So what are Track Days like
Discussion
A couple of guys in work have hired Goodwood for one day next week and I have been invited along with the Tamora to go play there.
Thing is I am soooo tempted but have never been on a track day and am a bit scared of what I might do!
so whats it like any advice, also whats goodwood like as a track?
Stuart
Thing is I am soooo tempted but have never been on a track day and am a bit scared of what I might do!
so whats it like any advice, also whats goodwood like as a track?
Stuart
You will have a top laugh. Track Days are the most fun you can have in your car by yourself.
But a few pointers. You haven't done any other track days and you have a very powerful RWD car. So there are some IMPORTANT safety tips:
1) Goodwood takes no prisoners - do not get cocky - do not let the Red Mist come down. If you feel tired or your concentration slipping STOP - come in to the pits and have a rest.
2) Get an instructor for at least one session. It will change the way you drive the circuit and your car.
3) Do NOT forget to USE YOUR MIRRORS. As a newbie I guarantee you will be being passed a LOT. Let them by its not a race - you will need to get to a straight and then slow down enough to ensure they get by you before the braking point of the next corner. You might even need to touch the brakes...
4) Your car will be MUCH faster on the straights than many. Just because the Caterham behind you falls behind on the straight DOES NOT MEAN you are faster - if the Caterham got past chances are you won't catch it again. If a car is close up behind you in the corners - LET IT PAST.
5) Get the circuit guide for Goodwood and read it thoroughly before going. Do your best to become familiar with "the line" prior to arriving. Then at the beginning of each session do one or two "sighting" laps to make sure you have the "line" right and that there is no oil or crap on it before going up to speed.
6) Make sure you have a proper helmet. They all protect you - but some are much more comfortable than others.
Can't think of anything more right now but there is a Track Day introduction guide on PH and Art Markus' book is very good.
Have a BLAST - but don't expect to be any good at it straight away. It is MUCH harder than it looks!
But a few pointers. You haven't done any other track days and you have a very powerful RWD car. So there are some IMPORTANT safety tips:
1) Goodwood takes no prisoners - do not get cocky - do not let the Red Mist come down. If you feel tired or your concentration slipping STOP - come in to the pits and have a rest.
2) Get an instructor for at least one session. It will change the way you drive the circuit and your car.
3) Do NOT forget to USE YOUR MIRRORS. As a newbie I guarantee you will be being passed a LOT. Let them by its not a race - you will need to get to a straight and then slow down enough to ensure they get by you before the braking point of the next corner. You might even need to touch the brakes...
4) Your car will be MUCH faster on the straights than many. Just because the Caterham behind you falls behind on the straight DOES NOT MEAN you are faster - if the Caterham got past chances are you won't catch it again. If a car is close up behind you in the corners - LET IT PAST.
5) Get the circuit guide for Goodwood and read it thoroughly before going. Do your best to become familiar with "the line" prior to arriving. Then at the beginning of each session do one or two "sighting" laps to make sure you have the "line" right and that there is no oil or crap on it before going up to speed.
6) Make sure you have a proper helmet. They all protect you - but some are much more comfortable than others.
Can't think of anything more right now but there is a Track Day introduction guide on PH and Art Markus' book is very good.
Have a BLAST - but don't expect to be any good at it straight away. It is MUCH harder than it looks!
Ohhhh. Big one I missed.
Can/do you heel and toe? The Tamora as a powerful RWD car may bite back if you do not. An alternative is to brake in a straight line, come off the brakes and then change gear - matching engine revs with the accelerator.
Don't just slam it down a gear under braking - recipe for disaster.
Can/do you heel and toe? The Tamora as a powerful RWD car may bite back if you do not. An alternative is to brake in a straight line, come off the brakes and then change gear - matching engine revs with the accelerator.
Don't just slam it down a gear under braking - recipe for disaster.
schford said:
Thanks for the responce all.
Don - very informative post, thank you - if askign waht heel and toe was - would it condem me for ever ;-)
If it is heel on the floor and being gentle with clutch then I do that - learnt rapidly in the Tamora or else you end up Kangooring!!!
OK. Heel and Toe.
When you change down under braking here is what happens: You take your foot off the accelerator and put it on the brake. You brake. You then drop the clutch - since the wheels on the road are no longer connected to the engine the engine revs fall away. If you leave it long enough they'd fall away to tick-over.
Then you change down (e.g. fourth to third) and let the clutch back up. At this point the engine revs are MUCH lower than they need to be for the rate that the wheels (now connected again) are turning and so the engine revs rise.
What is important to understand is that as you engage the clutch and the revs rise you get an effect called Engine Braking. Whilst useful in some circumstances it has the effect of braking only the drive wheels. In your Tamora these are the rear two.
So during that downchange all four wheels are being braked (possibly at the limit of grip) by the braking system and the rear two are being additionally braked by the engine.
This uneven braking effect unbalances the car. In a straight line you might get away with it as the rear wheels will lock but you continue in a straight line anyway. If there is the tiniest amount of lock on this uneven braking effect can cause the rear end of the car to slide - and you get a spin.
Nasty.
So what can you do about it? Well...
As you brake you dip the clutch and change down. As you are doing this you should be pressing the brake with the extreme left hand side of your right foot. Once the clutch is down you TWIST your right foot so that whilst braking the right hand side of your right foot presses the accelerator. Then you let the clutch up. The aim is to match engine revs to the speed of the wheels on the road before re-engaging drive that way there is no braking effect from the engine and the aforementioned bad things do not happen.
It takes a lot of practice - first to get your right foot doing the proper things at the proper time...and then to match the revs nicely. Often you will over-rev the accelerator and the car will be driven forward a little under braking - if this happens you are twisting your foot just a little too much - ease back.
Hope this helps. DO NOT PRACTICE THIS IN TRAFFIC!
I'd strongly advise you to leave the heel and toe until you've got more experience (too many things to think about when you're braking, chan ging down and thinking about your turn in point).
Much better to do as Don says and brake then change down when the revs have dropped enough not to cause any problems.
Much better to do as Don says and brake then change down when the revs have dropped enough not to cause any problems.
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