Track day - experienced and Novice car share
Discussion
trying to organise a last minute track day 'stag do' with my son. BMW 330ci and it will be my 20+ track day and his FIRST track day. So I need somewhere that is forgiving cos it will be his first RWD car, first track day and it could be wet given the time of year. Also it must be a weekend cos he is a teacher.
looking at weekend of 23rd or 30th March
Thinking so far -
Cadwell - love to do it for me, but too narrow and risky in parts for a RWD novice in the wet
Blyton - relatively safe, but a bit boring for me
Bedford - v safe, good length, bit too far from W Yorks also surprisingly expensive in contrast to others
Elvington - relatively safe - probably 1st choice ..........but cant find a day
Oulton - relatively safe, but interesting but cant find a day
Another option would be to do the day in a Citroen C1 - slow (too slow?) but still fun, and could consider Cadwell, but not if it will piss everyone off.
Thoughts?
looking at weekend of 23rd or 30th March
Thinking so far -
Cadwell - love to do it for me, but too narrow and risky in parts for a RWD novice in the wet
Blyton - relatively safe, but a bit boring for me
Bedford - v safe, good length, bit too far from W Yorks also surprisingly expensive in contrast to others
Elvington - relatively safe - probably 1st choice ..........but cant find a day
Oulton - relatively safe, but interesting but cant find a day
Another option would be to do the day in a Citroen C1 - slow (too slow?) but still fun, and could consider Cadwell, but not if it will piss everyone off.
Thoughts?
if I could guarantee dry I would chance it. Mate of mine many years ago smashed his nissan 200sx car into the barriers on cadwell on a virtually straight bit. I believe there are a few places at cadwell where the car goes light and RWD+wet+novice scare me a bit. As much as the old adage goes "dont track a car unless you can afford to lose it" I can, but that doesnt mean I want to.
As it's his first, he will probably enjoy whatever he does, and I will probably get as much enjoyment out of seeing him as I would from doing a 'new track to me'. (i've done Blyton before)..........................but even better if I could do both :quandry:
As it's his first, he will probably enjoy whatever he does, and I will probably get as much enjoyment out of seeing him as I would from doing a 'new track to me'. (i've done Blyton before)..........................but even better if I could do both :quandry:
E-bmw said:
You only crash on a TD if you or someone around you is being a tw@.
Wherever you go you can't account for those around you.
Simples.
Is he a tw@?
No.
Go for it.
Not strictly true, like I said mate of mine lost his at cadwell - car went light and the rear spun out, in the wet and he was a good driver, competed in the Time Attack race series, so he knew what he was doing.Wherever you go you can't account for those around you.
Simples.
Is he a tw@?
No.
Go for it.
I always find the little bump at the exit of Lodge at outlon park is a bum clencher with a skip sideways. I had a Renault 5 turbo spin in front of me on that hump which was a 'interesting'.
Just thinking out loud... If your son is old enough to marry, how come it's gonna be his first time? Are you sure he's gonna like it or is it one of those present that we do to ourselves?
Nevermind, you don't have to answer, it was just a thought.
Regarding those tracks where you can't find an available date, have you tried https://www.motorsportdays.com/ ??
It shows all the organisers in UK so you can really see ALL the available dates for a given track.
Good luck!
Nevermind, you don't have to answer, it was just a thought.
Regarding those tracks where you can't find an available date, have you tried https://www.motorsportdays.com/ ??
It shows all the organisers in UK so you can really see ALL the available dates for a given track.
Good luck!
sparkyhx said:
E-bmw said:
You only crash on a TD if you or someone around you is being a tw@.
Wherever you go you can't account for those around you.
Simples.
Is he a tw@?
No.
Go for it.
Not strictly true, like I said mate of mine lost his at cadwell - car went light and the rear spun out, in the wet and he was a good driver, competed in the Time Attack race series, so he knew what he was doing.Wherever you go you can't account for those around you.
Simples.
Is he a tw@?
No.
Go for it.
I always find the little bump at the exit of Lodge at outlon park is a bum clencher with a skip sideways. I had a Renault 5 turbo spin in front of me on that hump which was a 'interesting'.
I'd say Blyton would be a good bet, even if you find it a bit dull, a novice will get all the thrills they could want and after all, it's his day
tumble dryer said:
Croft?
problem is my son is in Peterborough and I'm in Halifax - so location needs to be a compromise to avoid a silly o'clock set off for one of us.as for it being his first time, He was interested when he was younger, but he was too young to be a passenger, then he was away at University, then went to live with his girlfriend in Peterborough. He came as a passenger when I did Rockingham and absolutely loved it. He's mentioned buying a track car together and doing days but don't want yet another car, but I've never really wanted to let him drive my 'fun' car - its different me wrecking it and him wrecking it.
sparkyhx said:
if I could guarantee dry I would chance it. Mate of mine many years ago smashed his nissan 200sx car into the barriers on cadwell on a virtually straight bit. I believe there are a few places at cadwell where the car goes light and RWD+wet+novice scare me a bit. As much as the old adage goes "dont track a car unless you can afford to lose it" I can, but that doesnt mean I want to.
As it's his first, he will probably enjoy whatever he does, and I will probably get as much enjoyment out of seeing him as I would from doing a 'new track to me'. (i've done Blyton before)..........................but even better if I could do both :quandry:
Kev? Aquaplaned then rotated 90 degrees towards the end of the bottom straight. His tyres were bald to be fair, I'd already called it a day due to the conditions and my tyres had loads of tread in comparison! I think I was in an XJR. As it's his first, he will probably enjoy whatever he does, and I will probably get as much enjoyment out of seeing him as I would from doing a 'new track to me'. (i've done Blyton before)..........................but even better if I could do both :quandry:
foxsasha said:
Kev? Aquaplaned then rotated 90 degrees towards the end of the bottom straight. His tyres were bald to be fair, I'd already called it a day due to the conditions and my tyres had loads of tread in comparison! I think I was in an XJR.
yes Kev - seeing the incar video put the wind up me.foxsasha said:
In reply to the OP, Donnington or Bedford. Oultons not much better than Cadwell in the wet.
why Bedford? I thought it was one of the safest with the biggest run offs, then again Elvington I saw another 200sx go tail over nose in the dry.Oulton not great in the wet, and can stay damp for quite a while. I spun my 200 coming out of Brittens and another time I decided to go straight on at Island rather than try to keep it on track.
I've done Donni a few times (admittedly in the dry), but cant say it ever really concerned me. Now Snetterton in the wet around Corum would concern me, I know there's a big run off, but the speed and the amount you lean on the tyres round there. If you go wrong its gonna be a big wrong.
Wherever you choose, you could use the Citroen if it's wet and the BMW if its dry.I was in a similar situation having done more than 100 track days and my son just a handful.
He wouldn't take my car out on track by himself, he was more confident with me in the passenger seat keeping an eye on the mirrors leaving him to concentrate on looking where he was going without worrying about what's coming up behind.
sparkyhx said:
why Bedford? I thought it was one of the safest with the biggest run offs, then again Elvington I saw another 200sx go tail over nose in the dry.
Oulton not great in the wet, and can stay damp for quite a while. I spun my 200 coming out of Brittens and another time I decided to go straight on at Island rather than try to keep it on track.
I've done Donni a few times (admittedly in the dry), but cant say it ever really concerned me. Now Snetterton in the wet around Corum would concern me, I know there's a big run off, but the speed and the amount you lean on the tyres round there. If you go wrong its gonna be a big wrong.
I mean Donny or Bedford for a first track day. I was at Elvinton when the 200 went end over end. Might even have been the day I put on for the SXOC. But it's going back way way too far for me to be sure, hard to remember what happened yesterday let alone 15 years ago!Oulton not great in the wet, and can stay damp for quite a while. I spun my 200 coming out of Brittens and another time I decided to go straight on at Island rather than try to keep it on track.
I've done Donni a few times (admittedly in the dry), but cant say it ever really concerned me. Now Snetterton in the wet around Corum would concern me, I know there's a big run off, but the speed and the amount you lean on the tyres round there. If you go wrong its gonna be a big wrong.
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