Track day paint protection

[Networkgeek]

Hi folks

I've just booked a track day and was just wondering what you lot do to protect your paintwork?

A friend of mine recently did a track day in his E46 M3 and the front of his car now has a lot of stone chips, way more than before the track day.

Obviously, there are things to do which will help reduce the amount of paint damage, eg not driving up the chuff of the car in front.

I've read about PPF and I'll most likely do this, but just wondered what others have done.

Thanks
NG

[Networkgeek]

mmm-five said:

Suppose it would matter more if it was a garage queen, but mine was always a daily driver, so got more chips from normal driving than it ever did from track days.

Was it an airfield day or a proper track?

Had someone gone off into the gravel and brought stones back on with them?

I've seen people fit a couple of layers of cling film in the past, but I just do a season of track days and then get the bonnet/bumper resprayed.

The track-day was at Thruxton. In the past, I've done airfield track days, and suffered some serious paint damage afterwards. I don't recall him saying anything about anyone going off in front of him, but it's possible.

That's not a bad idea using cling film, I wonder how effective it is against stones? I've not had a bonnet and bumper respray before, how much does this usually cost you?

NG

[Networkgeek]

SAS Tom said:

Seems more common in America but people over there seem to put masking tape across the front of the car.

Interesting, I haven't seen that done before. I have seen people put X's on their headlights, which I presume is to stop lots of shards of glass to land on the track in the event of a crash?