Trackday Driving Experience

I remember watching an episode of Top Gear where the gang chose 3 track prepared cars (well, one was a Morgan 3 wheeler...) and went to have a play around Donington Park race track. Clarkson was enthused by how much fun it can be for around £100! The only small issue is that not everyone has a £50k+ track ready car. So what if you are a car enthusiast and would like to try your hand at some track driving but not spend a fortune? Well luckily you can attend famous tracks all around the UK in your own daily ride.

I recently attended one of these days with a few of my mates, which we booked through www.javelintrackdays.co.uk and below is my short account of our impressions.

The circuit in question is Blyton Park racetrack which is about 15 miles south of Scunthorpe. This circuit is built on an old WW2 airfield and is fairly flat and perfect for the novices and experts alike. One of the main advantages is the ample run off area in case you don't get the entry speed quite right!

One of the most important things is to ensure your car is safe and ready for the track. My friends and I spend numerous days working on the cars in the run up to the track day, making sure the cars perform well during the day as the circuit really does test your own and car's abilities to the limit. Simple things like carrying out an oil change or fitting new brake pads will go a long way to ensuring maximum reliability during the day.

The build up was almost as exciting as the day itself as the buzz of taking our cars and spending the day with like minded car enthusiasts was really something to look forward to! We opted to stay in a nearby hotel the night before to make sure we are fresh and ready the next morning and didn't have to travel too far.

Upon arriving at the track it was clear just how popular these days are. Although we booked for a mid-week session, there were upwards of 35 cars attending the day. The second observation was just how varied the line up is. On the day there was everything from Westfield/Caterham kit cars to BMW M3s and M5s and even a Nissan GTR made an appearance. However speaking to most owners, their cars were also the same ones they use to get to work.

After signing on and receiving our race numbers for the day it was time for a safety briefing. At this point it was clear that the organisers have one common goal and that's to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable day. They talked through some of the tricky corners, the flags and other rules. This was followed by a few sighting laps to learn the lines and away we went!

The day was in an "open pit lane" format which means there is no limit to how many times we could go out on track, meaning there was no pressure to push hard from the start. The trick is to learn the lines and build up speed during the day. After going out for a few sessions it was great to compare lines and braking points with my friends.

The driving went on until lunch time, at which point there was a chance to relax a bit and let the cars cool down. The sun was out just adding to the relaxed nature of the day. After an hour's break it was time to get the afternoon sessions under way. At this point the track was warming up and confidence was increasing allowing to brake later and getting those racing lines tidied up. During the day there was also a chance to hire an ARDS approved driver to help deliver even better laps and maximise the car's performance.

Of course where were a few offs during the day, but these did not pose a great issue to the organisers as they were very quick to wave the yellow flags and warn other drivers whilst quickly assisting the car in question (yes, that's you with the Clio which ate a traffic cone!) and allowing the fun and games to continue all the way to sunset in a controlled manner.

Overall impressions were very positive from the group. The cars might not have been dedicated track cars but that did not stop us having a fantastic day and then driving home in the very same cars. The lads who haven't been on track before admitted they have been bitten by the track day bug and we are already planning our next session! I really can't recommend these days enough. With race tracks all over the country and prices staring from as little as £79 this really is a fantastic opportunity to learn that much more about the automotive world and meet some great people!