Track Days

[AlexF]

I read an interesting piece on the net today (can't remember where but).

The point said that trackdays are the training ground for the next generation of racing driver.

What do you all think?

I'm sitting frimly on the fence for this one (being a trackday person and a wanna be racer!!)

[AlexF]

up!

[CombeMarshal]

Not any that I've Marshal'd, I wonder how most of them even manage to get home!!!

[Al Weyman]

I have been on a couple and got banned from both, I would say absolutely no way. How can they when the only place they let you overtake is down the straight bits, bit of a joke really.

[Tim Wilkinson]

For those of us coming to motorsport a bit late, trackdays do a sound job. Some muppets, but where aren't there, these days?

If it hadn't been for trackdays I wouldn't be looking to go racing next year, so in a way trackdays are a breeding ground for race drivers, but not a training ground.

Al - two sides to the coin; no overtaking on the straights is a bit of a joke, but it's not a competition and you get a hell of a lot more time on track than you do at your average club meet, plus that no overtaking pretty much guarantees that driving your toy home depends on you rather than someone else.

Racing people might sniff at trackdayers, but that's where the future of club motorsport is going to come from. I'm part of a group of a dozen or so regular trackdayers and i'm the only non-racer to have expressed any kind of interest in taking it to a competitive level, and that's more because of racer friends. Maybe targetting trackdays would be a good way to get interest and grid numbers up?

[Al Weyman]

Yes fair comments TeeJ but I did say they will let you overtake on the straights but should have said not round the bends. I understand this and appreciate it but I went to one at Silverstone several years back and I am sure they (the orgnisers) deliberately sent out a bog standard 1300 metro out just to slow every one up (I was driving 500+ bhp Camaro). After several laps of parading around the Luffiled complex at literal 30 odd mph I got frustrated and took several cars in one go including some around bends so out came the black flags predictably and that was it. Another one was at an army base and we had to slow right down to go through a chicane made up of cones because there were blokes playing golf! Trouble was I hung the tail out a bit and took all the cones out and was sent home yet again (bloody vandal I know).

[AlexF]

heheh no one like this thread when I originally posted it

I like the idea of track-day to racer... in fact I am doing exactly that next year!

Alex

[greenamex2]

Out of the 30 odd people I do track days with on a regular basis only ONE has the temperament to start AND continue racing. The rest of them are generally either just posers or not nearly committed enough.

The number of times I hear someone in a 80 grand Porsche that gets used half a dozen times a year saying he can't afford to race....

Which is a shame because some of them can actually drive.

If anything I would say that the flow of drivers is in the reverse direction. I know of a number of drivers that have given up racing to do track days because of money, time and the way we are treated when racing.

[COLIN STUBBS]

exactly right dennis iv seen the same happen at cadwell. they have some brilliant track days which are well organised and good fun. its not easy when your a racer though and like al,iv been *******ed a few times for "intimidating driving".a few of my mates cant understand why we put up with so many people that seem intent on making it difficult to race when track days are so easy.but we,re racers arnt we!! most of the track day people iv seen are either very interested spectators or ccc readers with 4" bore tailpipes... you do get a few dads taking their kids round though and thats got to be good for the future.

[RobC]

I personally know a lot of trackdayers that have given up trackdays and gone racing so I think that they help. Ok, these days I go on trackdays for a laugh, trundle around hanging the tail out and generally enjoying being on track with out the pressure of having to put in a quick time. Years ago I moved from bike trackdays (at Combe) to racing mainly because a few of the organisers suggested that I could do well (and I did for a while). Again in the car I am currently hill climbing and *fingers crossed* will be circuit racing at Combe next year. For me racing is in the blood, blame my dad for that one, but trackdays have helped me realise that I can drive quickly and safely on track.

Just my 2p's worth.

[Tim Wilkinson]

Originally Posted by teej

Al - two sides to the coin; no overtaking on the straights is a bit of a joke,

Apologies, Al, I meant in the corners, not on the straights. I read your post right then typed mine wrong! I've had a lot of instances of being held up by cars through corners - from the end of the straight to the esses at snetterton is a no-overtaking zone and can be a little frustrating if you are stuck behind something that can't do corners. (MX5s in the wet at Oulton with novice drivers springs to mind as well)

A lot of the guys I know who do trackdays have cars just for the track - not porsches or the like, but little things like 106 rallyes, astra gte's, second cars that they can make more track-focused without having to worry too much about how they are on everyday roads. They have a little money, and could probably stretch to more to go racing, but for the little they have trackdays are much better value. A couple of them are very good drivers, but for whatever reason don't have the interest in going racing, which i think is a shame. I sold my road car for a track car, and the track car for a road saloon race car. It may be the stupidest thing I ever do, tho!

Having ridden quite often with a guy who races, and often with people who don't, the difference is phenomenal. Not necessarily in speed, but in how comfortable they are in close proximity to other cars; that is something that only comes with competition, and is the difference between trackdayers and racers, i think.

[zefarelly]

I got red flagged ??? ( should have been black flagged ) as my car was too loud and I scared someone by overtaking them ( driving like a granny)

as has already been said, its a miracle some people get to the circuit

I thought it was a complete waste of time as I couldnt drive at any pace to achieve anything worthwhile

[RobC]

You need to go on events that restrict the number of cars on track, I use Lotus-on-Track who specialise in small numbers on track and making sure people of differing ability are in the right sessions. Did a Donington evening a couple of weeks ago and had a empty track and no problems with traffic. Some organisers just put far to many cars on track imho.

[Peter Mallett]

I don't think they can breed racers, but they do encourage people to get on track. All the old points about time on track and value etc. pale into insignificance when you experience racing because it is so different.

I like track days when I can take people around. Especially if its wet!

However I'm not of a mind to do one just because its there. May as well do a test session at Mallory Park.

[Anuauto]

Track days are killing motorsport. Countless venues that could be used for sprints - the real grass roots level for newcomers to motorsport - are tied up by so-called track days that, as has been more than adequately explained, rarely if at all permit driving to competition standards. Its not "good value for money compared to a sprint" if a track day wont let you drive properly. Its all well and good trying to bridge the gap to the cruise brigade to attract young drivers off the roads but if there are no venues left for the lower levels of true motorsport the end will come.

[RobC]

Don't agree with that one I'm afraid, well at least in this neck of the woods there is no shortage of venues for sprints.

[Grahame West]

I voted no. I'd love to be a racer but dont have the talent or the money. So my involvement in motorsport is through marshalling and do track days for fun.

The increased popularity of tracks must be more to do with the increase in speed cameras etc. Yes track day have rules but at least you can have fun without worrying about points etc.

[stuart05]

What better way at the end of the year to say "Thank you" to a long suffering Wife, Girlfriend and raceday helpers than to strap them into the passenger seat and show them why you do it?
We tried a track day last year as a means to getting some "no-pressure" seat time and had an absolute riot, as did our pasengers.

Do they produce new racing drivers? Everyone I met on the day I attended said no, they just wanted to drive fast for a few hours, and weren't fussed about being competitive.

As far as a breeding ground goes, I felt the only benefit I found was having a lot of time to learn a track thoroughly, with the opportunity to take another driver out to tell you where you can make up some time. It doesn't teach you how to race - theres only one way to learn that as far as I'm concerned.

[greenamex2]

Grahame - If you can afford to do track days you can probably afford to race (but not win). Some guy did a couple of seasons in our series in an almost bog standard Metro GTI, had a whale of a time and progressed his driving ability far beyond what you could achieve on a track (and not get thrown out).

All it cost him was the entries, which are cheaper than race circuit based track days. The car was too standard to go wrong!

[Jim Spencer]

Not entirely sure if they breed racers or not, I do speed events and they're certainly a good way of trying things out on the car, and as mentioned above frightening the missus.
for myself though having now done a few and a few speed events it doesn't make the thought of doing my first race meeting a daunting prospect just now one of preference for being responsible for my own mistakes, and budget, hence the maybe.
Perhaps their biggest help to the racers is that the circuits are now used more, got to help keep they a viable business concern?

[JohnMiller]

Originally Posted by Jim Spencer

Perhaps their biggest help to the racers is that the circuits are now used more, got to help keep they a viable business concern?

One o fthe best points made so far Jim, I think.

The 'man in the street' couldnt tell the difference and, like many sports, numerical strength is actual strength.

The world of motorsport is far too small to be fracturing into different splinters.

[greenamex2]

Yes, until they forgoe races and test days for track days.

[RobC]

Originally Posted by Denis Bassom

Grahame - If you can afford to do track days you can probably afford to race (but not win)

See...never understood that....why race with out having a hope in hells chance of winning? Might as well stick to trackdays were you get 10x the amount of track time for less than a entry fee

[R59]

There's something different between going out on a track day with No RACING allowed, no overtaking in corners, and even rev limits on certain stretches of track, and going out in a real race with no holds barred, and the chance of some competition, even if it's not for the win, but a mid or tail end battle.

Sometimes the battle "not to be last" can be as intense as the one for the lead (only ever done that once, following a collision, long visit to the pits, and returning to the track a lap down and very very last with deranged suspension)

Rob.

[greenamex2]

Just trying to better your lap times or beating that other guy/girl on a similar budget to yourself can be just as much fun.

Neither of which you can do on a track day.

Err, officially/without getting banned from the circuit.