Own-car track driving tuition?
Discussion
I own a Porsche 964RS and I'm looking forward to getting it on a track. I've done a couple driving experiences but never really been let loose on a track alone in such a powerful car.
Therefore I'd like to get some really good track tuition first.
Is there a circuit based company, or a 'trackday instruction' company, where I can organise for an instructor to sit next to me for the whole day, and show me how to drive the circuit properly, where I'm going wrong, where I can improve and take me through some of the theory behind what the car is doing and why?
The less traffic on the circuit the better - but having people doing a similar thing on track would obviously give me a more realistic experience. I realise this will be relatively expensive - but probably less expensive than having my RS rebuilt!
Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Many thanks,
Rich
Therefore I'd like to get some really good track tuition first.
Is there a circuit based company, or a 'trackday instruction' company, where I can organise for an instructor to sit next to me for the whole day, and show me how to drive the circuit properly, where I'm going wrong, where I can improve and take me through some of the theory behind what the car is doing and why?
The less traffic on the circuit the better - but having people doing a similar thing on track would obviously give me a more realistic experience. I realise this will be relatively expensive - but probably less expensive than having my RS rebuilt!
Any suggestions would be most welcome.
Many thanks,
Rich
Hi Rich,
I can provide personal instruction at any circuit up and down the country, and spend a full day working through from basic to more advanced techniques. If you PM me I will give you whatever advice you require, and also send you a copy of my circuit instruction "Welcome Pack" which would give you some valuable information. Let me know what area you live in, and I'll advice you on the best route to take!! I hold an ARDS 'S' grade licence, and would be only too happy to discuss with you, any queries you may have, Howard
I can provide personal instruction at any circuit up and down the country, and spend a full day working through from basic to more advanced techniques. If you PM me I will give you whatever advice you require, and also send you a copy of my circuit instruction "Welcome Pack" which would give you some valuable information. Let me know what area you live in, and I'll advice you on the best route to take!! I hold an ARDS 'S' grade licence, and would be only too happy to discuss with you, any queries you may have, Howard
OK. My advice.
Join the Porsche Club GB. Book on to one of Steve Kevlin's excellent track days. At time of booking mention you are a newbie and would like instruction early in the day.
Once you have had a twenty minute session with an instructor you will have enough "homework" to keep you going all day. The PCGB do lots of days at Castle Combe so near enough for you.
An instructor for a whole day, whilst excellent, will be pricey and as a total beginner I'm not sure you'll get enough out of it to make it worth it. A short amount of instruction and then plenty of acclimatisation time out on the circuit will probably be better.
As to advice:
1) You are a newbie. You will be slow. THIS IS OK. Do not chase cars in front. Put it into the corners at a speed you know you will make it round at.
2) Concentrate on getting "the line" not the speed. The speed will come. Once you are intimately familiar with the lefts, rights, apexes and clipping points then you can build speed.
3) Use your mirrors. Remember: you are SLOW. I drive a Boxster S. Its quick but the guys with Turbos and GT3s WILL be going by. I use the mirrors and help them past on the next straight. No one is allowed to overtake in the corners or in the braking areas. So if you are approaching a corner - take your line, go through it, then pull over and LIFT off the throttle to get 'em by you a.s.a.p. then you can get back to having fun. Oh...at each circuit there will be a passing rule. Usually its pass on the left...at Combe it's pass on the right. In any event - until you pull over and indicate (using the indicators!) that you have pulled over the guy behind has to wait. Passing is by "consent". As you can imagine...because of this it is essential to watch your mirrors and help the quick guys past. Not doing so is how to become a pariah in the paddock in double quick time.
4) The bloke in the rusted out shitbox of a 924 with talent will be passing everyone. It doesn't matter that his car is worth 20p if he's quicker he's going past. Don't feel you have to keep up 'cos your car is "better"...if you do you will crash. Seen it happen.
5) Did I say - use your mirrors? MIRRORS! Don't be intimidated, mind. Like skiing where the guy coming down the hill mustn't hit you? At track days its the faster guy's job to get by safely - and yours to help.
If you go to a PCGB day you won't have this problem...but if you do someone else's day...errr....don't follow Caterhams. Your RS despite being lighter than an anorexic supermodel weighs a tonne. That Caterham weighs half as much. Stops in less than half the distance. If you brake when the Caterham brakes....you are on a one way trip into the scenery guaranteed.
If you know anyone who does track days - ask to go along as a passenger. You'll get to know the ropes without the stress of driving. There's a PCGB day at Combe this Saturday. You could always pitch up there and just spectate...and sneakily listen in to the briefing whilst its going on in the Circuit restaurant. I'm not sure I'll be there at the moment otherwise I'd offer to drive you round. If I do go I'll post back on this thread...
Join the Porsche Club GB. Book on to one of Steve Kevlin's excellent track days. At time of booking mention you are a newbie and would like instruction early in the day.
Once you have had a twenty minute session with an instructor you will have enough "homework" to keep you going all day. The PCGB do lots of days at Castle Combe so near enough for you.
An instructor for a whole day, whilst excellent, will be pricey and as a total beginner I'm not sure you'll get enough out of it to make it worth it. A short amount of instruction and then plenty of acclimatisation time out on the circuit will probably be better.
As to advice:
1) You are a newbie. You will be slow. THIS IS OK. Do not chase cars in front. Put it into the corners at a speed you know you will make it round at.
2) Concentrate on getting "the line" not the speed. The speed will come. Once you are intimately familiar with the lefts, rights, apexes and clipping points then you can build speed.
3) Use your mirrors. Remember: you are SLOW. I drive a Boxster S. Its quick but the guys with Turbos and GT3s WILL be going by. I use the mirrors and help them past on the next straight. No one is allowed to overtake in the corners or in the braking areas. So if you are approaching a corner - take your line, go through it, then pull over and LIFT off the throttle to get 'em by you a.s.a.p. then you can get back to having fun. Oh...at each circuit there will be a passing rule. Usually its pass on the left...at Combe it's pass on the right. In any event - until you pull over and indicate (using the indicators!) that you have pulled over the guy behind has to wait. Passing is by "consent". As you can imagine...because of this it is essential to watch your mirrors and help the quick guys past. Not doing so is how to become a pariah in the paddock in double quick time.
4) The bloke in the rusted out shitbox of a 924 with talent will be passing everyone. It doesn't matter that his car is worth 20p if he's quicker he's going past. Don't feel you have to keep up 'cos your car is "better"...if you do you will crash. Seen it happen.
5) Did I say - use your mirrors? MIRRORS! Don't be intimidated, mind. Like skiing where the guy coming down the hill mustn't hit you? At track days its the faster guy's job to get by safely - and yours to help.
If you go to a PCGB day you won't have this problem...but if you do someone else's day...errr....don't follow Caterhams. Your RS despite being lighter than an anorexic supermodel weighs a tonne. That Caterham weighs half as much. Stops in less than half the distance. If you brake when the Caterham brakes....you are on a one way trip into the scenery guaranteed.
If you know anyone who does track days - ask to go along as a passenger. You'll get to know the ropes without the stress of driving. There's a PCGB day at Combe this Saturday. You could always pitch up there and just spectate...and sneakily listen in to the briefing whilst its going on in the Circuit restaurant. I'm not sure I'll be there at the moment otherwise I'd offer to drive you round. If I do go I'll post back on this thread...
ginettajoe said:
Hi Rich,
I can provide personal instruction at any circuit up and down the country, and spend a full day working through from basic to more advanced techniques. If you PM me I will give you whatever advice you require, and also send you a copy of my circuit instruction "Welcome Pack" which would give you some valuable information. Let me know what area you live in, and I'll advice you on the best route to take!! I hold an ARDS 'S' grade licence, and would be only too happy to discuss with you, any queries you may have, Howard
I can provide personal instruction at any circuit up and down the country, and spend a full day working through from basic to more advanced techniques. If you PM me I will give you whatever advice you require, and also send you a copy of my circuit instruction "Welcome Pack" which would give you some valuable information. Let me know what area you live in, and I'll advice you on the best route to take!! I hold an ARDS 'S' grade licence, and would be only too happy to discuss with you, any queries you may have, Howard
Howard, are you paying to advertise on here?
Cupcake Kid said:
ginettajoe said:
Hi Rich,
I can provide personal instruction at any circuit up and down the country, and spend a full day working through from basic to more advanced techniques. If you PM me I will give you whatever advice you require, and also send you a copy of my circuit instruction "Welcome Pack" which would give you some valuable information. Let me know what area you live in, and I'll advice you on the best route to take!! I hold an ARDS 'S' grade licence, and would be only too happy to discuss with you, any queries you may have, Howard
I can provide personal instruction at any circuit up and down the country, and spend a full day working through from basic to more advanced techniques. If you PM me I will give you whatever advice you require, and also send you a copy of my circuit instruction "Welcome Pack" which would give you some valuable information. Let me know what area you live in, and I'll advice you on the best route to take!! I hold an ARDS 'S' grade licence, and would be only too happy to discuss with you, any queries you may have, Howard
Howard, are you paying to advertise on here?
Offering a helpful hand .........
ginettajoe said:
Cupcake Kid said:
ginettajoe said:
Hi Rich,
I can provide personal instruction at any circuit up and down the country, and spend a full day working through from basic to more advanced techniques. If you PM me I will give you whatever advice you require, and also send you a copy of my circuit instruction "Welcome Pack" which would give you some valuable information. Let me know what area you live in, and I'll advice you on the best route to take!! I hold an ARDS 'S' grade licence, and would be only too happy to discuss with you, any queries you may have, Howard
I can provide personal instruction at any circuit up and down the country, and spend a full day working through from basic to more advanced techniques. If you PM me I will give you whatever advice you require, and also send you a copy of my circuit instruction "Welcome Pack" which would give you some valuable information. Let me know what area you live in, and I'll advice you on the best route to take!! I hold an ARDS 'S' grade licence, and would be only too happy to discuss with you, any queries you may have, Howard
Howard, are you paying to advertise on here?
Offering a helpful hand .........
I'll take that as a 'no' then and press the 'report' button...
RichardNorris said:
Cupcake Kid said:
I'll take that as a 'no' then and press the 'report' button...
Who have you upset here Howie? Their dad might be bigger than your dad you know.
Hi Rich, how's things, ........ Having one of those weeks this week, unfortunately not amused by various people!!!
jpivey said:
ginettajoe
The secret is out we know who you are
Its only monday whats gone wrong, you been in the armco again.
You are a silly boy!!
The secret is out we know who you are
Its only monday whats gone wrong, you been in the armco again.
You are a silly boy!!
You are a "stupid" boy!!!! What's new, where have you been??? ........ You've been very quiet over the past week or so. You weren't at Rockingham on Thursday, ...
Do you want to work there on Tuesday 15th & Thursday 17th May??
hi rich964rs - what Don said is really good advice . Just to take it a stage further , the best tracks for you to start on are airfields where theres plenty of runoff , no armco or tyre walls to speak of and only cones to hit. The thing to check is your noise level which may rule you out of a lot of venues - you will struggle to make less than 100db with standard factory exhaust , and if you have a modified exhaust , G pipe , cat bypass etc , then you are very limited . Are you a PCGB member ?
Thanks for all the replies and useful information so far.
I've driven Porsches for 8 years and have been a Porsche Club member for about ten years, and have been to a few trackdays where I've had passenger laps with other 'track experienced' members. Everyone I've seen at club trackdays seem to be pretty good at maintaining a fast pace up around the track - I guess for the first few trackdays i'll just have to accept I'll be guy driving relatively slowly in the fast car!!
I had the car noise tested at castle Combe last year - it is LOUD at the moment (108.9Dba!!!) but I have the original primary and secondary exhaust silencers and have been talking to cargraphic too about getting the noise levels down to something acceptable for uk circuits. The car currently has cat-bypass, cargraphic cup-style primary silencer, and a G-pipe. Yep... it's loud.
The advice about instruction at a Porsche Club day is good advice. At the very least it will teach me the racing line and how to take the corners smoothly.
Is it normal practice for novices to use the black X on a yellow background sticker to make other drivers aware and allow a little extra room?
Oldtimer, I guess you're the same guy as on the Momo mod 07 thread on the RS forum?
I've driven Porsches for 8 years and have been a Porsche Club member for about ten years, and have been to a few trackdays where I've had passenger laps with other 'track experienced' members. Everyone I've seen at club trackdays seem to be pretty good at maintaining a fast pace up around the track - I guess for the first few trackdays i'll just have to accept I'll be guy driving relatively slowly in the fast car!!
I had the car noise tested at castle Combe last year - it is LOUD at the moment (108.9Dba!!!) but I have the original primary and secondary exhaust silencers and have been talking to cargraphic too about getting the noise levels down to something acceptable for uk circuits. The car currently has cat-bypass, cargraphic cup-style primary silencer, and a G-pipe. Yep... it's loud.
The advice about instruction at a Porsche Club day is good advice. At the very least it will teach me the racing line and how to take the corners smoothly.
Is it normal practice for novices to use the black X on a yellow background sticker to make other drivers aware and allow a little extra room?
Oldtimer, I guess you're the same guy as on the Momo mod 07 thread on the RS forum?
Edited by rich964rs on Monday 23 April 21:59
Rich,
I don't pretend to be any sort of top driver but I can recomend the services of Howard; he offers a level of instruction that is far and away above the standard offered on a 'normal' trackday; which is unfortunately very hit and miss!
You may be lucky and get a good instructor or you could get the complete opposite!
I used to not 'bat an eyelid' at paying serious money for the latest upgrade to my car yet proper instruction will be far more beneficial than any upgrade and you will enjoy the day far more as a result.
I don't pretend to be any sort of top driver but I can recomend the services of Howard; he offers a level of instruction that is far and away above the standard offered on a 'normal' trackday; which is unfortunately very hit and miss!
You may be lucky and get a good instructor or you could get the complete opposite!
I used to not 'bat an eyelid' at paying serious money for the latest upgrade to my car yet proper instruction will be far more beneficial than any upgrade and you will enjoy the day far more as a result.
best bet with 109 dB is book onto a goldtrack silverstone gp day. IMO melindi and co are the best trackday organisers by far, which means you can drive at your own speed and other drivers will respect that. you dont need learner race plates - the events are well "policed". in my experience any reasonably confident driver won't be the slowest car there at all. silverstone has massive run offs and only 1 or 2 corners where you might meet wall. and callum lockie is their resident instructor. there will be quite a few of us there on the 8th may
Edited by fbrs on Tuesday 24th April 09:41
fbrs said:
best bet with 109 dB is book onto a goldtrack silverstone gp day. IMO melindi and co are the best trackday organisers by far, which means you can drive at your own speed and other drivers will respect that. you dont need learner race plates - the events are well "policed". in my experience any reasonably confident driver won't be the slowest car there at all. silverstone has massive run offs and only 1 or 2 corners where you might meet wall. and callum lockie is their resident instructor. there will be quite a few of us there on the 8th may
I recently attended the Goldtrack day at Thruxton. Excellent organisation. Safe. Well run. Quality driving. Calum/Melindi extremely hospitable. Recommended.
Snot unlimited but the Porsche'll probably be Ok. You'd be very welcome on one of our days... one of our A grade instructors would deflower you gently... next one is May 8th
If you're interested and you want to talk through anything just give me a call 01327 361361
Melindi
www.goldtrack.co.uk
If you're interested and you want to talk through anything just give me a call 01327 361361
Melindi
www.goldtrack.co.uk
Hi rich , yes I posted on PCGB forum , always use same name wherever I'm posting.
Sounds like you bought Des's old car with a noisy cargraphic twin outlet exhaust. Unfortunately you will have to stick something up it ( ! ) or replace it . I've seen some clamp on bits that seem to work . Knocks a few hp off but that is not going to be your problem. I'd recommend you do the PCGB days which are a bit pricey but well managed and numbers restricted plus a lot of free advice available from fellow owners.
Sounds like you bought Des's old car with a noisy cargraphic twin outlet exhaust. Unfortunately you will have to stick something up it ( ! ) or replace it . I've seen some clamp on bits that seem to work . Knocks a few hp off but that is not going to be your problem. I'd recommend you do the PCGB days which are a bit pricey but well managed and numbers restricted plus a lot of free advice available from fellow owners.
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