Me and my mate have discussed getting a track car between us but neither have any track day experience so I was thinking of dipping my toe in the water of the track day scene by taking my daily to the track.

My only problem is my daily is a mk2 octy VRS diesel. While this is a very good road car I'm sure it would be too wallowy, too heavy and the power delivery band too small to enjoy on the track.

Has anyone tracked a standard car? How did you find it?

I've not tried a standard car.

Do not let that put you off.

I have done several action days @ Castle Combe and a few airfield days with some folk on the forum. I have one resounding memory of an airfiled day whence two lads in thier mid 20's pitched up with a 1.0l Poverty spec Pug 106 that they had bought for a few hundred quid.

They caned that car all day long and had the most fun out of all of us I'm sure. Mixing with the Skoda's, Jap mobiles, Ferrari's, Westfields, Mini's, TVR's etc

Exploring the limits of your ability and that of your car comes top of the list before worrying about how much power your car has and what it'll handle like.

HTH

edit: Here's a vid of Hullavington AIrfield Day

http://youtu.be/cUdo41oYXBg

Ditto the above - you can have fun in anything on an airfield day.

Airfield days are IMO better for a beginner as you have big wide runoffs where a track you might be into the armco or gravel.

I've done Hullavington a few times too, not in the skoda though..

The only other thing to consider if you use your daily is where you'd be if you broke it. Your road insurance won't cover you and although you could take out track day insurance it's expensive and carries a big excess plus you'd potentially be without your car for a period of time as you won't get a courtesy car

Any excuse for a pic:

Hullavington.

Bruntingthorpe.

Ditto the above - you can have fun in anything on an airfield day.

Airfield days are IMO better for a beginner as you have big wide runoffs where a track you might be into the armco or gravel.

I've done Hullavington a few times too, not in the skoda though..

The only other thing to consider if you use your daily is where you'd be if you broke it. Your road insurance won't cover you and although you could take out track day insurance it's expensive and carries a big excess plus you'd potentially be without your car for a period of time as you won't get a courtesy car

+1 but not in your daily!

Even if you're careful, not at the limit, it only takes someone else to spill fluids or miss a braking point/drive badly and you're having a potential accident!

Airfields are brilliant places to learn the car, the track, the speed in relative safety BUT, they tend to be very abrasive and chew tyres - a mate of mine went through 3 sets at Elvington in 1 day!

A few hundred quid in a shed you won't cry over is the best suggestion you'll get but pick the car carefully and you'll have a whale of a time! AND you can sell it on after if you decide it's not for you or you want to upgrade...

Suggestions for a cheap track car:

E36 318iS (yes I'm biased cos I had one, brilliant chassis and rear wheel drive!)

late 90s Corsa SRi/Saxo VTS

etc

Doesn't have to stripped out until you get more regular or decide it's a keeper...

Above all, it's great fun with like minded people, safe(ish), licence isn't in danger (or the public) and massive grin factor/pub chat!

(Roll on Friday @ Cadwell!! )

And if were throwing in pics:

Sideways @ Adenaur Forst on a damp Nurburgring 2 weeks ago...

Edited 18 July, 201213 yr by Jim1556

+1 but not in your daily!

Meh!!

Drive There

Drive Hard

Drive Home

My mate just bought a MG ZS180 , fantastic handling , pretty bulletproof and cheap enough to get 200hp out of , all for less than a grand , spares are peanuts as well , i'm thinking about buying one for track myself

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MG-ZS-180-BLUE-5dr-HATCHBACK-TROPHY-EDITION-12-MONTHS-MOT-EXCELLENT-CONDITION-/180911725066?pt=Automobiles_UK&hash=item2a1f2dda0a

Anyone remember when the Slick 50 Challenge started? The car of choice then was the MG Maestro if I remember correctly!

Taken mine on the track a few times. Standard apart from smoked LED lights.

For a big car its very agile, try it and see how you get on.

For the record on briskies track day at Bedford in the wet with light rain I put in 1:59 which I was rather pleased with, quickest diesel Octavia on the day I believe?

Do yeah its ok on track :-D

I did a tracknight on monday in my 2009 Octavia VRS diesel. The comments you make about it are right, it's a bit wallowy, not very adjustable on the throttle and generally not made for the track. The powerband was ok, meant I could leave it in 3rd at the hairpin and pull away with less danger of wheelspin. It was however still great fun, I think I would have had nearly as much fun in my Transit connect work van!

Wrecked the tyres, but beyond that all is well, it even managed 24.5mpg between driving there and back (30mins motorway each way) plus probably 1h15 of tracktime. Very impressed with that.

I would recommend buying mine

Taken mine on the track a few times. Standard apart from smoked LED lights.

How much does that mod save per lap? Must be worth at least a second?

How much does that mod save per lap? Must be worth at least a second?

Adds atleast 100 bhp lol

I was actually impressed with mine last week. Not too wallowy and the brakes held up very well. Car is totally standard.

You may recognise this track

The ring

The watermark is a very big clue..

Four wheel drifting into Camp Corner, Castle Combe 2003

Cinq Sporting with 95bhp, Adjustable Konis, soft Yokos on 14" Compomotive MO's - truly hilarious to drive and suprised a few people with well over 100BHP per ton :-)

Taking your car to a track is a risk no matter how you look at it; most circuits don't have large runoff areas and even if you end up in the kitty-litter, you would be amazed at how much damage gravel can do to a road car!

Don't get me wrong - most standard cars are perfectly fine doing a track day as long as you realise thing such as if its a hot day then kiss your tyres goodbye and there is every chance you will cook your brakes. It's very easy to end up driving an illegal car home at the end of the day........

As others have already said, the biggest risk is from other drivers especially at events like the CCC Action Days and the like. You get mixed groups on track and some people remove their brains. The real problem comes when you have somebody in an old nail they've stripped out and really couldn't give a toss about; they come charging up to braking areas with their hair on fire, run out of talent and collect you and your pride and joy on the way.

My mate had his car written off at Combe by some numpty in an old Scooby and the guy just laughed. I also withness a nearly new TVR totalled at one event and the guy was pig-sick.

Make no mistake - if you lose your car in the braking zone at Quarry after cresting Avon Rise at 115 while the suspension and tyres are unloaded, there is nowhere to go but the bank and don't let the tyres fool you into thinking you are going to come away unscathed........do a search on you tube for "crashes at quarry castle combe" - too many to choose from!

Check out this one; look out for the Z4 at 3:10

Airfield days are generally much safer because you have to be a complete berk to hit anything solid but do remember that while you >think< you can keep up with some of the bigger boys, you will end up overdriving and having an underchunks moment. You'll slow down after that!

Find the right place (airfield) and use the right car (an old BMW 3 series or 205GTI) and have fun.

Don't risk your daily driver - it's simply not worth it.

JRW - brave doing the ring - seen a lot of bent cars there over the years and if you lose it and clobber the barrier, the bill they hand you is considerable! Like the pic though! :-)

Been to many track days and the ting in my daily driver. I set my pace and I think about the track and others around me. I make my space by slowing down and creating my own gap in a pack.

Yes there is risks but use your head and think about it.

If in doubt don't. Same rule applies when modding too.

Anyone recommend a sensible track day organizer?

I mean a company that organizes relatively sensible track days, perhaps with some driver training involved, that does not attract numpties?

I have done a few track days at good wood , 5 people on track at a time no messing around , free instruction and normally responsible drivers of high end cars, but not cheap looking at £300-£400 for the day

Anyone recommend a sensible track day organizer?

We (Briskoda) did a couple of days with Motorsport Events that seemed really well organised and they were straight on a couple of numpties whose M5 had more power than they had talent!

They're airfield days are also relatively local to bristol.

I also did a day with Javelin Trackdays back in December at Oulton park and the day was faultless. Didn't see a single numpty nor any trouble.

Any day at Bedford is also good due to the wide trackand biiiig run offs.

You'll find that most companies are ****-hot on keep peopel nuder controland sorting out kn0blets. I mean if someone has an big incident they can;t come back and do more days can they!

We (Briskoda) did a couple of days with Motorsport Events that seemed really well organised and they were straight on a couple of numpties whose M5 had more power than they had talent!

FPMSL :rofl:

3up IIRC

I know they did this to the rear tyres though

OK thanks maybe buy a friend one for her birthday