My 1st Track Day

hoodedreeper

hoodedreeper

Ex. Club Member
I've been thinking about this for awhile and i've decided to go for a Novice Track Day.

I live about 45mins from Snetterton which is perfect. Snetterton is currently under-going some redevelopment work to change the layout of the track. The old track looked like this:

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The new layout will look like this:

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I've been round the track in a mate's 1.8 Metro to give me a feel of the track layout (old track that is). Obviously each car is set up differently,his Metro handled like a dream on the corners but top end wasnt as great (back straight only hit 95mph).

Originally the top speed was a concern for me,although my Micra could easily reach 100mph + (private road of course) i feared it may not be upto scratch for the track.

With the new layout,it seems to be that cornering will be a higher concern/area to concentrate on rather than top speed. Which is a bonus as i've spent a fair bit of money on Handling.

Right...now that introduction is over...i'll get down to the question in hand...

Is there anything i need to do to prep the car to help make things better? I know about brakes/tyres etc etc which will be changed prior to the day. Or is it a case of just going out there and have fun and enjoy the time on the track. Rather than i must have a top track car to do so...
 
If you've got the handling right then you cant go wrong lots of people use std road cars. I wouldnt worry about top speed you can go as fast (or as slow) as you want. Start off slowly and build your speed during the day learning how the car reacts as the day goes on. Most importantlyy just have fun!
 
I dont think it'll be a constant thing,using the car as a track car as it needs to be a daily. Its more about having the experience on a track :) I dont currently own a safety helmet,the rent them there at the track. Pointless buying one for something im only gonna use once or twice
 
Marham is an option aswell :) I havent looked deep into track events as of yet just thought i'd ask on here first :) I just need to remember you dont need to go stupidly fast to do a track day :)
 
^^^ Exactly, when I get home ill link some of our vids from the past events. Yes you get the Supra's and Skylines doing 190+ down the back straight, but you also get the Mk1 escorts, the nova rats and other play toys whizzing around the cones like fireflies.
In my Skyline I had this clio all over me even on the striaghts........the shame :D In Oct I would love to take the 34 and the Be-1 along :D
 
A friend of mine done an Auto-Test at Marham in his Metro and finished in the Top 3. The usual big cars were there like skylines,scoobies,evos etc and he beat most of them!
 
hoodedreeper said:
Is there anything i need to do to prep the car to help make things better? I know about brakes/tyres etc etc which will be changed prior to the day. Or is it a case of just going out there and have fun and enjoy the time on the track. Rather than i must have a top track car to do so...
Click to expand...

A number of things to think about;
Are you planning on driving to and from the track day in the car? If no and you're trailering there and back that's ok.
If yes to driving then;
Make sure your tyres are then legal to drive home on as tyre wear will be an issue the more you push. Take a spare set with you and just leave them in the service area when you go out round the track.

Brake fade, with discs and pads and brake fluid cooking. Go out and do a few laps then come back in and give the car chance to cool down, check then go back out.

Take everything that is loose out of the car, so if you have a case full of CD's etc, all out of the car because if by any chance you do roll, you dont want bits hitting you! I know of a guy who went on a track day and had a spare battery in the car with him when he went over! He was lucky as it went out of rear window!

Take with you oil / water incase levels drop, you can top up, and keep check levels before you go out.

Take it easy to start with learn the course then build the speed up, brake later, get the best line in and out of the corners.

Fit a hand held fire extingisher, always handy as you never know when you need one!

Don't worry about noises, as being on a track/course will give different sounds to a smooth road, I can remember my first one and I thought something had fallen off the noise it was making.

And last of all, just go out and enjoy it!!!

Hope that helps.

Have you got coilovers fitted?
 
hoodedreeper said:
Thanks Peter :) No unfortunately not just shocks and springs. My budget doesnt stretch far enough for coilovers :(
Click to expand...

Could lend you a set of Bilstien front coilovers to use, it would just be a matter of four nuts, two bolts to swap them over, and you could try different spring rates to see what set up suits your car best.

(you bend them you buy them type lend!!)
 
I would jump at the opputunity,but like you say,if i damage them i've gotta replace them. And if i can afford to replace them,i can afford to buy them in the first place ;)
 

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