First track day... What if it rains?
Discussion
Hello all.
Later this year I hope to take the kit car to my first track-day (probably Brands Hatch) but it has occurred to me that the electrics (and also me) don't really like getting wet. So was just wondering what people do when it rains particularly kit car owners. Do you just pop down the local Hertz car hire place? I don't have an alternative car...
Edited by Colin 1985 on Sunday 7th February 12:58
Put rainx on the screen. Miss the large puddles. Be weary of others, as they may take unorthodox lines, break half way down a straight, or just spin out for no reason.
Rain is only really a problem if your in Wales or Scotland, (in which case the above applies). If your in England it'll only be a shower, so not worth worrying about.
Have a large umbrella & someone ready to take it away when you go out. Lots of spare clothes & towels. Best to trailer the car so you can go home in dry comfort.
Wet track days, car or bike can be very enjoyable & teach you allot about vehicle control & being able to go faster in the dry.
Rain is only really a problem if your in Wales or Scotland, (in which case the above applies). If your in England it'll only be a shower, so not worth worrying about.
Have a large umbrella & someone ready to take it away when you go out. Lots of spare clothes & towels. Best to trailer the car so you can go home in dry comfort.
Wet track days, car or bike can be very enjoyable & teach you allot about vehicle control & being able to go faster in the dry.
Gosh I like the look of that car! Maybe put up a members ride thread?
Do you know where water gets in to the electrics? I assume this has been a problem before?
You can do a few tricks as a temporary measure. Give the plug leads and dizzy a decent coat of WD40 and take a can with you, its good at driving water off of electrical components. Just be careful using it around a hot engine!!!!!
If water gets in to your fuse box or ECU get a couple of old ice cream containers or those plastic take away boxes and mount them inside those.
Try and keep the car as dry as possible between sessions. Buy a big plastic tarp, should be pretty cheap and chuck it over the car between sessions, often on the move water would be blown over the car but sitting stationary might run down gaps. The tarp will be handy if you dont get a garage to!
Also go to a motorbike shop and get some anti-fog and RainX type stuff for your helmet visor...its crap when it starts to steam up so you open it a crack only to have water spray in!
I doubt you will be allowed to wear much in the way of waterproof clothing as it is flammable so your just going to have to get wet! Take a few changes of clothing and maybe wear a scarf to stop water running down your neck.
Do you know where water gets in to the electrics? I assume this has been a problem before?
You can do a few tricks as a temporary measure. Give the plug leads and dizzy a decent coat of WD40 and take a can with you, its good at driving water off of electrical components. Just be careful using it around a hot engine!!!!!
If water gets in to your fuse box or ECU get a couple of old ice cream containers or those plastic take away boxes and mount them inside those.
Try and keep the car as dry as possible between sessions. Buy a big plastic tarp, should be pretty cheap and chuck it over the car between sessions, often on the move water would be blown over the car but sitting stationary might run down gaps. The tarp will be handy if you dont get a garage to!
Also go to a motorbike shop and get some anti-fog and RainX type stuff for your helmet visor...its crap when it starts to steam up so you open it a crack only to have water spray in!
I doubt you will be allowed to wear much in the way of waterproof clothing as it is flammable so your just going to have to get wet! Take a few changes of clothing and maybe wear a scarf to stop water running down your neck.
Kevp said:
Rain is only really a problem if your in Wales or Scotland, (in which case the above applies). If your in England it'll only be a shower, so not worth worrying about.
Must be nice down in Southampton 
Booking a garage if you are at Brands will be a good start, you'll only spend half your time out on track (maximum) so at least you'll have somewhere to shelter between sessions.
You won't get stopped for wearing waterproofs so that's another good idea and washing up liquid wiped over the inside of your visor will help reduce fogging.
You do get all sorts of Se7ens and kit cars out on wet trackdays, obviously a harder day than if it's nice and sunny but unless you can get your hands on a comfy back-up car with a roof it would be a shame to miss out on the day so just get out there and enjoy it.
- Edited to add*
Edited by t11ner on Monday 8th February 07:40
Am in a similar position to you, as are 100's of other aeroscreened cars. As someone said above, this is the uk where nothing can be taken for granted weather wise. Admittedly i live about 2 miles from Brands so if it rained getting home wouldnt be that bad - but in reality thats the same as you popping out for the day and getting caught out by weather on the way back, presumably you'd have your waterproofs?? I can't imagine Brands - MSV having an issue with wet weather gear as long as its sensible, the only restrictions i've ever heard is that arms and legs have to be covered - they've never specified with what!
most folks are happy to park with consideration in the garages, and am sure that you'd be able to get yours under cover. Go for it - am sure that you'll have a great day rain or shine.
most folks are happy to park with consideration in the garages, and am sure that you'd be able to get yours under cover. Go for it - am sure that you'll have a great day rain or shine.
If its the car thats the worry with some added moisture, then I'd suggest sorting that first.
Cover what fuses and electrical bits you can, as surely this is going to be a risk for you every single time you want to take the car out - whether thats a track day or Tesco!?
With regards the track day itself - I intend to go armed with a gazebo whenever I finally manage to get myself booked in. If you dont get space in a garage - or want to give your self a bit of space, then at least it will keep the worst of it off, and you can park yourself and your car underneath to protect yourself from the rain OR THE SUN (God forbid
).
I cant see what car it is you're running - but good luck and have fun!
Cover what fuses and electrical bits you can, as surely this is going to be a risk for you every single time you want to take the car out - whether thats a track day or Tesco!?
With regards the track day itself - I intend to go armed with a gazebo whenever I finally manage to get myself booked in. If you dont get space in a garage - or want to give your self a bit of space, then at least it will keep the worst of it off, and you can park yourself and your car underneath to protect yourself from the rain OR THE SUN (God forbid
).I cant see what car it is you're running - but good luck and have fun!
When you see how relaxed owners are about wet days in similar cars, you won't care either. My brother and I went to Anglsey in our Westfield and it was really heavy rain. Anglesey has no pit garages either, but people just dumped their open top cars outside and went and had a coffee first thing in the morning.
I was worried about the wiring, but you'll find the dash doesn't ever really get wet because of the direction you travel.
We found an umbrella through the cage kept it dry whilst off track, but at Brands you'll be find as you can dive in a garage.
I was worried about the wiring, but you'll find the dash doesn't ever really get wet because of the direction you travel.
We found an umbrella through the cage kept it dry whilst off track, but at Brands you'll be find as you can dive in a garage.
Edited by LaurenceFrost on Monday 8th February 14:32
Not sure how relevant this is to the OP, but you can spray Waxoyl on electrical contacts too. I had an uprated wiring loom in my old Golf and I had some relays knocking around in the engine bay so I spray the terminals with waxoyl (having been told to by the electrician bloke that put the loom together).
Colin 1985 said:
Laurence, How did you find the tires in the wet conditions?
They are ok, but just ok. If it's still raining then I tent to take it very easy since standing water can be worrying and it's not always visible. If the track is wet but not actually holding any water they are quite consistent and you can work them a bit.Ideally though, a full race wet tyre is what's needed if it's constant rain for the day.
They are the GG compound. Some people use SG or GGG in the wet, but my opinion is if you are going to run a wet tyre, make it a proper wet tyre.
I live in Scotland so wet track days are a fact of life - and with a kit car you have to be prepared, for me this means:
1. Motorbike rain suit
2. Rain X on outside of visor, Fog X on inside
3. Waterproof gloves
4. Tonneau cover - keep the inside dry when sitting in the paddock
5. Tow car and trailer - if the electrics go, you can just tow home, if you spin off, you can just tow home, and it gives you a warm dry seat somewhere
6. Full set of wets in the boot of the tow car
Even if you can't do 5 and 6, 1-4 should suffice. Wet days can be great fun - you can find the limits of the car and understand its handling traits at much lower speed. As others have said, unless your car is VERY shoddily built, the electrics should be kept mostly dry under the dash...
1. Motorbike rain suit
2. Rain X on outside of visor, Fog X on inside
3. Waterproof gloves
4. Tonneau cover - keep the inside dry when sitting in the paddock
5. Tow car and trailer - if the electrics go, you can just tow home, if you spin off, you can just tow home, and it gives you a warm dry seat somewhere
6. Full set of wets in the boot of the tow car
Even if you can't do 5 and 6, 1-4 should suffice. Wet days can be great fun - you can find the limits of the car and understand its handling traits at much lower speed. As others have said, unless your car is VERY shoddily built, the electrics should be kept mostly dry under the dash...
I used to sit out wet track days (light weight and big power), but eventually the cheapskate in me kicked-in - I'd paid to drive and I wasn't going to come away without getting my money's worth! In reality I was surprised how well the car coped (on Yokohama A048s, which ain't exactly 'wets') so long as the kerbs were treated firmly as no-go areas. And this is at Knockhill where even moderate rain causes rivers to flow across the track at a couple of points.
As far as I'm concerned the number 1 thing to take is a big umbrella. My car (like many others) is relatively dry so long as it's moving, so once underway all I need is a waterproog top/jacket. But sitting in the pits or waiting to drive out you just get soaked. So a big umbrella that you can prop-up while driving through the pits and waiting to go out is essential. Either stow umbrella safely just before going out, or hand to friendly bi-stander and collect on return and put back up. Umbrella also keeps seats dry between sessions; nothing worse than settling down into a backet seat that contains a couple of inches of cold water.
As far as I'm concerned the number 1 thing to take is a big umbrella. My car (like many others) is relatively dry so long as it's moving, so once underway all I need is a waterproog top/jacket. But sitting in the pits or waiting to drive out you just get soaked. So a big umbrella that you can prop-up while driving through the pits and waiting to go out is essential. Either stow umbrella safely just before going out, or hand to friendly bi-stander and collect on return and put back up. Umbrella also keeps seats dry between sessions; nothing worse than settling down into a backet seat that contains a couple of inches of cold water.
t11ner said:
Kevp said:
Rain is only really a problem if your in Wales or Scotland, (in which case the above applies). If your in England it'll only be a shower, so not worth worrying about.
Must be nice down in Southampton GreigM said:
I live in Scotland so wet track days are a fact of life
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