track days has anyone [ SILLY QUESTION ] been ? what are they like , good experiences , bad ?? and where is the best place to go ??

 

Best - Nurburgring
Safest - Bedford

I am a fan of Donington too.

 

Rockingham is an excellent circuit, no noise restrictions!
Oulton Park is a hard, long circuit 105DB noise restriction!

But, my favourite is Castle Coombe, very fast and loads of run off, only problem is the 100DB at 4000rpm noice restriction, I just pass that in my STI RA with full Decat. scooby sport GRP N exhaust!

Once you do a track day you'll be hooked, book-a-track are a good company to use!

Dom.

 

Donington - I like this one (but it is my 'local' track), but be careful in the wet - it's slippery, I think due to aviation fuel dropping from aircraft flying in and out of East Midlands airport next door.
Bedford - safe (wide run off areas), fun, but watch the noise restrictions.
Hoping to do a few other circuits in the future.

 

Knockhill is excellent, and nice and easy for beginners to learn with plenty of run off where required.

John

 

Ty Croes - the choice of all the best car mags, got voted CCC best track!

 

I did castle combe yesterday, I wouldn't say it has much run-off at all, my mate nearly poo-ed himself when I got 'his' car totally sideways!!
Damn good day though, no real incidents, but a bit of rain to wake everyone up!!

Ron.

 

Lots of run-off at Castle Combe? I don't think so - nice earth banks to hit!

 

Airfield days are better for beginners cause there is normally nothing to hit if you spin.

click here

edited to please P20PSD

[Edited by Nezz10 - 7/17/2003 4:25:42 PM]

 

done castle coombe twice now and had a great time each time. Done a novel a while back, I'll see if I can dig it out for you.
astraboy.

 

Dono the best so far then followed by Croft and Oulton. Didn't like Coombe at all - too bumpy [and last Saturday - far too hot]

 

http://www.scoobynet.co.uk/bbs/threa...hreadID=122246

astraboy.

 

forr Nezz


click here

 

what's silverstone like?

 

Silverstone, flat, wide, fast and a tad boring I thought.

Cadwell is awesome along with Anglesay, proberly suits Elises and Caterfields.
Donnington is fantastic lost count how many times been there, not so fond memories of Craner thou, and access is very easy just off the M1.

Hopefully doing Brands GP circuit in september.

Oh and once you do one you will be hooked, 3 years on, and still smiling.

 

Dunno - only managed 1 lap at Trax 2001 before someone rolled his P1 and got my session cancelled.

 

TonyG,
Since then, instead 30 Subaru's following the Pacecar 2" from each others bumpers TRAX have split group into two spreading the field apart and use a different Circuit IIRC.

I have to agree with Image Doctor

Best - Nurburgring
UK's
Best - Donington
Technical - Brands
Good - Castle Coombe
Most to hit - Oulton
Safest - Bedford
TightTechnical - Anglesea

Airfield days are normally safer but can be very damaging on tyres and Windscreens Stones and coarse Tarmac

IMHO

Tony

[Edited by T5NYW - 18/07/2003 11:17:28]

 

cheers some top info , good advice and some good pointers about where to go !!

 

My view on track days is that they are awesome and i really recommend them.

They give you chance to drive your car harder than you normally would on the road and it also teaches you how to really drive you car and find out where the limits are.

I personal have done the following...

cadwell park
croft
knock hill
anglesey

All good tracks, cadwell and croft are much faster and longer than the other two.

Knockhill and anglesey are both more technical and tight track.

Not had a bad track experience yet..

sly

 

one important tip

The day is all about enjoyment ......... You drove it there, you will need to drive it home, so take it steady

Tony

 

VERY WISE WORDS

 

Only done one - Brands (not GP)- but thoroughly enjoyed it.

It was a private club so only had half a dozen cars out at once (ranging from caterhams to GT3 to Noble) - felt like personal test day! How crowded are the usual pay sessions referred to above as looking to do more.

Agree re "technical" comment. Have driven Silverstone (not track day) - safe but dull (unless they put Superbike extra chicane in?!)

Extra fun when wet so don't be put off if forecast poor: helps save the tyres and easier to generate those drifts (well sort of).

 

All those circuits mentioned are great to drive round,each with their own idiosyncrasies and character.

The most satisfying is Cadwell Park. Its like a little mountain circuit with so many different sides to it. Most of the corners are fairly safe but you just have to watch for the adverse camber at Barn Corner. Bit of a "sucker trap". And Charlies demands a bit of respect until you know it well.

Wherever you go you will enjoy it.

Les