Reply to: Driving experiences / track days

[quackhandle]

Thanks all, some good ideas there, and yes been to the Karting track in Warrington was very good. May pop along next week when the kids go back.

qh

[VectraMan]

Why the need to hire a track? There's still some roads in the country where you can give it the full beans without getting nicked (M50, M6 Toll Booth drag) or even something like the Cat and Fiddle if you want a bit of adrenaline thrown in.

Milton Keynes is free.

[VectraMan]

Just had a look at 'BookaTrack' £200-300 seems reasonable until you realise the Caterham is another £725 on top.

They've put their prices up a bit; victims of their own success I think. But still, that's for a full day, i.e. 6 - 7 hours of tracktime if you want it with all your fuel, tyres and brakes taken care of. If there's two of you taking turns it's not all that expensive for what you're getting. Nobody is going to give you a full day in a supplied car for £200.

[Alf W]

Why the need to hire a track? There's still some roads in the country where you can give it the full beans without getting nicked (M50, M6 Toll Booth drag) or even something like the Cat and Fiddle if you want a bit of adrenaline thrown in.

[lukemg]

I am always first to sign up for a Karting outing AND first to suggest it as the next team outing - hmmm not good.....

[gingerjedi]

Tempting to drive a 'supercar' but I would only really be interested in a single seater or Caterham I reckon.
As an alternative, get down to Speedkarting in Warrington, arrive and drive, 10quid for 5 laps, indoors and lots of fun...

I was going to say £10 for 5 laps was a bit steep but then I saw the track.

I go karting with the permies at every opportunity, is that an IR35 indicator?

[Durbs]

I live not too far from Oulton Park but they didn't seem to have much on offer.

Oulton is a great track, I've had my bike round it a good few times. No sure on cars myself but one of my cousins does car trackdays there a fair bit but remember when searching that track day and driving experience are very different things. dont think your missus would enjoy a trackday as they are generally very competitive and most blokes on them are nobbers.

[minsky1]

If its for the missus, i'd avoid a track day - too hardcore.

I would opt for a Porsche experience at Silverstone. Its a dedicated Porsche driving centre on the outskirts of the circuit. There are lots of options to look at, but the half day experience would be a good intro into track driving plus she would get to try her hand on the kick plate, the ice hill and the low friction skid pan. Your assigned an instructor for the duration.

You also get a tour of the centre, plus breakfast prior and a fine dining experience in the restaurant overlooking the complex afterward. The food is top notch.

Its not cheap, the cost for half a day used to be around £550 I think (i've never paid for the few times i've been), but I have no idea what it is now.

[lukemg]

Tempting to drive a 'supercar' but I would only really be interested in a single seater or Caterham I reckon.
As an alternative, get down to Speedkarting in Warrington, arrive and drive, 10quid for 5 laps, indoors and lots of fun...

[pacharan]

Missus bought me a 4x4 experience for Christmas.

Link

Haven't done it yet but plan on making a weekend of it down in Cornwall.

[gingerjedi]

Just had a look at 'BookaTrack' £200-300 seems reasonable until you realise the Caterham is another £725 on top.

[gingerjedi]

I did the Formula Ford experience at Castle Combe (on the proper track), I also did the Rally Drive at the same place.

Both were good fun but neither give much track time, I'd go for this sort of thing over a few laps in poncy footballers car any day.

[ChrisPackit]

If you don't have the car, the likes of bookatrack have Caterhams you can hire for the whole day for a not-unreasonable amount, especially if you have a friend you can share it with.

+1

I've done dozens of track days over the years, always in my own cars though, but like someone said BookaTrack let you rent a Caterham out which would be immense fun and no backseat drivers either.

The "Drive a Ferrari" ones are a rip off I think. You spend more time in a classroom or as as passenger than actually driving.

One of the highlights of my previous occupation was fitting Traction Control systems to Ferrari 355's and setting them up by trying to get them sideways around Three Sisters circuit.

[TheBigD]

Father-in-law did a stunt driving day last weekend at Brahfield (outskirts of Northamptonshire). Activities involved a mock drive by shooting using paintball guns, those car-on-car things they've had on top gear (one does the speed, the other does the steering), and wheelies in a Transit van.

He absolutly loved it, but did say there was a lot of waiting around/safety briefings between activities.

[VectraMan]

I had a driving experience at Silverstone (chose an Aston Martin) a couple of years ago, it wasn’t that good at all.

Its padded out with a briefing etc, you only actually get to drive for about 6-7 minutes. What really spoilt it was having a co driver with duel controls, every time I got it any where near almost maybe approaching fast into a bend he was on the brake. Quite disappointing really.

"Duel" controls is probably about right.

As Barley says, these experience days usually end up with you getting one slow lap in a Ferrari or something, which would really piss me off. I once drove a Formula Ford car at Donington, but even that was only about 30 minutes, and "at Donington" turned out to be around a loop not the real circuit.

Do a proper trackday. If you don't have the car, the likes of bookatrack have Caterhams you can hire for the whole day for a not-unreasonable amount, especially if you have a friend you can share it with.