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| Consider Driving your Car on a track somewhere? Tips | ||
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Moderators: Dave, cooper_sport, Neil the Hat, BlackFerret, Matt
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| Max |
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Founder Member  Registered Member #23 Joined: Sun Jan 15 2006, 12:00AMLocation: On a Canal Somewhere  Posts: 3910 | I thought it might be useful to post up a few tips on the do's and don'ts and the risks and rewards of taking your car on an open pit lane track day  I'm sure that there are others more qualified to comment (and please do post your tips in here - they will be added  ) however with 7 track days under my belt now and some 1,500 fast and furious miles now clocked up I believe I'm sufficiently qualified to advise anyone either considering attending a track day - or saying "no way it's far too dangerous!!!!! :o 8O and aim to change their mind.I'll add to this as I think of things . We have also panned DK's Cooper extensively on the track at Brunty and a great drive appletheminicooper is (just keep the revs high ) We have also seen numerous ONEs on the track and a few of us have been overtaken by Nick@Lohen in his ONE :o at BruntyIt does not matter what MINI you drive; they are all very good to drive on the track You should drive your car on the track for 3 (mebbe 4) reasons: 1. If you have recently passed your driving test, are inexperienced or nervous about driving your car fast on the public highway driving your car on the track will help you quickly to learn how to drive your car quickly but safely (get some formal instruction on the track that you pay for). 2. You will learn what the limits of the car, engine, brakes and tyres are, in relative safety 3. You will learn what your own limits of driving ability are :idea: 4. You will have a lot of fun 2 and 3 above could save your car (and your life) in daily driving :idea: Driving fast at an organised open pit lane track day is much safer than driving fast on the public highway The chance of crashing your car at a track day is minimal to non-existent. Most of these track days are held at airfields where the only thing you can hit if you get it wrong is a plastic cone. We do not do track days at racing circuits like Castle Coombe, Goodwood or the Ring where gravel traps, Armco and piles of rubber tyres can damage your car. OK you could hit another car on the track but in my experience that would be highly unlikely. I do not know of any open pit lane track day where 2 cars have ever touched or been damaged If 2 cars collide and damge is caused, repairs are usually paid for on a knock for knok basis (each repairs his own), except when it is clear that a driver has ignored the rules of the track (more to follow on this later) or obviously driven so dangerously as to cause an accicent in which case they would be liable to pay in full to repair any damage caused. Open Pit lane track days are not classed as racing (there is no timing allowed, no racing allowed and the only place that overtaking is allowed is on the straights; and then overtaking is to the left only or the right only (depending on the track) and only when a car allowing to be overtaken pulls to the left of the track or to the right of the track. There is no overtaking allowed on the entrance to, during and exiting bends, chicanes and hairpins. Thus you do not require special insurance to drive your car at a track day, nor is there any requirement to inform your insurance company. More follows Please add any other tips Support Our Heros http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/ http://www.presentsformen.co.uk/product-PFM-Help-for-Heroes-Mug-6461/ http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article492159.ece http://www.artfund.org/queenandcountry/index.php http://www.santalash.co.uk/charity.html | ||
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| Retro |
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  Registered Member #249 Joined: Fri Sep 01 2006, 11:00PMPosts: 5 | Well I am always up for a good track day, and would love to know more of where and when. I have done quite a few on both bike and in car, and cant wait to see what my cooper is capable of . I would say that with a mini, you would be expecting to pay all in a max of about £400 for entry, fuel and tyres etc. But worth every penny in my opinion. For any one thinking of this who has not done it before, it is not as scary as you may think and will certainly help make you a better driver on the road. Go on, you know you want to. Retro. :twisted: He waits, thats what he does !....... | ||
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| cooper_sport |
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and my flaming MINI  Registered Member #7 Joined: Mon Oct 03 2005, 11:00PMLocation: Bournemouth Posts: 1797 | So far I have done two track days and both times I used my old runflats. Before the first track day I had done about 15000 miles on them and where down to about 3mm. By the end of the day i had just under 2mm left on all four after switching them round. My standard brake pads lasted me to about 26,000 miles and thats with track day and many MINI runs. Second track I used the runflats just on the front and kept my normal road tyres on the rear. Managed to just about finish the two runflats off and rears didn't wear more than 1mm, if that. Brake pads are fine and suspect they will last till at least 20,000 miles. Still have my other two runflats for one more track day then I will need 4 new tyres at a total cost of £330 ish. Also bear in mind this is all with a cooper S with an LSD fitted so a cooper would wear a bit less on the brakes and tyres. So only cost has really been fuel and track day price. Tyres I already replaced before first track day and made sure to keep the worn ones. Brakes I expected to change when I did due to the miles I do. Total cost after 3 track days I expect to be about £1500 max. That includes fuel to and at track, track cost, new tyres fitted after 3rd track, new pads. | ||
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| Roland_GT_Tuning |
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 Registered Member #153 Joined: Wed Mar 29 2006, 11:00PMPosts: 32 | Hi Guys, I would recommend min 5mm tread on your tyres prior to a trackday. Two reasons , one is depending on the track/driver/tyre brand you can easily use this up this on a trackday. I have had 'marrows growing on the tread ' on more than one occasion even with 2mm of tread left on most of the tyre. This risks blowout as does canvass showing. Canvass doesnt grip either. -You realy are dicing with death using tyres that have worn too much especially under track conditions. Secondly if it rains minimal tread depth means aquaplaning all over the place. Brake pads. Again ensure less than half worn (preferably nearly new if a hard braker) Check inner pads carefully as these wear more than the outers. If you run out of pad it will be when you brake hard ,the final 'slither' of pad falls off and your on the metal backplate. On first application of the pedal ,the pedal will just go to the floor as the hydraulics take up the 'space' where the last millimetre of pad just jumped off. you then reapply the brake again (if your quick and got time) ,the car commences braking (thats good) but is very uneven and twists the car side to side as it does (thats scary). Check wheel bolt tightness & readjust pressures after the first session. Pressures can go up 10psi and the bolts get very slack! BTW nice thread Max Best Regards Roland GT Tuning | ||
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| Hobzy |
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  Registered Member #46 Joined: Wed Feb 01 2006, 12:00AMLocation: Clanfield Nr Portsmouth Posts: 150 | Track days at "proper" historic tracks can be expensive as you are paying for low attendance numbers, full facilities and the privilege of driving on a racetrack. However there are plenty of trackdays at airfields - there are at least 5 within a couple of hours of our area - that offer cheap days of fun. The whole point of your first track day will not be to RAG the bollx of it. It will be to slowly increase your speed as you grow more comfortable in your own ability. This means you are unlikely to increase the wear and tear on your car by much. A MINI run is far worse for your car and much more dangerous! My temp gauge has never moved past halfway on any trackday i have done - even at the 4.5 mile circuit at RAF marham with over a mile straight! And as Max will confirm, that was driving with B*lls to the wind :twisted: Even now i have tuition at each new track i go to as its fairly cheap for 1-1 and saves time and sessions learning the track... this is my best advice. Once your hooked then the costs can rise - like any other hobby. But One or two airfield days a year will have a more positive effect on your driving than going round MKs roundabouts - where ll those other tw*ts are on the road as well. Wonder how many GPs we will see on track? :x | ||
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| Hobzy |
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| Registered Member #46 Joined: Wed Feb 01 2006, 12:00AMLocation: Clanfield Nr Portsmouth Posts: 150 | So the cost of Raf Marham for me was: (ignoring getting there) £60 entry fee £80 of Fuel (inc. £40 of BP102 at £2.42 a litre 8O ) 1mm of each brake pad - i use EBC green stuff. 1mm off discs all round maybe  but we only had to brake 4 times on each lap  :twisted: admittedly from 130+ mph at the end of the straight :o so it will take at least 4 more track days to trash my brakes. 2mm of front tyres but i do use slicks so wear quicker. I did 350 miles at 2 goodwood (very fast) on my runflats and only wore down the fronts, my Toyo t1rs have a few laps and are fine as long as you dont do too many laps in a row - when they get really hot is when they start to roll and wear £3 for cups of tea and a bacon butty. In other words nowhere near a grand :roll: and cheaper than a posh meal and a few drinks for a whole day out PLUS you can share the cost as most airfield days let more than one driver per car for free. | ||
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| sleepyhead |
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Shana x Konata Registered Member #141 Joined: Wed Mar 15 2006, 12:00AMPosts: 66 | Nice informative post Max It not only applies to MINIs but any car that wants to go on the track. I for one am keen to save up enough to get back on the track and drift too. You forgot to mention the 1-off items like helmets (cheaper to purchase in the long run than continually renting) and the CG-LOCK seatbelt thing (really is a good device if you don't plan on getting bucket seats with 4 point harness). Always best to bring some simple items like top-up oil, jack, common spanners/sockets etc. but there are friendly people there who will help you if you don't have the tools. PS I've driven John's (Cooper_Sport) car at Brunty and it is fun! To discuss about the point regarding cost I've had to buy new front pads and that's about it from trackday at Goodwood and a drift practise event. For the drift stuff I bought 4 alloys with tyres for £100 to use and abuse. Yes I am talking about a different car here but power output is similar to a Cooper (140bhp) and RWD. Need something new here...this will do for now. Image: http://
i89.photobucket.com/
albums/k233/
sleepyhead1885/
SiggysAvatars/
akotan.gif | ||
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