Track days - interested
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I've done a few in the past. Great fun, but it's hard on your car. Tyres and brakes get hammered.
You can run your own or hire one. Depends on the venue. Hiring is very pricey.
All the events I've done have been in the UK. Much better value imho, even allowing for transport costs. Make a w/e of it. For a beginner an airfield day is easier. Plenty of run off.
Mondello Park isn't good value imho.
There's a super circuit just beside the Hollyhead boat in Anglessey.
What kind of car are you thinking of using?
You can run your own or hire one. Depends on the venue. Hiring is very pricey.
All the events I've done have been in the UK. Much better value imho, even allowing for transport costs. Make a w/e of it. For a beginner an airfield day is easier. Plenty of run off.
Mondello Park isn't good value imho.
There's a super circuit just beside the Hollyhead boat in Anglessey.
What kind of car are you thinking of using?
Would definitely be hiring - when you say very pricey what are you talking about roughly? May depend a lot on the car I suppose but while I would have my preferences (e.g. type R, ST) I wouldn't be fussy. Mightn't have much of a choice anyway.
What's the structure of the day like - are you 'on' for a lap or two, then off for a while or what?
Costs and features depend on where you go, in some places they include the cost of a car and an instructor for a couple of laps, in other places you take your own car. For a "day" with a track-owned car in the UK it costs about £150.00 plus £25.00 per driver and they also hire out helmets at £10.00 if you don't have your own; you must wear one. In most of these type events, you are "on" for a few laps and then rested.
Kirkiston, NI organize bring-your-own charity track days at about £80.00 / 80 euro for the day and again a helmet is a must.
I'm heading off in May with 24 drivers and 15 cars to the Nurburgring in Germany for 4 days (its not a racing circuit it's a "toll road") where the charges are about 20.00 euro per lap, or a lot less if you buy a day ticket. Helmets in the 'Ring are optional.
As with most other places for these sort of events, licence, insurance, ownership documents, etc are a must and the car must be road-legal and meet noise and other standards with regard to tyres etc. You can buy special insurance and there are strict protocols on the road itself e.g. drive on the right, overtake only on the left.
Going off can be expensive as apart from breaking your own car, there is a standard "rescue and repair" charge of 2,000 euro for hitting the Armco.
Its good fun, so good in fact that German car-hire companies now fit transponders to their cars that prevent them running the 'Ring. Of all of the track days I've participated in, this is the pinnacle IME, with cars, bikes, vans of all shapes makes and sizes on the road together in the beautiful country side often described as "the Green Hell".
Kirkiston, NI organize bring-your-own charity track days at about £80.00 / 80 euro for the day and again a helmet is a must.
I'm heading off in May with 24 drivers and 15 cars to the Nurburgring in Germany for 4 days (its not a racing circuit it's a "toll road") where the charges are about 20.00 euro per lap, or a lot less if you buy a day ticket. Helmets in the 'Ring are optional.
As with most other places for these sort of events, licence, insurance, ownership documents, etc are a must and the car must be road-legal and meet noise and other standards with regard to tyres etc. You can buy special insurance and there are strict protocols on the road itself e.g. drive on the right, overtake only on the left.
Going off can be expensive as apart from breaking your own car, there is a standard "rescue and repair" charge of 2,000 euro for hitting the Armco.
Its good fun, so good in fact that German car-hire companies now fit transponders to their cars that prevent them running the 'Ring. Of all of the track days I've participated in, this is the pinnacle IME, with cars, bikes, vans of all shapes makes and sizes on the road together in the beautiful country side often described as "the Green Hell".
All the days I've done have been "open pit lane", which means ypou can do 1 lap or 30 laps. Track is open all the time.
In reality though maybe 6 laps a run is about right. Your brakes will cook otherwise, and it's physically demanding too. It's not without it's dangers either.
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Hire car wise Caterhams and similar dominate. Maybe STG£250 for the day? Track day itself is STG£100.
I know many people who have driven the Ring, and feedback varies enormously. I reckon it's best suited to advanced drivers in high performance machines.
In reality though maybe 6 laps a run is about right. Your brakes will cook otherwise, and it's physically demanding too. It's not without it's dangers either.
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Hire car wise Caterhams and similar dominate. Maybe STG£250 for the day? Track day itself is STG£100.
I know many people who have driven the Ring, and feedback varies enormously. I reckon it's best suited to advanced drivers in high performance machines.
6, 10 if you're lucky, but it depends on how many drivers and cars are there on the day and the length of the circuit - (normally, long circuit = less laps).
Usually, from what I've seen, RWD Escort or the like to AWD Evo / Impreza and I think there's a track in Scotland that has a couple of open single-seaters (Caterhams ?) as well as Minis.
We've never done a "renter" day as we take our own machinery for open days.
sinbadsailor
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I have been toying with this idea for a couple of months now. Was thinking of buying a purpose car for the job, holding on to it before the new bambino arrives and then settling down
A 2000-2002 Audi s4 would do the job I think? But when you say vary wildly, the negative stuff comes from people who didn't really go there to make a half decent effort behind the wheel though, right?
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Do your comments apply to the Nurburgring?I have been toying with this idea for a couple of months now. Was thinking of buying a purpose car for the job, holding on to it before the new bambino arrives and then settling down
A 2000-2002 Audi s4 would do the job I think? But when you say vary wildly, the negative stuff comes from people who didn't really go there to make a half decent effort behind the wheel though, right?
Any road-legal car showing up will do the job. Take a look here at a Skoda Roomster with 5 up on the 'Ring http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=c7rzVYJEmRw&feature=related
I am not advocating either the style of driving (with traction control off apparently) or the language, but it gives an idea of what a public day can be like.
Cars showing up for public sessions "tourist days" at the 'Ring may be subject to inspection and MUST be road-legal (taxed, insured, meet noise regulations, driver with appropriate licence, etc.)
When you say making a "half decent effort behind the wheel", do you mean adopting an enthusiastic driving style? If you do, could I sound a note of caution, as any first-timer on a "tourist day" who makes a "half decent effort behind the wheel" is likely to have their first visit and last visits coincide.
Please take time to read through Ben Lovejoy's excellent web-site for more detailed and expert insight than I can provide into what driving the 'Ring means from the perspective of an experienced 'Ringer.
You can access the site here http://www.nurburgring.org.uk/
I have no connection, commercial or otherwise, with the site or the "toll road".
I would encourage anyone contemplating a trip to heed his notes of caution and to be extremely careful lapping on the 13 / 14 mile North Circuit (this is not the F1 GP circuit) and avail themselves of all sources of information, some of which are mentioned on the site.