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First Trackday Tips
greggors84 - 16/5/07 at 09:21 PM

On my first trackday on friday at Abingdon, got a list of things im going to take.

Trolley Jack
Socket/Spanner set
Spare Oil
2 jerry cans of fuel
Cheap Gazebo maybe (forecast doesnt look great)
Waterproofs!
Helmet
Driving Licence
Few litres of water

Going to take some spare rivets, a drill and some wadding incase it fails the sound test. I doubt it will as it was well under at the SVA 6 months ago.

Anything else I might want to take, im sure I have forgotten something!

[Edited on 16/5/2007 by greggors84]


JUD - 16/5/07 at 09:22 PM

Some spare pants ??


worX - 16/5/07 at 09:24 PM

a roll of that blue tissue stuff
food and drink?
tyre pressure guage - (don't get an electronic one though)

Steve

[Edited on 16/5/07 by worX]


greggors84 - 16/5/07 at 09:25 PM

Got pressure gauge at work I will take with me.


Humbug - 16/5/07 at 09:27 PM

I can't imagine the trolley jack will do much for performance


worX - 16/5/07 at 09:27 PM

spare coolant hose???
I forgot Duct tape!!!

[Edited on 16/5/07 by worX]


JUD - 16/5/07 at 09:31 PM

Duck tape - very useful for flapping cycle wings


Confused but excited. - 16/5/07 at 09:31 PM

Beer and Pies?


TGR-ECOSSE - 16/5/07 at 09:41 PM

Cable ties and as mentioned duct tape. We never go racing without them. We usualy take some form of silicon sealer as emergency gaskets as well.


Guinness - 17/5/07 at 05:58 AM

Most important thing to take to a trackday is a "list of racing drivers excuses"

See here:- http://www.justgofaster.com/Training/DriverExcuses/tabid/54/Default.aspx

"I was on a cooldown lap"
"Black ice, loads of it, and localised fog, really thick"
"It was too wet"
"It was too dry"
"I was learning the lines"

Have fun!

HTH

Mike


pewe - 17/5/07 at 08:57 AM

Wheel wedge - 'cos you don't want to park up after hot laps and leave the handbrake on. Cheers, Pewe


indykid - 17/5/07 at 09:31 AM

quote:
Originally posted by pewe
Wheel wedge - 'cos you don't want to park up after hot laps and leave the handbrake on. Cheers, Pewe


can't you just leave it in gear, or use one of the sockets?

tom


jimgiblett - 17/5/07 at 09:35 AM

I would add

A bag of various size nuts and bolts and some jubilee clips. Side cutters, pliers, swan necks and mole grips. Some form of ground sheet to lie on. If you find you have forgotten anything I am sure you will be able to borrow from a fellow trackdayer.

- Jim


jimgiblett - 17/5/07 at 09:40 AM

quote:
Originally posted by worX
tyre pressure guage - (don't get an electronic one though)



Why not an electronic one. I have both a guage one and a cheapo from Halfords and they both seem compatible. The latter I can keep on my key ring though.

Maybe I have been lucky

- Jim


wheezy - 17/5/07 at 09:55 AM

Dont forget your car!!


The Great Fandango - 17/5/07 at 10:14 AM

- Helmet
- Sunglasses
- Spare Helmet for any passengers (always nice to share the experience)
- Silk based balaclava (makes putting on / taking off helmet SO much easier)
- Earplugs (if noisy?)
- Lots of fuel
- Jack
- Wheel nut wrench
- Foot pump
- Tyre pressure guage (nothing wrong with the digital ones)
- Duct / 'duck' tape
- Black electrical tape
- Oil (hopefully not needed)
- Watering can (hopefully not needed and the water's most likely in supply on site)
- Multi-head screw-driver set
- Spanners
- Socket set (to include spark plug removal tool)
- Wire brush
- Gazebo thingy (asda were doing one for £24 which easily covered a seven type car and had three sides)
- Waterproof coat
- slim plimpsoles/trainers
- Cordless drill and a variety of bits
- Fire extinguisher (£12.00 ASDA then fit it to your car)
- Exhaust wadding (or trackday silencer extension)
- Spare screws, cable ties, washers, rivets and hose clips
- Roll of blue 'kitchen towel'
- Swarfega
- Polish (depends upon how proud you are)
- Rags and or cloths
- A towel to dry your hands & face
- Small wheel chocks
- Driving Licence (if required)
- Fold up chair (x2 for passengers or chats)
- Food 'n' drink

Tips:

DON'T THRASH YOUR CAR FOR THE FIRST 2-3 LAPS! ALWAYS ALLOW ENGINE AND TYRES TO WARM UP NATURALLY. THERE'S INFINITELY MORE GRIP FROM WARM TYRES.

YOU WILL FIND IT DIFFICULT TO WARM YOUR TYRES UP IN EARLY MORNING AND ON COLD DAYS (EVEN IF YOU RAG IT) - EXERCISE CAUTION IN THESE CONDITIONS

ALWAYS ALLOW A COOLING DOWN LAP. WHEN YOU ARE CALLED IN FROM THE TRACK SLOW DOWN, TAKE IT EXTRA EASY AND GIVE THE ENGINE A BREAK. THIS IS A GOOD TIME TO CHECK ALL YOUR GEARS, BRAKES AND STEERING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS

MAKE FRIENDS. THEY WILL COME IN HANDY IN CASES OF (I) ADVICE, (II) BOREDOM, (III) MECHANICAL ASSISTANCE. AS A BEGINNER IT CAN BE A LONELY EXPERIENCE IF NO ONE TALKS TO YOU.

NEVER PARK UP WITH YOUR HAND BRAKE ON. YOU CAN WARP THE DISCS OR DRUMS AND IN SEVERE CASES LEAVE THE BRAKES STUCK ON. THIS WILL ALSO EXTEND THE LIFE OF YOUR PADS

CHECK YOUR MIRRORS CONSTANTLY. THERE ARE ALWAYS FASTER CARS THAN YOU WHO COME UP ON YOU QUICKLY

DON'T FOLLOW CARS IN FRONT TOO CLOSELY, THEY CAN CHUCK DIRT, STONES, OIL ETC AT YOU. APPARENTLY YOU ALSO GET THEIR 'DIRTY AIR' BUT THAT DOESN'T REALLY MATTER UNLESS YOU'R TALKING 120MPH ON THE STRAIGHT.

IF YOU HAVE PLASTIC/GRP/CARBON SEATS PLACE SOME VINYL TAPE OVER THE HEAD AREA. THIS WILL STOP YOU SCRATCHING THE BACK OF YOUR NICE SHINY HELMET ON THE HARSH SEAT SURFACE.

IT'S NOT A RACE SO DRIVE AT YOUR OWN PACE. BUILD UP SPEED THROUGHOUT THE DAY. IF YOU'RE CONSTANTLY SPINNING OFF EITHER THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR CAR OR YOU'RE DRIVING EXCESSIVELY.

THE FASTEST LAPTIMES ARE PRODUCED BY PEOPLE WHO DON'T SPIN THE WHEELS. CONCENTRATE ON SMOOTH CONTROL AND GOOD RACING LINES.

LOOK AT THE OTHER CARS. THERE'S ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA OR DESIGN THAT YOU CAN UTILISE ON YOUR NEXT UPGRADE!

[Edited on 17/5/07 by The Great Fandango]