Newbie track advise please.

[GTR LUST]

Hi,

I'm planning to buy a track day car that's still road legal.

Before I do, I'd like a taster sesion in my daily driver, and wonder how common are accidents on track, is my car likely to get damaged?

And who should I get insurance from to cover me for 1 day track use?

Is there any rules a car must comply with to run on a track?

Thanks in advance for your input

Edited by GTR LUST on Saturday 17th December 11:52

[Ian_sUK]

If it has an Mot its fine. Car to car contact is very rare (I've never seen any) cars into walls is quite common but that's all down to you I'm afraid!

Insurance wise I use competition car insurance.

[TypeRTom]

Bedford has plenty of run off around most of the track, I did a newbie session there in February (very wet conditions) and there were no incidents as far as I know. If you stuff it up at somewhere like Brands Hatch it would be easier to end up in the gravel or in the barriers. As long as you don't go out all guns blazing on your first lap you should be fine.

[shaun fulcrum]

Taster session is a good idea and as said car to car is VERY rare (I also have never seen it) and car to wall is really down to driver IMHO.

I don't insure my car although that is your own choice.

[paulmoonraker]

Airfields are a good place for a first time. RAF Cottesmore for example has ridiculous amounts of run off. CCI as already mentioned are good for insurance, which costs about 1% of the value of the car.

I am yet to see a car whack another, however, if you spin on a corner you will st yourself none the less as cars fly round trying to dodge you... Usually, however, the marshals will flag and everybody will ease off...

[wtdoom]

Mate , you have very valid concerns but dont worry too much about car to car impact . Its very rare indeed . Go to a good trackday company like Goldtrack get some tuition with Calum Lokie or any of their other instructors and you will enjoy the day more and not pick up any bad habits that you will only have to unlearn later .
I highly recommend you this , also Goldtrack are split into sessions at times so you can go in the slower group and feel more comfy .
Calum is a genius when it comes to a bit of instructing , I went from the slowest car in the slower group to racing in the silverstone 24 hrs in just a couple of years . BTW I am not uncle Mculoch Kilmarnoch Loch Ness Argylle Lokie the third , just a very happy customer

[paulmoonraker]

+1 for tuition. Makes an enormous difference. It also saves you some cash in fuel and tyres as you learn to drive your car properly.

Javelin are a good company also.

[paulmoonraker]

+1 for tuition. Makes an enormous difference. It also saves you some cash in fuel and tyres as you learn to drive your car properly.

Javelin are a good company also.

[shim]

Whether your car gets damaged or not will depend 90% on what type of person you are, and 10% on the track you are on and the butters around you.

If you are typically a careful type with no road history of accidents or 'bad luck' chances are you will be cautious on track and not even get a dent.

Over 5 years of TDs I've seen quite a few close calls, some contact of varying degrees and a couple of bad ones including rolls, Tbone, fire.

It's down to you!

[_Leg_]

I've never seen a car to car but this year alone I've seen 2 very bent Porsches (1 driver ended up with a broken arm) in one day at croft and my mate totalled his championship MG Midget at Cadwell a few weeks back after disobeying our 4pm rule. I peeled off at 4, he did "just a few more laps" and came back on a trailer with half a car and lots of bruises.

It's as safe on a trackday as you want to make it. Stick to the rules, drive to 99% of your cars ability and 99% of your own (i.e. never beyond) and obey the marshals. Don't stay out too long, do check your car, do start slow and build up as the day goes on. Do take instruction where available.

It's also as much about the paddock as the track, no need to be out there all day long. Personally I do 15 mins on, 15 off all day. In part so I can check the car regularly after blowing an engine earlier this year.

The best advice I hear at every track day briefing is this, it isn't a race.

As for cars, lighter is cheaper.

It's great fun though. I can't wait till spring (I'm too soft to do trackdays with no windscreen, doors or roof in winter).

Edited by _Leg_ on Friday 23 December 01:56

[spyderman8]

Two pieces of advice: watch your mirrors and don't assume the other guy is going to stick to the rules. I did 11 this year and at every one, there was at least one person who decided that corners are for overtaking after all.

[ThomDean]

I did my first full track day this autumn, at Snetterton. There was a driver briefing beforehand which laid out the ground rules and then everyone intending to drive had to do a couple of slow familiarisation laps behind an instructor before the track opened at 9 am. It was pretty straightforward and relaxed, so I had a good time. I think we averaged about 25 mins in every hour on track, and that gave the car plenty of time to cool down between sessions. Don't judge yourself by the others there (there was a one-make race meething the next day from mine so they'd all turned up to practice - much much faster than me!) but just try to enjoy it!

Also, all the good Trackday websites have a newbies guide! Read that!