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Trackday Advice Guide & Preparation for Beginners Novice

911UK

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Most of us have sat at home and watched Ayrton Senna, Michael Schumacher and Sebastian Vettel reign supreme on every GP racetrack in the world during the 00's and have no doubt thought,"I wonder if I could ever do that?" Well you can! quite easily and you have nothing to fear from doing it. It is as simple as either booking yourself on a Track Day from one of the many online track day organisers or joining one of the many club track days that are held, even in your Porsche 911.

With the ever-worsening British roads and clampdowns on speeding drivers, track days are the only decent opportunity for enthusiasts like us, to give our cars a good shakedown. They are tremendous fun and allow you to explore the limits of your car's handling in relative safety. The key to getting the most out of a track day is preparation and maintenance.

What is a Trackday?
It's a day where you can go along to a race circuit and drive your own car. It is often the only legal way to explore the full range or your car's abilities. There are no police to stop you from speeding; there are no junctions to worry about.

It is a non-competitive event allowing drivers of road and track cars to come to a race circuit and explore their car's performance in a safe, controlled and professional environment. Basically, a trackday is what driving your car really all is about!

Track Days are fun events at which you can extend both yourself and your Porsche (as far, or as little as you want) within controlled surroundings and enjoy a degree of tuition to improve your skills, getting the best from yourself and your car!

The days are actually not that expensive at all and contrary to rumour if you look after your car, your car will look after you. Obviously Trackday cars, Evo's, Porsches etc will race round in circles all day without even batting an eyelid, but they still need looking after! So if you expect your Porsche 911 to do the same then you will be sorely disappointed, but by observing simple trackday procedures with your 911 you can easily get the most out of any Trackday without straining your car.

What is a trackday not?
A trackday is not a race or testing or timing day. Anyone found racing or competing in any way will be refused track time. Many circuits will bar you for breaking this rule. For those of you who race or aspire to racing, you are welcome as long as you leave all the timing equipment at home.

Can I go on a trackday?
Yes, of course! You must hold a valid full driving licence and this is the only qualification you need.

Choosing the right day
There are plenty of events held around the country every week, so finding a date won't be an issue, but there are things to look out for. Firstly if you have a particularly noisy car you need to be careful to ensure you won't exceed the set limit for the day. This limit will have been set by the local council and will be strictly enforced by the circuit rather than the trackday organizer, so if your car is too loud you won't be allowed out on track, it's as simple as that. As for location, we'd suggest choosing a circuit close to home so that your road driving is minimized, the concentration required for a full trackday can be quite tiring the first time, so it helps if you haven't got to endure a long drive home afterwards.

Another thing to consider is whether you would prefer a day with running-in 'sessions' or one where an 'open pitlane' format is employed. 'Sessions' mean that you are given certain times when you can go on track – typically either twenty or thirty minutes long – and drivers of a similar speed and experience are grouped together in novice, intermediate and advanced sessions. This type of day is favoured by beginners as it ensures you won't be out there alongside the experts, but you should check just how many cars are allowed at once to ensure it won't be over crowded.

What should I bring with me?
Driving licence, car (clearly!), the correct crash helmet (which must be worn on track), long clothes (that fully cover your arms and legs). Not really a long list, is it?

The driving licence must be valid and full. If you have one of the new plastic licences, please bring the paper counterpart as well. Some circuits are very fussy about this and will make you call the DVLA at your own expense for a licence check.

In car Video and Stills cameras
Are allowed at trackdays but these are subject to the venue's Clerk of the Course having to approve the mounting of them. They must be secure and not in any area where they obstruct the view of the driver or are a possible danger to others by falling off.

Cameras on the exterior of a car and helmet camera are increasingly disallowed at trackday venues, but you will need to check with the Clerk of the Course at your event.

Timing equipment and dataloggers
Timing on trackdays is not allowed unless it's a "testing" day. Dataloggers can be used only if they are the GPS/accelerometer type and don't give any "live" timing results.

Won't everyone else be much faster than me?
Maybe, maybe not. Either way, there are rules to protect you. Overtaking is only by consensus and only on the straights. On top of that circuit marshals will be looking out for 'bullies' at all times so that you will not feel uncomfortable!

Don't worry about horsepower! Remember fast cars are fast because they are driven well, not because they are the most powerful.

How about Insurance?
It is unlikely that your road Insurance covers you for trackdays. However, Insurance can be bought, either for the day or for a whole year. You will be required to sign a declaration before you are allowed on track to say that you accept the risks associated with the activity.

What if I crash?
This is always the big question! Unfortunately, despite the best safety efforts, accidents do sometimes occur. All trackdays are staffed with rescue and medical staff provided by the circuit owners. Should you have an accident, they will look after you. Another aspect of crashing is damage to your car. You will sign a declaration before you go on track that you are aware of the risks and any damage to the car or yourself is your own responsibility. You are not required to insure your car but, if you do not, and you crash, the payment to fix it must come from your own pocket.

Prepare your car!

If your car is road legal, then it is good enough for the track! Seatbelts are required at all tracks. You car will encounter higher stresses than would not be ordinarily encountered on the road (excepting the most aggressive of road drivers!). For this reason, it is important that drivers be satisfied the car is up to the task.

Noise
Circuits are coming under increasing pressure from local residents and various environmental groups regarding noise issues, many tracks impose noise limits. These are not usually a problem for standard road cars. If your car fails the noise test, you will have to quieten it or not be allowed on the track. Castle Combe in Wiltshire has a strict circuit noise limits, at 100 dB(A).

Brakes
Hard use of the brakes will increase the temperatures to which components are subjected. Pads, which are getting low, may struggle to cope with the extra heat and brake 'fade' may result. Thin (worn) discs may be prone to distortion if used to extremes.

Brake fluids that are still the OEM DOT 4 rating can have a limited range, depending how heavy your braking is, this can lead to a spongy pedal under repeated hard use, especially at a heavy braking circuit such as Bedford, SIlverston or Castle Combe.

A high temperature fluid (DOT 5.1) is advisable, but to ensure your brakes last, even consider braking earlier and ensure that you have a proper cool down lap at the end of each session, which will allow you to easily last the day.

Tyres
Are they in good physical condition with no damage to sidewalls? If the tread is low, this may improve the feel of the car and its stability under dry conditions, but if it rains you may be in trouble. As with all things in life, this element relies on compromise. Brand new tyres will feel 'slippery' until they have bedded in and the deep tread blocks may make the car feel 'fidgety' when cornering hard. Generally, tyre pressures may need to be slightly increased for dry track use, but decreased on a wet track.

Vehicle contents
You should make sure that all unnecessary and loose items are removed from the car, preferably before you set off for the circuit. Loose contents can fly around inside the car under braking and cornering and are therefore a potential danger. This applies equally to mobile phones, which should be switched off to avoid distractions.

Fuel
Make sure you have fuel. You will use a lot of fuel so make sure you check it regularly. After all you do not want to run out of fuel on the circuit, as this will stop everybody while you are rescued!

Lubricant levels
Engines used at high revs may consume more oil than under normal use. If necessary, bring a can to top-up if you know the engine is consuming oil. Check the transmission oil before the event but do not over-fill the engine oil, as any higher and it may overflow when hot and the oil expands.

Prepare yourself!

Crash helmet
Must be worn at all times when a driver or passenger is on the track. These do not need to be to the latest racing standard (although this is advisable) but they must be in good condition. An organiser will have helmets available for 'loan', if you do not have your own.

Clothing
It is not necessary to wear special clothing, but (for reasons of safety, not modesty) arms and legs must be covered at all times. Therefore, shorts or short sleeved shirts are not acceptable, whatever the weather.

Driving licence
All drivers will be required to show their Driving Licence when signing on before the event. This is not to check how many points you have, but to ensure you are able to drive a car legally. Regrettably, no licence - no track time and no refund.


The Day

Drivers Briefing
Listen to what the organiser and marshals have to say, even if you have done trackdays before, there will be specific instructions about the day, including circuit procedures, warm up sessions, timings and overtaking rules.

The rules
The biggest rule always is the one concerning overtaking and almost always this is allowed only on the left-hand side and only on the straights and never in the braking zones (there are a few exceptions to this, Castle Coombe has a policy of overtaking on the right and some days organized for experienced drivers only do occasionally allow overtaking on both sides). This means that overtaking requires co-operation from both parties as the car in front has move over to the right (and sometimes lift-off a little) so that the following car can pass.

This is what differentiates a trackday from testing and creates a safe environment where everyone can have fun. No one will dive down the inside of you under braking and once you reach the corner you can concentrate fully on it in the knowledge that anyone behind you will have to wait until you reach the next straight before you let them past. There are marshals all around the circuit so anyone transgressing this rule will be immediately be spotted and the driver will be hauled in to explain themselves.

Garages
Garages are available at most circuits, it is best to pre-book a garage to ensure you do not miss out, as any spare garages available on the day on a first come first serve basis are often snapped up first thing.

On Track
Stay alert to what is happening around you, do not get too close to other cars and check your mirrors and be ready to let faster cars pass (only on the straights) as they approach very quickly, but remember to what has been said in the drivers briefing.

Depending on how hard the car is being driven and how much heat is being generated within the tyres; it is recommended that you check your tyre pressures after every run to ensure that they are within the right limits. Driving quickly on a circuit will use the tyres harder than normal, but wear will not be excessive unless driven like a lunatic.

Quick driving means using the grip, not exceeding it or sliding the car around. The edges of the tread blocks will 'feather' slightly, but normal road driving will tend to flatten them off again. Also, watch out for legality on your drive home, you don't want your tyres to be illegal.

Towing Eye
Make sure you add your towing eye to your vehicle to ensure it can be recovered safely and without any damage. If you car does have an off and you do not have a towing eye, the recovery service can use any part of your car to attach a cable to it.

Driver Instruction
If it is available, it is highly recommended that you do have a session with an instructor, as this will make all the difference to your driving. Even after all these years I still have an Instruction session as there is always much to learn.

Information about Driver Training can be found by clicking here

Flags
On track certain flags are used to signal to all drivers. When you are on your sighting laps on track please familiarise yourself with the position of the marshal posts. The following are the types of flags you will see:

flags_778.jpg


Tyre Pressures

These are very important and will be one of the main influences to how you car reacts on the day, as a result they need to be carefully monitored. At the start of the day keep to what the manufacturer states in the drivers manual / door sticker for road AT COLD.

When on track the tyres will go through heat cycles that are no experienced on the road through cornering. It is advisable to then stick to the same recommended pressures but AT HOT track driving tempearture your tyres will now be at ie cornering forces will build up heat and cause the PSI to rise.

You will need to manage your tyre pressures by reducing the amount of air in the tyres to bring the PSI down to the operating level as the tyre temps rise. These are a good benchmark and when on track you can have a look and see how they are wearing and adjust your tyre pressures accordingly.

Don't forget to add back the amount of Air PSI that you had taken out during the day, other by the time your tyres would have cooled down the PSI would have dropped down and your tyre risk being under inflated.

TMPS

Gadgets such as the Tyre Pressure Monitoring System, can assist with tyre management, as reviewed here.

Cooling Down
This has been mentioned and is very important! After you last flying lap it is advisable to do another "in" lap but not at track speed (slow but not so slow as to get in the way of other cars on the circuit), in order to cool down the car. Stay off the racing line and try to not use your brakes unless very lightly to maximise the this cooling time.

Depending on the circuit it may be adviseable to indicate (on the side, per instructions from briefing) to show other quick drivers that your are staying out of the way. By the time you would have come back to the pit lane, your brakes, engine and gearbox would have had a good chance to cool down.

Back in the Pits
Finally do not park with your handbrake on! you may risk seizing your brake pads to your discs, park it in gear.

My final piece of advice is to enjoy yourself. Whether you drive an older or new Porsche 911, even a Cabriolet or Targa or any car for that matter! A track day is about having fun "safely" and driving your car like you never can on the road. Done right and you'll be saving for a trip to the legendary Nurburgring, the moment you leave the track!

Good luck and have fun.
 
Here's a video with none other than Fifth Gear's Tiff Needle showing us the basics and providing some very helpful insights for beginners.




Another Tiff Master Class :)

 
James Ball said:
I'n not sure where I got it but I have pasted in some advice someone in the US wrote about doing autocross. I think it is somewhat applicable to track days over here though. Sorry its a bit long!



Cheers, James



AUTOCROSS TIPS FROM ONE NOVICE TO ANOTHER

Presumably, you yourself are a novice autocrosser looking for tips and advice, so I thought I'd share a few things I've learned from my first year of racing. Not all of them are related to actually driving the car faster, but they're all intended to make the entire experience better (which, in turn, may make you drive faster).



So, in no particular order...



CHECK THE WEATHER.

Be especially conscious of weather conditions if you're driving to an event that is far from home. I once went to a race that was about an hour inland from where I lived. It was cool and overcast where I was, but it was close to 90 degrees at the track. In true novice fasion, I wore jeans and a black shirt and also forgot to bring my Gatorade. So there I was, strapped in with a five-point harness, full-face helmet, dehydrated and sweating like crazy. I was thinking more about a cold shower than driving the course. These days I usually bring a pair of shorts to every event, just in case.

It goes the same for rain. If there is even a possibility of rain, I bring a full rain suit, the two-piece yellow get-up that grizzled fisherman wear on TV. You might think that you can get away with just bringing a hat and a waterproof jacket, but that only protects you while you're jumping in and out of your car. Don't forget that you also have to work the course, which means that you're going to be standing out exposed to the elements for at least twenty minutes straight, and often longer. Even in a light drizzle, you'll get drenched. And believe me, it's no fun to race soaking wet.



TAKE RIDES FROM STRANGERS

Anytime someone offers you a ride on one of their runs, grab your helmet, and take it. You can read all the books you want to, but one of the best ways to understand what goes into driving a fast lap is to actually witness one from the passenger's seat. Watch the lines they drive, pay attention to the sounds of the throttle, watch their hands and heads. Remember, you're in the car to learn, so don't just sit there enjoying the the colored cones whiz by. Try to see what they're doing differently than you, and then try to understand why.

By the same token, don't be afraid to bring more experienced drivers with you on your own runs. It may make you nervous, but that's all the more reason to do it often and get used to it. And chances are as soon as you leave the starting line you're going to forget all about the other person in the car. If you want your passenger to pay attention to certain things, like where you're apexing or how well you're using your brakes, ask them ahead of time so they'll be conscious of it. At the end of your run ask them as many questions as you can and get all the feedback they're willing to give.



MAKE A CHECKLIST.

I suppose some people just throw a helmet in the trunk and head off to the race. But if you're like me, you bring a lot of stuff: chalk, tire gauge, magnetic numbers, lucky charms, etc. It's easier to write it all down and keep the list handy than to rely on memory. This goes especially for when you have long gaps between races.



BRING A FOLDING CHAIR

Most of your day at the autocross will be waiting around for your group to run. Unfortunately, that can't be helped. But do yourself a favor and at least be comfortable while you wait.



GET A TARP

So useful for so many things. A good tarp protects your gear in the rain and keeps things cool in the sun. It's also good for just covering your expensive tools while you're on the course. Some people are concerned with theft at races. I never worry about other autocrossers stealing items, but I do worry about non-members who may be prowling around the site. Covering your stuff with a tarp reduces temptation, if nothing else.



LET THE AIR OUT

Nothing complicated here. You'll most likely have extra air in your tires for the race, plus they will have heated up on the course. Just don't forget to let out some air before you drive home. But remember, they'll still be warm, so don't adjust them all the way down to cold pressure.



CHALK THOSE TIRES!

Use chalk or white shoe polish to mark your tires and then examine them after each run to see how much tread you're using (or how badly you're rolling over onto your sidewalls). If you don't know how to do this, ask someone and they'll be glad to show you. Proper tire pressure is such a crucial element for a good run. As a novice, you'll have no idea what the best pressure for your tires will be (it's definitely not the same as what you use for the street). Chalk them throughout your novice season until you get a feel for what's best.



WRITE IT DOWN

When you're just starting out, things tend to be so exciting that you may take your runs, leave the grid, pack up your stuff, and be well on your way home before the adrenaline stops pumping. At first, I would sit in a daze between each run, just trying to get my heart to stop pounding. But that time is much better spent analyzing what you did right or wrong, which turn gave you the most trouble, or where you hit a patch of marbles. If you don't stop to think about your last run, you'll make all the same mistakes on the next one. I used to carry a small notepad in the glove compartment and force myself to write down at least one thing I could do better. Writing something down tends to focus your attention versus just letting everything bounce around your head all at once.



INSPECT YOUR CAR BETWEEN RUNS

It doesn't hurt to get out of your car between each run and check to make sure you're not dragging any cones underneath. Usually someone else will spot it and tell you, but you'll look pretty foolish if they don't. Might as well get out, stretch your legs, and check the car.



MONITOR YOUR IMPROVEMENT

You may compare your times to the other novices in the group to see if you're improving, but remember that they're probably improving the same way you are. So if you continue to place 5th out of 10 race after race after race, it doesn't necessarily mean you're not getting any better. The four guys ahead of you are just getting better, too.

Try finding a seasoned veteran who has a similar car or driving style, and compare your times to theirs. Hopefully what you'll see as you progress through the season is that at first your times may consistently be 8 seconds slower, then 5 seconds, then 3. Veterans improve, too, of course, but they probably won't have the kind of dramatic drops in times that novices have unless they start using nitrous oxide.



IT'S PROBABLY NOT THE CAR

Unless you're racing a Model T, slow lap times are probably not your car's fault. True, the car should be in good running condition, with decent tires, proper air pressure, and so on and so forth. But what I mean is that before you order that supercharger kit and four new Hoosier tires, evaluate your own performance driving skills. It takes plenty of experience to drive a modern, "point A to point B", passengner sedan to its limit; so if you're a Novice driving an M3, don't expect that you will have "mastered" the car in the space of one season. Remember, you're not a Formula One driver - replacing your stock pedals with drilled aluminum versions will not benefit you as much as working to improve your smoothness and braking.




Migration info. Legacy thread was 2892
 
My 1st TD on Thursday 21st August and its a novice day/evening .

£99 I thought was a great price (is the the norm ?) I have also booked an instructor for 20 mins for an extra £25.

From reading all the posts you guys have all made on 911uk I think I will be prepared but there are a few things I wouldnt mind knowing :

1,

They asked about the noise of my vehicle ? My car is a 997 C2S so therfore I think I will be ok regarding the sound, its should not exceed 101db ? am I ?


2, Do i start with a FULL fuel tank ? ( stupid question I know
:floor: )

3, Helmet ? I want to buy one, any recommendations ?


any other advice would be much appreciated :worship:


thanks again



8)
 
It was good to meet you last night Jose.

£99 is the standard Motorsport Vision price for an evening session.

Your car should be about 95 dBA if it has got a standard exhaust so you'll be fine. Even with a PSE, you should be under 101.

Start with a full fuel tank and don't be surprised if you only get about 10 mpg on track - so about 9 laps of the Indy circuit to the gallon.

For a helmet, the best thing is to go to a biggish bike shop and try on loads until you find one which fits well and is comfortable. Remember the make, model and size then find one on the web for much less cash. When I bought mine, I ended up with a £400 lid for about £230 which I was well chuffed about.

Put all of these together and have fun :thumbs:
 
Seagull said:
It was good to meet you last night Jose.

£99 is the standard Motorsport Vision price for an evening session.

Your car should be about 95 dBA if it has got a standard exhaust so you'll be fine. Even with a PSE, you should be under 101.

Start with a full fuel tank and don't be surprised if you only get about 10 mpg on track - so about 9 laps of the Indy circuit to the gallon.

For a helmet, the best thing is to go to a biggish bike shop and try on loads until you find one which fits well and is comfortable. Remember the make, model and size then find one on the web for much less cash. When I bought mine, I ended up with a £400 lid for about £230 which I was well chuffed about.

Put all of these together and have fun :thumbs:

What he said ^^

THe most important things: about a helmet (imo) are:

a) does it fit?
b) is it comfortable (obviously closely linked to a)
c) is it made to a recognised standard (Snell, BS, etc.)
d) do you know its history (ie has it been dropped/in an accident) - if you buy new you will obviously know this

As an alternative to a bike shop, somewhere like Grand Prix Racewear in Chiswick will have track specific helmets and may be worth a try

Finally, and the only point where I will slightly disagree with the previous poster, is that if you go to a shop, use their facilities to try on helmets AND you find one you like and which fits, then I would buy from them rather than then going to the internet. If no one buys from them then soon they won't be around to allow us to try on helmets ...
 
I was at a Novice day at Snetterton this week (we had a group from work, and while certainly not my first TD, but I wouldn't call myself anything like experienced. Most of the guys had never been on track before, but at the end of the day, all showed signs of getting hooked).

On the subject of helmets - a lot of people have different opinions on these (quite a few roll out the $10 head/helmet cliche), but for whatever my opinion is worth, in a modern airbagged car I would recommend anything that meets a recognised safety standard that fits properly and comfortably. Open face is fine in this application in a closed car and will generally be more comfortable and easier to communicate with an instructor. I use a £150 Sparco and it is perfect for my needs. Yes - I would advise buying one as I did before my first track day. You will need it again :D

On a C2S with factory exhaust, noise is not going to be a consideration.

Fuel - I like to have around 2/3 of a tank at the start of my first session (if it is low then refuel, but frankly it isn't something to stress over). The only important thing is not to run out, and on a 20 minute session if you have a third of a tank you will be able to do a the session and comfortably go to refuel afterwards.

Other advice. Watch your mirrors, but do not obsess - when you aren't used to being on track then it is important not to miss your braking point because you are looking behind. That said - anyone who closes up to you should be released at the next available straight. Straights are easy and it isn't a race - a car crawling over the back of you is a distraction that you don't need, so letting them past gets rid of them. That said though you shouldn't feel obligated to do so through the twisty bits unless you really feel like it.

Most important thing of all - don't try to drive too fast too soon. Work your way up at your own pace, you will end up getting more enjoyment out of the day that way. Do bear in mind though that novice days will include some really slow traffic and you have to be patient. It is a novice day, and as such is the place for people of all levels of confidence and types of machinery to begin track life. Patience is implicit in being on a novice day.

There will always be someone slower and someone faster, so to reiterate - do not get hung up on speed. Just enjoy it, and your car.

Instruction is always recommended IMHO. Initially it is a matter of telling you where to position the car on track, where to brake and where to feed in the power. Fundamentally, they will be able to tell you what you are doing wrong and this will help a lot.

Using someone like Sean is perhaps a slightly unnecessary exercise on your first couple of times out on track, but once you have done some days and are comfortable in the car on a circuit I would certainly endorse it. I did a session with him at Brands earlier in the year and found it very good value that has definitely helped me to progress.

Beyond that it is good to use a range of instructors - all good teachers have different styles and often different perspectives on what is how important. Getting a broad spread of instruction (especially when you are inexperienced like I am) gives the most information that you can use and the best idea of what is going to work most effectively for the way you want to learn.

Stay safe, within your comfort zone and pay attention to what is going on around you and you are going to love it!
 
getting back to the trackday

today I bought:

Michelin Tyre pressure gauge
Mobil 1 0W-40 (1 litre) £7.50
Mobil 1 0W-40 (5 Litre) £28

I also called OPC Mid Sussex for prices of tyres, brakes etc ? am I going to kill all of my tyres ? stupid question I know

Does anyone use OPC Mid Sussex ? I know one of the mechanics so that is the reason I will hopefully being using them instead of Guildford where I bought the car.
 
j8fbr said:
getting back to the trackday

today I bought:

Michelin Tyre pressure gauge
Mobil 1 0W-40 (1 litre) £7.50
Mobil 1 0W-40 (5 Litre) £28

I also called OPC Mid Sussex for prices of tyres, brakes etc ? am I going to kill all of my tyres ? stupid question I know

Does anyone use OPC Mid Sussex ? I know one of the mechanics so that is the reason I will hopefully being using them instead of Guildford where I bought the car.

Jose I use Mid Sussex OPC for my routine servicing and any warranty work and I have found them fine. Jeremy and Peter on the Service side are decent guys and Gron in the workshop is a top bloke.

However I would never use them for brakes and tyres as they are too expensive. I use Parr in Crawley for brakes and geo's etc and a local tyre fitter (HiQ) in Horley.

Hop[e your TD goes well
 
8) :D 8) :D :wink: 8) :D

1st TD and I'm Bitten !

What a day, I got to Brands Hatch 1 hour early as I was so excited.

there was a Bike Trackday on so watched that and waited to see what cars would be turning up.

BMW M3, 3 Clios, 2 Vauxhall VXR and so on .......

mini coopers, Seat Ibiza, Citroen Saxo 1.4 !, Honda Civic, Diesel Golfs .....

anyway I was thinking that maybe I was a bit over dressed ! and then Pork started turning up !

3 Boxsters & Cayman.

anyway, did the briefing, went round the track in minbuses and then finally went to the pits, got a garage with the M3 boys I made friends with and got ready to go out.

I booked instruction for my first session and it helped a great deal (£25)
I would not of pushed the car as much if I hadn't had the instruction.

No casualties apart from young lady that spun her Mini Cooper coming out of Paddock Hill.

I loved every minute of the sessions so much I did not even clock how fast I was going or how many laps I did.

The M3 gave me a good race and we did get the "take it steady" from the marshalls once.

The car handled great and I don't know how I only used half a tank of fuel ??? didn't push hard enough !

I also came back with legal Rubber and the breaks looked ok.

Oil went down 1 bar on the computer ??

I Pushed the car as much as I wanted to but feel maybe with the Fuel/Oil and tyre usage maybe I took it too Easy.

All in all I loved the experience and will deff be booking up again soon for my next Novice trackday ?

the following link shows some of the other cars that were there.

http://www.rawaction.co.uk/track/Brands-21-08-08-C-E/index.htm

for £99 I had a great day and even got a garage for free (is that normal ?)

I will put some pics up soon.

Any other trackdays coming up for 911uk ???????
 

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A bit late to this thread as I have only just joined!

I too have just done my first track day at Brands on the £99 Novice day and loved it! Very addictive indeed. It was a little wet all day but did dry up.

I booked an instructor as well but did not have him until the 2nd session. It made a huge difference. On the first session I did not get over 100mph going down the straight towards Paddock but with him and after him was getting to 120mph and taking the apex at Paddock at 65mph (as I was a bit scared!)

The instruction really gave me some confidence which I now have to ensure I do not get carried away with. I will make sure I take further instruction next time so I don't get carried away and make sure that I remember that I am novice.

I drive a C2 996 Facelift and managed to melt the break sensors so the light came on... A bit worrying but a look showed there was plenty left on the pads. The next day though I spoke to a specialist who preps cars for Rallying and used to look after a friends Turbo. he suggested putting on some EBC Yellow Stuff's instead so they would cope with the track days better and be good on the road.

My rear tyres are looking like they will need changing in the next 2000 or so miles - any suggestions?

Nice to be here..
 
Welcome to 911uk..

Maybe worth changing the fluid ??

I remember my first track day...
 
I had the fluid checked when he did the brakes. He also drilled out the disks as they were clogged up with dust. They feel good now!
 

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