Track day tips?

Duke

Duke

Duke

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Booking a space on track at Castle Combe, on the last Friday in September.

I've watched a few times in the past but wondered if anyone had any tips, advice etc to give?

Plus anyone want to join me? :D
 
I did a good checkover of my car..Carried out an oil and filter change before and after the track day..Might be obvious to you but dont take anything loose in the car with you if you can help it..

Just do a google search :) eg - www.trackdays.co.uk :)
 
Apart from what TripleT said, which is arguably the soundest advice you can give on trackdays...

You're not a racing driver, don't try and act like one. Likewise, you won't be the quickest guy there, so don't try to be. Dad gets to watch lots of billies biff it acting like they're better than they are, so don't be one of those billies!

Oh and if it's grouped by skill level, don't overestimate yourself, it'll only make it less fun.

:)
 
Check condition of brakes. Very important. Wouldnt be a bad idea to upgrade if running standard brakes. Is it a full track day session? Also make sure to change oil and filter before going, check tyre pressures before and after track use. Take your wheel nut bar and check tightness of nuts before and after track session as they can work loose! Had it happen to me! And secondly enjoy it, dont over do yourself and get to know the track and car!
 
Thanks for the info.

Puma is due a major service next month which is good timing, so all the filters/oil etc will be changed anyway.

If I enjoy it (which I think I will :D) then I'll defo do it more often and upgrade the brakes front and rear.
 
Duke said:
If I enjoy it
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Lol!...Your ******* love it!..I soooooooo need to get my track car finished.tempted to track my RX7 but im paranoid about some tool hitting me (or me putting it on its roof!).
 
Duke said:
Booking a space on track at Castle Combe, on the last Friday in September.
I've watched a few times in the past but wondered if anyone had any tips, advice etc to give?
Click to expand...

Most people I've spoken to dont seem to think getting a feel for the track via a console game fist helps. But after doing Oulton on Toca 3 I think it really helped me get going quickly and I'd already decided which corner not to tempt fate on (and true to the game, all people crashing on the day went off on the one I kept losing it in the game on!). Maybe I'm a slow learner, but I've never managed to even get a feel for a new track from the sighting laps before. however with Oulton I was ready to go.

I cant emphasise enough the importance of getting to the track on time for the first briefing, and therefore not missing the sighting lap and then being able to get out straight away.

In the afternoon there may be less cars on track, but the first part of the morning session is essential for getting your confidence up. Because the cars get quicker through the day as people learn the track and push harder, its good to get out early whist cars arnt pushing 100%. This enables you to also take it easy. If you start half an hour in having missed the sighting laps and track time you will litterally be going so much slower than the now fast pased field, you spend all your time being passed and not being able to get a feel for racing lines and braking zones.

That said, saving your brakes and petrol for the last 1.5 hours can be good as many people have gone by mid afternoon and the track is quieter.
 
Trickle said:
Most people I've spoken to dont seem to think getting a feel for the track via a console game fist helps. But after doing Oulton on Toca 3 I think it really helped me get going quickly and I'd already decided which corner not to tempt fate on (and true to the game, all people crashing on the day went off on the one I kept losing it in the game on!). Maybe I'm a slow learner, but I've never managed to even get a feel for a new track from the sighting laps before. however with Oulton I was ready to go.

I cant emphasise enough the importance of getting to the track on time for the first briefing, and therefore not missing the sighting lap and then being able to get out straight away.

In the afternoon there may be less cars on track, but the first part of the morning session is essential for getting your confidence up. Because the cars get quicker through the day as people learn the track and push harder, its good to get out early whist cars arnt pushing 100%. This enables you to also take it easy. If you start half an hour in having missed the sighting laps and track time you will litterally be going so much slower than the now fast pased field, you spend all your time being passed and not being able to get a feel for racing lines and braking zones.

That said, saving your brakes and petrol for the last 1.5 hours can be good as many people have gone by mid afternoon and the track is quieter.
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Thanks for the info :)
 
just give it a good check over, swap oil and filter before and after, stick yourself in the begginers group because even if you think your good your probably not compared to at least 50% of the fast group and most daysIhave beento let slow swap up to intermediate aafter lunch time and vice versa (a load of british supersport boys were at oulton last time I went on the bike) Im normally mid pack in the fast group, and my cousin at the front or there abouts, but we got annhialated by about 6 or 7 bikes , turns out they were supersport and R6 cup riders learning the track!

Oh and biggest advice, its not a race, and dont treat itas one, if someone wants to bea prat, try and drop them, if you cant, let them past and give them some room, nothing will spoil you day more than crashing!

The other thing is be outgoing, there is always loads of cool people there willing to talk and give tips, a maxton suspension engineer helped me with my setup last year on my 400!

Oh and have fun! :D
 
More stuff:

Give your engine time to warm up before going out on track. Do a warm up lap otherwise you will be suprised when your tyres and brakes refuse to work as expected. You probably will have never experienced trying to drive fast before on totally cold tyres like you'll have for the first couple of corners. In a fwd car it wont be so critical I guess. It can be worse in the winter on an airfield rather than normal track.

Do a cool down lap so that you dont enter the padock with your disks and pads smoking only to then have use your hand brake on an incline (park sideways on etc)

If you have some old wheels with anything but bare tread consider taking then to use on track instead of your good road wheels (which you will need in case it rains still).

If either your front or rear pads are half gone, there is a chance you will finish them off on the day unless they are track orientated. If so buy in advance and take spares with you. Know how to change them. Cheap manufacturer front disks could warp if you push them too hard, though as this is your first track day this may not be applicable.

Make sure you know where your drivers license is two+ weeks prior to the event.
 
adwhitworth said:
Make sure you have plenty of juice when you arrive. ;)
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iirc the petrol station in Castle Combe is super-expensive due to location. So fill up before you get there too :)
 
Brakes, brakes, brakes! I set fire to my scoobs brakes after 4 laps of Croft. The pads were EBC redstuff with grooved standard size discs. If you are going to get serious about track days, uprate the brakes as a priority! I am now running AP Racing 6 pot calipers, 335mm discs and Ferodo DS2500 pads....best money I have ever spent!
 
Thanks again for the info. Brakes will certainly need upratings if I keep going as they are tiny atm (238mm!) they upgraded them to 258mm (still not that great) on the later revisions. It is possible to get 300mm conversion on the Puma so that should help :p
 
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