1st time on track

[gavinc]

I've had my s2 for about 5 weeks and would like to take my car out on the track. I have never been on a track before so am a little nervous about looking a total prat and getting in everones way so I am probably going to book a performance drving experience at knockhill (£109) so i can be shown the ropes.

My questions are:
1) is this a good way to get into going onto the track as a novice?
2) my car is due a C service and I was going to get that done when the MOT is due (mid may), should I wait to go onto the track until after the service?
3) insurance for the time on track. my cover is with admiral (cheapest) who can provide cover for the couple days i will go on track? (is is competition car insurance) and is the excess massive?

sorry if questions are obvious to find on the boards, but have just moved flat and internet is not up and running yet



gavin

[meatball]

KH do novice days which seem to get good reviews.
SIDC are the best mannered days if you were going to just jump in.
Just check the essentials and get it serviced after the trackday (if the oil, brakes, tyres are ok).
Insurance is a personal preference.....some use it.....some don't......I think a rough rule is that if you buy it for the day.....it'll cost sub £200 and your excess will be 10% of the cars value.
Maybe get your name down for Kames and get some pax laps (at Kames or KH in future events???)

IMHO.

[DJ]

I have never been on a track before so am a little nervous about looking a total prat and getting in everones way so I am probably going to book a performance drving experience at knockhill (£109) so i can be shown the ropes.
My questions are:
1) is this a good way to get into going onto the track as a novice?
2) my car is due a C service and I was going to get that done when the MOT is due (mid may), should I wait to go onto the track until after the service?
3) insurance for the time on track. my cover is with admiral (cheapest) who can provide cover for the couple days i will go on track? (is is competition car insurance) and is the excess massive?gavin

I would generally agree with what Meatball says. My specific views below:

1) Yes. If a bit nervous at going straight into an open track day then I would say this is worthwhile. Not a lot of track time - 25 laps - but you have an instructor with you the whole time and good to show you the lines, braking points and gears per corner if completely new to this. I did the before my first SIDC day and it definitely made me feel more comfortable. Pax laps a good idea too.
2) I wouldn't say it really matters. Would suggest same as Meatball
3) Very rough guide is premium of 1%, excess of 10% of car value. Yes, CCI can do this. I wouldn't bother for the driving course - instructor with you, empty track - but up2u. As for track days, again as meatball says - personal choice. I went with CCI for my annual insurance as they give me 4 free days with my annual premium. One to keep in mind for next year.

[Modena Scotland]

I think the next track day at Knockhill is on 3rd April between 6 and 8pm (by Dreadnought). I am likely to be there. If so, I could pax you around the track to give you some idea.

Mass

[gavinc]

cool, may take you up on that. booked my day for fri 25th april

[Andy G]

cool, may take you up on that. booked my day for fri 25th april

Good man Gavin - now get on to John Stewart and see if you can get on the reserves list fot the SIDC day in May - the best track day at Kh in my opinion. Great driving standards and very well run!

I started my track outing the same way you are. I'm now a self confessed track day tart, raced LOTRDC last year, and now have an Atom to play with on track!

Careful, its becomes very addictive.

Check out http://www.carlimits.com and get a day or 2 booked with Walshy as well. Worth the trip and every penny! The man is a car control guru (when he's not in the fields chasing sheep (he's Welsh))

Good luck

Andy

[tut]

The last KH Novice day I did, only because I arrived early for the afternoon SIDC session, there was a 600hp RX8, a 450hp Scooby, and little old me, but the rest of the cars and drivers seemed genuine.

However I would recommend starting off with an SIDC day, as the cars and drivers are are known to us, and we also apply our own standards and do not wait for KH to take action against bad driving.

tut

[Modena Scotland]

Gavin

I have booked a place for the track evening. The session starts at 6pm. I will be there at about 5:30 on the Club racer. Give me a shout.

Mass

[dezzy]

I wouldn't bother with the novice thing. Just get booked on an SIDC day or Tut's session on 6th June and use the free instructor at either of them. I did my first trackday with all this lot and it was great - wondered what I'd been worrying about!

Perhaps do the Kames sprint day on 26th April? Only one car on track at a time so no worries about people running into you. Great for a first trackday I think

D

[Brian J]

cool, may take you up on that. booked my day for fri 25th april

If you're doing a session on that day, there is also a Knockhill Hot Marques track evening 6 - 8 pm that day which you could book into to get back out on track.

I'm planning to be at that one.

Brian J.

[ryallm]

I wouldn't bother with the novice thing. Just get booked on an SIDC day or Tut's session on 6th June and use the free instructor at either of them. I did my first trackday with all this lot and it was great - wondered what I'd been worrying about!

Perhaps do the Kames sprint day on 26th April? Only one car on track at a time so no worries about people running into you. Great for a first trackday I think

D

First time I had my Elise on track was at Kames, and it was drizzling, although I had driven it before in my Westfield. Perhaps not ideal for a first track experience as Kames is just so tight and narrow and the run off isn't huge. As mentioned above an SIDC day at KH is the way to go - you'll love it

Mark

[jamie]

Gav you will love it . Def the way forward

[steve2008]

i think i mite have to join in this thread too haha im lookin to go on track for the first time this summer. my only experience is alot of karting and i still have a knockhill driving day experience to use which will be handy.

gud luck with ur first run anyways

[catrionaD]

you should definitely give the track a go... makes you appreciate what the car can do! I managed it and i'm a girl.

remember once you do it once you'll want to do it all the time!

cat x

[GregR]

I wouldn't bother for the driving course - instructor with you, empty track - but up2u. As for track days, again as meatball says - personal choice.

CraigieB has the inauspicious record for managing to total his elise on an instructor lap on a Hy-Performance day at Knockhill: Never say never!