Attending a Trackday?

[Deleted member 103408]

Wow 45, thats very good I must admint all the quotes I have had (bearing in mind first time out) are around the 150, but thats, it also seems to be related to value of the motor so if I do retail plus cost of getting it back to same state it goes up a bit.
Food for thought thanks for your help much appreciated.

 

[vwtrev]

I've done 23 trackday's now and have paid £0 in insurance so far. Reason being I don't drive past my limits (much), check my footage I hardly even squeal my tyres on most laps, others on YouTube are squealing at every corner plus I honestly find 99% of the people on track are also good drivers so don't actually ever give it a thought. I could drive past the limits and shave a few tenths off my times but i'm not that brave

If your worried about crashing your car (as a lot of people are) get insurance or don't go on a track would be my reply, just for your own piece of mind. If i had to pay for insurance too i'd never do a track day as i'm not that rich.

Also consider how many miles you've driven on the roads and the skill level of your fellow drivers, i'd argue on track your less likely to encounter the same number of idiots encountered on a daily basis on the british roads. On track your all looking to go fast and are aware of your fellow drivers (or should be, its in the briefing ). On the roads the old lady doing 40 on a dual carriageway holds up a van who hogs the outside lane at 60 and the BMW driver who wants to do 80, they all have a different goal...and are generally selfish in pursuing it... sorry rant over..

 

[Deleted member 103408]

I always like a good rant and there is a common theme - STAY AWAY FROM BMW Drivers.......

As my first one is a Novice day and there is a limit for the number of cars on the track I think I am happy to go without.

When I start coming out to play with you guys I will again go see insurance company (hopefully I wont then get charged extra for being a newbie).

 

[Jimbobcook]

I always like a good rant and there is a common theme - STAY AWAY FROM BMW Drivers.......

As my first one is a Novice day and there is a limit for the number of cars on the track I think I am happy to go without.

When I start coming out to play with you guys I will again go see insurance company (hopefully I wont then get charged extra for being a newbie).

Does your Novice day have all cars with all engine sizes? I assume yours is quite a big hitter even in the bigger classes... You realise that people will try and keep up with you lol

 

[Deleted member 103408]

The novice day is for cars and bikes (not together), you get about 6 or 7 20 minute slots to drive your car. However what they do is keep the total number of cars limited on the track so yes you may have somebody to chase / race with but you wont have a busy track. Gives you time to start to learn the art of the best line to take along with Breaking / accelerating and in my case i can start to do some sensible recording of 30 - 130 times. I am also having a driving lesson to try and understand how I should drive my car

I fully expect there will be some beast's and some nice little cars but we are all doing the same thing (working out how to drive on the track and get out of the way of faster cars)

I think you will find whilst my motor is powerful there are many bigger motors on the track and you need skill as well as power to be the front guy and I am a fair way off that.

 

[Maypack]

The novice day is for cars and bikes (not together), you get about 6 or 7 20 minute slots to drive your car. However what they do is keep the total number of cars limited on the track so yes you may have somebody to chase / race with but you wont have a busy track. Gives you time to start to learn the art of the best line to take along with Breaking / accelerating and in my case i can start to do some sensible recording of 30 - 130 times. I am also having a driving lesson to try and understand how I should drive my car

I fully expect there will be some beast's and some nice little cars but we are all doing the same thing (working out how to drive on the track and get out of the way of faster cars)

I think you will find whilst my motor is powerful there are many bigger motors on the track and you need skill as well as power to be the front guy and I am a fair way off that.

Sounds like you’re going into this with your head screwed on... Hope you have a great day and look forward the the videos.

 

[Sparkie]

I go with Trev on this one.
I actually forgot to get insurance last week.
The level of driver on track is far superior to that of the general public not paying attention, singing to music and looking at videos of cats on FB.
Everyone there has the same mentality.
Most don’t want to take home a crumpled wreck.
There is always one knob who you need to watch out for but generally the driving standard is good.
You are less likely to crash, than on the road.
Also some tracks have huge run offs (Bedford and Snetterton) so spinning and mowing the lawn are worst case scenario.
Other tracks have spectator areas which means shorter run offs and crash barriers in place.
These bring your own driving into the equation, should you out brake yourself into a corner or spin there’s the chance you’ll stack it, without any other “Bad Driver” being involved. .

That said, if it’s your pride and joy and you’re into it for 10 Gees like I am, I’d like to get something out of a pile of scrap after hitting a barrier. Which is why I insure.
Mines cheap though. I’m with Greenlight so modded insurer.

Funny thing is Greenlight won’t insure BMW drivers even on the road true statement.

Never heard of differing levels of track day cover and cover for novices.
Sounds like a money maker.
You pay per visit.
No one asked if I’d been before.
Differing cover sounds odd.
Basically you insure your car while on circuit. End of.
You don’t want any 3rd party stuff etc.
If you hit another car if he has insurance. There’s no swapping details. You claim for your own damage. No pointing fingers. Even with camera proof the other guy was a tit.
If they have no insurance then they can take their smashed pile of metal home and have it as a house ornament.
Greenlight are worth calling. Maybe more expensive if not insured with them.
Adrian Flux was quoting a pal with 2013 Bimmer £115 per trip

If you’re with high st. Insurers, Good Luck with that.
I’d love to hear some of the quotes you guys are offered.

Maybe one of us will find an Uber cheap firm or one that would do a group discount each time?



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Deleted member 103408]

Adrian Flux is who the car is insured with and they were the best price with all the mods I had on the car.

Track day, last time I asked the price went from 150 - just under 300 but the common theme was how much are you insuring it for so I went for second hand car of the same year and full cost of updating back to where it is now which is when it gets expensive.

There was all sorts of Fire insurance and track clearing if you spill oil and fuel etc etc.

Anyway this time no insurance, when I renew the car insurance I will ask about adding in track day and see what they charge.
I will also give greenlight a call and see what they do.

Just one other nugget I asked if I could buy track day insurance for the year and they said "YES" but you had to confirm up front what days and where you were going - did not bother even asking how much .

 

[Sparkie]

Yes,for sure it will depend on the price of replacement too.
Huge factor I had ignored. Scuzzi.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Jimbobcook]

So they have insurance for clearing the track... Can they not just give you a brush haha too much health and safety these days!

They properly milk it don't they.

 

[Sparkie]

I’d not heard of it. Just seen the Stuart’s clear it up and then green flag racing again.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Deleted member 103408]

And just a few more bits of information to help any other people like me on the first time out.

1/ You have to have long trousers no shorts. Often you have to have long sleeved tops on - The guy today did say it was less important on fixed top cars but if you have open top even if its closed you are not allowed out unless you are wearing long sleaves.

2/ Listen carefully to the briefing its for you safety but the following were new to me (Following from Cadwell Park)

a) You have to have your tow eye fitted to the front of the car, simply put if you dont and the car brakes down they take
no responsibility for the damage to your car when they tow it in.

b) If you come off the track (as i did ) you have to go straight to the office so they can make sure you understand what you did
wrong and wont do it again

c) If you have a crash of any sort you have to go see the First Aid people so they can make sure you are ok - health and saftey

d) If the Stewards see any liquid coming out of your car you will be flagged off and asked to check and resolve.

And have fun.....I did

 

[vwtrev]

@theoldboy some great pointers there, especially the long trousers bit. The long sleeves seems to be dependant on who you go with and also depends on if you have removed your interior trim. In essence if your in a Tintop and there are sharp parts in your car you need long sleeves too. Convertibles alway long sleeves.

Off on your 1st outing, you was trying hard

 

[Deleted member 103408]

and for those of you who have not been to Cadwell Park here is a video of the circuit taken by the fastest guy in my set.

My car appears at around 11:45

 

[Sparkie]

Lovely Circuit.
Your car flies.
That guys no novice. Has good extensive knowledge of the track. Knew exactly where he was going to pass everyone well in advance. True Ringer
Bet he likes being the top car on track.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Deleted member 103408]

Yes he was not a novice but he was very helpful to all us other guys and was not in your face saying i am better than you, just helpful suggestions about what to do when asked.

His car was also fully stripped out and he had adjustable shocks and as you have said several times all the stuff in the boot came out before he went on the track and he very kindly lent me his air pump as mine decided to break down.

The two BMW guys stayed on there own everybody else joined in could not ask for a better first track day.
The instructor did say to me DONT TURN OF TRACTION CONTROL YET get used to your car on the track.

 

[Sparkie]

That’s cool. As long as he was a good sport.
At Bedford there were a few mega quick cars.
2 Honda guys who salivated over my pals CRX
Turned out they were ex instructors! Top blokes. It’s good when you can drag it with stripped out cars on track. They sit up and take note.
Defo dump all the crap in the boot next time. That track looks like you want a well balanced car and a light rear.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Legojon]

The instructor did say to me DONT TURN OF TRACTION CONTROL YET get used to your car on the track.

Just out of curiousity, what kind of wear and tear did you get from the track day? Or had you set aside a set of tyres / brakes as a sacrifice?

 

[Deleted member 103408]

It is great fun but its a track that you need to respect (like them all I know) but there are a few side that drop fast so not a good place to come off.
Anyway thanks for getting me into this hopefully I will get one more in this year and then next year start losing some weight.

Wear and tear was a tank of fuel, I expect rubber to last for the year but they are brand new so nothing showing. Brakes again brand new on the car next year will give a better idea of how often i have to change the pads and how long the disk's last.

 

[Legojon]

Wear and tear was a tank of fuel, I expect rubber to last for the year but they are brand new so nothing showing. Brakes again brand new on the car next year will give a better idea of how often i have to change the pads and how long the disk's last.

Thats not bad... I expected the tyres and pads to be on fire. Did you bounce the kerbs?