Advice for track day rookies
Discussion
Well with Xmas over and my bank balance still in the black I'm considering getting the Griff out on a few track days. So what advice do you have?
Tracks to go for / tracks to avoid?
Ditto good organisers or poor ones?
I feel I'd be happier on a TVR only day but should this be the case?
Special preparation required etc, or shold I just go read Steve Heath's book? 
Regards Rich...
Regards Rich... 
Try BookaTrack.com or Easytrack.com
Limited choice of tracks but good value and nice relaxed atmosphere.
They do a lot of track days at Anglesey which is a fantastic circuit, but probably favours Caterhams/Westfields/Elises more than TVRs (Although someone is taking a 500bhp Cerbie there next month I see)
Main preparation is a good service, to make sure all fluids are OK and check all bolts/bushes on the suspension etc. Check you've got enough wear left on your brake pads & tyres, and empty everything out of the car that isn't fastened down !
steve
Rich,
You'll need tape for your lights and gaffer tape for the bodywork....
Only joking...
Where are you based ?
This will limit the venues and days, as driving more than about 150 miles to the track, anything upto 100 miles on track and then back home again is a bit too tiring (IMHO), unless you swap drivers or stay overnight.
I'm booked on Easytrack's Goodwood day March 3rd.
Check your tyres are good, pads have more than about 4 millimetres, and top the oil up to a little over full. You may also wish to consult your insurance cover, although this is a point of great debate in the group.
Have fun whatever,
Dr C
Rich... 
Some guy from London is taking a cerbie to the BookaTrack track day on 11th Feb. On BookaTrack you register and book on-line and as part of the registering you state the type and power of the car you intend to bring, presumably to assist in assigning cars to sessions. This bloke claims his 4.5 cerbie has 510 bhp!
Hardly proof I know, but it's possible.
If you look at the website you can see exactly who's going on each day - there's still space on the 11th Feb !
sjm
Very interesting, this 510bhp Cerbera ! I was at the last RMA Bedford Autodrome, and a prominant TVR Tuscan/GT Championship racer had a "450bhp" road Cerbera with modified suspension, and yet it was only very marginally faster than my 1370kg, 198 bhp at the rear wheels 968 CS Porsche ! Maybe there is some difference in the actual size of Blackpool horses !
Regards, Tim.
His 350+BHP S3 was apparently reasonably genuine: he'd spent a 5 figure sum over in Germany tuning it.
No idea about the TVR, but it was amazingly loud, and didn't get traction until some point in 4th gear; so it did have the odd big horse under the bonnet.
Edited by raybarnett on Thursday 1st February 17:52
Edited by raybarnett on Thursday 1st February 17:52
What with the power bulge in my bonnet to take the enormous lump I've got 
Anyone dynoed their TVR's. Word is they never make the power claimed by the factory, but they always feel fast 'cos of the light weight.
Not that I'm putting them down, I had 2 Chimps and I've got a Tuscan on order. I have been tuning my Skyline with rolling road to check. It would be interesting to get several TVRs on the rollers (esp. a 510bhp one).
In my limited experience at the rolling roads, there are few 'modified' cars that actually make the power their owners think their cars are making.
Guy R
quote:That wasn't the tuned Cerbera, that was a standard 4.5 lightweight. The 510bhp Cerbie wasn't there. It has allegedly been 'breathed on' by the Porsche tuners RUF. It's the same chap who stuffed his Cerbie at Bedford, claiming brake failure. Amazing how the tyres erupted in clouds of smoke as he headed towards the mud bank though... Edited by PetrolTed on Thursday 1st February 19:38
No idea about the TVR, but it was amazingly loud, and didn't get traction until some point in 4th gear; so it did have the odd big horse under the bonnet.
quote:Woohoo - I've been spotted! That was no magic 510bhp Cerbie... just my bog standard 4.5 (maybe lightweight). The no traction bit sounds really dramatic, but to be honest the whole airfield required no more than 3rd gear, and it was pretty gravelly there on that bloody straight; it doesn't generally wheelspin in a straight line on the dry in third unfortunately :-). Still- sounds fantastic doesn't it? danny
No idea about the TVR, but it was amazingly loud, and didn't get traction until some point in 4th gear; so it did have the odd big horse under the bonnet.
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