OK, after a long time of saying "I'll do one soon" the time has come, I have booked my first track day at Bedford Autodrome. Car is almost fighting fit, got recent pads on the front, gone to Unit 18 for fresh Oil, rear brakes & alignment this week. I have got a pair of new parad tyres plus the other pair still have life left in them. So no excuse really, now it's booked I'm seriously excited!

Thought I'd ask if anyone has any pointers for a newbie on the track. I'v bought a open face lid as I rather have my own that rent one, undecided which axle to put the new tyres on. My plan is to take it nice and easy, build the speed up slowly over time. Looking at the attendees, some seriously quick motors going, so that will be interesting, also surprised at how many cars are booked to go!

So, any advice welcome . . .

Keep calm. It's not a race, treat it as a normal drive.

If its your first time then maybe pay for some tuition. Most trackdays offer it for a few quick for someone to go out with you for one if your sessions.

Keep your inputs smooth. Start of with braking in a straight line and power once your past the apex and see the corner opening up. You don't have to go out all blazing. Build up your speed throughout the day.

I'd keep the worn ones on the front unless your a dab hand at car control.

Forgot to add. Remember to use as most of the Tarmac as you can.

Keep an eye on your tyre pressures.

Just make sure you know where local fuel stations are as i did a tank and half of fuel on my first trackday,

As said above build your speed up over day, you find you get more confident and car push car harder

Bedford has the advantage of lots of run off so if you get over exited it won't end in tears. Just give room to the others,check your rear view mirrors (regularly) use your indicators to let GT3 rs's know which side you want them to pass on(indicate right to let them pass on the left). Have lots of fun. You will also learn a lot about your car and its weak points.

I did Oulton Park earlier this year, I changed from brake pads for yellow stuff and put different wheels on the Fabia, I had part worn Avon ZZ3's on the front and Kumho Ecsta's on the back, track was wet and as you say a lot of cars were booked on.

Before I got there I reviewed a few websites to see what the track looks like and I then looked at a few youtube in car videos, this helped a lot.

On the day, I went to the signing on, then went to the pit lane to watch who had what and how they drove, after 20 minutes I had an idea who was on it and was not, from here I had 6 laps with an instructor (this was the best £25 I spent) we did a few laps, he told me about the lines and how to carry speed through the corners and be smooth, I would recommend this.

Then it was down to me, I did a few laps talking myself through the advice given by the instructor, I was doing about 7-10 laps at a time with the last lap as a cool down lap as things do get a tad hot, no handbrake in the paddock either, leave it in gear.

So, get out there, be vigilant of where the other cars are and do not worry if you are holding up a faster car, they pass after the corners, just go out there and aim at improving your line with every lap, all the greats will tell you, it is about being smooth and feeling the car around the track, this is what makes you quick. Jackie Stewart is filmed teaching somebody to drive on a track with a ball in a bowl stuck on the bonnet, if the ball comes out you are too rough.

Have a great day and enjoy yourself, also as above, fuel consumption is greatly increased, my car did 140 miles on track and used £85 worth of petrol!

Worth investing in some uprated brake fluid suchaas ATT Race Blue, you brake really take a pounding. You can easily end up boiling the fluid.

Trick is not to stay out too long and to give the car a chance to cool down between blasts.

Best bet by far is to book instruction will be the best money you ever spend

Build speed up gradually

Don't stay out for long periods or you will end up boiling fluids and badly wearing tyres

Use your mirrors

Enjoy yourself and as said before it's not a race

Cheers for the advice guys, lots of useful nuggets of info there.

Fabia is back from its once over, just alignment left to do when I swap the wheels over. It has a clean bill of health, I'm also going to put some holes behind the number plate plinth, it's obviously not visible normally, but should help with air flow a little bit. Brake fluid has been changed fairly recently so should be ok there.

I'm gonna do a few steady laps straight away just to learn the track then as said, build up steadily. I'll look into tuition, a mate is pretty handy round tracks so he'll come out with me too. Not sure where the nearest fuel station is, but I'll fill up before hand and see how it goes. Going with 2x Nissan 200sx a 332i & a TVR Cerebra I suspect I'll be the least worried about my fuel usage in my group of mates I'm gonna do 15-20min stints I think, give me and the car a break in between.

Cheers for the replies all!

Only advise i can give is don't let the red mist descend.

It genuinely can be more fun chasing than it is to be chased.

I "got into it" with a Clio Williams on an airfield in Bath and spent a good half an hour on track 15 mins with him chasing me, and then I let him passed and did the chasing. Both of us headed off track with a nod, a thumbs up and a massive grins.

There's no prizes on trackdays for being first or overtaking people, the only prize is enjoyment so just do what you find fun (like passengering with Ali! )

As others have said, too much enthusiasm on the first lap.....

I blamed the damp white painted markings on the taxi way

The second time was not such a good recovery.....

Getting a little nervous now, spend this morning cleaning the Fabia and the Unit 18 S13. Mounted the gopro and dumped everything out of the car. Just need to fill sign on form and find D/L. Weather is looking good so should be a good day! Wish me luck guys.

I want to do the same so let me know how it goes, have fun.

Wish me luck guys.

Good luck. Enjoy yourself.

Oh, and pics or it didn't happen

I assume from this

The big day was recently then?

Had I known it was a javelin day I'd have used my credit I have with them and come and joined you.

Looks like it went well anyway.

Going to come join us at Bedford now?

I'm nervous about the up coming Combe track day.

Made good reading this thread.

I'm nervous about the up coming Combe track day.

Made good reading this thread.

Trust me there is nothing to worry about! Brisky lot are all very well behaved! Its great fun! Once you have done one you will have caught the bug and will want to do a lot more

Ilmor

Sorry for the late update, but I'v been flat out the past week, but track day went really well.

Arrived nice and early, past noise test (obviously lol) and signed on. Safety briefing done and went out for 3 sighting laps. First thing I noticed was how massively wide the track is! I'm obviously use to a road size piece of tarmac. So went to watch for half hour or so as it was pretty busy at first, once it quietened down I went out for my first run. I was to be honest all over the gaf, was a very very steep learning curve! I spent most of my time looking in my mirrors, most of the cars were either massively more powerful or full stripped track cars.

Second session went much better, started getting my head round what gear I should be in for what corner, made things massively easier. As the day went on I started working on my lines, using all the track (and some extra) getting a bit smoother. By the last few outings I was actually starting to catch other cars, its deffo more fun chasing that being chased.

The car held up very well, quite literally smashed her all day, ticking over 170,000 miles while I was there too. The Parada spec 2's were fantastic, once warm they gripped very very well and didnt wear much over the course of the day. Brembos were amazing, seriously realised how much stopping power they have, got hammered and didnt fade in the slightest all day.

I think I seriously have the bug now, looking to do another soon. I might consider getting something to smash round the track if I get into it though, as fun as it was, the heavy diesel engine in the front of the Fabia doesnt help cornering in the slightest. Still, I did only use a tank, which included the drive there and back so there is a plus point to that.

Thanks for all the advice, I'll come back to this post when I do the next, plus I'll get some gopro videos up soon!

Good stuff. Combe was interesting yesterday and I'd all but talked myself into the fact that I wouldn't do any more. After it I'm considering September but depends on lots of variables. I will need better discs and pads at the very least.

All you need is better brake fluid and beter pads if you glazed your current ones.

The big day was recently then?Had I known it was a javelin day I'd have used my credit I have with them and come and joined you.Looks like it went well anyway.Going to come join us at Bedford now?

Just seen this post. Also reminded me to pay for the pictures from the day . . . .Before I leftOn the trackI'v been trying to get chris to do the how fast thing, but we both have holidays coming up soon so not sure we can afford it.

Been looking at a thread about tips for track days.

Good read even tho bit old stil relevant

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Go out on the sighting laps at the start where everyone is kept behind the pace car (if they have sighting laps like Rockingham)

Budget for new tyres and take as many spare wheels as you have because you never know (I ended up with 2 illegally warn tyres 1 of which had a puncture)

Take the spare wheel out of the boot.

Start off slow and work your way up, learn the limits of you and your car.

Learn who is out there and how they drive, some people are more aggressive than others and it's best to let them through sooner rather than later before they start overtaking you on corners.

Don't overtake on corners.

Drive how you want to, if you want to drive fast and try for lap times than do, but if you just want to have a bit of fun then go in tight, lift off the throttle and sling the back end out a bit, but don't go straight into it on your first lap or you'll send it off.

Don't underestimate breaking distances. I almost ended up in the back of Richards Yeti and a Ginetta ended up in the side of Wookies Octy (http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/368551-track-day-insurance-my-advice-in-2-pictures/), so be careful, better to go in too slow than to crash, you want to drive home.

Consider trackday insurance. I didn't, but I didn't crash. Fine. But if Wookie didn't he might not have been able to fix his car, and that wasn't his fault.

Check your car regularly, make sure nothing's going to fall off or blow up because you'll be pushing it hard.

And lastly, buy the photos.

Oh, and don't park with your handbrake on either.

And I'd go for track insurance now, not just consider it like in the last post. I have a repair bill of £2261.98 that thanks to track insurance is now only going to cost me £125 plus the initial £95 ish for the cover with excess insurance. Car is currently in bits in a body-shop.