Track day damage - getting home

[Speedy300]

You are at a track day event and you have just lost the front end of your car on a right handed corner and smashed straight into the side fencing. It's currently undriveable but you think it could be repaired at a later date (i.e. not on the day).

Would the breakdown services (AA/RAC) recover you from the track day event grounds to your home?

What are fellow PHer's experiences of what happened next? How have the track organisers acted towards you after the incident regardless of fault?

[Wicker Man]

I usually drive to trackdays but wouldn't expect free recovery if I binned it. My contingency plan is to use the services of a car transpotarion company - just google: car transporter. They seem to be very reasonable at about £1/mile.

Or you could phone your breakdown company and ask them what if...

But I have heard of some less scupulous types limping to the gates of the venue and than calling their breakdown service to say " I was just driving passed this race track (in my track prepared car) and suddenly the front end caved in/or whatever...." I wouldn't have the balls!

[AMD87]

Seen it happen plenty of times when someone with just tow it part way down the road stick it in a ditch then call the recovery company.

[Lorientfo]

AMD87 said:

Seen it happen plenty of times when someone with just tow it part way down the road stick it in a ditch then call the recovery company.

I've seen people go to extreme lengths to fabricate a convincing story for the recovery company but they're not stupid and you're not fooling anyone. It just comes down to the recovery companies policy and/or whether the driver attending wants to make a fuss about it.

[fushion julz]

Back in the 80s when I competed in the Road Saloon championships (to which you had to drive your car), it was common practice to be a member of RAC recovery...They would recover form outside the circuit entrance in the case of accident or mechanical damage.

I suspect they would be a bit more hard-line in saying "no" these days, though.

[Trev450]

According to the T&C's in my AA breakdown cover, they will recover from trackdays but not any type of competitive event.

[Speedy300]

Trev450 said:

According to the T&C's in my AA breakdown cover, they will recover from trackdays but not any type of competitive event.

I am hoping this is the case.

[jonnyleroux]

Trev450 said:

According to the T&C's in my AA breakdown cover, they will recover from trackdays but not any type of competitive event.

A crash is not the same as a breakdown. If the car has been crashed, the breakdown company will gladly come and get you, but they will be expecting the recovery fee to be settled by someone (usually an insurance company).

I know of one man who narrowly dodged being charged with fraud by doing what has been suggested in this thread, so be very careful what advice you listen to on the interweb!

Jonny
BaT

[VARLEYHYD]

Speedy300 said:

Trev450 said:

According to the T&C's in my AA breakdown cover, they will recover from trackdays but not any type of competitive event.

I am hoping this is the case.

Yes, but only for mechanical breakdown.

Crash damage recovery is up to your insurer; assuming you are covered for the event(s).

[IanMorewood]

Duct tape all the bits you can still find back together and ring a local recovery company (google or yell) to come and take you to a place of repair and expect to foot the bill yourself.

[Speedy300]

IanMorewood said:

Duct tape all the bits you can still find back together and ring a local recovery company (google or yell) to come and take you to a place of repair and expect to foot the bill yourself.

Probably the best approach.

You would not want to make a bad situation worse.

[Rude-boy]

Speedy300 said:

IanMorewood said:

Duct tape all the bits you can still find back together and ring a local recovery company (google or yell) to come and take you to a place of repair and expect to foot the bill yourself.

Probably the best approach.

You would not want to make a bad situation worse.

Very much so.

No point in causing yourself any more wallet and life pain that you already have if you did.

[Trev450]

VARLEYHYD said:

Speedy300 said:

Trev450 said:

According to the T&C's in my AA breakdown cover, they will recover from trackdays but not any type of competitive event.

I am hoping this is the case.

Yes, but only for mechanical breakdown.

Crash damage recovery is up to your insurer; assuming you are covered for the event(s).

Fair comment.

[boxsey]

VARLEYHYD said:

Speedy300 said:

Trev450 said:

According to the T&C's in my AA breakdown cover, they will recover from trackdays but not any type of competitive event.

I am hoping this is the case.

Yes, but only for mechanical breakdown.

Crash damage recovery is up to your insurer; assuming you are covered for the event(s).

That's how I understand the AA recovery too. It's quite reassuring to have their cover because the stress that the car takes on a track day could be a bigger factor in a mechanical breakdown. Green flag and RAC policies were less clear about recovering broken down cars from tracks, hence why I keep to the AA.

Insurance taking care of the recovery in the case of an accident is an interesting one. I recently took out specific track day insurance from a specialist. Getting recovered was an extra cost option to the premium. I didn't take it out because it only applied to UK tracks.....which was no use because I wanted the cover for Spa!

[Redrummo]

I have been recovered by the aa from a trackday at snetterton (carpark. Waterpump failure) a few years back. It was a standard car. On the same day another person who was covered by RAC was not so lucky!
It is the only breakdown company i seen that says it will pick up from trackdays.

i do worry however now that im driving a track prepared road legal mr2 (cage, seats, harnesses, stripped)- will they pickup or think its a motorsport car?? They shouldnt but........?

[lear]

boxsey said:

That's how I understand the AA recovery too. It's quite reassuring to have their cover because the stress that the car takes on a track day could be a bigger factor in a mechanical breakdown. Green flag and RAC policies were less clear about recovering broken down cars from tracks, hence why I keep to the AA.

Insurance taking care of the recovery in the case of an accident is an interesting one. I recently took out specific track day insurance from a specialist. Getting recovered was an extra cost option to the premium. I didn't take it out because it only applied to UK tracks.....which was no use because I wanted the cover for Spa!

Are you sure that is the case? I called the AA to recover my car from Bedford to London about a year ago when the diff mount sheared and collapsed. It is all caged and stripped with a boot load of tools so no point trying to claim "I was just driving by the track and the rear end collapsed". The old school mechanic really wanted to help but showed me the paragraph in his employees' book that specifically excluded "motorsport". He then checked with head office and after numerous phone calls confirmed he couldn't recover my car. He did find and negotiate a very good rate for a recovery truck and let me sit in his van for an hour for it to arrive - always bloody freezing at Beford...

[VARLEYHYD]

lear said:

Are you sure that is the case? I called the AA to recover my car from Bedford to London about a year ago when the diff mount sheared and collapsed. It is all caged and stripped with a boot load of tools so no point trying to claim "I was just driving by the track and the rear end collapsed". The old school mechanic really wanted to help but showed me the paragraph in his employees' book that specifically excluded "motorsport". He then checked with head office and after numerous phone calls confirmed he couldn't recover my car. He did find and negotiate a very good rate for a recovery truck and let me sit in his van for an hour for it to arrive - always bloody freezing at Beford...

Three occasions over last 7years & 10,000 track miles no problems

[boxsey]

lear said:

Are you sure that is the case? I called the AA to recover my car from Bedford to London about a year ago when the diff mount sheared and collapsed. It is all caged and stripped with a boot load of tools so no point trying to claim "I was just driving by the track and the rear end collapsed". The old school mechanic really wanted to help but showed me the paragraph in his employees' book that specifically excluded "motorsport". He then checked with head office and after numerous phone calls confirmed he couldn't recover my car. He did find and negotiate a very good rate for a recovery truck and let me sit in his van for an hour for it to arrive - always bloody freezing at Beford...

In addition to VarleyHD's real experience of being recovered. This is what the terms and conditions say:

Assistance for vehicles broken down as a result of taking part in any “Motor Sport Event”,
including, without limitation, racing, rallying, trials or time-trials or auto test. However, for the avoidance of doubt, the AA does not consider “Concours d’elegance” events, track test days for road-legal vehicles or rallies held exclusively on open public highways where participants are required to comply with the normal rules of the road, to be Motor Sports Events.

[lear]

boxsey said:

In addition to VarleyHD's real experience of being recovered. This is what the terms and conditions say:

Assistance for vehicles broken down as a result of taking part in any “Motor Sport Event”,
including, without limitation, racing, rallying, trials or time-trials or auto test. However, for the avoidance of doubt, the AA does not consider “Concours d’elegance” events, track test days for road-legal vehicles or rallies held exclusively on open public highways where participants are required to comply with the normal rules of the road, to be Motor Sports Events.

Hmm, will be taking a copy of those to the next one then!

[radical78]

they will all come and take a broken car home but will charge you if the accident is not covered by your standard policy