Guide to Trackdays

[Squeak]

Track Days

What is a track day?
A track day is a non-competitive event held at a motor racing circuit or other suitable venue. Track days defined as motor-leisure and are for drivers of all road and race cars.

What do I need to attend a track day?
Although this can vary from circuit to circuit, generally we will require covered arms and legs and a helmet (full or open face). We insist that drivers and passengers wear helmets at all times. If you need to reserve a helmet you can do so for both yourself and you passenger on the event booking form. You can also buy helmets from us.

What happens if there is an accident?
Although a trackday is generally a very safe time and place to try the limits of driving, in reality accidents can and sadly do happen. Having said that we are very strict with drivers who we believe are driving in a manner which could cause harm to others. You will get one warning and one warning ONLY. If you do not calm down it's an early shower. The organisers decision is final.

We endeavour to do absolutely everything possible to ensure the safety of drivers, passengers and spectators. However, should the unfortunate happen rest assured that the marshals and paramedics would be fully prepared to cope and that full and proper procedures would be followed.

How is the day run?
Arrive giving yourself plenty of time to relax and attend the drivers briefing where you will be signed on and issued your numbered sticker which should be mounted prominently on your car windscreen. Cars will be allowed onto the track in sessions throughout the day with a short break for lunch. PLEASE NOTE - if you miss the drivers briefing for any reason you may have to wait until lunchtime to be briefed again though every effort will be made to get you out on the circuit as soon as is safely possible.

How much track time will I get?
Track time is what we all go to track days for, so you'll be pleased to know its our number 1 criteria when deciding the number of places available. You will always be guaranteed to go home satisfied with the amount of track time you have had. All of us at BookaTrack are first and foremost Track Addicts, and we consider ourselves our own best customers.

What is 'open pit lane'?
Open pit lane is when cars can go out as and when they like rather than in an lotted time slot. Numbers on track are strictly limited and it is strongly recommended that you only stay out for 15 - 20 minutes at a time. There may however be queues at busy times such as first thing in the morning and after lunch. The first twenty minutes of an open pit lane days are set aside for parade laps and for newcomers to the venue. Although open pit lane events have some mixture of abilities on the track our strict overtaking rules and emphasis on observation ensure that the day is safe and enjoyable for all participants. Open pit lane events are not recommended for novice drivers or corporate customers. We recommend drivers complete a few sessioned events before attending an open pit lane track day.

Why are some events sessioned and others open pit lane?
We feel it is important to offer a variety of both open pit lane and sessioned events, as different drivers prefer different formats. The format of the day also depends on the numbers attending, typically more winter events are open pit lane as they have less participants.

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Drivers

What clothing should I wear?
Other than the points indicated above (helmet, etc.), no specific safety clothing is required.Some customers choose to invest in race suits, flameproof clothing and race boots. Arms and legs must be covered at all times.

I'm concerned I'll be 'too slow', and faster drivers will get frustrated.
Another reason BookaTrack have such a loyal and friendly customer base is our ability to bring out the best in all our clients. There will usually be at least one full session of "track virgins" in attendance at all of our events. This also helps to ensure that newcomers feel included, comfortable and well treated on the track.

Any driver not being "considerate" to others will be removed from the track by the attending marshals. They are the ones in the wrong. Speed isn't necessarily an issue. Of course an overly slow driver can cause a nuisance, which is why we select sessions partly on the grounds of peoples prior experience, type of vehicle and where they will feel most comfortable. If sessions are clearly not working out: we change them so they do! We strive to provide a comfortable situation for newcomers and regulars alike.

I'm concerned I'll be 'too fast', and slower drivers will be annoying.
We make every effort to make all drivers feel relaxed and make sure they are alert and enjoy the day. We run NON-competitive track days. Anyone caught getting aggressive / competitive / dangerous behind the wheel will be removed from the circuit. Having said that we can usually segregate at least 1 session per event to more experienced drivers who may be considerably quicker than the newcomers - check our bookings page to see what sessions the event is split into. Finally we'd like you to remember - YOU were a ''track virgin'' once.

Do I need to show my driving license?
You need to show a full UK driving license at all Motor Sport Vision circuits. We recommend you bring your driving license although you may not automatically have to show it.

Do I need an MSA race license?
No, and an MSA race license cannot be produced as a substitute for a UK driving license at track days. For those of you who are interested in obtaining an MSA race license this can be done through BookaTrack.

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Cars

What modifications must I make to my car?
None - assuming your car is roadworthy (ie has an MOT if applicable). If your car is not road legal it should be a race car that is being scruitineered in a current race series.

What are the noise restrictions?
Most of the circuits we visit have different noise restrictions, and some even have different levels for different circuit days. You can visit the venues page for a clearer idea of what the limit is for a specific venue. We also hope that the noise section will expand to include details of more and more cars and venues over time to become an invaluable tool if your unsure just how loud your car is!

What sort of tyre wear can I expect?
Obviously this will depend on both the weather and your driving style. In the rain it will be difficult to wear out a set of tyres regardless of how much sliding you do. In the dry however, especially on an airfield where the surface is relatively abrasive compared to a circuit, it is best to budget for a set of tyres every 2-3 visits, assuming you will be sliding the car and learning its handling characteristics ''on the limit''.

That said, driving within the limit of yourself and the car there is no reason why an airfield day would wear the tyres any more than a standard track day.

We also sell tyres at highly competitive rates!

What about fuel?
High performance driving dramatically increases the fuel consumption of your vehicle. Even if you arrive with a full tank, you will probably be needing to fill up on the way home. Vehicles with small tanks and/or naturally high consumption levels may even need a fill during the day.

Check our venues pages for details of nearby petrol stations or on-site facilities.

What type of car can I bring?
Anything as long as it's either road-legal (with MOT if applicable) or a race car capable of passing MSA scrutineering.

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Event Format

What is 'Open Pit Lane'?
An 'open pit lane' event is one where the circuit opens in the morning and closes at the end of the day with no formal sessions. Each driver is welcome to use the circuit as much or as little as they choose. Some things to consider about open pit lane events :-

good points
- Unlimited track time
- Flexibility to go out when you want
- Good for dual-drivers

Bad points
- Mixture of experience & ability
- Some drivers will be on a hot lap while others are on a cool down lap
- Self discipline required to prevent damage to car & driver (pace yourself!)

How does a sessioned event run?
On a sessioned event, drivers will be split up into groups according to driver experience or car performance. Typically a sessioned day will comprise of 3 x 20 minute sessions per hour (Red, Green, Blue) where :-

Red = Novice Group (on the hour)
Green = Inters Group (20-past each hour)
Blue = Advanced Group (20-to each hour)

However, on some circuits (where track numbers are strictly limited due to noise restrictions) we may run 4 x 15 minute sessions per hour.

The biggest advantage of a sessioned event is for novices & first timers. On a sessioned track day they will only be on circuit with other drivers of similar experience. Typically we get 25-33% first timers on all our sessioned track days.

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Insurance

Will my road insurance policy cover me on track days?
No, not necessarily, but it is definitely worth checking with your insurance company. Some car insurance companies will add track day cover to your policy for a small premium.

Where can I get track day insurance and how does it work?
We recommend contacting Richard Egger Insurance who offer track day insurance for all UK and European BaT events. Their number is 0115 985 0165. Track day insurance will not affect your road insurance in any way but is limited to damage sustained to your own vehicle and does not include personal injury or third party liability.

Thanks to BAT

[Squeak]

Motor racing flags and signalling by marshals

* YELLOW flag means that there's danger ahead of you so take extra care.
* RED flag means there's been a serious incident and the sessions have been stopped, so slow down to a crawl and make your way back to the pits or as directed.
* YELLOW and RED striped flag means Debris/Oil/Slippery Course so obviously take care.
* BLUE flag means that another car wants to overtake you.
* BLACK flag means you have been naughty or there's something wrong with your car, you need to come into the pits asap.

[Mendoza]

There are 3 insurers I've come across and seen recommended who offer standalone trackday cover.

Competition Car Insurance

Richard Egger

Morris


Here's my views:

Competition Car Insurance

Recommended by others, but took a long time to get a quote.
Possibly due to a new system, but they required lots of info before giving a quote.
Most expensive quote.

Richard Egger

Fast turnaround of quote.
Middle priced quote.
Best detail of all 3 provided in e-mailed documents.

Moris

Instant quotes online.
Discount for arranging early.
Cheapest quote.
However, internal engine damage not covered.






One thing to bear in mind when your regular car insurance is due, is to get quotes from companies who can include one off track cover.

These companies include:

Keith Michaels

Greenlight

Bear in mind they will not offer one off trackday cover if you have no policy with them. But when you get an annual quote, bear them in mind. They may end up more expensive, but will offer more competitive track cover rates than the standalone conmpanies above.
This might save you more cash overall, depending on how many trackdays you do.