Knockhill tonight: first track day

[sstein]

I may be doing my first track day at Knockhill this evening (weather permitting), and by the looks of it it's going to be very wet.

So what advice has anyone got for my first time. Do I need to do anything to the car ? I guess the good thing about it being wet is that the tyres wolnt get worn as badly.

Seeing as its only my first time on track I'll be hiring a helmet at the track (I'm assuming they provide this).

I'll be in an MG ZR so hardly something really quick, but should be fun :)

My mate is going up as well and he has done loads of trackdays at Knockhill so im thinking try to follow him and watch where he brakes and use him to try and learn the lines.

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Stuart

[fergusd]

sstein said:

My mate is going up as well and he has done loads of trackdays at Knockhill so im thinking try to follow him and watch where he brakes and use him to try and learn the lines.

Don't try to follow him unless he's agreed to take it easy . . . otherwise you'll not be able to keep up or spade it trying . . .

Take your time, stay calm, DO NOT try to keep up with faster cars, until your comfortable with the car. Make sure you'r oil level is at max and leave everything else on the car alone if it's wet . . .

I'm in Dalgety Bay, and it's absolutely pishing down right now . . . and doesn't look likely to change.

Fd

[sstein]

Yeah he has said he will take it easy for a few laps to let me get the lines etc of him.

Whats the etiquete for letting faster cars past? Do you move over and let them overtake you on the left or stay on your line and let them pass on the right. Or will this be explained at the briefing beforehand?

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Stuart

[JohnS]

Stuart,

this should be pointed out to you in the briefing.

The norm is for you to indicate and oull over to the right to let faster cars through, but only on the straight sections. Helps some cars if you indicate as you come out of a corner to let them know you have seen them and will be pulling over.

John

[sstein]

Thanks,

I think for the first few laps im probably going to be the slowest guy out there :P Just going to build up gradually.

Theres going to be some old escorts so it will be a hoot seeing them slide all over the place in the wet



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Stuart

[GetCarter]

I put this FAQ up a while back... has helped some. Have fun!

www.stevecarter.com/track-day-beginners.htm

Steve

[sstein]

Thanks for the link.

I never even thought about keeping the handbrake off in the paddock area.

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Stuart

[tvrolet]

sstein said:

Theres going to be some old escorts so it will be a hoot seeing them slide all over the place in the wet

Just make sure they don't slide in to you! Remember, it's your foot on the loud pedal - no-one else's. You go as fast OR AS SLOW as you're comfortable with.

Probably a bad move to hook up with any of the faster drivers...and the faster ones won't be sliding about either

If its like most other events at KH then they'll have cones out on the turn-in point, the apex and the exit of each corner. There just in an averagely good place for most folks, so some cars/drivers will be better off turning in a bit later or earlier, but to start with use the cones. Basically, drive the circuit by 'joining the dots' between the cones in smooth lines. If you do that your speed will gradually increase over the session naturally. If you ignore them and just try to drive 'fast', you'll most probably be slower than just clipping the cones!

And this leads to the next point - some smartass is bound to think it's a laugh to clip the cones and move them or knock thme over - so remember where the were from the first few sessions.

If you've never driven on track before I guess you'll find some of the turn-in cones unusually late - in other words, you'll want to start to turn way before the cone. This is especially true at the hairpin. Don't give in to temptation - wait until the cone until you turn in. It might seem unreasonably far in towards the corner, but this will be a better/faster line that what you might be tempted to do as a 'road' driver. Turn in early and you will stand a fair chance of going grass-cutting or mid-racing!

Have fun. Take it easy. Listen to what's said at the briefing as different organisers at KH have different rules re overtaking. WATCH YOUR MIRRORS. Follow the cones.

...and tell us how you got on tomorrow. I was tempted to come up and watch, but there's a car saying 'build me' in the garage, so I have to obey its command

WB

[sstein]

My mate and I will be sharing my suction mount so hopefully I may have some videos I can post for you all to have a laught at :P

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Stuart

[tvrolet]

sstein said:

My mate and I will be sharing my suction mount

Is this something you should be telling us on a public forum?

I keep getting spam emails for these sort of things, but I never guessed they worked.

WB

[sstein]

tvrolet said:

sstein said: My mate and I will be sharing my suction mount Is this something you should be telling us on a public forum? I keep getting spam emails for these sort of things, but I never guessed they worked. WB

Some people eh

*tsck tsck*

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Stuart

[Size Nine Elm]

sstein said:

My mate is going up as well and he has done loads of trackdays at Knockhill so im thinking try to follow him and watch where he brakes and use him to try and learn the lines.

Don't just follow him, do a few passenger laps with him first. Then follow him.

[gpa]

Whos to say your mates hooked into the right line at Knockhill anyway!! Your best just listening at the briefing and if the instructors offer to take you round for a passenger ride ( which they usually do if its your first time), then jump at the chance because they will show you whats what.

Also since you are in a low powered car try to make sure that you are the last into paddock and therefore the last out on track in each group. This will give you the first few laps of the session to concentrate on your lines instead of worrying about keeping out of the faster guys way!!

You'll love it!

enjoy

[davefiddes]

It's a bit late for you but I would recommend the Knockhill Trackday School. I did that last year before taking my beast out on a proper trackday. It's a really good plan. The instructors really know their stuff as they are mostly proper race drivers. They take you round the track showing you the lines and also what happens if you take the wrong lines (these guys have amazing car control!). You then get out and build up the speed without any pressure. Everyone else is a newbie too so there shouldn't be anyone trying to demonstrate how much faster they are or getting annoyed because you didn't get out of the way fast enough...

[sstein]

I got upto Knockhill yesterday and had a fantastic time .

In a way im kind of glad it was raining and sooo wet, as I think this meant that I was able to learn the track at slower speed and it forces you to try and be really smooth as well.

I Spent the first few laps concetrating on my lines and trying to connect the cones. The entry cones at first seemed to be very late into the corners, ESPECIALLY at the hairpin. I was having to force myself to go right to the cone and not turn in early.

The track was also quite empty, I think the weather kept a lot of people away, as at one point I was able to do 4 - 5 laps without seeing another car in front or behind me

Everyone I spoke to at the day were nice as well, they all seemed to be out there to have some fun and you didnt get the feeling that anyone was out there to prove something. When a faster came past I just moved out there way as soon as possible and got back on the racing line.

The car also held up well and ran faultlessly, the only minor problem was with the brakes heating up a bit too much, but we were coming off after 6-7 laps at a time to let them cool down. (at one point there was smoke coming out the wheels :S but they lasted all day )

There was some quick cars there as well, the fastest was easily the Primera touring car. There was also a Honda Civic Type-R with NOS.

My favourite part of the section was down dufus and into the right hand corner and by the end of the day we were catching cars down this corner.

There was also a few people like me whome it was there first time on track

In the 2 hours there was only one smash when a Subaru Estate went into the tyres.

All in all I cant wait to get back out again.

Thanks for everyone advice as well


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Stuart

[71notout]

S'funny, the last time I was up at Knockhill to watch a Top Marques night was a soaking wet Thursday night....and a Subaru estate ended up in the tyres that night as well!!!


He did roll it twice before that tho coming up out of Duffus (they were running the track in reverse).