Me and a mate want to do one of those track days where you get to drive a supercar. We're particularly keen to have a go on a Porsche 911. Having searched on the internet I've noticed that you don't get an awful lot of driving time (4-5 laps seems to be the maximum).
Has anyone on the HJ site had a go at one of these days? Any tips? Any venues that you've found particularly good/bad?
Thanks in advance.
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I went around ten years ago to Silverstone, it was enjoyable enough. I felt quite happy, got to drive 928s (I have a photo in my office I might upload !) - may have been a rip off, but there are worse ways to spend £200 and a day. If I recall rightly it was three sessions of 10 laps each, two were instructional and one was competitive.
Told in the briefing documents to wear jeans and a cotton tee-shirt, there was one well dogdy geezer in full racing kit (now that is seriously sad as it seems he owned them). Hope he's not a Backroomer.
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Having been an instructor for a race day track school I assure you that 5 laps is where sensibility and bravado exchange seats and the scenery is about to be visited, or the armco. I have done many extended track experiences and pushed the driver to the limits of there abilities rather than the limits of the cars abilities to stay on the track but we are talking £250 to £350 for 15 laps depending on the car.
If you then put put them in their own car and repeat the exercise they mysteriously do a much slower lap. Regards Peter
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I went on one last year - a Ferrari 360 day where the high point was supposed to be the Ferrari (400 bhp but needs a week to master the gearbox) but the "experience" was surpassed by all the other three cars, a Lotus Elise, Subaru Impreza STi (300 bhp - felt much more!) and Porsche 911 (340 bhp - sublime) It was at Upper Heyford airbase and the "track" was a mix of straights (unsurprisingly!) and some cormers laid out with cones. Admittedly each drive was only a few minutes but hugely enjoyable and it wasn't as rectrictive as I thought in that we were encouraged to really go for it. FWIW - the Elise for track and sunny weekends and the 911 for everything else unless finances dictate one car only, in which case the Impreza.
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I had a go at Silverstone myself (about ten years ago PU).
We had a go in a seven type, may have been a Caterham, on an open autotest circuit.
Auto Merc on a wheeled jig to simulate a skid pan.
Vectra V6 demonstrated, and then under instruction on the Stowe circuit.
Formula first single seater playing follow-my-leader to learn correct lines around Stowe (I was the last of about fifteen of us - how to learn clipping points by chinese whispers).
Then we were let loose in the formula first around Stowe for about a dozen timed laps, all together.
I would want a lot more instruction before I felt competently capable of handling anything with a greater power to weight ratio
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Neil - I live on Upper Heyford AFB and drive past the transporter with those cars on every week. :-)
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I did an 'Italian Day' session a few years back at Everyman Racing in Leicestershire (just outside Lutterworth). I got it for £125, and for that I got a few laps as a passenger with an instructor showing me the circuit, four hotlaps in a Mini Cooper, four laps being driven flatout by the instructor in a Cooper S, and four laps driving a series 1 E-Type (although there was a Ferrari 328 on offer too). I also got to drive a 1960s single decker coach around a slalom/gates course on a patch of wasteland, and did a short autotrial type course back in the Mini. The whole thing took four or so hours in the morning, and we were given a photo of ourselves with the Minis.
I thought it was fantastic value and had a great time, but I understand it's gone up a fair bit now. I also noticed that the sessions giving you four laps in just a single car seemed to be around the same price as mine, but that when you started to go up the scale you seemed to get a lot more for your money. At some point I intend to go back and try to rally sessions, but this time I'll be looking out for the last minute type bookings.
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I did Thruxton in 2005 - I felt one got decent time and decent exposure to the cars and track. 3 laps observation, 3 laps under instruction, 3 laps in a boxter, ten the Ferrari is given to you and you are good and ready to have fun. 8 laps in a F-Renault helps consolidate what you learn.
Also did the everyman course. Rather hodge podge - some car skll stunts with an old golf gti 2 and a discovery which i would gladly give up for more track time. 1 lap observation and 3 laps each in a ferrari 328 and 360. Too short IMHO. They gave me the 360 before the 328 so never got to know track well enough to push hard.
The rally school was much better - 3 laps on gravel, 3 laps in mud and 3 laps on tarmac in an Evo 6. I enjoyed this and felt this was better value
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Thanks for the replies. Sounds like going for a package where you get more laps might be best value.
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If you want to drive a 911, I can thoroughly recommend a Porsche Driving Experience. Run by Porsche themselves, usually at MIRA test track. Not the cheapest, but an excellent day - not sure if you are supposed to be a Porsche owner, but they have their own cars you can use. I think their website or dealer will have more info.
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