Track Days

[dowtherz]

Anyone have any experience of these? Want to see what my car can do on the track. Seems pricey to me + new tyres (or even brakes). Found this site http://bookatrack.com/

 

[A210AMG]

Hello

I go with my brother and his friends who have track cars, a pug GTi, a lotus 7 and my brothers a volvo 480 (laugh if you dare..)

Its great fun but I don't think I would want to take my daily car on their. The cars they have it doesn't matter if you have an accident as its not needed for Monday morning. It also puts huge wear on tyres, brakes (and brake fluid .

We have been to Oulton Park, Silverstone, Anglesy, and an airfield nr York forget the name (Hammond crashed there) Thats a concrete circuit and eats tyres.

You can start in the novice class, and get use to it. Before your allowed on there are race briefings, what the flags mean, how to over take etc etc.

What gets me is, you think your car maybe quick on the road....get it on a track and it ALL changes. I had a Bmw 330ci and thats reasonably quick, my brothers Volvo is an ex corporate day car, it has been set up very very well at some point rose joint suspension, great brakes, roll cage. It only has a standard 2.0 engine and yet it would leave my car for dead round bends.

We have caught Lotus Elise's, Reno 3.0 V6's and many other cars that out on a road we would have no chance.

Its also adictive, they bought cars, they then bought trailers, extra wheels, extra tyres, jacks, tools, jerry cans. Towbars on their cars etc etc. Tracks days Mid week can be cheap £80 say most we have done are weekends and around £120 plus £10-£20 for another driver.

With our cars we don't have track insurance for the car, with yours I would ADVISE this. Its expensive but I have a friend who came with us in a Noble...

Also cover your number plate, I often thought why people do this but its for your normal insurance. If you crash and their are lots of people snapping pics of cars. If your insurance happen to do a check...Zero pay out.

You will need a helmet, either hire one or buy one (to the regulated standard)

If you go on a concrete track or tight circuit you will eat tyres.


Its great fun, we have seen some awesome cars, quickest of which probably an atom with 400bhp + simply mad. Golfs with subaru engines all sorts.

One thing seriously don't be suprise if an old volvo is right up your chuff on the bends it really is THAT sorted. T5 engine here we come.



Also get there early and you can get a garage for tinkering with the cars


Our Cars

Brothers Volvo yes Volvo

Friends Noble

after.... 4 laps

 

[imadoofus]

What was that you said about covering your number plates in case you have an accident and there's some snapper there?



PJ

 

[gaz_l]

That'll polish out...

I know someone who reversed his 911 into an armco after running out of talent half way round a corner. Some 15K's worth of damage, fortunately it was insured. Oddly enough, the next time he enquired about track day insurance, he was declined..

Cheers,

Gaz

 

[A210AMG]

Luckily my friend in the Noble took track insurance the day before. So no need he is covered.

It was awful as he was out and I went out with my brother, we had done about half a lap and then the flags out, so crawling pace. came round a bend then a straight and there was the noble backwards into the barrier. He had just took his son out !!

My heart stopped as we drove past.

All fine, pride seriouly dented more than car, the Noble has a full roll cage in the cabin which muct have helped.

 

[gl boy]

track days will cost a lot of money if you do what A210 AMG did without taking out track day insurance very good idea to buy... only ever being on one track day years ago when worked for ja####....phenomenal day out and never cost me anything drove a xj220 flat out brill regards jon

 

[renmure]

I have done quite a few track days... great fun!! Track day insurance usually has a compulsory excess of around 10% of the cars value which makes it reassuring to have in the event of a heap of damage, but not so handy in the event of a little heap of damage. Taking out insurance for an individual trackday is realitively expensive and some insurance companies can include trackday cover as standard and this can be far more cost effective if its going to become a new hobby.

Ooops!!!!!

 

[gl boy]

great pics A210AMG and Renmure thanks for sharing them