Hi All


As im getting older, I would really like to do a track day and take part at santa pod this year. I'm not much of a holiday person but thought this would be a nice experience as it's something I always wanted to do.


Still in search of a performance car so not sure what im gona end up with as my mind keeps changing.


Are track days and santa pod a real thrilling experience.


I done a track day in a nissar gtr as a birthday present but thinking it would feel different with my own vehicle, pride and joy.

 

I cherish my car's. I couldn't do it personally. Just prefer cleaning them and driving them on the roads within my limits.

 

I've done a few RWYB days at Santa Pod, good fun but heavy on the clutch of your really going for it.

ive also done a couple of sessions with 'car limits' at north Weald airfield. Basically you spend the day with an instructor (professional driver) who teaches you some basics in handling your car to its abilities etc. Learned a lot about what the car can do and would recommend. I've been out with Andy Walsh and Mark Robins. This was heavy on brakes and tyres so prepare to replace them afterwards.

 

Get an sti av it mapped do quality fluids, track pads tyres etc and have the time off your life whilst you can. Start washing and polishing your cars when you collecting your pension with nothing better to do

 

I used to do a few track days ( both NZ and UK) but stopped a few years ago. I was at a track day in an ST205 Celica GT4 (one of only 4 WRC spec cars in NZ) and was sideswiped by an MR2 at high speed down the back straight at Pukekohe. Being a lot lighter, he bounced off me and went into a tyre wall, totalling his car. I ended up with several grand worth of panel damage. Insurance doesn't cover track days so I ended up with a big repair bill for my car. Despite the other driver being at fault, couldn't do much about it.
No way will I do track day again as the risk is not worth it with a decent car.

 

This, I bought my RA (mid life crisis car) exactly for these reasons. I do half a dozen track days a year and a couple of run what you brungs.
The driving standards at track days tend to be dependent on the organisers, MSV track days are quite civilised with strict rules that are enforced whilst others are like demolition derby's that allow people to drive above their limits. Track day insurance is available from most specialist insurance brokers, I don't bother any more.

1/4 Mile runs are really hard on the transmission, I talk to people who say they take it easy on the launch but I cant see the point in putting your car against the clock if you're only driving at 90%. I don't find it enjoyable seeing the car next to me disappear up the strip.

At the end of the day track days are a bit of a gamble, if you have to use your car to get you to work Monday morning then its not really the smartest thing to do, but lifes too short to keep saying "what if".

Do It and enjoy it!

 

Track days are awesome, if you over drive it you will break something, same as on the road,
But on a track you can enjoy what your own car can do, without the risk of plod turning up or twating a kerb,

I must admit that the only time I felt it wasn`t great was when a MR2 Owners club turned up with a fair few cars, none handled and they just kept spinning out, so as long as you know where they were even that wasn`t bad,

Greenlight used to do cheap track day cover for people insured with them.

 

I have done many 1/4 mile runs over the years and quite a few track days as well.

Drag racing is hard on your car because, as said, if you're not going to give it 100% then why bother? The whole idea is to see how fast it will cover the 1/4. If you leave some in reserve you're just wasting time and effort and money, and you might still break something into the bargain. You're either chasing the clock or the guy in the other lane. You can't influence what happens in the other lane (and in truth it doesn't matter) so you should chase the clock and that means aggressive launches and gear changes. Sooner or later if you do it enough times something will break. But if you're going to have a softly-softly approach you might just as well stay on the road and race traffic lights.

Track days are very different. There's no pressure to drive faster or more aggressively then you wish, and there's no real shock loads on the car. But there will be increased wear and tear, higher than normal temperatures to contend with, and aside from breakages higher costs than a day spent drag racing. All of those things are to be expected and are generally manageable one way or another. However there is a real risk of collision though, either with another car or a bit of track furniture. If you drive within your limits you should be fine, even if it's pouring with rain. But you can't account for the idiot that wants to show you a banzai move down the inside of a turn in the braking zone, and despite what the track management say in the briefing about overtaking etiquette I've seen it far too often.

You have a fast car that modern road conditions and laws don't really cater for. So the only way you can stretch its legs is on a track of some sort. Damned if you do and damned if you don't.

 

done all kinds love them, gets expensive after a while though as you go through tyres, brakes , clutch

Santa pod is local to me, its ok i prefer the RWYB at night, just quiet and you get more runs for your money. Hard on the clutch though! and gets boring unless you got some friendly rivalry with friends.

i go to rockingham regular, they do taster sessions on a thursday night in the summer, they are ok its about 50-80 quid , nice little track with the infield area and like minded people!

Though i would never ever recommend doing track experience time at something like trax, its a nightmare loads of young lads in their GTi's etc thinking they are ken block and not listening to the rules or guidance

 

track days are good fun , but more fun in a track intended car and not a daily drive car so if it goes wrong you are not gutted , it's costly on fuel i often used 150 litres in a day plus a set of tyres , subarus don't like sustained long runs at full chat , sump baffle needed and sort your fuel supply for long bends , you would be better off buying some thing a bit disposable for track days then nothing to loose , i.e. an older scooby preferably an sti or an evo , but even an old bmw , mod it and buy a trailer

 

I love both and will be doing both. The big thing is to go prepared as it is very easy to do some major damage. Santa pod is hard on the drive train more than anything. Track days can be hard on everything and you need to be prepared for the fact on both you could loose the car. I've crashed mine before. 5 mph too fast through a chicane and touched the grass with no room to catch it before impacting the barrier at about 50.



That did a fair bit of damage, bonnet, front wing, front light, side skirt, rear quarter, snapped the front arm, bent the rear arm, both wheels, rear light.

It does happen but hasn't put me off. I'll be out with my current scoob again this year.