Novice track day or standard one?
Discussion
Guys,
Have decided that I fancy doing a track day, and am looking to book my first one in the next week or so.
I am currently running a Mk2 MR2 NA, so not the fastest car in the world by any stretch, but goes well enough.
My question is this - is it worth me making sure I go on a novice day, or should any day be ok? I drive an emergency service car, so am used to using constant good obs, spacial awareness, driving quickly etc, but have never done a track day so don't want to be a hinderance to more experienced drivers in faster cars.
What are your views guys?
Thanks,
Paul
Have decided that I fancy doing a track day, and am looking to book my first one in the next week or so.
I am currently running a Mk2 MR2 NA, so not the fastest car in the world by any stretch, but goes well enough.
My question is this - is it worth me making sure I go on a novice day, or should any day be ok? I drive an emergency service car, so am used to using constant good obs, spacial awareness, driving quickly etc, but have never done a track day so don't want to be a hinderance to more experienced drivers in faster cars.
What are your views guys?
Thanks,
Paul
I dont see any disadvangtages to a novice day so I would definitely recommend one. YOu can't go wrong.
SOme open-pit ones will also be fine but you can never really be sure. I did one at Bedford and my Evo8 was definitely teh cheapest/crappest car there, to my suprise.
I say this as though I am a track-day veteran, which I am definitely not as I have only done about 3/4 in the car. Just emphasising the noticeable difference whereby a 15 year old Golf VR6 I took on a novice trackday and Brands felt about right, compared with feeling like the poor-kid in teh Evo at Bedford.
THe above said, one thing I have never witnessed at any car or bike trackday is snobbery. Noone looks down on anyone else and noone is annoyed by slower cars so as long as you are aware of others then it doesnt really matter. Depends whhether you would prefer to be one of the worst, or one of the better drivers there.
SOme open-pit ones will also be fine but you can never really be sure. I did one at Bedford and my Evo8 was definitely teh cheapest/crappest car there, to my suprise.
I say this as though I am a track-day veteran, which I am definitely not as I have only done about 3/4 in the car. Just emphasising the noticeable difference whereby a 15 year old Golf VR6 I took on a novice trackday and Brands felt about right, compared with feeling like the poor-kid in teh Evo at Bedford.
THe above said, one thing I have never witnessed at any car or bike trackday is snobbery. Noone looks down on anyone else and noone is annoyed by slower cars so as long as you are aware of others then it doesnt really matter. Depends whhether you would prefer to be one of the worst, or one of the better drivers there.
Personally, I'd say the novice days certainly make for a less stressful way to learn. They are organised into groups with each group getting allocated time slots on track during the day. This means you tend to get less cars on the track at any given time. They usually mandate no slicks, full on race cars or experienced track day veterans, although how strictly this is enforced varies. That said, it does mean your unlikely to be getting buzzed constantly by radicals and other exotica so you can focus on your own driving.
The allocated slots format of the novice days rather than open pit lane does mean you potentially get less time on the track but then the cost is usually less as well. You can always put the money saved towards having an instructor join you for one of your slots, which is definitely worth it.
The allocated slots format of the novice days rather than open pit lane does mean you potentially get less time on the track but then the cost is usually less as well. You can always put the money saved towards having an instructor join you for one of your slots, which is definitely worth it.
g40steve said:
Cannot think of any thing worse than a whole bunch of virgins tripping over each other.
That's not been my experience (or that of anyone I know) on novice-only trackdays - you had a bad experience g40steve? I'd get on a novice-only one and get some instruction - you'll have a great time
I'm with Steve on this one, differentials in speed generally just make overtaking easier for everyone.
Why would you want to go on track with a large number of equally inexperienced drivers when you you don't need to?
Book a normal day with a decent organiser and get a couple of instruction sessions to help with the learning curve, you'll be fine.
Why would you want to go on track with a large number of equally inexperienced drivers when you you don't need to?
Book a normal day with a decent organiser and get a couple of instruction sessions to help with the learning curve, you'll be fine.
Not saying you won't be fine on a normal day, just that if you've never been on a trackday before, going out on an open pit lane day with experienced guys may be more intimidating than a day where everyone is in the same boat. It's a personal thing, but that was how I looked at it, I did one novice day with msv at brands, loved it and then I was away.
In your point Steve H, I don't recall noticing a smaller speed differential on a novice day to a regular day, everyone is at a different stage, in different cars, with varying levels of confidence/skill.
In your point Steve H, I don't recall noticing a smaller speed differential on a novice day to a regular day, everyone is at a different stage, in different cars, with varying levels of confidence/skill.
_Neal_ said:
In your point Steve H, I don't recall noticing a smaller speed differential on a novice day to a regular day, everyone is at a different stage, in different cars, with varying levels of confidence/skill.
If that's the case, I'm really not sure why it would be any less intimidating, quite the opposite in fact when you know that the cars closing on you at high speed have little experience.VX Foxy said:
g40steve said:
Cannot think of any thing worse than a whole bunch of virgins tripping over each other.
Do a normal open pitlane event & get yourself a novice sticker so others are aware.
This. X100 Do a normal open pitlane event & get yourself a novice sticker so others are aware.
Avoid novice and owners club days at all costs!
What if the OP is a novice with an ordinaryish car?
blindswelledrat said:
Says the experienced racer who has this on his profile: "Racing in Production BMW Championship"
What if the OP is a novice with an ordinaryish car?
i wasn't always a 'racer'! What if the OP is a novice with an ordinaryish car?
I would rather have experienced people around me who will find their way past with no fuss rather than wannabes out to prove something. Just based on my experience.
Steve H said:
If that's the case, I'm really not sure why it would be any less intimidating, quite the opposite in fact when you know that the cars closing on you at high speed have little experience.
I'm just talking from personal experience Steve - I saw better driving standards on the novice day I did than on some other open pit lane days I've been on. There also seemed to be less "ego" than on some other days, and the sessioned nature (as mentioned above) avoided any scrambling to get on track, so that took some stress out. As I say, doing a sessioned novice day worked for me, but it might not work for others, and it will be organiser-dependent. I'm sure if other people have had bad experiences on novice days, the OP would love to hear about it though.
VX Foxy - by your logic, every novice is a "wannabe out to prove something". Not sure that follows.
Edited by _Neal_ on Tuesday 15th May 10:03
g40steve said:
Cannot think of any thing worse than a whole bunch of virgins tripping over each other.
Do a normal open pitlane event & get yourself a novice sticker so others are aware.
I agree with this. I lost my track virginity by doing a couple of "experience days" driving someone else' car. This gave me some awareness of what track driving is like (whereas all I had to that point were games/simulations).Do a normal open pitlane event & get yourself a novice sticker so others are aware.
I then did my first real trackday in my own car and made a point to make sure I got tuition as early in the day as physically possible. I also chose not to do a novice day for the reason above - If I'm a novice I'd prefer to be surrounded by experienced drivers, not other novices. Imagine what learning to drive would be like if the streets were not filled with veterans, but instead filled with other learners!
I have since done a "novice day" at a particular track because the dates worked out best for me and it just happened to be a novice day. I was reasonably experienced at this point, and whilst there were some idiots you get them at all track days. Most people on the novice day were very courteous and had no problems being passed. I think the learners are possibly taking more care and being more "humble" rather than (as can happen on veteran days) getting egotistical and selfish.
However, from a selfish point of view now, as a trackday veteran, I'd prefer the learners stick to novice days - but I'm the first to admit that that is a selfish point of view and I don't begrudge learners coming on veteran days, it's what I did after all!
My main concern is 'virgins' not showing this by not having a sticker on rear of car.
They may think they don't need it (macho, image, flash motor etc) but shows the experienced driver they need to beware.
You learn a lot quicker surrounded by regulars than novices.
Glad to see the regulars agree with me
They may think they don't need it (macho, image, flash motor etc) but shows the experienced driver they need to beware.
You learn a lot quicker surrounded by regulars than novices.
Glad to see the regulars agree with me
g40steve said:
My main concern is 'virgins' not showing this by not having a sticker on rear of car.
They may think they don't need it (macho, image, flash motor etc) but shows the experienced driver they need to beware.
Surely the argument for them not needing a sticker is as simple as realising they're on a novice track day! I do agree that novices not showing they are novices is an issue - you hardly see anyone taking up the novice sticker option on normal OPL days - suspect that is a macho/image thing.They may think they don't need it (macho, image, flash motor etc) but shows the experienced driver they need to beware.
Have you been on a novice day? And what makes you think I'm not also a regular trackday driver?
Neal I don't count my self as a novice.
But if I venture to a new track I will always have a novice sticker on rear of my car until familiar with circuit.
Mainly as mentioned before so as others are aware that I am unsure of circuit.
If others did the same I believe Track Days would be more enjoyable.
But if I venture to a new track I will always have a novice sticker on rear of my car until familiar with circuit.
Mainly as mentioned before so as others are aware that I am unsure of circuit.
If others did the same I believe Track Days would be more enjoyable.
g40steve said:
Neal I don't count my self as a novice.
But if I venture to a new track I will always have a novice sticker on rear of my car until familiar with circuit.
Mainly as mentioned before so as others are aware that I am unsure of circuit.
If others did the same I believe Track Days would be more enjoyable.
I entirely agree, and I wasn't suggesting you were a novice, just asking whether you had experience of novice track days.But if I venture to a new track I will always have a novice sticker on rear of my car until familiar with circuit.
Mainly as mentioned before so as others are aware that I am unsure of circuit.
If others did the same I believe Track Days would be more enjoyable.
I was out on the novice day at Brands, everyone was driving well, I'm not exactly a novice but as long as you drive sensibly the organisers don't mind. I would do another one and recommend them to both novice and experienced drivers.
On the other hand I was out in the intermediate group at lydden, there were a group of cars clearly racing, trying to block people and one even put me on the grass as I tried to overtake.
On the other hand I was out in the intermediate group at lydden, there were a group of cars clearly racing, trying to block people and one even put me on the grass as I tried to overtake.
g40steve said:
My main concern is 'virgins' not showing this by not having a sticker on rear of car.
They may think they don't need it (macho, image, flash motor etc) but shows the experienced driver they need to beware.
What kind of sticker are you talking about? They may think they don't need it (macho, image, flash motor etc) but shows the experienced driver they need to beware.
I need one and I do not have a problem with it LOL
Jakub said:
g40steve said:
My main concern is 'virgins' not showing this by not having a sticker on rear of car.
They may think they don't need it (macho, image, flash motor etc) but shows the experienced driver they need to beware.
What kind of sticker are you talking about? They may think they don't need it (macho, image, flash motor etc) but shows the experienced driver they need to beware.
I need one and I do not have a problem with it LOL
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