Track Day / Driver Training

[Evilchap]

Hello fellow Southerners

I am currently enquiring about arranging for us an open pit lane track day, potentially at a track with a skid pan (wet tile type, so no ruining of paint).

This is an idea initially thought of by Flik, who expressed an interest in getting more confident with his car, and of all of the local members I have talked to, 90% of people have said they also would welcome this opportunity.

The kicker here is I also know a Palmasport instructor, who is happy to come and join us for the day, and spend time with everybody teaching them new things, improving their skills, and inspiring them with new confidence I know there are a fair few members for reasons of accidents, or being new to the cars, or just not driving that much, that are pretty nervous of their cars.

I think this could really benefit anybody interested in improving their driving, and getting more out of their car.

I for 1 am up for it. I will put a list at the bottom of this thread, for other people to pencil themselves into.

I do not have dates as yet, I will get them shortly....

The things I need to know are:

1) Price - How much would you be able or willing to spend on a track day, open pit lane style, so you can have as much time on track as you like.

2) Location - Thruxton is local, but the fastest track in the country, so I think is not a good answer. I suspect we may have to travel a bit, in a nice convoy, to get the best locations. So... how far would you be prepared to travel?

3) Timescale - When you would like to do this? I know we are all feeling the pinch from Christmas, how soon can you run to this?

4) Noise - some tracks take a dim view of noisey people, as the people who buy houses near tracks apparently didn't know it would be noisey, so complain. I think Flik can get us a club noise meter, we need to see how loud everybody is, so we can cross places off the list that wont take us.

So, please give me your thoughts, and suggestions, and if this is something that could interest you, add your name to my little list of 1

Also, to raise interest, add this to your signature if you like

South Track Day / Training Day

2009 South Track Day / Training Day

1) EvilChap (S15)

[justbutts]

have a look at the dorset japanese car club site

as im a member on there and im doing an airfield day with them at colerne airfield on the 28th march.

the event is run by motorsport events

and one of the tracks has a skid pan area but i cant remember which one.

[Evilchap]

Cheers for that Mark I will do some investigation / asking buster at the next meet

[paullen]

Get on an airfield day! They are perfect for beginners.

[A13_SXT]

what about castle coombe?? if we do it before jap fest it will give everyone more confidence for then...

no skid pan there though, as far as im aware?

[A13_SXT]

oh and if it was £100.00 or less for the whole day then i wouldnt think twice!

[A13_SXT]

you say thruxton is the fastest circuit in the country but that doesnt mean everyone has to drive flat out?? it is a lovely curcuit it is very close for our area!

castle coombe is equally as challenging and they let complete novices hoon round there at jap fest every year!!

[namelezz]

sounds good ben i would love to get out on a track or pan in my car just understand it a little more if something comes from this it will be great i will keep an eye open.
p.s thruxton would be great but then i do have abit of an noisey exhaust

[MARK200SX]

showing intrest, one of the people who are to nervous to do a track day yet but maybe the air field thing would be good.

[Lou_Lou]

you say thruxton is the fastest circuit in the country but that doesnt mean everyone has to drive flat out?? it is a lovely curcuit it is very close for our area!

castle coombe is equally as challenging and they let complete novices hoon round there at jap fest every year!!

I've driven Thruxton.. and it's a great track.. really satisfying when you get some of those corners right

[Evilchap]

glad to see a few more people weighing in here :-) i wasn't suggesting thruxton would make everybody drive like a nutter, just that there is more potential for a small mistake costing you big :-)

I was thinking about bedford, but they have tight noise regulations. They have huge run offs, and to hit a wall you'd have to do it on purpose. However as a factor of cost and time, maybe an airfield day is the answer.

I am hoping to put an emphasis on the tuition side of things, to see how much we can get from it. I know i have plenty to learn, and dont mind saying, and a group of us together makes teaching much cheaper! :-)

[Flik]

glad to see a few more people weighing in here :-) i wasn't suggesting thruxton would make everybody drive like a nutter, just that there is more potential for a small mistake costing you big :-)

I was thinking about bedford, but they have tight noise regulations. They have huge run offs, and to hit a wall you'd have to do it on purpose. However as a factor of cost and time, maybe an airfield day is the answer.

I am hoping to put an emphasis on the tuition side of things, to see how much we can get from it. I know i have plenty to learn, and dont mind saying, and a group of us together makes teaching much cheaper! :-)

Having read another thread in the last day or so, 90dB is their limit at bedford which is pretty rediculous for most of us.

[Evilchap]

Their limit is rediculous or your are Can you get us a club DB Meter for some texting mr boss rep favourite person type chap?

[RobertS14a]

I am interested too, since I've never done one before, A easy track/airfield would be great as I am a complete noob at track days and the risk of kissing an Armco kinda puts me off ...

[ameano]

I'm up for this as I have pm'd you Ben - but perhaps an airfield is better than a track for us n00bs? Just don't wanna risk doing a bad drift and then... smash! lol. Ideally would like somewhere where we can get the backend out nicely and if you end up doing a 180 you won't have to worry about hitting a wall or the driver behind!

[sprout]

I'll be up for this, the tuition side of it is probably the most appealing. Airfield day, sure, but it would be great if some professional input could be had, as well as some fun

Not interested in drifting, and if possible it would be nice to keep it road oriented, as funnily enough, thats where we all drive on the most.

[Evilchap]

Agreed

I have spoken with Brad again (our tame instructor). He's happy to go to an airfield, his suggestion of tracks was simply because you can learn more at them, as they have a defined layout, and by doing laps you do lots or repetition, so you get more out of it.

Thruxton and Coombe he doesn't think as beginners we'd get the most out of, but equally if we insisted he'll go with the flow.

Perhaps we can get a challenging circuit set up at an airfield? I have no idea how they work... but essentially I agree that blasting around at high speed anybody can do, it's the techincal side of things that would really be of benefit

[bazzzzer]

This sounds like a very good idea Ben , would also be interested but would depend on when and what the cost was !!!!

The skid pan idea is very good along with the tuition on track \ airfield , funny how people think there very good at driving until you go out with a proper instructor \ race driver , then you kinda realise just how much you still need to learn lol .

I did rally school several years ago , they wouldn't even let you out in the rally cars until you had satisfied them on the skid pan first , I think it really helps with knowing what your car will do if you push it to far and what to do to correct it when it does happen , and not just in theory either but in real practice first .

[A13_SXT]

i wonder if they rent out the topgear test track???

now that would be awesome! and its not to far away!

[sprout]

It costs a lot