donington track days,

[peterpeter]

Had anyone done any of the track-attack days as run by the circuit themselves.?

They seem to do weekends so its looking appealing, however if it attracts morons and dickheads I cant be bothered. Twats, I can just about stand.

[glenn mcmenamin]

peterpeter said:

Had anyone done any of the track-attack days as run by the circuit themselves.?

They seem to do weekends so its looking appealing, however if it attracts morons and dickheads I cant be bothered. Twats, I can just about stand.

if it's the ones with 3x 20mins sessions within the hour, then avoid them like the plague !!!!

definately THE worst trackday i have every attended, even sent a very long complaint letter
outlining where i think they were being very unsafe, and how they could make improvements to prevent
somebody getting hurt, they never even had the manners to reply...


Wide birth my friend....

[peterpeter]

thanks for the heads up on that one mate.

Stories about cars getting nicked at trackdays from the circuit, already had my avoid-the-north warning button flashing.

just looking from some friday/sat/sunday options that dont include bedford or brands.

Rockingham is another one Im thinking about with bookatrack...have you been there?
Cadwell another..?

BTW Im keeping my car for at least another 2 years as apparently thats how long I can still get an OPC warranty for. By then a 997 RS will probably be about 2k cheaper by the looks of things!.

[glenn mcmenamin]

peterpeter said:

thanks for the heads up on that one mate.

Stories about cars getting nicked at trackdays from the circuit, already had my avoid-the-north warning button flashing.

just looking from some friday/sat/sunday options that dont include bedford or brands.

Rockingham is another one Im thinking about with bookatrack...have you been there?
Cadwell another..?

BTW Im keeping my car for at least another 2 years as apparently thats how long I can still get an OPC warranty for. By then a 997 RS will probably be about 2k cheaper by the looks of things!.

They warned us in the breifing (one of the only useful thing in it) to watch out for the stickers
saying we have signed on, as they are always getting nicked !!!

Never done Rockingham or Cadwell, from what i have heard nether really best suit GT3's....

I think weekend trackdays will be rare from now until Sept....

Have a look at some of the Goldtrack evening sessions, they're are good fun/ Value..


RE the Car, yes, they should be a better buy in 2 years, although £2k depreciation would be nice, but
unfortunatley i can't see it


G.

[mko9]

I have done three trackdays at Donginton, all booked through their webpage. I have never done a Donington day through anyone else, so I can't make an apples to apples comparison. But I didn't think they were any better or any worse than the days I have done at Bedford and Snetterton through motorsportvision.co.uk.

[Pete RS]

Try a Goldtrack day and you will see the difference - well organised, safe and normally a distinct lack of muppetts to contend with!

P

[schuey]

I have done a donnington day with circuit days,excellent organisation and some very good driving,as with all track days there was a distinct lack of blue flags though!

[elderly]

I know you shouldn't be able to tell the driver by the car they drive
but take a look at some pictures from Donington's last track day:

www.imagination2image.co.uk/motorsport.php?path=/donington/2007-05-04%20Trakzone%20(Friday)

Not exactly a lot of the stereo-typical hot hatch types.

[John Laverick]

VERY surprised by some of the posts further up!!

I've only done one day there but it was one of the best track days I have done - I personally don't mind the 3 x 20min sessioned days as at least it splits up beginner/intermediate/expert. I found the standard of driving excellent, the organisation excellent and the day resonably priced.

Here's me a couple of months ago [I know its a 106 so I must automatically be a muppet/chav/plonkers etc... etc...]

Edited by John Laverick on Sunday 13th May 22:23

[pete21]

HI have done many track days at Donington, i have used track zone (ok) the best by far is one of CIRCUIT DAYS track days.
Very proffesional & well organised track days all open pit. They are doing a evening there tomorow 14th track open from 5-30 till 8-30
i have 4 cars booked in, keep up the good work Chris and his team.

Edited by pete21 on Sunday 13th May 23:20

Edited by pete21 on Sunday 13th May 23:21

[glenn mcmenamin]

John Laverick said:

VERY surprised by some of the posts further up!!

I've only done one day there but it was one of the best track days I have done - I personally don't mind the 3 x 20min sessioned days as at least it splits up beginner/intermediate/expert. I found the standard of driving excellent, the organisation excellent and the day resonably priced.

Here's me a couple of months ago [I know its a 106 so I must automatically be a muppet/chav/plonkers etc... etc...]

Edited by John Laverick on Sunday 13th May 22:23

I had no probs with the session either, and agree it's a great way of splitting up
novices-Experience drivers etc..

My issues were:


A terrible briefing, where people drifted in/out at different times but still got wrist bands
(meaning most people missed the important part of the briefing, telling them that just for today
they will have to exit the track by turning left onto the Melbourne loop, where we all had to park, and how important
it would be to signal this, as cars should ONLY otherwise overtake on the left, but in this case they had to overtake on the Right)

Some cars that weren't fit for a scrap yard, dropping oil over my windscreen, then others dropping
neat fuel on the track, causing many spins, but still allowed to carry on track.

The Marshalls let everyone out in one long precession everytime our session started, so we all went around like a big snake
for the 1st 10 minutes, and nobody could overtake, as there was no room to get back in on line.

Not once did any of the Marshalls check to see if either myself or passenger had a wrist band all day, anybody
could have been driving my car

Many subarubishi's treating it as a drift day, with some kicking loads of stones/ gravel onto the track, which was particularly hairy on the fast right coming onto the main straight, as this is a blind turn in at speed, and it was like steering on marbles to be honest..

Even with all this gravel and stones on track, there was no attempt to clear any of it up all day, even during the hour
lunch break..

I think that's all enough to prevent me going back anyway...

G.

Edited by glenn mcmenamin on Sunday 13th May 23:30

[John Laverick]

glenn mcmenamin said:

John Laverick said:

VERY surprised by some of the posts further up!!

I've only done one day there but it was one of the best track days I have done - I personally don't mind the 3 x 20min sessioned days as at least it splits up beginner/intermediate/expert. I found the standard of driving excellent, the organisation excellent and the day resonably priced.

Here's me a couple of months ago [I know its a 106 so I must automatically be a muppet/chav/plonkers etc... etc...]

Edited by John Laverick on Sunday 13th May 22:23

I had no probs with the session either, and agree it's a great way of splitting up
novices-Experience drivers etc..

My issues were:


A terrible briefing, where people drifted in/out at different times but still got wrist bands
(meaning most people missed the important part of the briefing, telling them that just for today
they will have to exit the track by turning left onto the Melbourne loop, where we all had to park, and how important
it would be to signal this, as cars should ONLY otherwise overtake on the left, but in this case they had to overtake on the Right)

Some cars that weren't fit for a scrap yard, dropping oil over my windscreen, then others dropping
neat fuel on the track, causing many spins, but still allowed to carry on track.

The Marshalls let everyone out in one long precession everytime our session started, so we all went around like a big snake
for the 1st 10 minutes, and nobody could overtake, as there was no room to get back in on line.

Not once did any of the Marshalls check to see if either myself or passenger had a wrist band all day, anybody
could have been driving my car

Many subarubishi's treating it as a drift day, with some kicking loads of stones/ gravel onto the track, which was particularly hairy on the fast right coming onto the main straight, as this is a blind turn in at speed, and it was like steering on marbles to be honest..

Even with all this gravel and stones on track, there was no attempt to clear any of it up all day, even during the hour
lunch break..

I think that's all enough to prevent me going back anyway...

G.

Edited by glenn mcmenamin on Sunday 13th May 23:30

What date did you go? Maybe they have taken some of your comments on board!! See below:

My briefing was very very good...it started promptly and the door way locked so nobody could come in or go out. If you were late you had to wait for a later session.

All cars seemed to be in tip top condition, no drifting etc.. Wrist bands checked EVERY time out on track.

Or possibly it was more luck of the draw and I went early in the season [there were quite a few racing drivers/teams there on the day [Back in Feb I think].

[pikeyboy]

I did a trackzone eve event last summer which to be honest wasnt too bad, but having said that I've been a passsenger on weekend trackdays with them and like other people have posted before evos, 200sx drivers et al seem to think the craners is for drifting through and attracted loads of numpties and was badly managed.

I usually do goldtrack days and have done for many years now, you'll not go far wrong with melindi and callum.

pikey two peneth

[glenn mcmenamin]

John Laverick said:

glenn mcmenamin said:

John Laverick said:

VERY surprised by some of the posts further up!!

I've only done one day there but it was one of the best track days I have done - I personally don't mind the 3 x 20min sessioned days as at least it splits up beginner/intermediate/expert. I found the standard of driving excellent, the organisation excellent and the day resonably priced.

Here's me a couple of months ago [I know its a 106 so I must automatically be a muppet/chav/plonkers etc... etc...]

Edited by John Laverick on Sunday 13th May 22:23

I had no probs with the session either, and agree it's a great way of splitting up
novices-Experience drivers etc..

My issues were:


A terrible briefing, where people drifted in/out at different times but still got wrist bands
(meaning most people missed the important part of the briefing, telling them that just for today
they will have to exit the track by turning left onto the Melbourne loop, where we all had to park, and how important
it would be to signal this, as cars should ONLY otherwise overtake on the left, but in this case they had to overtake on the Right)

Some cars that weren't fit for a scrap yard, dropping oil over my windscreen, then others dropping
neat fuel on the track, causing many spins, but still allowed to carry on track.

The Marshalls let everyone out in one long precession everytime our session started, so we all went around like a big snake
for the 1st 10 minutes, and nobody could overtake, as there was no room to get back in on line.

Not once did any of the Marshalls check to see if either myself or passenger had a wrist band all day, anybody
could have been driving my car

Many subarubishi's treating it as a drift day, with some kicking loads of stones/ gravel onto the track, which was particularly hairy on the fast right coming onto the main straight, as this is a blind turn in at speed, and it was like steering on marbles to be honest..

Even with all this gravel and stones on track, there was no attempt to clear any of it up all day, even during the hour
lunch break..

I think that's all enough to prevent me going back anyway...

G.

Edited by glenn mcmenamin on Sunday 13th May 23:30

What date did you go? Maybe they have taken some of your comments on board!! See below:

My briefing was very very good...it started promptly and the door way locked so nobody could come in or go out. If you were late you had to wait for a later session.

All cars seemed to be in tip top condition, no drifting etc.. Wrist bands checked EVERY time out on track.

Or possibly it was more luck of the draw and I went early in the season [there were quite a few racing drivers/teams there on the day [Back in Feb I think].

Hmm,

I was there Good Friday....

Sounds like they may have taken onboard my suggestions...which would be good, i think
they may have thought i was after a free trackday or something, but i certainly wasn't, i genuinely
felt compelled to write to them, as i thought it may just help a minor disaster.

They could have at least replied though

Edited by glenn mcmenamin on Monday 14th May 11:28

[luca brazzi]

elderly said:

www.imagination2image.co.uk/motorsport.php?path=/donington/2007-05-04%20Trakzone%20(Friday)

Got to be said, but those photos are simply rubbish quality. I've been thinking about getting into this field, ie. shooting at track days and selling the results, and thinking that a)My photos are not good enough, and b) not sure how well they'd sell.

Without wishing to blow my own trumpet, I did a far better job of the British GT cars at Donington a couple of weeks back....and without obviously comparing the subject matter, the photographer has been lazy, including photos with a tow truck in the background directly behind the car...the car being too small in the frame, very little sensation of speed...and dull in general.

I know this is off topic...but how many of you would buy photos of you after a track day?
My photos from Donington:
www.streaky-fish.com/bgt_donington_2007_qual.htm
www.streaky-fish.com/bgt_donington_2007_d1.htm
www.streaky-fish.com/bgt_donington_2007_d2.htm

[gtdc]

You'll be entering a very crowded market. I should think I get 5 emails a week from people wanting to start trackday photography...

Melindi
www.goldtrack.co.uk

[luca brazzi]

gtdc said:

You'll be entering a very crowded market. I should think I get 5 emails a week from people wanting to start trackday photography...

Melindi
www.goldtrack.co.uk

Thanks for the heads up. As I thought. What do you say to them?

LB

[wildcards]

Never done Donington, but did an open pit lane day at Cadwell through Motorsport Vision earlier in the year. I was very impressed, both by the circuit and the operators. Everything ran smoothly, I couldn't fault a thing. It's were EVO did the track day COTY testing in the current mag if you fancy a read.

Edited by wildcards on Monday 14th May 16:28

[davyboy]

luca brazzi said:

What do you say to them?

You'll be entering a very crowded market. I should think I get 5 emails a week from people wanting to start trackday photography...

[luca brazzi]

lol......git