Am I mad???

[Hurdy]

Here are some tips from a pro:-

http://fifthgear.five.tv/jsp/5gmain.jsp?lnk=901&id=132&description=Audi%20S3

Hope you find it useful

[Ollieb7]

Yeah, thought about all the reasons not to, but thought (f**k it am off to Iraq in Jan and you only live once!  )

Bloody ell - can't think of any reason better! My Allegro is available at weekends if you want to blow the socks of that!

[Phil mcavity]

and perhaps a new look for your wife ollieb!   

[2007GTI]

for my sins I have a 1966 mini cooper and have done a track day at castle combe and goodwood, without insurance.  I just went for it and thought f**k it.  However doing it with my £24k GTI is another matter, I think I would get insurance because there is some nutters out there. 

[paulm007]

Yep, think insurance is the way forward defo, how did you find the track day anyway, was it well organised and more importanlty, was it a good laugh!

[2007GTI]

yeah it was well organised.  the one thing that was dodgy was there was a mix of race cars (still old minis) and road cars, so there were guys who didnt mind if they scuffed their cars up. as long as you had your wits about you, it was pretty safe.

[Cass]

Track insurance essential

Cass

[Teutonic_Tamer]

TRACK DAY VIRGINS GUIDE

OK, some valid points have been raised, and some obvious ones missed.

The circuit.  Castle Coombe is a good "drivers" circuit, but in some places has little or no run-off.  You MUST listen to the pre-event breifing, to listen for any specific hazards - ask the organisers if they found anything notable on their morning track inspection - if they havn't done one, I'd be worried!  Secondly, you MUST use the sighting lap to assess for yourself which corners have particularly dodgy looking run-off areas.

The organisers.  Who are they?  There are some excellent orgainisers who have been doing track days for years, and there are some truely shocking organisers, whom I wouldn't trust to organise a Teletubbies tea party.

The format.  Is it grouped by ability or not?  IE, is it split into "novice", "intermediate" and "advanced" - or is it a general free-for-all.  Secondly, timings.  Is it split into timed sessions, ie, the novices go out for 20minutes, then the inters, and then the advanced - or is it an "open pit lane" format?  If you have never done a track day before, do NOT start with an open pit lane event.

The "attendees".  Is it open to only members of a certain group of drivers, such as members of GolfGTI forum or Volkswagen Driver Mag subscribers - or is it a general free for all?  If it is a free for all, try to get an advanced list of cars already signed up - if it is already bursting with Saxos, Novas, Corsas, Fiestas and the like - then don't even bother going.  If there is a list of more "mature" cars, such as Porkers, Fezzers, Astons, BMWs, Audis, Mercs and the like, then hopefully, the drivers shouldn't be trying to prove anything to anyone else!

Your car.  Obvious really - make sure you have a full tank of fuel (you know only V-Power or Tesco 99 will do  ) when you drive through the circuit gates, AND, make sure you know where to get some more during the lunchtime break!  Under-bonnet levels - make sure your oil is to the max on the dipstick (not even halfway down will do), the brake fluid, coolant, and screen wash are all topped up to the max.  Take a spare litre bottle of oil, and check the level during the lunchtime break.  Inside the car, clear out any unnecessary luggage from the boot, back seats, glove box, door bins etc.  Remove any furry dice/magic trees from the mirror etc.  Fold the rear seats forward, remove the rear parcel shelf.  Take with you a 2" wide roll of duct tape, and a 3/4" wide roll of electrical insulation tape.  Use the duct tape to fully cover your number plates, and the insulation tape to criss-cross your headlamps and front fogs (you can do your rear lamps, and your exterior mirrors too, but I personally find tape on the door mirrors a distraction).  Fix the towing eye to the front (and make sure you tighten it with the wheel brace).  Brake pads, make sure these have plenty of meat left on them - if not, consider getting some Mintex 1144 fast road pads.  Tyres, make sure they have at least 4mm tread, and pump them UP to the MAX pressures.  Under NO circumstances, never reduce the pressures "for track days", as you will simply put extremely excessive loads on the outer shoulders and sidewalls.

The driver.  Get up EARLY.  Allow yourself plenty of time to get to the circuit (if you miss the briefing, you won't be allowed on track!).  Try to have a light breakfast before you get there, not a greasy fry-up.  Don't drink too much coffee.  Don't wear tight clothing, and don't wear jeans.  Light-weight non-restrictive clothing, even jogging bottoms and fleeces are better than any kind of denim or heavy cotton clothes.  Helmet - you will need one.  Try to dig out your old helmet from your "moped days", rather than borrow/hire the ones available at the circuit - as they are likely to be truely manky.  If you have to hire a circuit helmet, buy a thin silk or similar balaclava to use under the helmet.  Footwear, use the lightest, softest footwear you can find - trainers are OK, rigger boots are not!

Contingency plan.  Sadly, bad $h!t does sometimes happen.  Consider track day insurance, and also consider recovery home.  Hopefully, you have a truely safe day, keeping away from the armco, and clear of the kitty litter - however, you may well find that your tyres have worn through to the canvass, or you may have cooked your brakes!


to be continued . . .

[Teutonic_Tamer]

TRACK DAY VIRGINS GUIDE - pt2

The actual "track driving".  Before actually driving in anger on the track, your engine must be at normal operating temperature, ie, the coolant temp gauge bang in the middle.  Make sure you have driven, or have let the car idle, for at least a further five minutes AFTER the coolant reaches normal operating temps (the engine oil takes longer to reach normal temps than the coolant!  ).  Don't try to set a circuit lap record on your first flying lap - in fact, don't even consider timing yourself at all.  Grovel/beg/push in to the front of the queue, and try to follow one of the circuit instructers round for the first few laps.  Avoid any of the "have a go heros".  Don't be obsessed with checking your mirrors - BUT, if you do see a faster car approaching, do NOT hold them up (unless you are mid-corner) - if they have their left indicator on, it means they definately want to get past.  When you get to a safe place, indicate right, then move to the right of the track to allow them past - and there may be more than one car wanting to pass, so don't move immediately back onto the racing line!  Marshals flags - learn what the flags mean, where the marshals posts are, and ALWAYS comply with the flags.  If you don't you will be banned from further participation.

The COOL DOWN LAP.  This deserves a special mention - after you pass the chequerd flag, you will usually have one "slowing down", or "cooling down" lap.  Make sure you do allow your car to cool down - try to cruise back to the pits, as slowly as possible, staying in top gear, ideally keeping below 2,000rpm, and ideally not using the brakes at all.  There is no point being first back in the pits - if you are last back, so be it!  When you have returned to the pits, do NOT turn off your engine - instead, fully open the bonnet, and allow it to idle for two or three minutes, then turn off the engine.  Keep your bonnet open until the next session on track.

Fatigue.  Even if you are quite a fit person, hard and fast track driving WILL fatigue you - both physically and mentally.  If you feel you need to miss one of the on-track sessions, then fine - you will win no smartie points if you start a session knackerd, and force a stop to the session whilst they have to drag you out of the kitty litter or tyre wall.  If it is a hot day, you must drink fluids (not alcohol or caffineated drinks) after each session.  At the end of the day, you WILL be knackered.

Instructers.  Most circuit instructers are fine and trustworthy.  However, there are a notable number of instructers who are only there to boost their own egos - usually trying to prove something, by insisting that you only use the racing line, or by telling you of their past glories, and not really helping YOU.  If they are like that, then walk away, and find another instructer.

The drive home.  Slow down.  You have just spent the last 8 hours driving flat out, with no hazards (Volvos, school run mummies, horses, cow $h!t, tractors, etc).  Even driving at 60 or 70 mph on the public roads will now probably seem like 30mph.  If needs be, use some of the other lessons learnt from the track day, rather than the speed, on your way home.

After the track day.  Check your fluid levels again, especially the oil.  Check your brake pads.  Check your tyres.  Strongly consider getting your brake fluid changed.

Finally, ENJOY.  At the end of the day, a track day is all about exploring, or finding the limits of both car AND driver, in a safe and controlled environment.  It should also be rewarding and enjoyable.  If you are not enjoying it, or are stressed out - consider why.  If there is a particular ar$ehole on the track, report them to the stewards/marshalls/organisers.  Whatever may be causing you grief, consider just spending the rest of the day just watching from the pit wall or other spectator area.  Don't be afraid/ashamed to go home early if it isn't for you!

HTH