Spatt Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Hi peeps.. I want some advice / guidance for my first track experience.. i'v looked at these offers online and they seem bloody expensive for what you get and my thinking is i already own the tools for the job just need to go do it! So how do i get started? i scared to death of going out with a load of posh cars or a load of idiots in scoobies! so does anyone know of a nice firendly track day in the northwest? perhaps at Oulton park where i can get started.. One more thing, Insurance!? is it expensive and are there specialists? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliveBoy Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Drifting: Santa Pod, no better place to learn, they have what's called the "playpens" and only one car at a time is allowed in. They allow you to get the basics together, like doughnuts, figures of 8 before progressing onto the "kidney bean" track where again, they'll only let you out if you so wish. Moving onto the bigger circuit - if you're really good - they'll let you do a lap on your own to learn it if you ask the marshals. For grip, I'd recommend somewhere with lots of run off so that if the worst happens you'll be ok. Bedford Autodrome is considered one of the best for run off If you can't get on a fairly empty track day just let everyone past you and run at the back. Sky insurance on here do track day insurance for pretty good money. Give them a PM 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Bedford or Anglesey are ideal for beginners. Don't be put off by the distance to Anglesey, it's my favourite track and I love it there. Go with a decent TDO like Bookatrack and you won't get any idiots there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stu_2424 Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Bedford or Anglesey are ideal for beginners. Don't be put off by the distance to Anglesey, it's my favourite track and I love it there. Go with a decent TDO like Bookatrack and you won't get any idiots there. Did a sprint at Anglesey last year and really enjoyed it!! Great track but a little hard on the soft slicks we run on Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grundy Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 My 1st Track Day exp was at Silverstone for Trax - 20 Min session, with other cars. Was amazing! That was £30 a session. Insurance is up to you, you can get on the day insurance at certain events. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spatt Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 Ok sounds cool.. Dont mind travelling to Anglesey would be more than worth it by the sounds of it. Do the forum members go together sometimes for track sessions? I declined the castle comb session because i was too scared to track with loads of people... and in front of loads of people ! Need to get some practice in as i have never done anything like this. Im interested in either drift or grip just depends on accessibility and costs like tyres ouch! @Alive Boy: How do i get started on this drifting then? sound like a good set up so are there any "Schools" that do it from there or is it santa pod itself that run it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Mcgoo Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I would recommend a club MSV Novice day at snetterton 300. I've done a couple there and it's a great track for the zed. Couple of long straights and a good mix of tight and fast corners. Always very we'll organised and can be had pretty cheap compared to others I've seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SamN Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 Nothing in particular to get started on the drifting (you'll want LSD or a welded diff though). All you do is book (£70 for santa pod day) and turn up! Ideally take lots of tyres with you but they usually sell part worns there. It's a fantastic day IMO, I'm going up on 5th Feb in my e36 (assuming I manage to replace the drive shaft, it snapped and is pretty much welded into the hub). There's loads of info on driftworks or the santa pod website itself for DWYB (Drift What Ya Brung). Bucket seats/harnesses/stiffer suspension/hydraulic handbrake all help but none are vital. They're probably more important in that order but it's all personal preference, and not needed to have fun at beginner level Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gudzy Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 (edited) Oulton park have a drift circuit which is low friction so doesn't wear out your tyres as much as other places. They also have a novice day in February on the normal track. http://www.msvtrackdays.com/car-home/calendar.aspx?venID=Oulton&duration= Edited January 23, 2014 by Gudzy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spatt Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 Hope my zed doesn't end up like your bmw.. ill look into this drifting at santapod but im worried about tyres.. maybe later in the year. I just bout the car, then had a P3 done, then had to mot, now I have to buy tyres, then I need to tax... yeah think I'll wait a bit haha.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spatt Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 Now your talk Gudzy!! That really how much a full day is? Im getting on that begginer full track day. Hope my tyres last that long! They are cracked on the shoulders Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I had exactly the same fears before doing my first one late last year,via a mate in a Jaaaag Owner's Club, up north at Croft. I was bricking it about me cleaning up someone's E Type or some banana cleaning me up. Absolutely loved it in the end, I'm already thinking about more for this year and a track toy if I can find a lock up. Got to see a load of quality Jaaags, couple of Porkers and destroyed an Aston too Do it do it do it do it do it! Here's a link that was full of good advice when I was looking, also one from just after my first track day. http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/76785-advicepreparation-for-first-track-day/ http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/77044-my-first-track-day-croft/ PS - it might not be cool and hard, but I felt so much better knowing I'd taken out some insurance cover which would have paid out if the worst happened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 I can promise you two things if you start doing track days: 1. Even if it's your first time, you will not be the slowest car on track. 2. If it's your millionth track day and you car has a billion bhp, you will not be the quickest thing on track. I've never tracked the 911 without insurance. I had cover for the Zed, but I don't have it for the MX5 or MR2. You're unlikely to write a car off on a trackday, so if you can afford a repair bill of around £5K on a Zed then I wouldn't bother. If not, then definitely worth considering insurance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 if you're worried about other drivers, and hitting something, maybe try an airfield day? simple track layouts, very little to hit, lots of space for other cars to get past - and the days are generally less busy anyways. And cheaper to start off with. airfields are more abrasive on tyres than proper circuits, but if tyre longevity is your thing, i wouldnt be doing trackdays, and certainly wouldnt be drifting (although you'd never drift on your road tyres, that would be ludicrously expensive considering you could kill a set of rears in 5 minutes whilst drifting) insurance is a tricky one - normal rule is insure what you cant afford to replace. i personally cannot afford to replace my zed outright - however, i also cannot afford insurance for trackday use, so we have an old BMW we use specifically for track work, and is not insured. you will find that using a zed on track is expensive - heavy powerful car, hard on brakes and tyres. if you drift it you'll be hard on the clutch and tyres, and cooling systems. however, that said, if you have a bit of cash, i'd fully recommend doing some track driving - its the most fun you can have with your clothes on, balancing right on the edge of grip and occasionally applying a quarter turn of opposite lock at 80 mph plus, its a lot cheaper than driving out to germany to legally drive at 130mph (back straight at bedford) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spatt Posted January 23, 2014 Author Share Posted January 23, 2014 Ok some great advice... I want to track my car. Thats the bottom line. I need tyres in the next couple of months mine are cracked up I guess from not being driven on by the previous owner. I'll defo insure as the car took me a long time to save for and I would be GUTTED! To say the very least if something was to happen.. this thing about abrasive surfaces I get but how the hell do you guys go on going to a track day or drift and then drive home? Have I really gotta go buy some tyres and put them in the boot to take with me.. then how do I get the damn things on my wheels? Have I got it wrong that I can go track my car and then drive home and to work the day after and not worry about my brand new Michelin PS3 tyres being illegal? Oh and just realised something. . How much fuel am I going to burn through.. this experience is seeming quite daunting.. maybe some budget tyres would be a better option but then im going to be worried about loosing it accelerating out of a corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brillomaster Posted January 23, 2014 Share Posted January 23, 2014 ah on a trackday you shouldnt wear out a good set of tyres, depends how much drifting you do - and if you do a lot of drifting you'd get black flagged anyways! i think a general rule is that 1 mile of track driving puts as much wear on a car as 10 miles of normal driving - so if you do 200 miles of track driving (one full day), that would be the equivalent of about 2000 miles road driving - most tyres can do 10-15k so you wouldnt wear them out in one day. drift day you're best off with a second set of wheels, and then the cheapest nastiest tyres that still hold air IMO! but as said, they have tyre vans with part worns which you can use, normally £10 a tyre. as for fuel, probably quite a lot... most people either go get fuel or top up from jerry cans during lunch, we normally use about £80 worth on a full day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 (edited) Me and Doug from the site did a drift day through MSV at Oulton Park, and it was amazing. Almost zero wear on the tyres, and only used half a tank of fuel. I have done a couple of track days at Bedord as well, and have to say that both gave the same buzz. The only problem is that the drift day gets your car filthy, and I mean totally caked. But its a good excuse to detail the car after. Bedford is a great track, the best is the GT circuit, 4.1 miles, and a great mix of corners and straights. The West circuit is a little tight for the Zed, more suited to lighter more nimble cars I feel, but still challenging. At a full day on the GT track, it was a tank of fuel. Edited January 24, 2014 by Daryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daryl Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Here you go. http://www.350z-uk.com/topic/60676-drift-day-oulton-park/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spatt Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 Haha.. that first drift you did I would have been pointing the wrong way. Msv seems to be the one so I have somewhere to start. Its my birthday at the end of feb so thinking of trying it... well since my tyres are going in the bin soon I think ill go drifting When you track do they have somewhere for you to fuel up on site or do you have to leave to find a shell garage.. I cant wait to give it a try! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I always leave to find fuel: Trackside petrol is very expensive! I used to take jerry cans, but now I just leave the circuit and top up at lunch. I've normally done 3/4 a tank by then anyway, and it means I get to avoid the horrendous queues for lunch. Just keep an eye on your rear tyres, as they'll go first. Usually LHS if the track is anti-clock, and RHS if it's clock. As long as you don't rock up with 3mm left, you'll be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy78 Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Try an airfield first as suggested. Elvington near York is supposed to be good, but might be further than Anglesey? http://www.trackdays.co.uk/tracks/elvington.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spatt Posted January 24, 2014 Author Share Posted January 24, 2014 Im going to have to wait till i get tyres then.. end of March early April possibly.. i have about 2 - 3mm and as i said before the shoulders are cracked. would be a shame to get turned away on my first one. Worried about buying some Michelin and ruining them but i guess thats part of the price you pay.. The airfield looks good but do they do beginners only days? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK350Z Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Im going to have to wait till i get tyres then.. end of March early April possibly.. i have about 2 - 3mm and as i said before the shoulders are cracked. would be a shame to get turned away on my first one. Worried about buying some Michelin and ruining them but i guess thats part of the price you pay.. The airfield looks good but do they do beginners only days? I did my first one with MSV on a novice day, really enjoyed it. You won't be solidly lapping all day on your first one as the adrenaline gets a bit much and you'll have to rest plenty cos you'll be knackered! Elvington is based on an old airfield, but the track is properly laid tarmac so you'll just get "normal" wear. First days wear on track will be very minimal, drifting of course a lot more. I didn't get insurance, as long as you drive defensively, and be aware of whats happening around you, there's very little chance of hitting anyone else. The main risks come from not listening to the car and overcooking a corner due to overheating tires/brakes or being ham-fisted. Open pit lane days are fine for a first one, most organisers have bookable circuit tuition and it's rare that everyone is out at the same time, and by the time you throw in a few black flags an lunch, you'll get a few breaks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gudzy Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 Elvington is known to be very hard on tyres, Blyton has a new tarmac surface though and no barriers to hit as it was an old airfield. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ekona Posted January 24, 2014 Share Posted January 24, 2014 I didn't get insurance, as long as you drive defensively, and be aware of whats happening around you, there's very little chance of hitting anyone else. The main risks come from not listening to the car and overcooking a corner due to overheating tires/brakes or being ham-fisted. Absolutely agree with this, but when I get insurance it's not because I'm worried about myself, it's to protect my pride and joy from someone else being an idiot. That's where the real risk lies IMHO, in someone else driving like a tit and hitting you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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