Musings of a Trackday Newbie (long post)

[georgeg33]

Great write up Stewart, glad you enjoyed it

It reminds me that I carefully chose my insurance company to include track day cover.
As a previous Alfa owner I was tempted when Ross first posted but couldn't commit due to work, come the day I bailed out early on impulse, checked the oil and tyre pressures and headed off to KH.
Forgot to tell the insurance company

No harm done though (there was a huge amount of grip and the car took my occasional ( ) aberration in its stride).

I enjoyed the mix of cars and would definitely do another AROC night (Please Ross )

See you at the next one


George (track day veteran faction - ie more than one )

[rossybee]

I enjoyed the mix of cars and would definitely do another AROC night (Please Ross )

Good point George cracking mix of cars I thought too

The AROC boys have my details & will be in touch next event - I suspect efforts by myself & other non-alfa types made it an unsually financial successful do for AROC

[dlogan]

Great write up Stewart and very honest too.
I am sure it mirrors exactly what everyone feels/felt first time on track.
My first TD was only 18months ago and since then prob only done 5, and everytime feels like its my first foray.

Its great fun.

[Andy G]

I enjoyed the mix of cars and would definitely do another AROC night (Please Ross )

Good point George cracking mix of cars I thought too

Listening to Ross arguing about whether a certain alfa was a 146 or 147 was highly amusing, especially when it turned out to be a 145

[mac]

Any one got more photo's from Friday evening?


Mac

[rossybee]

I enjoyed the mix of cars and would definitely do another AROC night (Please Ross )

Good point George cracking mix of cars I thought too

Listening to Ross arguing about whether a certain alfa was a 146 or 147 was highly amusing, especially when it turned out to be a 145

Must be getting old, I used to know my 'suds from my guilettas

[dezzy]

Well, Stewart just about covered everything that went through my head today doing my first ever trackday, but I'll add a few points of my own . . .

I had been building it up for so long, getting all worried about the "unknown" of trackdays and now I really don't know what the hell I was worrying about! If you've been thinking about popping your track cherry and you're not quite sure, then do it! If I can, anyone can! You'll love it and you'll realise you had nothing to worry about!

Chatting to all the guys in the pub the night before really helped. Everyone has given me great advice both on the forum and in person on Sunday night. Thanks! I was a bit nervous this past week, but the advice and the peace of mind I had in taking out insurance eased the nerves a lot.

Was fine on the way to Teesside this morning, but as soon as I saw it, I crapped it! However, the organiser at Teesside took us newbies out and showed us the lines, etc. We then did a slow convoy around in our own cars, following the Teesside dude, and it eased the nerves a lot. I think it was fear of not knowing the track that made me worried this morning.

When waiting to go out and do my first few laps, I felt the nervous adrenalin kick in, but that's a good thing! I just took it really easy, building it up gradually and taking it at my own pace. Moved over for the fast guys and nobody got angry at me holding them up. I think the SE mentality really helped . . . I felt comfortable that I knew everyone and trusted all the drivers and the group ethos of safe overtaking, etc. was definitely present.

I know I could have maybe pushed a bit harder, but I took Stewart's advice and came in when I started to feel more confident. I then went back out and built up gradually again. I learned a lot about the car - the steering, the grip of the tyres, how bloody good the brakes are! It gave me more faith in what the car can do. I also felt like I'd actually driven the car as it was intended for once!

I made a couple of wee mistakes in the morning, just going a bit wide on a couple of corners, but nothing dangerous. Straight after lunch, I had a couple of sideways moments (which I surprisingly caught!!) and then a spin, right in front of Simon and some others Sorry guys! Not quite sure what I did wrong, but it had just started raining, was very slippy and the tyres were cold. Crap excuses though . . . I'm sure I just made a mistake. Was thankfully at low speed and no damage done. Just slid across a bit of grass and gravel. I went straight back in for a break, but it definitely didn't put me off. It's made me a bit scared of wet tracks now, but I'm going to push myself to learn how to handle the car better in the wet.

Did a couple of more sessions in the afternoon, pushed a bit more, but never out of my comfort (and fun!) zone.

Overall, I enjoyed every single minute of it. I never felt unsafe or at risk at any point. If anything, it feels *far* safer than road driving. Even when I made mistakes, I still enjoyed it. It helped me learn much more about the car.

I can't believe I never did this sooner! I'm hooked! If you have any doubts, just get out there and give it a go!

/about to be skint due to doing more trackdays faction

[rossybee]

Well put Dezzy

Adds to Stewart's words of encouragement for anyone who keeps bottling it

Chatting to all the guys in the pub the night before really helped. Everyone has given me great advice both on the forum and in person on Sunday night. Thanks!

Why do I have visions of the likes of Ed and/or AndyG doing fresh-air opposite-lock signs at the bar

[cla5h]

you'll realise you had nothing to worry about

Not strictly true. If you spin, as both you and I did, and someone, perhaps a fellow novice, ploughs into you, then you've got a nasty repair bill.

Much as I enjoyed the day, the fun was tempered with the thought of the above, and it meant that any time someone came up behind me (which happened often!) I took it even slower, to minimise the risk of losing it with someone almost on top of me.

[mac]

That's a very valid point Scott. I had suggested to giggles that he buy a set of L plates and display to the rear of the car. Yesterday there was so many elise out there it was really hard to tell which can belong to who - a few times I thought I was behind Simon only to find him taking photo's from the banking.


I think we should consider, as a comunity, supporting folk who take steps such as these to set themselves apart. As Tut & Scotty pointed out, when your lapping with someone you know it's possible to go much closer - experinced drivers can also tell which was a spinning car is going to head nine times out of ten.


Mac - Span it showboating faction

[simon]

Dezzy, it looked to me like you slid a little wide on the left hander with possibly a little understeer caused by the rain. That put you on to the grass and the ideal option then would've been to keep going and aim for the black stuff again. What I think you did was the instinctive lift-off as the back swung round quickly and you went backwards towards the pit exit.

Like Mac said, I could kind of tell you were going to end up on the left so I stayed right.

I thought you did pretty well for first time out and you'll get better at it each time.


Si. - also span it showboating faction

[MacK]

Is "showboating" the new diesel/wet-patch?

[simon]

If it is, Andy had a permanent diesel patch under his car

[dezzy]

you'll realise you had nothing to worry about

Not strictly true. If you spin, as both you and I did, and someone, perhaps a fellow novice, ploughs into you, then you've got a nasty repair bill.

Which is exactly why I made sure I had track insurance. I personally think the track was a safer place than the road. Mistakes do still happen, but that's why I took out insurance. I still think there's nothing to worry about if you take it easy and if you are worried about repair bills, you shouldn't do it without insurance.

I thought you did pretty well for first time out and you'll get better at it each time.

Cheers mate. I think you've worked out perfectly what happened. I'm pretty sure I panicked when I ended up on the grass and probably did lift off. Was a good learning experience for the future though!

[ed]

I think all the track virgins did really well! Top Job!