, make sure you take a warm coat and/or an umbrella. And consider whether you can fit your tools into something waterproof, like a Really Useful storage box, so they don't get wet while you're on track.

If you do come into the pits with warm brakes, park the car in gear and leave the handbrake off. It's not super-likely to happen, but there's a small chance that the rear pads may bind to discs when warm.

Where people tend to leave their belonging whilst on track if they don't have a garage?

[C70R]

FastNLoud said:

C70R said:

You'll have a great time, I'm sure.

If you haven't booked a garage, make sure you take a warm coat and/or an umbrella. And consider whether you can fit your tools into something waterproof, like a Really Useful storage box, so they don't get wet while you're on track.

If you do come into the pits with warm brakes, park the car in gear and leave the handbrake off. It's not super-likely to happen, but there's a small chance that the rear pads may bind to discs when warm.

Where people tend to leave their belonging whilst on track if they don't have a garage?

I've tended to ask nicely if I can tuck it in someone else's garage. I've never had anyone say no yet. I tend to keep my valuables in the car with me, and just leave tools.

When I've done circuits without garages (like Cadwell), the group I go with take a tarp or a pop-up gazebo if rain is likely.

[SpudLink]

C70R said:

I've tended to ask nicely if I can tuck it in someone else's garage. I've never had anyone say no yet. I tend to keep my valuables in the car with me, and just leave tools.

When I've done circuits without garages (like Cadwell), the group I go with take a tarp or a pop-up gazebo if rain is likely.

Yep. Ask nicely and make a friend for the day.

Cadwell & Castle Coombe are all circuits I use which don't have garages. Choose your spot for the day and leave all your stuff there in a big holdall. A tarp or something similar isn't a bad idea. Might also want to use it as cover for your stuff if it's raining.

Edited by SpudLink on Friday 26th January 12:11

[j4r4lly]

Yup, also booked a garage thanks to advice on here.

Is there anything in the garages at Snetterton - chairs, access to water, heating etc?

[arkitan]

braddo said:

arkitan said:

Are you sure you don't mean

'don't lift off the brake through Paddock'?

Unless you are intending to drift round it that's what I would advise!

Being on the brakes all the way through Paddock makes no sense whatsoever! Especially a FWD hatchback. Especially for a first timer.

Focus ST170 approaching Paddock - brake in a straight line, ease off brakes (don't just lift your foot off suddenly), turn in smoothly and keep throttle neutral so that the car is balanced through (down! ) the turn. Once you're sure you're not heading to the gravel, start getting onto the throttle as you're heading to the bottom of the rollercoaster.

Feel free to chuckle/swear as your car compresses through the dip and storms up the hill

That's not what I said.I said to trail brake into the corner and then apply the throttle gently as you have a line to the rumble strip on the LHS. What I was disagreeing with was the idea that you should stay on the throttle the whole way round the corner. I suspect that is not what you were actually saying and that we are more in agreement than it appears however.

Definitely whatever you do don't lift off the brakes suddenly whether you brake in a straight line or trail brake as that will make the front end go light and induce understeer (unless you're a stiff car with a lot of downforce of course, not likely on a track day.)

[C70R]

j4r4lly said:

Yup, also booked a garage thanks to advice on here.

Is there anything in the garages at Snetterton - chairs, access to water, heating etc?

Nothing, from memory.

[SpudLink]

C70R said:

j4r4lly said:

Yup, also booked a garage thanks to advice on here.

Is there anything in the garages at Snetterton - chairs, access to water, heating etc?

Nothing, from memory.

Correct. Nothing. Bring your own water. Maybe a sandwich and biscuits. Take a break in the canteen with a warm cup of tea/coffee.

[CABC]

timbo999 said:

I don't know if others consider it so, but I certainly consider the single seaters at Thruxton to be slower than the sportscars. I've overtaken many in both the Cayman and Alpine (even the Focus when I drove that there). I speak from experience having driven the single seaters as well. In all the times I've driven there I have never been overtaken by a single seater.

yep, they're slow.
I suspect the problem they have is that with Joe Public, no instructor on-board and a fast circuit they can't provide anything too challenging.
the other Thruxton experiences are fair value I think. Up the budget to a Palmer single seater and it gets interesting.

[braddo]

arkitan said:

That's not what I said.I said to trail brake into the corner and then apply the throttle gently as you have a line to the rumble strip on the LHS. What I was disagreeing with was the idea that you should stay on the throttle the whole way round the corner. I suspect that is not what you were actually saying and that we are more in agreement than it appears however.

Definitely whatever you do don't lift off the brakes suddenly whether you brake in a straight line or trail brake as that will make the front end go light and induce understeer (unless you're a stiff car with a lot of downforce of course, not likely on a track day.)

Fair enough. But for a first timer at Brands and in a FWD hatch, I would not be doing any trail braking at all.

[trackdemon]

braddo said:

Fair enough. But for a first timer at Brands and in a FWD hatch, I would not be doing any trail braking at all.

As a -sometime- driver coach I'd absolutely always educate trail braking as a part of good driving; almost the first thing to learn

[Mrs Muttleysnoop]

One of my top tips is to get yourself into the pitlane early for the sighting laps. The 'pace car' will take the recomended line for the track so try to be in sight of him/her and memorise this. The further back you are in the queue the more random the lines will become!! Allso get some instruction early on, you can then build on this through the day.

[tberg]

My suggestions for a fun first time would be a) drive within your abilities and don't try to get the fastest lap time possible, b) driving smoothly will better your track performance than anything else you do instead of abrupt acceleration and then hard braking, c) have fun and don't get aggressive with other drivers, it may be their first times as well. One final note, test your brakes at the end of your first long straightaway by braking earlier and gentler than a full panic braking, it will give you more confidence going forward knowing the brakes' capabilities. I remember my first time down the long back straightaway that came to a 'V' shaped very severe curve, and with my nearly 600 hp XKR hurtling down the road, I realized that I had not yet ever tried a hard braking from high speed and I figured I'd better find out if I can stop this thing from 140mph.
I've taken my Jaguar XKR to the track dozens of times over the decade I've owned her, and always had a great time even with a big, heavy GT car. Go with the attitude that you want to have fun and learn some of both your and your car's capabilities and not with the desire to run the most aggressive, fastest time possible. That will come when you're more comfortable.

[MMarkM]

Sooo.... how "sensible" are these beginner days? Does everyone stick to the rules of no dodgy corner passes and play sensible and only pass on the straight and only when car in front indicates to do so? Are these rules enforced? I'd like to give one a go but fear some idiots ploughing into the side of me on corners?

[Mrs Muttleysnoop]

Unfortunately not everyone sticks to the rules,especially when race cars are in the mix..My advice would be to keep an eye in the mirror (but not too long!), if you see a car barreling up behind you keep over to the right, let them go through and then resume the lap at your own pace. If the pressure from behind seems overwhelming return to the pit lane and go straight out again, chances are that you will join the track with a more sympathetic bunch! Not all track day organizers act to discourage bad behavior on track.

[ScoobyChris]

My experience is if you book a session on something like Japfest it’s pretty chaotic with a wide range of abilities and cars whereas “single make” days tend to be more civilised. I also found the last session of the day is always a bit Wild West!

Chris