Track Days

[davy89]

I've been looking into these quite a lot recently, taking my own car to say Snetterton for a day, but I'm a complete novice in this area and wouldn't even have the faintest idea on where to start!

I've kinda got the idea of track day insurance, but what is the likely wear on the car? Are your tyres likely to last the whole day etc?

Completely baffled but have a real need to give me 172 a proper spanking!

Anyone give me sort of a step by step guide to the whole day? Costs? Requirements?

Thanks in advance!

 

[davy89]

Thanks for the advice gents.

Really weird one, but are you literally driving all day? If so how does it work when you want to stop etc? Weird questions I know!

 

[davy89]

Double and triple check your car. If you have any jobs that borderline may need doing 'soon', do them before taking it on the track. I'm talking belts, pads, discs, tyres, etc. Track usage accelerates the wear rate on components. An Oil and filter change might be a good idea also.

The torquing tip above is a good one. There is nothing scarier than realizing that some of your wheel bolts have become finger tight after a day of track driving (perhaps other than losing a wheel at 100MPH+ )

If you can foresee yourself doing a few days buy your own helmet. Not having to put my head into something that other people have sweated into, dropped and done all sorts of unspeakable things to is well worth the £60/70 an open faced OMP will set you back.

Bring spare fluids and some basic tools at the very least. On all of the track days I've gone on everyone has been absoultely mega friendly and have always been happy to let me use some fluids or tools if I have needed them, but make the effort and at least try to bring whatever you can.

Take it easy and realize that you aren't there to race, show off or prove anything to anyone (including yourself!!!). I made that mistake once and ended up facing the wrong way at Surtees at Brands Hatch and wondering what the hell happened. Take it slowly and smooth. Consecrate on getting your lines, braking and accelerating right and you'll notice yourself gradually getting faster. It's genuinely more fun too .

Great advice there mate, this torqueing your wheel nuts thing seems like quite good advice, have been reading some horror stories!

This I do need to do on mine before I eventually go is a leaking cv gaitor (no fault of my own the company which did my tracking for me "free" very kindly left me some holes in my cv gaitor!!)

 

[davy89]

Great advice lads looks like I'm going snetterton for an open day March sometime.

 

[davy89]

Ahh okies, tis quite loud! I'm sure I got told high 80s maybe 90db, not too sure though. Just knew some had restrictions, Guess it should be good to go then !!

P.S Sorry to kinda steal your thread davy89! You have a clio too IIRC? 172?

It's OK dude! All the discussion is widening my knowledge further!

Yeah I have dude, 172, have a cat-back milltek exhaust + apollo k&n induction kit arriving this week! Don't normally agree with mods but it felt the need! What about you?

 

[davy89]

Cool cool!! I was going to get a 172 strip it out and make it hard-core! Not many people realise how quick they are as they (no offence here) look like a normal Clio, if that makes sense! So understated.


Mine, well it’s had a bit of work done! Ermmm. Apex springs and shocks (Not the best) but they make the car stick round a corner like it’s on rails. Milltek decat exhaust, RSTuner, V6 Airbox with the battery moved into the boot, better cams and the gearbox has been rebuilt with some stronger selectors and whatnot, plus a lighter clutch and flywheel. Not any massive hardcore mods or that give good gains. Running around 20BHP over standard. Really really want to get it supercharged by RS Tuning in Leeds. All of the stuff got done when my best buddy had the car. He spends a fortune on it, about £2k in total.

Bet it goes!