Track Day Beginner - some tips and advice please

[jasonrobertson86]

Mrs Muttleysnoop said:

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.

Except if there is a bend. Follow the fastest line through the bend, then pull over and don't do what lots of inexperienced do and just hug the right, then the apex at 20-30mph.

[SpudLink]

jasonrobertson86 said:

Except if there is a bend. Follow the fastest line through the bend, then pull over and don't do what lots of inexperienced do and just hug the right, then the apex at 20-30mph.

The OP is doing Snetterton. In my experience it’s easy to let faster cars pass because of the long straights. And at this time of year there shouldn’t be the problem of club racers doing a shakedown before a race weekend.

[jasonrobertson86]

SpudLink said:

The OP is doing Snetterton. In my experience it’s easy to let faster cars pass because of the long straights. And at this time of year there shouldn’t be the problem of club racers doing a shakedown before a race weekend.

Ah ok, yeah, easy enough, the point still stands. Take the racing line.

There will be plenty out doing cheap testing. Loads of friends are out very soon in feb to get practice for the race season.

[Benzinaio]

I'll be at Snetterton all day this Sunday 18th.
Please come and say hi, I'll be in an Adrenaline Green Abarth.

[j4r4lly]

I’ll be at Snetterton tomorrow (Sat 24th). If anyone else is there please come and say hello to the old boy cruising around in the Magnum Grey Focus ST170.

[SpudLink]

j4r4lly said:

I’ll be at Snetterton tomorrow (Sat 24th). If anyone else is there please come and say hello to the old boy cruising around in the Magnum Grey Focus ST170.

Have a great day.

[j4r4lly]

Few pics of the day. Very cold and foggy at the start meaning several cars went off, though no damage or injuries other than to the grass.

[Cambs_Stuart]

Looks like fantastic weather for Feb!
It's my first day out this year at Bedford on monday, so if anyone here is there, say hello. I'll be in the silver mobile chicane.

[j4r4lly]

When we started the session is was still cold and damp and the far end of the track was shrouded in fog. Track action was stopped 5 times in the first hour or so, as so many cars slid off on to the grass. No injuries and no damage done other than to the turf. Once the sun came though, the rest of the day was excellent.

[SpudLink]

j4r4lly said:

When we started the session is was still cold and damp and the far end of the track was shrouded in fog. Track action was stopped 5 times in the first hour or so, as so many cars slid off on to the grass. No injuries and no damage done other than to the turf. Once the sun came though, the rest of the day was excellent.

Dr. Palmer won't be pleased. As I was once told "you've only paid to use the tarmac".

[braddo]

j4r4lly said:

When we started the session is was still cold and damp and the far end of the track was shrouded in fog. Track action was stopped 5 times in the first hour or so, as so many cars slid off on to the grass. No injuries and no damage done other than to the turf. Once the sun came though, the rest of the day was excellent.

How did the Focus hold up and did you have fun?

[j4r4lly]

braddo said:

j4r4lly said:

When we started the session is was still cold and damp and the far end of the track was shrouded in fog. Track action was stopped 5 times in the first hour or so, as so many cars slid off on to the grass. No injuries and no damage done other than to the turf. Once the sun came though, the rest of the day was excellent.

How did the Focus hold up and did you have fun?

It was excellent, particularly the brakes which everyone kept saying would need non standard pads and fluid. Even after a full day they were still really strong. Unfortunately late in the day the car disappeared in a cloud of steam when the newest part on the car, the thermostat housing, sprung a leak. Fortunately it didn’t have time to overheat and I had a 5 litre container of water as well as a couple of 1.5 litre bottles I found in a bin and washed out. Drove the car the 75 miles home keeping the revs down and stopping every 20 mins or so to top up the expansion tank. Despite road closures, diversions across country tracks in the middle of nowhere, 2 sections of flooded road and having to keep topping it up in the dark by the side of the road, it got me home. The garage that fitted the part admitted that an O ring seal probably hadn’t been fitted properly and it’s now sorted.

As to the on track driving, I had a 360 spin early on which really scared me. Track was cold and despite taking it easy it was like driving on marbles. Once it dried out and warmed up my confidence returned and I had a lot of fun.

[braddo]

Excellent

[ribiero]

j4r4lly said:

braddo said:

j4r4lly said:

When we started the session is was still cold and damp and the far end of the track was shrouded in fog. Track action was stopped 5 times in the first hour or so, as so many cars slid off on to the grass. No injuries and no damage done other than to the turf. Once the sun came though, the rest of the day was excellent.

How did the Focus hold up and did you have fun?

It was excellent, particularly the brakes which everyone kept saying would need non standard pads and fluid. Even after a full day they were still really strong. Unfortunately late in the day the car disappeared in a cloud of steam when the newest part on the car, the thermostat housing, sprung a leak. Fortunately it didn’t have time to overheat and I had a 5 litre container of water as well as a couple of 1.5 litre bottles I found in a bin and washed out. Drove the car the 75 miles home keeping the revs down and stopping every 20 mins or so to top up the expansion tank. Despite road closures, diversions across country tracks in the middle of nowhere, 2 sections of flooded road and having to keep topping it up in the dark by the side of the road, it got me home. The garage that fitted the part admitted that an O ring seal probably hadn’t been fitted properly and it’s now sorted.

As to the on track driving, I had a 360 spin early on which really scared me. Track was cold and despite taking it easy it was like driving on marbles. Once it dried out and warmed up my confidence returned and I had a lot of fun.

Love this, when's your next day?

[j4r4lly]

ribiero said:

j4r4lly said:

braddo said:

j4r4lly said:

When we started the session is was still cold and damp and the far end of the track was shrouded in fog. Track action was stopped 5 times in the first hour or so, as so many cars slid off on to the grass. No injuries and no damage done other than to the turf. Once the sun came though, the rest of the day was excellent.

How did the Focus hold up and did you have fun?

It was excellent, particularly the brakes which everyone kept saying would need non standard pads and fluid. Even after a full day they were still really strong. Unfortunately late in the day the car disappeared in a cloud of steam when the newest part on the car, the thermostat housing, sprung a leak. Fortunately it didn’t have time to overheat and I had a 5 litre container of water as well as a couple of 1.5 litre bottles I found in a bin and washed out. Drove the car the 75 miles home keeping the revs down and stopping every 20 mins or so to top up the expansion tank. Despite road closures, diversions across country tracks in the middle of nowhere, 2 sections of flooded road and having to keep topping it up in the dark by the side of the road, it got me home. The garage that fitted the part admitted that an O ring seal probably hadn’t been fitted properly and it’s now sorted.

As to the on track driving, I had a 360 spin early on which really scared me. Track was cold and despite taking it easy it was like driving on marbles. Once it dried out and warmed up my confidence returned and I had a lot of fun.

Love this, when's your next day?

I’m not sure I’m brave enough for another one just yet.

I may look for an evening session or maybe a half day as it’s less wear and tear on me and the car.

[E-bmw]

j4r4lly said:

ribiero said:

j4r4lly said:

braddo said:

j4r4lly said:

When we started the session is was still cold and damp and the far end of the track was shrouded in fog. Track action was stopped 5 times in the first hour or so, as so many cars slid off on to the grass. No injuries and no damage done other than to the turf. Once the sun came though, the rest of the day was excellent.

How did the Focus hold up and did you have fun?

It was excellent, particularly the brakes which everyone kept saying would need non standard pads and fluid. Even after a full day they were still really strong. Unfortunately late in the day the car disappeared in a cloud of steam when the newest part on the car, the thermostat housing, sprung a leak. Fortunately it didn’t have time to overheat and I had a 5 litre container of water as well as a couple of 1.5 litre bottles I found in a bin and washed out. Drove the car the 75 miles home keeping the revs down and stopping every 20 mins or so to top up the expansion tank. Despite road closures, diversions across country tracks in the middle of nowhere, 2 sections of flooded road and having to keep topping it up in the dark by the side of the road, it got me home. The garage that fitted the part admitted that an O ring seal probably hadn’t been fitted properly and it’s now sorted.

As to the on track driving, I had a 360 spin early on which really scared me. Track was cold and despite taking it easy it was like driving on marbles. Once it dried out and warmed up my confidence returned and I had a lot of fun.

Love this, when's your next day?

I’m not sure I’m brave enough for another one just yet.

I may look for an evening session or maybe a half day as it’s less wear and tear on me and the car.

From my experience I only ever did one evening session as it was a nightmare.

The combination of limited time, limited numbers, and most people trying to get as much track time in as possible was not good.

[brillomaster]

agreed, did an evening session at donington a few years ago - never again. the evening alternated between being really busy on circuit, and red flags.

full open pit lanes are definitely the way to go. you could be super relaxed and only go out once an hour, and still have plenty of track time for your money.

[ribiero]

open pitlanes tend to quieten down towards end of the day as people either get red flagged, break their car or actively avoid the "one last go" curse.. so you can have some really nice running.

Sessioned day's do work in the right situations, especially for classics where you might not want to put multiple hours on a car. It's also a good way of keeping an unsilenced day's costs down imo.