My experiences of my first track day...
04-06-2014, 06:43 AM
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My experiences of my first track day...
Hi all,
Thoughts I'd share my experiences of my first track day at Cadwell park last weekend (29th March)
So back at Christmas time, on Boxing Day someone texted me about a one day sale that Opentracks were having on track days. The prices were simply too good to pass off and on impulse I bought the Cadwell track day as it was one of the few that were on a weekend (no chance during the week due to work) £129 plus £10 passenger for my mate INCLUDING Food, tuition and photos! Bargain!
To say I was counting that days / hours / minutes up to the day is an understatement of the century
as I was so excited. On the run up I did a lot of research on things like tyres and things to do before hand etc.
I also bought an SJ1000 dash cam for the day which is a fanatic bit of kit for the money! You can forget GoPros!
I did a lot with the car on the run up including:
New clutch kit (my release bearing seized) £££££££!!!
Coolant
ATE clutch fluid
ATE brake fluid
Clutch slave cylinder
Brembo discs and pads all round
HEL Braided lines
Driveshaft cup swap
Goes without saying I wanted my car spanky for the day!
Tyres wise I went with Bridgestone RE002's for my 16's and was £280 for the full set! Went to get them fitted like a boss!
So my mate and I went up on the Friday afternoon, him driving his car with all the bits in like tyres, torque wrench, tools, tyre gauge, jack etc etc etc and stayed in Louth above this ace American diner! The journey was a long one from Surrey due to usual M25 b
s and the Lincolnshire roads being very slow.
So the morning of the Saturday finally arrived and our hotel was very kind any left us a packed breakfast as we were up and out earlier than their in house breakfast.
Very foggy morning at some 07:00! Very thing checked before I turned a key like fluids etc and she was sat on max.
So we signed on, car was noise tested and guess what!?
She passed! Have to say I was very surprised by this, she's a very loud car but she registered 100dB and the limit was 105dB. Have to say that I got a great sense of the whole event being very laid back, very nice atmosphere and not stuffy like some events I used to run when I worked at a race circuit years ago, especially MSV events. But very smoothly run and everyone smiling
Tyre pressures adjusted, wheels torqued, car checked over, slight coolant top up etc. and roof down, obviously
I hired a helmet and went on a few sighting laps.
It certainly brightened up! Changed to standard alloys with VERY sticky Briggies.
Then the day was there to be had! A few choice pics from the day, some have been played with, some not.
So you can see the weather was amazingly sunny and very warm!
The array of different mac every was amazing, everything from a group of four guys who had bought for cars to track and had spent £1000 between all four of them! to a guys with a brand spanking new 911 GT3 RS and everything inbetween. Amazing.
I also spoke to Mike with his blue S2K there too, hope you had a good day bud
Tyres
In regards to the tyres, MY GOD! They are incredible, very, very sticky and grip levels were very high! When I came in form track I couldn't get my hands on them for the heat of them! I spent the entire day hammering the track and they once just look run in! Car clearly has a good setup for track as there is no evidence of bad graining etc. HIGHLY recommended. One thing I'd do for next time though is use 17" wheels with these as the profile on the 16's is too high and can sometimes roll onto the side whilst trail raking, I did adjust the pressure later but could have still been better.
Brakes
I was running OEM size Brembo discs and race pads (will have to dig out the exact specs) which were about a month old, some 800 miles on them only and I cannot begin to convey to you all how incredible these brakes are. Cadwell is very hard on brakes as one corner I was braking from 120mph into a tricky right hander and from the gooseneck down hill into an off cambered left hander. My mate was astonished too, he actually said it sometimes hurt when I was braking! At NO point did I experience brake fade, I fact they seemed to get better to hotter they got! I'm soooooooo glad I upgraded my braking system, plenty of people on the day were getting frustrated with their brakes fading.
Opentracks
I had never heard of Opentracks until this friend of mine told me about them, it's run by David Woodall who also hires a Tiger Avon out for track days and I would highly recommend using them for your next track day, I had many questions up and to the event, being my first track day and David was always there to answer questions. Very reasonably priced too
My Car
Well what a car to do a track day in! I've had my S2000 a year now and with day to day driving, you tend to not get a sense of a cars true potential and it's capabilities, but I learnt a lot about the car on the track day. Such a beautifully balanced car and immense fun on circuit.
Things that went wrong
I started the day with just under half a tank of fuel and realised when I got to about two bars of fuel, it didn't like it and was starved of fuel, it's hardly something that went wrong but worth baring in mind.
On only my second ever lap of the day, being rather over zealous with the car, I trailbraked too long into a corner and ended up spinning off the track, no damage thankfully but tyres and brakes were probably still cold, so was my own doing! Sort of glad it happened as it made me realise what can happen!
Things I'd change
I'd use 17 inch wheels as I feel the profile on 16's isn't the best. I'd stiffen the rear up a bit if I could. I'd of taken jerry cans of fuel instead of using the circuits own fuel station. I'd also have heal and toed more, it's quite important lol. Think I'd like some Eibach springs for the nxt time.
Best bits
Having an Evo 6 on my tail and him not being able to get past, despite me moving over for him. This made me smile. There were supercharged / turbocharged MX-5's too but I found I was still quite a bit quicker.
The tuition was fantastic and I was far quicker after this, opened my eyes a little.
Having the confidence on the brakes made the day that more excellent, it certainly surprised a few people following me round the circuit
THAT feeling when you leave the circuit after a run and you are BUZZING
People coming up to me and complementing my car, saying that it sounds amazing (I have a full custom exhaust) etc.
Here are a few short vids of my car drowning all sound on the circuit
All in all a fantastic day!
Apologies for the insanely long post but thoughts you guys may appreciate it
Thoughts I'd share my experiences of my first track day at Cadwell park last weekend (29th March)
So back at Christmas time, on Boxing Day someone texted me about a one day sale that Opentracks were having on track days. The prices were simply too good to pass off and on impulse I bought the Cadwell track day as it was one of the few that were on a weekend (no chance during the week due to work) £129 plus £10 passenger for my mate INCLUDING Food, tuition and photos! Bargain!
To say I was counting that days / hours / minutes up to the day is an understatement of the century
as I was so excited. On the run up I did a lot of research on things like tyres and things to do before hand etc.I also bought an SJ1000 dash cam for the day which is a fanatic bit of kit for the money! You can forget GoPros!
I did a lot with the car on the run up including:
New clutch kit (my release bearing seized) £££££££!!!
Coolant
ATE clutch fluid
ATE brake fluid
Clutch slave cylinder
Brembo discs and pads all round
HEL Braided lines
Driveshaft cup swap
Goes without saying I wanted my car spanky for the day!
Tyres wise I went with Bridgestone RE002's for my 16's and was £280 for the full set! Went to get them fitted like a boss!
So my mate and I went up on the Friday afternoon, him driving his car with all the bits in like tyres, torque wrench, tools, tyre gauge, jack etc etc etc and stayed in Louth above this ace American diner! The journey was a long one from Surrey due to usual M25 b
s and the Lincolnshire roads being very slow.So the morning of the Saturday finally arrived and our hotel was very kind any left us a packed breakfast as we were up and out earlier than their in house breakfast.
Very foggy morning at some 07:00! Very thing checked before I turned a key like fluids etc and she was sat on max.
So we signed on, car was noise tested and guess what!?
She passed! Have to say I was very surprised by this, she's a very loud car but she registered 100dB and the limit was 105dB. Have to say that I got a great sense of the whole event being very laid back, very nice atmosphere and not stuffy like some events I used to run when I worked at a race circuit years ago, especially MSV events. But very smoothly run and everyone smiling
Tyre pressures adjusted, wheels torqued, car checked over, slight coolant top up etc. and roof down, obviously
I hired a helmet and went on a few sighting laps.
It certainly brightened up! Changed to standard alloys with VERY sticky Briggies.
Then the day was there to be had! A few choice pics from the day, some have been played with, some not.
So you can see the weather was amazingly sunny and very warm!
The array of different mac every was amazing, everything from a group of four guys who had bought for cars to track and had spent £1000 between all four of them!
to a guys with a brand spanking new 911 GT3 RS and everything inbetween. Amazing.I also spoke to Mike with his blue S2K there too, hope you had a good day bud
Tyres
In regards to the tyres, MY GOD! They are incredible, very, very sticky and grip levels were very high! When I came in form track I couldn't get my hands on them for the heat of them! I spent the entire day hammering the track and they once just look run in! Car clearly has a good setup for track as there is no evidence of bad graining etc. HIGHLY recommended. One thing I'd do for next time though is use 17" wheels with these as the profile on the 16's is too high and can sometimes roll onto the side whilst trail raking, I did adjust the pressure later but could have still been better.
Brakes
I was running OEM size Brembo discs and race pads (will have to dig out the exact specs) which were about a month old, some 800 miles on them only and I cannot begin to convey to you all how incredible these brakes are. Cadwell is very hard on brakes as one corner I was braking from 120mph into a tricky right hander and from the gooseneck down hill into an off cambered left hander. My mate was astonished too, he actually said it sometimes hurt when I was braking! At NO point did I experience brake fade, I fact they seemed to get better to hotter they got! I'm soooooooo glad I upgraded my braking system, plenty of people on the day were getting frustrated with their brakes fading.
Opentracks
I had never heard of Opentracks until this friend of mine told me about them, it's run by David Woodall who also hires a Tiger Avon out for track days and I would highly recommend using them for your next track day, I had many questions up and to the event, being my first track day and David was always there to answer questions. Very reasonably priced too
My Car
Well what a car to do a track day in! I've had my S2000 a year now and with day to day driving, you tend to not get a sense of a cars true potential and it's capabilities, but I learnt a lot about the car on the track day. Such a beautifully balanced car and immense fun on circuit.
Things that went wrong
I started the day with just under half a tank of fuel and realised when I got to about two bars of fuel, it didn't like it and was starved of fuel, it's hardly something that went wrong but worth baring in mind.
On only my second ever lap of the day, being rather over zealous with the car, I trailbraked too long into a corner and ended up spinning off the track, no damage thankfully but tyres and brakes were probably still cold, so was my own doing! Sort of glad it happened as it made me realise what can happen!
Things I'd change
I'd use 17 inch wheels as I feel the profile on 16's isn't the best. I'd stiffen the rear up a bit if I could. I'd of taken jerry cans of fuel instead of using the circuits own fuel station. I'd also have heal and toed more, it's quite important lol. Think I'd like some Eibach springs for the nxt time.
Best bits
Having an Evo 6 on my tail and him not being able to get past, despite me moving over for him. This made me smile. There were supercharged / turbocharged MX-5's too but I found I was still quite a bit quicker.
The tuition was fantastic and I was far quicker after this, opened my eyes a little.
Having the confidence on the brakes made the day that more excellent, it certainly surprised a few people following me round the circuit
THAT feeling when you leave the circuit after a run and you are BUZZING
People coming up to me and complementing my car, saying that it sounds amazing (I have a full custom exhaust) etc.
Here are a few short vids of my car drowning all sound on the circuit
All in all a fantastic day!
Apologies for the insanely long post but thoughts you guys may appreciate it
04-06-2014, 07:00 AM
#2
UK Moderator
Glad you enjoyed it, and that my recommendation of the RE002s was again well founded!
The sidewalls are pretty stiff so I'd go for the cheaper option and adjust pressures for the time neing, although longer term the 17s are a lot faster everything else being equal.
120mph along the main straight is very good, I don't think I got pas about 112.
Did you get some on board vids?
The sidewalls are pretty stiff so I'd go for the cheaper option and adjust pressures for the time neing, although longer term the 17s are a lot faster everything else being equal.
120mph along the main straight is very good, I don't think I got pas about 112.
Did you get some on board vids?
04-06-2014, 07:27 AM
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Glad you enjoyed it, and that my recommendation of the RE002s was again well founded!
The sidewalls are pretty stiff so I'd go for the cheaper option and adjust pressures for the time neing, although longer term the 17s are a lot faster everything else being equal.
120mph along the main straight is very good, I don't think I got pas about 112.
Did you get some on board vids?
The sidewalls are pretty stiff so I'd go for the cheaper option and adjust pressures for the time neing, although longer term the 17s are a lot faster everything else being equal.
120mph along the main straight is very good, I don't think I got pas about 112.
Did you get some on board vids?
Yeah I did adjust the pressures later I. The day which seemed to improve things but 17's will definitely be better
04-06-2014, 07:42 AM
#4
Sounds like you had a great day, cadwell is not an ideal first trackday venue but well done anyway, tuition as part of the deal was very good. Problem is once you get a taste for it it's hard not to turn your car into a full on track toy, good luck.
04-06-2014, 08:40 AM
#7
Donnington would be a good choice as plenty of run off areas, good sighting of corners with only 1 blind apex, can be a fast track though but would be my advice, they often do novice sessions too.
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04-06-2014, 08:50 AM
#8
UK Moderator
04-06-2014, 09:04 AM
#9
Originally Posted by mikefifth' timestamp='1396801681' post='23099697
Looks great fun!Just out of interest where is the best place for a first trackday? I want to have a go but I'm scared!
Your not too far from Keevil, which MotorsportEvents run.
Its a good, safe and inexpensive day. With some instruction its ideal for a first day.
04-06-2014, 09:05 AM
#10
Glad you had fun.
I imagine it was park straight where you got to 120mph? Did you manage to time any of your laps with a gps?
As for running 17s I'm not so sure it would make you quicker or the day more fun. Sure it will make the car a little more pointy but it also reduces the margin of error significantly so unless you have a lot of experience I'd stick with the 16s and if you feel that the tyres are rolling over perhaps a little more camber/caster may help.
I imagine it was park straight where you got to 120mph? Did you manage to time any of your laps with a gps?
As for running 17s I'm not so sure it would make you quicker or the day more fun. Sure it will make the car a little more pointy but it also reduces the margin of error significantly so unless you have a lot of experience I'd stick with the 16s and if you feel that the tyres are rolling over perhaps a little more camber/caster may help.