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Beginners - car preperation |
Although modern cars are built to withstand stresses above those that they will experience on the road, standard production cars are not built with track work in mind. However, there are a few simple things you can do to help ensure the car will come with the extra stresses and go home in the same condition it arrived:
1) Check that your brake disks and pads are in tiptop condition. Make sure if you need to change the pads that you have time to bed them in well before taking to the track (min 100 miles use). Many regular trackday enthusiasts upgrade the disks, pads and brake fluid they use which on top of improving track performance, will also make your car safer for the road. The forum is a good place to ask for advise.
2) Tyres. The actual part of the car making contact with the track needs to be in very good condition and set at the right pressures. There is no hard and fast rule here, as it will be determined by the make of car and the make of tyre, also the track conditions and your own personal preference. Many people choose to increase the pressure by around 10% and find that tyre wear is less of a problem. Some vehicles find increased grip from lowering the pressure, maybe only on one axle. The trick is to check the pressures are even and check them when they are at track temperatures. One thing is for sure though, you should make any adjustments at the track and return the tyres to normal road pressures before you leave.
3) Your engine will spend more time at high revs than ever before, check that all the filters and belts are in good order and pay particular attention to the oil level. Bring some oil with you, as it is normal for an engine to “burn” some during a trackday. Keep an eye on the level during the day keeping it close to or at the max. Be careful not to overfill though. Upgrading the oil to one that can handle higher temperatures is a good idea and some of our most enthusiastic and dedicated members will explain how they change the oil before and after each event!
4) Suspension and steering parts will help define how well your car handles, and hence how comfortable you will feel out on the track. Make sure these parts are in good working order and don’t be tempted to take to the track (or road for that matter) with faulty or worn parts.
5) Bodywork should be in good order, as we don’t want wheel covers (either tie these on or remove them for the event), bumpers and wings leaving your car while you are driving!
6) Make sure that you remove everything from the car that is not firmly fixed down. Pens and soft drinks cans can become lethal projectiles. Make sure you remove everything from the boot of the car too, in some cases this means the spare wheel also, there is always somewhere to keep things at an event, while you are on the track (remember that neither the circuit or easytrack can take responsibility for belongings so leave that PC at home!).
7) Bring some electrical or gaffer tape along and tape up the lights before going on circuit.
8) A simple tool kit is handy to have.
9) Fire extinguishers are not compulsory, and indeed if there is an incident the Fire Marshals will take care of any fire. However, it’s recommended that you purchase an in-car fire extinguisher to keep in the cabin of the car. Make sure it is secure in it’s mounting though and will stay firmly fixed in the event of an accident.
10) Fuel! This sounds obvious, but it’s very important. You will not be averaging 35mpg while on the track, indeed less than 10mpg can be more realistic once you are a little more experienced. Be sure to have at least half a tank of fuel in you car before each session as if you run out on the track your car will be pushed by the marshals to a safe place and left there until the end of the day. Under NO circumstances will you be allowed back on the track, it’s a silly mistake and risks stopping track activity for others. |
easyTRACK Event Countdown |
| Next Airfield Day | Next UK Track Day | Next Beginners Day | | Location: | Non-scheduled | | Date: | 01 January 1999 | | Days to go: | 0 |
| | Location: | Oulton Park (Half day AM) | | Date: | 21 November 2008 | | Days to go: | 1 |
| | Location: | Non-scheduled | | Date: | 01 January 1999 | | Days to go: | 0 |
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