Track Day Beginner - some tips and advice please

[j4r4lly]

I’m looking at doing some track days with MSV at both Snetterton and Brands. I live roughly between the 2 though I’m probably a little closer to Brands. I’ve driven both once before but many years ago.

I’m not looking to break any lap records, just initially have some fun and see if I enjoy it as much as I did before. From there I’d then think about some sort of coaching to get the best out of the days.

I’ll be using a Focus ST170 which is totally standard so should be fine for making a bit of progress without scaring myself or being too much of a handful.

What are the pros and cons of each track and what would you advise in the way of prep for both me and the car?

Thanks.

J4

[brillomaster]

Most stuff is covered in the 'trackdays for beginners' sticky.

As for tracks, ive only ever done snetterton, not brands. Snetterton is a lot longer and flatter, with fairly straightforward corners. Brands is a lot shorter, and probably a lot busier.

Personally id start with snetterton as a beginner, then do brands when you're a bit more experienced. Snetterton tends to be cheaper too.

[Krikkit]

For car prep:

1 - Make sure it's not leaking anything, if it is you might make yourself or someone else have a very bad day.

2 - Take a spare litre of oil, some blue roll, preferably tyre pressure gauge and pumps for the end of the day (you'll find the tyres get hot and you want to lower the pressures, then pump them up at the end of the day)

3 - Remove every loose object from the boot and cabin

For you prep:

1 - try and find a few onboard videos on YouTube from modest pace cars so you can see where the circuit goes, rough brake points etc

2 - read/watch the briefing from the TDO very carefully about procedures and etiquette

During the day:

1- Try and do 15 to 20 minutes at a time, then come in for a rest - you and the car will need it! Check the fluids before you go out for a session, especially engine oil in case it burns a little with sustained high revs

2 - Make sure you have a bottle of water for hydration, be well rested and completely sober. Don't eat too much, but don't skip meals.

3 - Build up your pace and learn the track, book an instructor for late morning if you can

4 - Don't be tempted to go out for a last banzai session at the end of the day, that's when you can really over do it being tired and confident

5 - Don't worry too much about traffic, get into the habit of looking in the mirrors just before and after a corner so you can move aside for faster cars. In a corner/braking zone etc just worry about you and your line


Most important of all, enjoy yourself! It's great fun if a little intimidating

Edited by Krikkit on Monday 15th January 22:31

[Sigmamark7]

Christian Horner is unlikely to be at either event and there are no prizes for fastest lap, so drive well within your and your car’s ability to begin with and build up slowly through the day. There will inevitably be much faster drivers and cars there, so keep your eyes on the mirrors and give people room. There should also be some instructors available, so book yourself some time with one during the day.
Make sure that the car is in good order, particularly fluids, tyres and brakes.
Main thing is to enjoy the day and take the car home in the same shape as you arrived in, minus a couple of millimetres of tread.

[SpudLink]

brillomaster said:

Most stuff is covered in the 'trackdays for beginners' sticky.

As for tracks, ive only ever done snetterton, not brands. Snetterton is a lot longer and flatter, with fairly straightforward corners. Brands is a lot shorter, and probably a lot busier.

Personally id start with snetterton as a beginner, then do brands when you're a bit more experienced. Snetterton tends to be cheaper too.

I'd agree, Snetterton would be ideal. Plenty of room for faster cars and drivers to pass. Brands Indy is too tight and busy for a beginner to enjoy. When I started, the thing I found challenging was mixing with faster more experienced drivers. There will always be people on circuit faster that you, so you need to get comfortable letting them past and concentrating on your own driving.

[arkitan]

I'd echo the comment about Brands, Paddock Hill is epic but easy to get wrong with bad consequences.

Depending on the actual track day you might also be mixing it with some serious track cars.

Bedford is also a really safe circuit with massive run offs and general fewer race cars hassling you. That's where I would go first.

[j4r4lly]

Thanks all for your replies.

I’ve had a good read through the beginners thread now too, so I now need to find a suitable date and make the booking.

Last time I did a track day around 10 years ago I just turned up in an MG-TF 160, did the day and then drove home. Other than keeping an eye on the fluids and Tyre wear I didn’t do any other checks to wheel nut torques etc and everything was fine. Perhaps I was lucky or just not pushing the car that hard.

Easy I feel to be over cautious about incidents that can occur on track or get carried away with prep which could spoil having a fun day which it my objective.

Obviously I’ll check the basics on the car which is well maintained anyway but I’m not going to obsess about brake pad spec etc.

[Panamax]

IMO you will rapidly find out road cars are pretty hopeless on track. The car's too heavy, the suspension's too soft, the brakes can get cooked in minutes and tyres take a pounding.

It's a real eye-opener if you rent even the most basic Formula Ford or Formula Renault single seater. I just clicked on Thruxton and right now they'll let you out in a proper track car for just £180.
https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/racing-ca...

[SpudLink]

j4r4lly said:

Thanks all for your replies.

I’ve had a good read through the beginners thread now too, so I now need to find a suitable date and make the booking.

Last time I did a track day around 10 years ago I just turned up in an MG-TF 160, did the day and then drove home. Other than keeping an eye on the fluids and Tyre wear I didn’t do any other checks to wheel nut torques etc and everything was fine. Perhaps I was lucky or just not pushing the car that hard.

Easy I feel to be over cautious about incidents that can occur on track or get carried away with prep which could spoil having a fun day which it my objective.

Obviously I’ll check the basics on the car which is well maintained anyway but I’m not going to obsess about brake pad spec etc.

I might be at Snett on 26th March with other Zenos owners. If you decide that's a good venue/date feel free to come and have a chat.

[SpudLink]

Panamax said:

IMO you will rapidly find out road cars are pretty hopeless on track. The car's too heavy, the suspension's too soft, the brakes can get cooked in minutes and tyres take a pounding.

It's a real eye-opener if you rent even the most basic Formula Ford or Formula Renault single seater. I just clicked on Thruxton and right now they'll let you out in a proper track car for just £180.
https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/racing-ca...

The OP wants to give his road car it's first trackday. It's a bit premature to start directing him towards single seater experiences.

[cava]

Wondering if your brakes are going to work at the end of the next straight isn't fun, so I'd replace the brake fluid with fresh stuff, preferably the kind that can withstand higher temps, e.g. Motul RBF 600/660, and change at least the front brake pads for some more slightly more suited to the track. I've used PFC Z-rated without issues.

[j4r4lly]

Panamax said:

IMO you will rapidly find out road cars are pretty hopeless on track. The car's too heavy, the suspension's too soft, the brakes can get cooked in minutes and tyres take a pounding.

It's a real eye-opener if you rent even the most basic Formula Ford or Formula Renault single seater. I just clicked on Thruxton and right now they'll let you out in a proper track car for just £180.
https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/racing-ca...

Possibly one for the future. For now I think I’d probably brake the car or more likely me!

[j4r4lly]

SpudLink said:

j4r4lly said:

Thanks all for your replies.

I’ve had a good read through the beginners thread now too, so I now need to find a suitable date and make the booking.

Last time I did a track day around 10 years ago I just turned up in an MG-TF 160, did the day and then drove home. Other than keeping an eye on the fluids and Tyre wear I didn’t do any other checks to wheel nut torques etc and everything was fine. Perhaps I was lucky or just not pushing the car that hard.

Easy I feel to be over cautious about incidents that can occur on track or get carried away with prep which could spoil having a fun day which it my objective.

Obviously I’ll check the basics on the car which is well maintained anyway but I’m not going to obsess about brake pad spec etc.

I might be at Snett on 26th March with other Zenos owners. If you decide that's a good venue/date feel free to come and have a chat.

Thanks Spud. Not decided on a date yet but will definitely look out for you if I’m there on that date.

[j4r4lly]

cava said:

Wondering if your brakes are going to work at the end of the next straight isn't fun, so I'd replace the brake fluid with fresh stuff, preferably the kind that can withstand higher temps, e.g. Motul RBF 600/660, and change at least the front brake pads for some more slightly more suited to the track. I've used PFC Z-rated without issues.

It’s happened to me on the A13 many years ago when a brake slave cylinder failed and that was scary enough.

The Focus has very recently had a set of genuine Ford front and rear discs, pads and 2 new front calipers. It’s a relatively light and low powered car with large discs all round so it’s probably fine for a session with a beginner at Snetterton.

[timbo999]

Panamax said:

IMO you will rapidly find out road cars are pretty hopeless on track. The car's too heavy, the suspension's too soft, the brakes can get cooked in minutes and tyres take a pounding.

It's a real eye-opener if you rent even the most basic Formula Ford or Formula Renault single seater. I just clicked on Thruxton and right now they'll let you out in a proper track car for just £180.
https://thruxtonracing.co.uk/experiences/racing-ca...

Those single seaters at Thruxton are pants... rev limited and quite slow. If you do a session in one of the sports cars (Cayman and Alpine especially recommended) you spend a lot of time overtaking the single seaters or avoiding them as they are facing the wrong way.

[Panamax]

timbo999 said:

Those single seaters at Thruxton are pants... rev limited and quite slow. If you do a session in one of the sports cars (Cayman and Alpine especially recommended) you spend a lot of time overtaking the single seaters or avoiding them as they are facing the wrong way.

Well that's odd because the link I posted clearly states, "Learn the circuit in a Porsche Cayman".

The session at Thruxton,

• Begins with a passenger ride in a saloon car.
• Progresses to you driving a Cayman, and then
• They let out on your own in a single seater.

If some people consider all that to be "pants", so be it.

[Dynion Araf Uchaf]

road car are not pretty hopeless on track.

Small mods to the braking such as upgraded fluid, and front pads and they'll lap for hours at a time.

I did nearly 300 miles in a Renault Twingo in one track day, and only stopped because I ran out of fuel.

The amount of times a small but well driven hot hatch would monster a Porsche or M3 is laughable. But you need to get to the point that you ca drive well. And this takes practice, which takes seat time, which a maintained road car can absolutely give you.

[timbo999]

Panamax said:

timbo999 said:

Those single seaters at Thruxton are pants... rev limited and quite slow. If you do a session in one of the sports cars (Cayman and Alpine especially recommended) you spend a lot of time overtaking the single seaters or avoiding them as they are facing the wrong way.

Well that's odd because the link I posted clearly states, "Learn the circuit in a Porsche Cayman".

The session at Thruxton,

• Begins with a passenger ride in a saloon car.
• Progresses to you driving a Cayman, and then
• They let out on your own in a single seater.

If some people consider all that to be "pants", so be it.

I don't know if others consider it so, but I certainly consider the single seaters at Thruxton to be slower than the sportscars. I've overtaken many in both the Cayman and Alpine (even the Focus when I drove that there). I speak from experience having driven the single seaters as well. In all the times I've driven there I have never been overtaken by a single seater.

[C70R]

Panamax said:

timbo999 said:

Those single seaters at Thruxton are pants... rev limited and quite slow. If you do a session in one of the sports cars (Cayman and Alpine especially recommended) you spend a lot of time overtaking the single seaters or avoiding them as they are facing the wrong way.

Well that's odd because the link I posted clearly states, "Learn the circuit in a Porsche Cayman".

The session at Thruxton,

• Begins with a passenger ride in a saloon car.
• Progresses to you driving a Cayman, and then
• They let out on your own in a single seater.

If some people consider all that to be "pants", so be it.

I did it, and thought it was a great fun day out.

[arkitan]

I'd be a little wary of Goodwood to be honest, it's an iconic historic circuit, but it also has a historic layout with grass runoffs (AKA slippery as ice) and walls close at hand as well as lots of unusual cambers that you won't be expecting. If you are finding your feet on track then one of the flat circuits based on an aerodrome (such as Bedford) is your safest bet by far, and you can have a lot of fun there without risking your car.