Trackday/Meet

[Dave_Bayern]

I know a few people that are trying to and successfully arranging meets, which is all well and good but there is only so much interest standing in a car park looking at other peoples cars can generate.

Once you’ve seen one S3 in black, you’ve seen them all….

So, instead of looking at each others Brembo brake upgrades and comparing how ARB’s look, how about we do something that will enable us to learn about the cars handling, and actually compare the Brembo and ARB upgrades?

Like an organised Track Day.

There is nothing better to test upgrades and show you what your car is capable of, and show up problems that may need to be resolved. However, the best part about track days is that they show you your driving skills and what your car can or can not do.

You will become a safer and surer driver, and a result have a better day to day driving experience.

And its really, really, fun to hoon about on a track with no speed limits and no oncoming traffic.

Somewhere like Castle Combe might be a good place as its on the M4, for the down south people, and it’s a GREAT track, or alternatively Croft up north, or Donnington.

Its not expensive either, you wont normally destroy a whole set of pads and discs on a track like some people will tell you (although you will if you drive like a loon on crap products). Pretty much all you need to start is a helmet (ACU Gold stamp new helmets on ebay are £30) and an oil change afterwards, so another £30.

Tracks with 20min per hour sessions or an open pitlane is about £100 for the day.

If you want to insure your car against other people hitting you, that’s £96 with MORIS.

Anyone else think it’s a good idea?

 

[A3_Turbo]

Definitly up for that one mate, having my ARB's done when i get back from holiday. Then id just need sum decent pads really.

Castle combe sounds good to me!

Jason

 

[Wes G]

I think this is a super idea...I went to Snetterton in december & Brands in february with seat cupra.net and it is right hum-dinger of a day,really good fun...and I was just a passenger!!! I would be really interested in an Audi track day at some point when I get back from holiday next month?:icon_thumright:

 

[Prawn]

id be well up for a track day at combe!

it would be really interesting to compare my lap times in the audi to those in my mini.....

combe is a great track, with a nice mix of open fast sections and ight chicanes.

id be up for it for sure!

 

[sitrials]

Oh go on then you've twisted my arm when is everyone thinking?

 

[Dave_Bayern]

Well, we'd have to find out when Combe is available and then try and co-ordinate a day when we all pay for the track, as unless we get 25 confirmed cars, we won't be able to book the track just for us.

Is Combe the best idea then for travelling?

Its a good track, with a nice mix of fast straights and good corners, so it'd be nice to do it there. Failing that we could go all out for a fast track and do Goodwood or Thruxton.

 

[Dave_Bayern]

Just checked Combe and its £165 per car!!!!! and its only available on the 13th July, or 3rd and 30th August, so limited availability.

Might have to re-think location, any other ideas?

EDIT - Even Donnington (the best for availability and usually the cheapest) is £139 for July/August, must be the time of year.

£200 for a track day and it starts to look better value to get free ferry tickets from the Sun/Tesco and do Nurburgring....

 

[jcs356]

TBH I think you will be lucky to get a track day for £100 - £150 plus is the going rate at the moment.

If you are interested in Combe the Audi Driver day down there on October 13th organised by Autometrix might be a good idea - you can pay by the 15 minute session at roughly £25 a go. That way people can do as much or as little as they want. Plus we could get a display area as well and there will be a few traders in attendence.

Alternatively Castle Combe themselves are running their 'Eurofest' action day on the 8th September - a few more cars on track but a similar overall format with club displays and a chance to pay by the session.

In terms of cheap tracks to hire, Lydden Hill in Kent (near Dover) is relatively cheap, although it is quite short.

 

[Dave_Bayern]

I just paid £99 for a full day at Donnington, so its definately possible, however, summer seems to equal inflated prices.

Some of the smaller, less well used for trackday based tracks such as Oulten park or Cadwell or Croft might be a good idea.

 

[sitrials]

some Rice Cake racer mates of mine recently hired alconbury airfield and layed out there own sprint track and circuit and drag race strip all for £30 per person! how about looking into that??

 

[sitrials]

is no one interested in anything like this??
would be an awesome meet!

 

[Dave_Bayern]

Yeah. we definately need to do this, I suppose price is the biggest issue, I'm going to see a friend who is a racing instructor this coming weekend so I'll see if he has any suggestions or can get anything cheap on my behalf...

 

[Dave_Bayern]

Right, we can do Donington for the day at £105 per driver on Sunday 4th November.

LOADS of time to save up.

Good idea?

 

[scib4]

Sounds like a good idea Dave:icon_thumright:

For people who are unsure where Donington Park is.....

[URL="http://i122.photobucket.com/albums/o245/scib4/ukmapjpg-04.jpg"][/URL]

Mike

 

[nick-barnes07]

if it was at castle coombe i would of came down , as its down the road from me , anyone wanna arrange one there

 

[Dave_Bayern]

Donington is right in the middle of the country, its also one of the fastest tracks in the UK.

Castle Combe is great, but if everyone is just going to arrange something 5 minutes down the road from them then its less of a 'meet' isnt it!

 

[jojo]

Donnington isn't far from me, I might actually be interested! I'll probably get Dave running rings around me though lol.

 

[nick-barnes07]

Donington is right in the middle of the country, its also one of the fastest tracks in the UK.

Castle Combe is great, but if everyone is just going to arrange something 5 minutes down the road from them then its less of a 'meet' isnt it!

yeah agreed , i might pop down and have a blast on the track , ill let you know ,

 

[S3-ROB]

I'm less than 10 miles from Donington so would be interested in this :icon_thumright:

 

[Aky]

Count me in. Deffo up for this.

 

[voorhees]

Whens this happening then?

 

[Dave_Bayern]

I'll do a full post once I've spoken to a couple of people who may be able to bring along their skills (instructors) but probably 4th November.

 

[voorhees]

sounds good to me,my insurance is up in september and directline don't cover trackdays HIC do though so I'll be asking them for a quote
not that I have to worry about myself...last time at Donny a caterham overtook us just by craners despite being instructed at the start of the session not to attempt that there

 

[Dave_Bayern]

MORIS do decent quotes, Brentacre wouldn't cover me on my policy for trackdays, or the Nurburgring, so HIC may not either.

MORIS were approx £95 per day for 3rd party damage only, so no personal cover, and you're not covered if you total it. You are covered if someone knacks your car tho, but no costmetic cover apparently?

This is one of the factors, after finally reading the terms and conditions on track day insurance, which prompted me to look for a Mk2 golf as a dedicated track car.

 

[Aky]

I got a quote from Greenlight to renew my insurance and it mentioned on the quote that they can provide track cover - not sure of prices but they maybe worth a try

 

[StaffsS3]

Count me in. Donnington is 20 minutes from me. Can't wait......