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Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:04 pm
by casey
Shaunzrx wrote:Sounds good! :) as a potential newbie track day gower is there a certain thread I can look at to see how track days work, little different to the meets iv been on lol looking for the idiots guide if there is such a thing ? Or is it a case of just turning up on the day...
Look in the forum area HERE and you should be able to find out all you need about trackday dates, plus lots of advice too. If the answer isn't there, just ask away!

If going to a track, look at some of the past club threads and in-car video we've posted up so you can "learn" about the track a little. I also normally publish a briefing for the days I organise, this is last year's guide to Brands Hatch;

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:07 pm
by Shaunzrx
@ Casey, Thank you kindly :)

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:18 pm
by casey
DannyMRICS wrote:Just remembered what is holding me back -

I have a Toyosport catback and de-cat and am worried about the decibels.

Danny
You should be fine, but if you are at all worried, might be worth shelling out ~£20 for a sound meter to check. Better to do that than turn up and find you are over the limit.

Amazon sell a dB meter for less than £22.50 delivered - LINK

Might find cheaper still on eBay if you look around. Make sure the meter measured decibels with an "A" weighting, not "C" weighting, as it's "A" ratings that all the tracks use.

Most tracks are operated by MSV and use these are the noise regs;

MSV noise regs link

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:35 pm
by DanBass
@Phil. I'm so up for that, I didn't realise there was a track locally either, but now i'm going to have a look at it, :)

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:42 pm
by casey
Phil Bate wrote:Dan - I will definately be up for this. Conann told me about [urlw=http://www.llandow.com/?page_id=50]Llandow[/urlw] circuit in the Cardiff area (I didn't know that was there), could be a fun quiet one to get some sneaky practice/tuition in early next year.
Like many circuits in the UK, this is an old airfield. The advantage is these circuits are generally flat, cheap to book, and with little to hit if you skid off. The track surface may not be as good as a "proper" track. Blyton is an old airfield too, which used to have a very "dirty" concrete surface until lovely new tarmac was laid last year.

Although not essential, I think it's good to start with just "flat bends" before progressing to the likes of Brands Hatch with it's jaw dropping BLIND Paddock HILL corner with an enormous gradient, right at the end of the (~120mph)fast pit straight :shock: :D At the bottom of that hill the car springs get very compressed at you climb for Druid's, a hairpin bend!

One thing to be wary of, if the track runs "Open Pit Lane" (and this applies to all tracks, with different numbers); Llandow says it has a limit on track of 10 cars. Some greedy trackday operators may book 50 cars for the day and then there will be a lot of unhappy drivers sitting in queues waiting to get out on track. As a (very) rough rule, a maximum factor of 3:1 (cars booked to track limit) should be the norm. Most cars need to cool down for at least 50% of the day (I find nearer 70% is preferable), which means queuing should be acceptable.

It Llandow runs "sessioned" times, then check what you are getting for your money. I'd expect maybe one 15 minute session per hour, which also gives plenty of time to cool down. If there are two or more people then it also adds to the fun as if you get say, the 00.00 and 00.30 sessions, you can passenger in each other's cars and have time to chnage over easily.

I should add that this circuit should favour the RX-8, being short, with no long straights (for the turbo to pull away) and lots of corners :D

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 12:46 pm
by DanBass
I've just been looking at the site, it looks like a relatively straightforward track as you say casey, and definitely a good shout for early track days such as mine will be.

Phil, the circuit looks like good fun, I know where it is, and my suspicion is it'll be quite quiet. They appear to be running all through the winter too, which would be good, so early next year once the frost blows through I'm totally on this, should be a right laugh!

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 1:15 pm
by casey
^^ Excellent Dan =D> - post up a new thread when you get a date and invite others to join you. There's quite a few RX-8's in SWales now, plus it's not far for people just over the bridge.

I'd suggest setting a date and posting it up at least one month ahead, then if you get 4 or more members along, you can claim a £10 club rebate :D ;

LINK HERE

BTW, I see Llandow operates 20 minute sessions, so you'll get 20 minutes every hour, giving an excellent 40 minute cooldown. You'll probably find 20 minutes is too long to stay out (brakes, tyres and engine getting very hot). I usually limit sessions to around 15 minutes, but it depends on the track, weather, etc.

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 2:28 pm
by Phil Bate
Great stuff, thanks for the input Casey. Dan we could always pop down one weekend and have a look around :)

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 2:30 pm
by DanBass
Sounds like a plan, :) Need my MOT first though, lol

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 5:48 pm
by matt_banks
Would love to do a track day only thing stopping me is I'm so scared of stacking my pride and joy an also daily driver! The new Pads and tyres afterwards are a bit of a negative but would not put me off. Have been wanting to take my car out since I had a track experience day about 5 years ago!

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 6:01 pm
by Dan507
My car's not built, that's what's stopping me. I'm itching to get back out there.

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:45 pm
by Bulldog
So in terms of 'total cost' of the day - what would you find acceptable?

Would you be interested in driving a track prepped 8?

In terms of crashing the car - insurance?

Time? Well unless you make time to do it then it wont happen.

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:47 pm
by tractorboy
Need to find some courage to pluck...

Bob

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:51 pm
by Bulldog
Would you like to come along for some passenger laps?

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:52 pm
by tractorboy
If I do that then I'll be gutted I'm not driving! Edging closer....

Bob

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 9:59 pm
by Bulldog
:) .. Ive let a few people drive my car on track due to that lol

I would be prepared to get involved in a club car - the logistics of this etc are somewhat tricky but might be worth exploring further if its the main stumbling block

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:14 pm
by JDM-Ben
Mike, this has been talked about before on a number of clubs etc.

It's very hard to start up and get people committed. The cost, use etc

If you have 10 people sharing a car to be realistic would have to spend £500 each to buy car and modify enough for track £5000. U still have to pay for the track day, fuel running costs. It gets very difficult sorting it out.

A way I thought about is if someone (company) builds and owns a track car, and you can hire it from them. Take t track day and return. It's up to the owner if he insures it of takes the risk.

But doing it this way works out your spending more than using the car you have.

Be interested to see what your thoughts were mike.

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:23 pm
by Will66
One of my plans if I win the lottery is to get a load of cheap RX8s and make them into arrive-and-drive track cars for trackdays or a possible race series. A club track car is a difficult proposition.

If I'm doing a track buddy track day I'd probably let the novice drive mine.

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 10:53 pm
by Bulldog
I did raise it a while ago and yes its not an easy one to sort out mainly due to geography. Having been on a number of days now myself I think consumable costs would be for six days about 3k.

6 trackdays £780 (average of 130x6)
Insurance £480 (80x6)
Tyres £400 (vreds)
Brake Pads £200 (yellow stuff)
Fuel £1000
Oil and premix £60

12 sessions per day as driver and 12 as passenger. So about 72 sessions. Works out just over £40 a session. Say £50 as there are always other costs. You could do 2 sessions as a driver and 2 as a passenger for a fixed cost of £100? Would people be interested in that? There's obviously no profit in it for a company.

I would be prepared to fund the up front costs including the car and all of the track day costs if there was enough of a demand. The only caveat I would have is that people would have a crash liability of the cost of the insurance excess regardless of if they were at fault - so if the cars damaged on their lap they would be liable for up to the £500 excess. I think this would also discourage idiotic behavior.

I would really love to see the 8 dominating the track day venues.

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:05 pm
by JDM-Ben
I decide not to have insurance, a expense that may be worth wild if you have crash but I take the risk.

Next year I am trying to do around 8 track days min that's £800 for insurance.

It's a good idea mike, but where do you stop exhaust, stripping out, seats, harness. Etc.?? If you can get it to work it would be great for people wanting to try track events.

But for me a couldn't take a whole day off work for 2sessions on track, being self employed.

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:12 pm
by Bulldog
Yeah that's why I am asking Ben. I dont know why people dont want to get involved. Mallory on a Saturday 2 cars, Blyton on a Sunday my car was the only rex ... disappointing numbers. Then you have a meet at a pub some people spend£150 in fuel to attend. Why not meet at the track .. get some laps in between the chat.

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:17 pm
by Will66
I'd get to more track days if it wasn't for work. Unfortunately work pays for them!

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:18 pm
by Bulldog
This isn't really aimed at you Will your too far into the addiction :)

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:21 pm
by Will66
Yup, trackdays are my Crystal Meth!

Re: What is holding you back?

Posted: Thu Oct 18, 2012 12:24 am
by casey
Interesting level of debate though, and 4 pages in just over 24hrs :D