Tuesday 18th January 2011

PistonHeads Track Days - The 2011 Calendar

PistonHeads and BookaTrack are proud to launch the 2011 series of track days solely for PHers

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Earlier this year we told you about our 2011 association with the team at BookaTrack to provide PHers with a choice of PistonHeads track days throughout the year, and we're pleased to report that we now have our full calendar ready for launch.

As you can see, the chosen venues offer more variety and broader geographical locations than we've had in previous years, and to please the owners of noisier cars we have kept the db limits as high as possible at all venues.

The best news (for those of you who struggle to get on a track day even with the most relaxed noise regs) is the inclusion of an unsilenced day at Donington to kick things off!

All track events are full day, open pit lane sessions.

Tuesday 22 March - Donington Park (National Circuit) UNSILENCED - £295

Thursday 14 April - Silverstone Arena GP (105dB) £375

Thursday 26 May - Brands Hatch GP (101dB) £495

Saturday 18 June - Anglesey GP (105dB) £199

Friday 19 August - Castle Combe (100dB) £275

Thursday 15 September - Snetterton '300' Circuit (105dB) £250

For more information on the track events, or to book any of the sessions please visit the BookaTrack website to register or see here for the calendar. If you prefer, you can call them directly on 0843 208 4635.

PistonHeads and BookaTrack will also offer a track day membership package. If you are a committed track fanatic, joining us at every event will cost you in the region of £1900, but with membership the total season price is reduced to just £1395. This essentially means that you get two of the sessons for free - and there's nothing better than a free track day.

In addition, PH members will benefit from the availability of the BaT fleet of Caterham Superlights - ideal for anyone not wishing (or not able!) to track their own toys. These will be available to hire at all PH track events on a first come, first served basis. See the BaT website for more details.

For full terms and conditions relating to PH track days, see here.

For more information, please call: 0843 208 4635

We look forward to seeing you later on this year.

[Antj]

Not cheap though are they........

I know Brands GP is rarely done now but 495 for a whole day, you can do Nurburgring track day for circa 400 quid.


times of austerity not felt at PH towers i take it...lol

[Gizmo!]

I'd absolutely love to do the new Silverstone GP layout, but in my MX5 it's just not worth it. I'd spend so much time looking in my rear view mirror (on the straights!) that I wouldn't enjoy it

What about slow car only sessions? 150bhp/ton maximum?

[TonyHetherington]

Gizmo! said:

I'd absolutely love to do the new Silverstone GP layout, but in my MX5 it's just not worth it. I'd spend so much time looking in my rear view mirror (on the straights!) that I wouldn't enjoy it

What about slow car only sessions? 150bhp/ton maximum?

There are a couple of straights of course, but I've done the Silverstone GP a couple of times in BaT's 133bhp Caterhams and it's great fun. Well worth doing.

[Antj]

Gizmo! said:

I'd absolutely love to do the new Silverstone GP layout, but in my MX5 it's just not worth it. I'd spend so much time looking in my rear view mirror (on the straights!) that I wouldn't enjoy it

What about slow car only sessions? 150bhp/ton maximum?

i think you would be surprised at how well the MX5 would do. My mates 115bhp mx5 was great round the ring, kept with lots of fast stuff as you can hold your speed through the corners.

in fact go watcht eh Mx5 championship and you'll see how good they are,

[Berger]

£495, having a laugh there!

Would struggle to justify it at half the price, which is a shame as it looks an amazing track using that layout.

Edited by Berger on Monday 17th January 15:52

[Vixpy1]

Ouch!

[keep it lit]

Antj said:

Not cheap though are they........

I know Brands GP is rarely done now but 495 for a whole day, you can do Nurburgring track day for circa 400 quid.

times of austerity not felt at PH towers i take it...lol

+1 ... the only time I'm glad my GT3 blows 104db!...

[Stew2000]

So my nearest circuit is the most expensive... great

[TheMuu]

Jesus prices aren't shy

[Frimley111R]

Gizmo! said:

I'd absolutely love to do the new Silverstone GP layout, but in my MX5 it's just not worth it. I'd spend so much time looking in my rear view mirror (on the straights!) that I wouldn't enjoy it

What about slow car only sessions? 150bhp/ton maximum?

Its just as much about being able to say you've driven around the same circuit the F1 cars use and seeing them take the same corners you have.

[cirks]

Donington price didn't surprise me as it's always expensive especially for noisy days but £275 for Combe? TVRCC £160. OPL doesn't justify that hike.

[jonnyleroux]

Shame to see such a focus on price here - quality track time does not come cheap. If you want to sit in a queue with 100 other cars then look elsewhere. PH chose BaT for a reason - we do not compromise the quality and safety of our track days in order to satisfy public perception of what a track day should cost. Sarah and I have always followed the same system of taking the total cost of the event, adding our very modest profit margin, dividing it by the number of cars we think is acceptable (given the length of the circuit), then selling at that price.

To date, that model has served us well. 'True' open pitlane events at Castle Combe were unheard of until we tried them a couple of years ago. Yes, you will pay more, but you are guaranteed to be able to get out on track whenever you want - with no queues. Not everyone sees the benefit in that but nor do we wish to appeal to 75% of the market as we simply don't have the capacity to meet demand were that the case.

Our Brands GP pricing is in line with the other organisers events there and our Donington noisy date is excellent value for money compared to the competition.

I'm not going to focus on the prices any further, suffice to say that if 100% of PHers thought the days were cheap we'd need to organise several hundred events per year in order to satisfy demand.

Sarah and I would both like to re-iterate how delighted we are that PH chose BaT to organise their first full calendar of events and very much look forward to meeting as many of the PH regulars as possible this year.

Jonny
BaT

[chris7676]

It would help to have at least the early price in the region of £200 rather than £300 for Dony (not to mention more weekend dates).

[keep it lit]

Hi Jon,
I have done at least ten trackdays per year on average since 1997.. many of those with your goodselves & many more with other organisations. I have never seen anywhere near 100 cars at any one T/D in my experience.. Out of interest how many places are up for grabs at the Brands GP day?...

Ade

[Sir_Dave]

PH bloke said:

Tuesday 22 March - Donington Park (National Circuit) UNSILENCED - £295

Im doing Donington Park on Sunday 13th March (ie weekend) for £130, along wth 30 other cars.

What makes a PH day £165 better? Do you pay for my fuel/tyres for the day as well?

Genuine question by the way, as all the prices are much higher than i normally pay.

Edited by Sir_Dave on Monday 17th January 16:45

[rb5230]

Wow those are some steep prices! modest profit indeed.

[jonnyleroux]

keep it lit said:

Out of interest how many places are up for grabs at the Brands GP day?...Ade

we cap BHGP at 60 cars maximum.

[Guillotine]

££££s

[C2james]

A full day at goodwood was about £300, and it included refreshments, I might miss these as i might not have the money at the time.

[Elderly]

jonnyleroux said:

I'm not going to focus on the prices any further, suffice to say that if 100% of PHers thought the days were cheap we'd need to organise several hundred events per year in order to satisfy demand.


Jonny
BaT

Last September's PH day at Rockingham was IMO fairly priced but AFAIK demand was low (only 30 odd cars there?).

This year's choice of tracks is excellent; I have my own view on the prices but the 'proof of the pricing pudding' will be in the take-up.