Best driving experience days

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Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
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Dublin, Ireland
It's been a long year for my father, so I want to take him to a driving day for his birthday/christmas. I think he'd have more interest in circuit based driving in either single seaters or performance cars. I don't mind where in the UK we need to travel to, but ideally it would be near a fairly major airport so flights dont cost an arm and a leg and we have some flexibility.

So, what's the best circuit/tarmac based driving day you've done?
 
Bedford - Palmer Audi Day?

failing that id get a caterham day booked with as much lap time as possible. Caterhams = FUN!!!!!!!

ferrari = zzz drive up and down relatively sedately.
Caterham = throw it around a circuit and spin it wherever possible!"
 
In my opinion I'd stay away from days involving 'exotic' cars unless you really want to drive a Ferrari/Aston etc.

I did a Ferrari day last year where I drove a Ferrari 360 and a Formula Ford. The Ferrari drive was rubbish in comparrison to the thrill of driving an Ex Racecar around Donington Park. I couldnt open up the 360 enough to enjoy driving it and the instructor didnt really aid my experienece. The FF was amazing. I got to thrash the thing around the track, on my own. I'm looking to book a day that just involves the FF as its far far better than driving a 'supercar'
 
Orange Peel, have you seen the £77.50 deal at Silverstone for the Formula Fords?

It's pretty tempting at that price. Last time I did a Formula Ford day it was close to £200!
 
I've done a Ferrari drive before (Mallory Park) and I have to agree it's a little antiseptic. Yes you get to drive it, but only like you were going to the shops in a Fiesta. They always have brake board markers a country mile from the corner and you're not aloud to give it some stick. I guess it's understandable as they've only got the one, no dual controls and 10 other people waiting to drive it after you.

I did the Brands Hatch TT/Formula Audi drive a couple of years ago (unintentionally as I'd gone to take a friend along as she'd got it for her birthday and they had a no show and offered it to anyone with a driving license for half price! I was legging it back to the car before he could finish the sentence :D ). Anyway, the TT bit was ok, fairly pedestrian to teach you the circuit, but the single seaters were good fun for the 8 laps we had. They were limited to 4000rpm but I reckon I was doing about a ton along the main straights although it's difficult to tell. 180bhp and weighing nothing they didn't half shift.
 
Having tried a recent supercar experience (nice cars, pants organisation), FF2000, FF1600 and the VXR day, my vote goes to outdoor twin engined pro-karts. Get yourself into a 2 hour endurance race. Much more fun than any road car I've driven on a circuit, costs less and if it's wet, a seriously good challenge.
 
Mr_Sukebe said:
Having tried a recent supercar experience (nice cars, pants organisation), FF2000, FF1600 and the VXR day, my vote goes to outdoor twin engined pro-karts. Get yourself into a 2 hour endurance race. Much more fun than any road car I've driven on a circuit, costs less and if it's wet, a seriously good challenge.
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Where did you do this?

Dunno if my dad would be up for 2 hours breakfree in Karts though!
 
If you want proper fun and some great track experience, then as has been said, go for outdoor karting.

These "experience" days are OK, but they're more for saying "I've driven an XXXXX" than actually having fun IMO.
 
The best kart track I've been to so far is at Rye Park (Hoddesdon in Herts, just up the A10 from London). Having said that, there's a whole bunch of outdoor tracks, so hunt around.
 
I had a lamborghini one, they let you put your foot down a fair bit too. Overtook a ferrari :) Was with redletterdays.

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