Exhilaration seeps from the track, the sounds, the smells and the spectacle all conspire to grab you by the heart. The fact is that you would have to go a long way to beat the sheer enjoyment of driving at full chat round one of our many splendid race circuits, so it is probably quite high up on your list of things to do. Track day veterans will tell you there are a few secrets to success, some of which might sound surprising if you are new the scene.

The great thing about track days is that they are not a race. In fact racing is strictly prohibited, the idea is that everyone can go as fast as they feel happy with and enjoy the day. Corners are where the fun happens, you are entitled to handle the corner in any way you can without being hassled by faster cars. So overtaking is only allowed on the straights, it is quite common for faster cars to hold back on the straight to give themselves some space in front so they can then take the corner flat out without risk of encountering a slower car.

Many people worry that they are in some way ‘not good enough’ or that their car isn’t ‘fast enough’, this is normal and nothing to worry about. Because there is no minimum speed, no racing, nothing to compete against except your own fear, you could turn up in a bog standard diesel family hatchback and still have a great day.

Of course one excellent way of removing car performance anxiety is to hire a ready prepared track day car from track-group; these are great cars that are properly prepared for reliability and exhilaration in equal measure. Hiring a car removes most of the worry and leaves you free to concentrate on developing your driving, or just simply having fun. Of course track-group can also prepare, deliver and support your own track or race car but we’ll continue as if you are driving your own pride and joy!!

The big day.

As the nerves build before your first track day you might find that you get bombarded with conflicting advice, so just to add to the confusion here is some more:

1. You will need to feel comfortable, so wear comfy cloths. Shoes are very important pieces of equipment, ideally they should have soft soles so you can feel the pedals, but the most important thing is that they must be tight enough to give you accurate control but not so tight that they hurt after an hour or so. Thick soles such as trainers should be avoided.
2. You do NOT need a stop watch, you will not be taking lap times, this is not a competition and racing against the clock leads to accidents and a level of self-imposed stress that can ruin a fun day.
3. If you are using your own car then service it before hand, belts (including cam belt where fitted), oil, coolant, gearbox and diff oil as well as brake fluid should all be fresh and at the right level. Depending on the car it may be best to run the oil level towards the low mark on the dip stick to prevent oil pull over, or towards the top end if the engine is prone to surge where the oil in the sump sloshes away from the pick-up pipe. Again check for advice on your particular model. Either way check the oil level after each run, consumption will be higher than for normal road use, take spare oil. Obviously if you are hiring a car from someone like track-group then a support technician will take care of this for you.
4. Keep an eye on the temp gauge and if it starts creeping up then ease off and investigate the cause in the pits. But only look at the gauges when safe to do so on the straights. Don’t look at the speedo, it won’t help. Do look at the rev counter and avoid the red line, preserve the engine.
5. It is vital to do a cool down lap before coming in (High gear, low speed and don’t touch the brakes) to lose the stored heat in the engine, exhaust and brakes. Never put the hand brake on, once the brakes are hot it warps the disc and can bond on quite resolutely.
6. After a run has been completed open the bonnet and let the heat out, all the metalwork will be hot and will soak into fuel lines and electrics whilst parked up. Whilst there check everything is still attached and not leaking.
7. Keep checking your tyre pressures, you will be pushing your tyres harder than you ever could on the road so the right pressure is vital.
8. Don’t take loads of spare parts, whatever spares you take you won’t need, whatever spares you need you won’t have. Best not worry about it. But do take fluids.
9. Take drink, a hat and sun glasses, tracks are strangely drying places, keep hydrated otherwise your concentration will fade faster than your brakes.
10. The first few laps will be a bit bewildering, most people feel lost. This is normal and nothing to worry about. Your first few laps should be used to get familiar with the layout of the circuit. Just take it easy and build your speed gradually, you have all day and after lunch you will be much faster.
11. Chat with the other participants, find someone with a bit more experience and get them to sit in. But bear in mind that anyone who says they are experienced are often deluded; the best guides are the quiet ones who don’t boast. Better still pay for some proper tuition, again track-group can help here.
12. After lunch pick someone who has a car that should in theory be as fast as yours, follow them and try to keep up, don’t worry if you can’t.
13. Keep a safe distance from other cars, particularly braking for corners. Build a bit of space by hanging back on the straights so you can safely go flat out through the corners, where the fun is located.
14. When you spin off, stay calm. Stop for a few seconds and collect your thoughts. Follow the marshal’s directions, check all around for other traffic and indicate when you re-join the track. Your tyres will be full of mud so don’t go too fast and stay off the racing line until they clear, it will sound like a hail storm as the grit is thrown into your wheel arches but don’t let this concern you.
15. Take pictures. Lots of pictures. Take friends who are good with cameras. Video is even better but you must get permission from the circuit and also from the event organizers first.
16. Enjoy yourself. Don t push too hard, there will be other track days and the chances are on the first outing you will find niggling faults on the car anyway, preserve the car and yourself. Remember this is not a race, it is not a test, and it is not a test of your honour.
17. When packing up to go home take a few moments to make sure you have everything you came with. Check the car is safe for the road if you are driving it home, check the tyres for damage and make sure the tyre pressures are right. Check the fluids again and if you taped up your lights remember to take it off!
18. On the way home keep your speed down, nothing you learn on the track is appropriate for road use! You will have become accustomed to going very fast, your road speed may creep up on you without you realizing.

After your first track day you will probably be hooked, ideas for improvement to both yourself and the car will start pouring in and you will find it impossible to talk about anything else.

You’ll see signs about the track saying ‘motorsport is dangerous’, but what they don’t warn you about is that it is also highly addictive. If you start down this route the chances are your life will never be the same again. Go on, book a session right now!

Good luck.

Ralph.

Ralph Hosier is a professional chartered automotive engineer; he works with major car companies developing experimental and prototype performance cars. He builds and races his own cars in a variety of disciplines. Ralph has written for a number of magazines and web sites including Evo, Octane, Racing & Waiting, PPC, Full Throttle, Max Power, Practical Classics and Land Rover Monthly. He is a member of the Institute of the Motor Industry, the Institute of Engineering and Technology and the Guild of Motoring Writers. So he really should know better, if you spot any errors bother him and not us at his web site www.rhel.co.uk

The race topped of an outstanding season where Steve was one of only two drivers who’s car completed every race but the dropped score championship rules meant that whilst other drivers dropped zero scores Steve would have to ‘throw away’ 21 points.

Championship rival Simon Deacon retired with gearbox failure early in the race leaving the title straight fight between Steve, Tom Chatterway and Glen Sherwood.

Steve’s race engineer Simon Wilkins kept the championship positions from Steve during the race and gave him minimal information over the radio despite the team knowing the actual positions as the race unfolded. In very slippery conditions Steve lapped consistently faster than the other 2-Elevens benefiting from a set up day the week prior to the championship decider.

track-group Director Stephen Docherty said that “Steve deserved the title, he’s worked hard on his driving both on and off track, Simon has done a great job making sure the car was competitive and reliable and the team have been fantastic all season.”

Steve himself thanked all of the track-club team acknowledging that it was a real team effort to take the title and emphasised that he will be back to defend his title in 2013.

In conjunction with Aero Tec Laboratories Ltd (ATL) track-group have developed a bespoke ‘plug & play’ system that is an easy fit for the popular Lotus track day and race cars. ATL’s record speaks for itself being a supplier of safety fuel bladder tanks to the motorsport market for over 40 years. Having exclusively supplied the entire Formula One grid for nearly two decades, ATL is now firmly established as the market leader and their systems are on every Formula 1, DTM and BTCC race cars.

The Lotus system is modular and can include a complete system comprising of ATL 70 litre safety cell, car mounted female dry break fitting and Staubli vent valve and a 28 litre refuelling bottle capable of dropping fuel into the car at over 4 litres per second.

The system can be used in conjunction with a normal filler system as well for those who want to refuel normally on some occasions.

This race proven system has already helped a number of drivers to impressive results in Lotus Cup UK including victories in the Lotus 2-Eleven class for Marcus Jewell and Steve Train.

The 2-Eleven system comprises of the same Staubli vent system with a bespoke aluminium panel supporting a 2” female dry break valve replacing the standard filler next with a one piece specially manufactured fluorosilicone lined hose.

Systems start from just £895 and they are available from track-group Ltd and Eliseparts.com.

track-group are the leading track and race car hire organisation in the UK, their track-club motorsport arm and track-powertrain engine division bringing professional motorsport capability to the club and semi-professional race market. track-group specialise in Lotus and Aston Martin track and race preparation and they are proven race winners in every category of racing they have entered. track-group also represent a number of key motorsport brands including Performance Friction, Motul Oils, ATL refuelling equipment and HKS Performance parts as well as proving engine build and test services to the highest levels of motorsport. For information on track day or race car hire, engine and engine electronics services or track and race preparation and support visit www.track-group.com or e-mail your enquiry to info@track-group.com

By the time the race came around the day had been mainly wet and despite a drying line in the preceding Formula 3 race the team opted to play safe and stick to wets for the start of the race with the knowledge that the pit window opened after 15 minutes.

This decision was justified by a downpour on the green flag lap and as the race started Bolaji slipped to P4 behind a car that he was clearly able to lap faster than but just couldn’t find a way past. This allowed the leader to open up a significant gap and Olivier Bouche in the lead #22 car did just that.

With Bolaji losing time to the leaders the team elected for an earlier stop that scheduled in the race plan which with the benefit of a timely safety car and problems for the second place car allowed Bolaji out into clear track just in front of the #7 car that he had previously been stuck behind. Now with a clear track Bolaji eased away and set about catching the not quick so quick Mantello who had taken over from Olivier Bouche in the Stratton #22 machine.

In a nail-biting race to the end Bolaji got within 0.5s of Mantello at the chequered flag but the Stratton Motorsport driver was cruelly stripped of the win by the stewards for an infringement when he made contact with another car when re-joining the track after a spin resulting in the race being awarded to Bolaji – not the way he wanted to win his first Aston Martin race but well deserved after an excellent drive!

track-group are the leading track and race car hire organisation in the UK, their track-club motorsport arm and track-powertrain engine division bringing professional motorsport capability to the club and semi-professional race market. track-group specialise in Lotus and Aston Martin track and race preparation and they are proven race winners in every category of racing they have entered. track-group also represent a number of key motorsport brands including Performance Friction, Motul Oils, ATL refuelling equipment and HKS Performance parts as well as proving engine build and test services to the highest levels of motorsport. For information on track day or race car hire, engine and engine electronics services or track and race preparation and support visit www.track-group.com or e-mail your enquiry to info@track-group.com

Steve Quicks Toyota powered S2 was always likely to have the advantage on the fast flowing Donington circuit and this proved to be the case with the Norwich driver not putting a foot wrong in the 60 minutes on circuit.

Savage was told over the radio to hold second place and not to risk the car or a points finish and he drove well holding off Andy Napier and John Lamaster to take a podium and hold on to the championship lead.

Notes:
Ken Savage runs a track-powertrain build Rover k Series to Elise Trophy regulations with Performance Friction brakes and Quantum dampers. For more information on racing the Elise Trophy series, Lotus Cup UK or Europe or simply trying out an Elise Trophy car please contact Stephen at track-group via info@track-group.com or call 01480 860 707.

Two other track-club drivers made up the podium with Dan Plant taking a well deserved second followed by Nigel Ayres taking the final podium slot.

Notes:
Ken Savage runs a track-powertrain build Rover k Series to Elise Trophy regulations with Performance Friction brakes and Quantum dampers. For more information on racing the Elise Trophy series, Lotus Cup UK or Europe or simply trying out an Elise Trophy car please contact Stephen at track-group via info@track-group.com or call 01480 860 707.

The track-club Elise R with Marcus Jewell, Greg Noble and Ramon Piñeiro on board took a giant killing overall podium and a class win against 18 other production class cars (a field of 28 Production Class cars and Lotus Cup Europe cars started). With the track-club run Perrys team taking fourth overall and second in class it was a spectacular result for the team in their third season of Lotus racing. Indeed were it not for an off in the first hour then overall victory would have been achieved. Each and every track-club prepared car took the chequered flag an achievement itself regardless of the spectacular race result.

Congratulations to all of the track-club run drivers – Marcus Jewell, Greb Noble, Remon Pinerio, Ken Savage, Martin Roberts, Eugene O’Brien, Simon Jones, Nigel Ayres and Paul Chase Gardener who all completed the 1000km

The Audi RS4 will replacing the popular but ageing BMW E36 M3. track-club will always try and keep at least one ‘super saloon’ and one ‘hot hatch’ on the hire fleet in order to give customers a variety of options. These will always include the ever popular Lotus fleet we will always try and ensure something different is available for those who want something other than a Caterham or Lotus. The awesome Palmer JP1 will remain on the fleet as will the Lotus 2-Eleven which is having a back to bare tub rebuild over the winter months. Ths will also involve the fitting of a full FIA GT4 spec roll cage and a power hike to 270bhp.

The weekend saw Ken Savage out racing after some upgrades to improve his S1 Elise – a fuel drain system, some lighter parts and most significantly new Quantum single way adjustable dampers saw Ken achieve his best result of the season so far with a close fourth place in the first race. Marcus Jewell took a podium behind an unstoppable Steve Williams who was on fine form at his favourite circuit.

The podium for Jewell was hard fought after two gravel trap visits in free practice but things didn’t go his way in the second race when he had the front corner damaged in an accident after Hawthorn bend. Things went equally wrong for Greg Noble who hit the wall hard a Paddock Hill bend whilst running in second place but in testament to the safety of the Elises both drivers were fine and the damage was largely cosmetic.

The next Elise Trophy round is at Cadwell Park on Saturday 21st August.

Jewell paid tribute on the podium to the Quantum dampers which have transformed the handling of the Elise R following a long winter build and test program for the car.

The second race saw a reverse grid top ten meaning Jewell had to start from 10th place but another great drive saw him battle through to take the final podium spot after a great battle with James Knight. James madea superb move at the esses in the lighter Elise S1 to take second place with Mick Edwards taking victory effectively reversing the podium slots from the first race.

The Lotus Festival was a tough weekend for track-club with the team running no fewer than ten cars across the four Elise races. In addition to the win and podium for Marcus Jewell the team took a one two in the Lotuc Cup Europe invation class and two podiums for new race David Jacobs in the Exige Class of Lotus Cup Europe. The latter was particularly impressive as the car had only been collected from the factory ten days earlier and it was Davids first race weekend in the series.