Total track novice - where to go???

[thornettj]

Hi All

Enthusiastic road driver, but total track novice with recently bought M3. Where should I go to get a feel for the car, and embark on my first track day (or maybe stick with an airfield?). I am a reasonably competent road driver, but beyong karting and one of those ferrari experience mornings I am total and utter track amateur. Somewhere nice and easy so I don't end up taking my new pride and joy home on the back of a truck would be a bonus?!!!

Cheers

James

[richb]

Bedford Autodrome would be my suggestion; flat, only one corner with an earth bund to worry about and a smooth transition from tarmac to perforated concrete blocks to grass. I did my first track day there on the full 3.25 mile GT circuit and loved it. I see you have a lovely Porsche which you obviously take care of so it's worth noting that some people say airfields usually have a rougher surface and tend to have more stones lying around than purpose built tracks. I've read a lot of comments on Pistonheads from people getting several stone chips after airfield days.

[thornettj]

Thanks for that, someone else recommended Bedford. Actually sold the Boxster to get the M3 but can't seem to change my profile pic!

[racylady]

richb said:

Bedford Autodrome would be my suggestion;

Absolutely agree. Practically nothing to hit if you do get a bit over enthusiastic!

[thornettj]

That sounds just the ticket, might ruin the day somewhat having to drag the car out of a barrier and up on to a low loader! I guess the key is take it easy (not too easy!) and expolore my limits with plenty of space around me. My limits will be way way below the car's I expect...

[bigbadbikercats]

I was at Bedford a couple of weeks ago (the Autocar day on the 16th November if anyone else was there). this was my first time on a circuit on 4 wheels in almost 10 years and I was very mpressed. As others have said there's miles and miles of (smooth) runoff practically everywhere so you'd have to be very unlucky to hit anything - there's also plenty of room to stretch the legs of a powerful car.

The only potential downside I can see for a complete novice is that it's a very long circuit (well as UK circuits go anyway, Nordschleiffe and IoM TT cicuit fans can stop sneering now...) with quite a complex layout, there aren't many reference points to tell you where you are, and at a couple of points you seem to be confronted with a sea of cones marking out where the various sections of the smaller circuits used for the corporate days join up to form the GT layout used for public track days. It took me quite a while to find my way round it and I only really felt I knew where I was (and where I was going next!) after a session with an instructor.

So, Bedford definitely a good bet but book a session with an instructor early in the day to get the best out of your time[1] there. If you'd like a choice maybe consider Snetterton as an alternative - relatively easy to learn, again (mostly) loads of space and a chance to get your money's worth out of the M3's sheer speed.

Alternatively join me at Brands "Indy" on Saturday with Gold Track and try to stay out of the gravel trap on the outside of Paddock Hill

[1] Come to think of it that applies wherever you go!

--
JG

[richb]

bigbadbikercats said:

Alternatively join me at Brands "Indy" on Saturday with Gold Track and try to stay out of the gravel trap on the outside of Paddock Hill

Paddock Hill bend eh? That'd be a laugh for a first track day

[bigbadbikercats]

richb said:

Paddock Hill bend eh? That'd be a laugh for a first track day

First (bike) trackday I ever did was at Cadwell Park - the first time I went through the right hand part of The Gooseneck and saw the circuit dropping away out of sight at the entrance to the left hand bit I thought I was going to die, shortly after that I got to Mansfield at the bottom of the hill and thought I wasn't ever going to stop, then it was The Mountain and I was scared, then it was Hall Bends (this was before the trees were cut back through the Woodland section so you had the sensation of riding a crazily narrow switchback of tarmac into a green tunnel of darkness) and I thought I was going to die again.

Brands isn't so bad...

--
JG

[Don]

richb said:

bigbadbikercats said:

Alternatively join me at Brands "Indy" on Saturday with Gold Track and try to stay out of the gravel trap on the outside of Paddock Hill

Paddock Hill bend eh? That'd be a laugh for a first track day

As my good friend whatever can attest!

I love Paddock Hill bend. What a rush when you start to really attack the corner and get it right...got to carry the speed in but whatever you do don't try and tweak the line once your committed...

[combemarshal]

Nowt wrong with paddock hill bend, it's not as if you have to remember many corners at Brands!
Stick to an airfield, either that or go and play with the idiots at knockhill, i'm sure they can't even drive yet!!!

[richb]

combemarshal said:

Nowt wrong with paddock hill bend,

Indeed nothing wrong with it, I thought it was awsome

combemarshal said:

Stick to an airfield, either that or go and play with the idiots at knockhill, i'm sure they can't even drive yet!!!

But bear in mind what I said about the stones damage and don't even go near Knockhill

[NathanK]

Motorsport Events do lots of airfield trackdays in easy reach of London. I have used them on many occasions and been happy with being a novice on track!

www.motorsport-events.co.uk/

[hillfootsbadger]

Try the M4 ? Bet you can't beat the Polo 1.0l.......

Practice before 'ring ? Hope Auntie Moore doesn't find out, he's got new Porsche friends now....they are talking about pipe polishing and buffing their alloys ?

[thornettj]

I have given up on the Porsche forum, there's about five sad f**kers sharing in-jokes and back slapping and w@nking off over their rear engined sh!t heaps. Seems a bit more normal on here.

So....anyone crashed badly on their first track day?!!!!!!!!!

[Don]

thornettj said:

I have given up on the Porsche forum, there's about five sad f**kers sharing in-jokes and back slapping and w@nking off over their rear engined sh!t heaps. Seems a bit more normal on here.

So....anyone crashed badly on their first track day?!!!!!!!!!

Sorry you're finding the Porsche forum a bit cliquey. It is a bit and when some of the well known pranksters get going the in-jokes can get a bit much. On the whole though I think the crowd there are pretty interesting - and even the pranksters can have interesting things to say when they're not doing the in-jokes thing.

I haven't heard of anyone doing anything really bad on a first track day. IME it tends to be the people with some experience who are trying hard who have the big offs...

[thornettj]

Cheers Don. I am keen not to be the 'all the gear, no idea' idiot in the fast car getting in everybody's way. Think I'll book Bedford and get stuck in!

[bigbadbikercats]

thornettj said:

I am keen not to be the 'all the gear, no idea' idiot in the fast car getting in everybody's way.

Doesn't matter who you are or what you drive, unless your name's Schumacher or Maureen there's always going to be someone faster than you and there's always going to be someone slower than you. Given the attitude you've displayed here (i.e. being willing to ask questions and listen to the answers, not expecting or planning to be the fastest thing on the track first time out, and showing an interest in learning to do things right you'll be fine!

thornettj said:

Think I'll book Bedford and get stuck in!

I doubt you'll regret it, but do think about getting some instruction as early on in the day as possible. As I said earlier, I found Bedford GT to be a big complicated circuit with a lot of corners[1] and if I'd got someone to show me round earlier on I think I'd have enjoyed my day there even more!

[1] Almost as much so as Assen which I've done a couple of times on a bike but never really got to grips with...

--
Jonathon.

[havoc]

I'd suggest Donington Park. One of the best tracks in the UK (technical but good fun), good mix of slow and fast corners, no mega-straights so not too bad on the brakes (National circuit anyway), and some nice elevation changes for interest. Oh, and the run-off tends to be good around most of the circuit, so unless you really cock it up you'll do no worse than go through some gravel or across some grass.

BaT have regular days there, they try and keep numbers sensible, and they marshal better than some of the cheaper organisers (both important if it's your P&J on-track!).

[Otto]

I'm glad someone suggested Donington! I've got my first trackday booked there on the 17th Dec, and was getting a little nervous about whether this was a good idea.

Apparently there is tuition, but there was no provision for booking this online when I made the booking for the day. Does anyone know how it usually works - do I just book it on the day, or would I be wise to ring ahead and book an early slot? I know I will need it!

[Don]

A good thing whatever circuit you go on is to see if someone would be willing to drive you round a few times. It really helps with the lefts and rights. A good friend of mine drove me around Bedford for his twenty minute session and it was EXTREMELY beneficial.