Trackday speed differential advice please.
Discussion
I`m in a club which has a group of about 15 classic car owners who want to have a go at doing a track day next May, the cars are mostly in road spec and under 1500cc and built in the early 60`s. We don`t particularly want to be in with a large group of high performance cars that are going to be blasting past at a great rate on knots as it would take a lot of the fun out it if all we are doing is watching our mirrors. Any suggestions of which tracks might be better?.........Martin
Snetterton would be a good track with the long straights for people to pass on, in the twisty bits and stick to your line and move to the right on the straight bit and you will be fine.
A sessioned day is a good idea but I would find that frustrating especially in a car that may need shorter sessions so the ability to come and go from the pits would I feel be of more use.
The TVR Car Club run a day at Cadwell every year which is open pit lane format witha mix of the newer fast cars and the older 1.6 and 1.8 litre cars mixing quite happily, they welcome other makes as well with strictly controlled numbers to keep the crowds down.
A sessioned day is a good idea but I would find that frustrating especially in a car that may need shorter sessions so the ability to come and go from the pits would I feel be of more use.
The TVR Car Club run a day at Cadwell every year which is open pit lane format witha mix of the newer fast cars and the older 1.6 and 1.8 litre cars mixing quite happily, they welcome other makes as well with strictly controlled numbers to keep the crowds down.
Llandow have done a couple of days for a club that I'm in for about thirty cars. They initially split into 3 groups, perhaps if you can get near that number they'd do it for you. If you can get about 20 cars with a few extra drivers then you're there. Only about £85 for the day too and only a smallish track so power isn't really an issue.
Madgit said:
Llandow have done a couple of days for a club that I'm in for about thirty cars. They initially split into 3 groups, perhaps if you can get near that number they'd do it for you. If you can get about 20 cars with a few extra drivers then you're there. Only about £85 for the day too and only a smallish track so power isn't really an issue.
This is a good call. Contact no: 01446 796460.It's expensive, but Goodwood. Their days are effectively sessioned (either 5 or 10 cars on track at a time, depending on the day). The track is fantastic fun in an older car and it's in a beautiful period setting too.
I have been there on a few marque-specific days but also one of Goodwood's own days - there were some very nice cars but not the usual track day crowd. It was mostly owners of nice road cars who wanted to drive on track but were clearly not trying to drive the door handles off the cars.
Tracks with long straights will only make speed differentials worse - some cars will be doing 140mph on Snetterton's longest straight.
I have been there on a few marque-specific days but also one of Goodwood's own days - there were some very nice cars but not the usual track day crowd. It was mostly owners of nice road cars who wanted to drive on track but were clearly not trying to drive the door handles off the cars.
Tracks with long straights will only make speed differentials worse - some cars will be doing 140mph on Snetterton's longest straight.
Madgit said:
Llandow have done a couple of days for a club that I'm in for about thirty cars. They initially split into 3 groups, perhaps if you can get near that number they'd do it for you. If you can get about 20 cars with a few extra drivers then you're there. Only about £85 for the day too and only a smallish track so power isn't really an issue.
Llandow provides a good mix. Low powered cars seem to keep up well through corners and the faster cars can get by on the straights. Pretty good marshaling too and rule breakers seem to get a telling off once they're pointed out 
.I'd say Goodwood as well, and specifically the Octane Magazine track days next year. I was there a couple of summers ago with Octane and it was deserted. Varied driving standards (ie fast/slow), but driving manners were great. Definitely not the usual track day crowd. Lunch also thrown in, £350-ish.
bikerstu said:
look for one of those road car days - that sounds like the best bet!
How does that help? They'll still be driving 60's classics with 0-60 times in the teens, while others would still be in the average road registered track day cars with 0-60 anywhere between 4-10 secs or even sub 4 sec supercars.Really think you've got to look at a club only day. Don't think Blyton or Llandow would work out very expensive.
Thanks for all the replys, i think as this will be the first experience for a number of these guys an airfield type enviroment would be better as there is less to hit if you get it wrong. Whilst Bedford is close to me and it looks like a great track there seem to be a lot of high performance road cars using it. Our club is only a small one with 250ish members worldwide (Fairthorpe Sports Car Club) so we don`t really want to have to hire a venue ourselves as it would be a large outlay and as with any of these things you don`t know how many people will put their money down once it has been firmly booked! Also it would be better in a central or slightly southern position in the country as that is where a larger proportion of `active members` live. I am meeting with a few other commitee members tomorrow and this will be discussed so keep the suggestions coming, thanks again..........Martin
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