Forthcoming Track Day, any recommendations

Forthcoming Track Day, any recommendations

Author
Discussion

DemolitionDan

Original Poster:

50 posts

248 months

Thursday 18th September 2003
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I'm looking for a track day in October. Myself and two mates have recently bought new steeds and would like some track time to discover their foibles.

The cars are a Porsche 911 3.3 Turbo, an imported Honda S2000 and a 944 S2. We fancied Bedford Autodrome because of the run-off areas and are also after something technical rather than just high speed sweeping bends.

Would prefer something at the weekend as all of us are running short on vacation days from work.

Any recommendations?

robp

5,770 posts

265 months

Thursday 18th September 2003
quotequote all
I've only been on one.

Went to Elvington with Bookatrack. Would highly recommend it for the good run off areas and good mix of fast/slow corners.

The Bookatrack team are excellent and its good cvalue for money (£100) for the day, plus you often get an open-pitlane so you are much more free in when you go out.

My advice would be get a few sessions of instruction, they make you so much quicker!

m-five

11,246 posts

285 months

Thursday 18th September 2003
quotequote all
BookaTrack have a track day at the Lotus' Hethel Test track on 11th October (Saturday) or how about Rockingham on the 18th October (Saturday)

demolitiondan

Original Poster:

50 posts

248 months

Friday 19th September 2003
quotequote all
Rockingham sounds interesting Mfive but what's the infield area like? I don't fancy the banked roundy-roundy circuit much.

Which M5 have you got for circuits? My E28 has never been on a track day but I bet it would be a bit of a grin!

m-five

11,246 posts

285 months

Friday 19th September 2003
quotequote all
demolitiondan said:
Rockingham sounds interesting Mfive but what's the infield area like? I don't fancy the banked roundy-roundy circuit much.

Which M5 have you got for circuits? My E28 has never been on a track day but I bet it would be a bit of a grin!


I've got the e34 3.8 and it's great (albeit expensive to run) on trackdays.

The Rockingham infield is just like any other track with plenty of run-off and the only scary bit it going onto the banking and seeing the wall get closer and closer - a little tip is to go bloody SLOW the first few laps and work your speed up.

The E28 would be brilliant on track as it weighs a fair bit less than the E34 so you would use less fuel and rubber.

demolitiondan

Original Poster:

50 posts

248 months

Saturday 20th September 2003
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I think the next lucky owner of my E28 will have to find that out for themselves as I am moving it on. I've just picked up a 911 3.3 Turbo so my future exploits will be in that. Would love to get hold of another E28 some time though - it's an awesome machine.

Rockingham sounds quite good - another safe option like the Bedford Autodrome?

cptsideways

13,551 posts

253 months

Thursday 23rd October 2003
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For beginners I would'nt recommend Donnington nasty tyrewalls at very high speed if you get it wrong, or Hethel, not a lot of runoff & rather easy to find it if your not careful.

I followed a Pug 205 in the first bend of the "six's" at Hethel, oversteer & rollover in the gravel (rocks), not nice but damn lucky.
Donnington I saw two totalled cars in the space of hour, and these were supposed to be leisurely events.

If it was an airfield they would have all been fine.

Start with an airfield......, I'd recommend the people at Javelin or Motorsport Events.

domster

8,431 posts

271 months

Friday 24th October 2003
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Interestingly, a BMW 328i rolled at the same place at Hethel a couple of weeks back when I was there. It is a nasty gravel trap, full of big sharp pieces of flint.

I'd recommend Bedford, an airfield (Bedford is basically airfield anyway), or maybe hiring Bruntingthorpe with an instructor for a few hours of training (see Nigel Greensall - i think he is at www.nigelgreensall.co.uk or .com)/

Don't be fooled by long sweeping bends not being technical - if you drive Goodwood you'll find these can be much trickier than the slower tighter turns.

All tracks have their challenges. But some are much safer than others. Safest are Bruntingthorpe, Bedford and airfields - but still watch out for traffic as you can be 'collected' anywhere.

robp

5,770 posts

265 months

Friday 24th October 2003
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I've done an airfield day in a 205 but I'm booked in for Donnington next month. Better be careful!

dannylt

1,906 posts

285 months

Friday 24th October 2003
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<pedant>Donington!!!</pedant>

WelshDragon

50 posts

251 months

Friday 24th October 2003
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Hi Demo Dan

Did you do Oulton with track-Action ?
I remember chatting to someone with the S2000?
I was in the green eurocar not in the NSX this time

We are at Donnington on the 7th November.
www.track-action.com

Dale
NSX 1