[Closed] Talk to me about track days (SW)

First track day?

If so Brands Hatch Indy would be a good location. it can be learned roughly in a few laps and in track terms really not intimidating.

As for car based on your stated driving experience I would suggest a fast hatch option unless you get some early in the day tuition.

Sorry you said south West. Thruxton is I think supposed to be a bit tricky.

it depends what you like. If you like a specific make of car then choose that. A driving fast track day will be an entirely different experience to a experience track day if you see what I mean.

Here's my experience....

Ferrari track day - awful. Limiter on the car, ferrari's are shit.
Porsche track day - porche's generally drive nice
Aston Martin - still a limiter on the car but the cars are way nicer
Formula ford - awesome! No limiter, try and keep up with the fast guy, proper racing cars.
Drift day - OK I guess, very short.
Palmer sport day - very, very expensive but absolutely amazing. Racing nose to tail in an M3 with other guys in M3's was so much fun. Drifting caterham's around a twisty track almost had me sex weeing.

I raced gokarts for a while too. 125cc race. That was fun too but there is so much technique involved. This teaches you how to race,

I'd recommend choosing a car you like and doing that for half a day.

I guess it depends what you want to get from it - if you want supercar noise and experience then that's one thing - if you want to experience something you've not done before than you won't get much more bang for your buck than a caterham/Westfield day.

Although not technically in the SW, Westfield do handling days which are supposed to be good fun.

Alternatively - do you have a car that you can take on a trackday? If it's just the driving that your interested in then just take your car and drive that around for the day!

I've had a look at both

http://www.trackdays.co.uk/driving_experience/thruxton/ferrari_355/731/

and

http://www.trackdays.co.uk/driving_experience/keevil/aston_martin_db9_full_throttle/872/

but wondering about whether it's actually going to be any good I guess. We don't have our own car, so that's not an option. Is it somewhat hard to enjoy these things without track experience...?

I've done a few track days in our [only] car - mk1 TT - its so much fun!

You don't need experience - just faith/trust in your instructor!

It might feel a bit weird but I'm pretty sure you'll leave with a smile on your face! Apart from my kit car I've also driven a Ferrari 430, Audi R8 and Formula Ford around a track. The formula ford was the most unusual/memorable sensation but it was a real pleasure driving the Ferrari and the Audi.

I've not driven either of the locations you describe but for a day like you've linked to i don't think the location makes a huge difference . You'll be thinking about so much stuff that the exact track layout probably won't be top of your list!

Slight hijack, sorry, I've been thinking about booking one for next year. We have an '02 Mini Cooper S, not really worth much but pretty quick on the roads and handles well.

Was thinking Donnington maybe as we're in Leicestershire, there's a company that offers a day with instruction/open pits for around £200. anyone got any comments?

My brother had a Silverstone track day for his stag - the only car that was interesting and fun to drive was the single seater ( http://www.silverstone.co.uk/experiences/driving-days/single-seater-experience/)
Ferraris were nice looking but driving round a track I found really quite boring.

I'd do this - http://www.silverstone.co.uk/experiences/driving-days/rally-experiences/

[b]blazin-saddles[/b] Join a car club (even an online forum) - Mini Cooper S Owners Club or something similar.

I did some track days with the TT Owners Club - everybody from totally standard 150hp 2WD to modded turbo-charged V6 3.2s is welcome.

Track days are dangerous! You might get hooked like I did and end up buying a little track day car. That happened to me and my friend, we did our first proper track day last week.

I would prefer Castle Combe Circuit over Keevil Airfield any day!

Not sure what they offer but Castle Combe race track is in the SW

Ok done some thinking, thanks for all the advice. Leaning towards this one at the moment.

http://www.trackdays.co.uk/driving_experience/castle_combe/single_seater_lotus_sports_and_racing/85/

But any other opinions and experiences and advice welcome 🙂

That looks very good. The instructors are friendly, very good and have a sense of humour. You'll have a great day. Very jealous! 😉

I found the Ford Focus ST very dull to drive on a track, but then again its a dull car anyhow... After driving Formula Ford it will feel especially crap.

Not a bad number of laps, but a shame you cant swap the Focus for a Caterham...Catherams are great fun and easy to drive fast too.

Did loads on my motorbike, in the UK and Europe, they're seriously addictive. Driving/riding on a track is bloody great fun, the amount of grip available and therefore cornering speed is phenomenal. The experience you have linked to looks brilliant. Castle Combe is a very straightforward track, but great fun, and fast as. Do it!

Oh, I also did a knee down day at some track in Derbyshire. That was fun and I did get my knee down.

I looked at this. There seemed to be many where you get a few laps in some fancy car, but what I really want is a whole day with an instructor.

You don't need a whole day with an instructor. At CC you can buy a trackday, using your own car and get an instructor to sit in with you for a few laps at no extra cost. Dave from touring car was there as an instructor. Then all you need to do is practice what they have told you.

What the instructor told me, sticks with me today, a year later. Just like when you go see Jedi. 😉

Sorry you said south West. Thruxton is I think supposed to be a bit tricky.

Pretty sure Thruxton don't do bring your own car days anymore (I live just down the road) and having cycled round it I think I can guess why!

Castle Coombe is fun, and the 'join an owners club' advice is good.

If I had the spare cash and time I'd have an early MX-5 (tinkered with a bit ofc) to play about in again, all sorts of fun.

I'm not entirely sure I want to take my own car...