matt.c
|
 posted on 22/6/09 at 08:33 PM |
|
|
DRIVING TO TRACKDAYS
After spending an evening at snetterton watching a bike track day im now really tempted to take the indy but i have one major problem, No trailer and
no tow car.
How many people have driven there cars to trackdays then hammered them around all day then driven home?
Have you enjoyed the day? Ie not worried about braking down.
Cant hire towcars and trailers as money is tight.
|
|
|
|
|
Steve Hignett
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 08:36 PM |
|
|
I rode a carbon fibre fairing-ed bike with no seat all the way to the Nurburgring and back...
So I'm pretty sure you could get to a TD and back mate 
|
|
|
eccsmk
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 08:40 PM |
|
|
i'll trailer it to and from if you want.
just let me know when and where
ATB
|
|
|
coozer
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 08:58 PM |
|
|
I've both driven and trailered mine, all I can see is taking the trailer is handy if you bin it
Trailer had the advantage of extra fuel, tools etc but that was before SVA so was very cautious/equipped.
Just remember you need lots of petrol, a jerry can maybe. I used two full tanks the last time I was out and it is 30 litres a time in mine!
Compared to 40mpg on the road it was an eye opener
1972 V8 Jago
1980 Z750
|
|
|
locoR1
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 09:01 PM |
|
|
Two weeks today i will be driving to Belgium along with 6 other sevens so seven sevens 
On the Wednesday we have a track session booked at Zolder don't plan to be driving flat out but you know exactly what's going to happen if
someone comes past just hope we make it home ok.
Just join the AA they took a certain member on here home from santa pod with a broken half shaft without even questioning it!
 
Description
Check out my CB500T Cafe Racer build diary
|
|
|
mark chandler
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 09:14 PM |
|
|
Get recovery, drive there, if you bust it they will pick you up, I know
|
|
|
Guinness
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 09:18 PM |
|
|
I've done about half a dozen trackdays at Teesside, which is a 45 mile drive from home.
I've never really worried about breaking down (any more than I do normally). If I bin it then I'm in trouble either way. If it breaks
down (and I couldn't fix it myself), then I'm sure one of the marshalls would be able to tow me half a mile from the track before I called
the AA!
The only time I have used a trailer was when I did Bruntingthorpe, but that was a 200 mile trip each way for me.
I wouldn't worry about driving there and back TBH.
Mike
|
|
|
JUD
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 09:19 PM |
|
|
As Coozer says - trailer is really useful if you need to bring the car back in bits
I have had 1 terminal failure at a TD - exhaust weld disintegrated and the silencer parted company with the car. Needless to say that ended the TD for
me as I was already struggling with the drive by noise metre before the exhaust failed
Driving 100 miles home in an exhaustless BEC would have been a bit noisy , so thank god for a trailer.
Frankly if you can't get a tow car/trailer then don't let a "what if" stop you going on a TD. The "what if" may
not happen and you will have a great time. If you do have a moment then you can always get recovered home via AA/RAC etc.
Cheers
Martin
---------------------
MK Indy Blade
|
|
|
smart51
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 09:31 PM |
|
|
I've driven to 6 track days. I've driven home from 2 of them, limped home from 2 and been taken home on a truck from 2. Green Flag were
really good.
On my first trip to Mallory Park, the gear shift cable snapped on my 7th lap. After failing to fix it, I put it into second under the bonnet then
drove a few miles from the track and called green flag.
At Elvington I broke 2nd gear (it kept jumping out) so drove home by short shifting through into 3rd.
On the way home from Cadwell Park, the front right top ball joint came loose in the wishbone. I sorted this out in a layby on the unlit A 47 at 10 at
night in the dark. As I pulled away, the propshaft came off. The sprocket adapetor nut had come loose. So I got out the spanners and allen keys and
put it all back together properly, thread lock and everything. Just as I torqued up the last bolt, the battery, driving the hazzards, ran out. Home
on the truck.
At Silverstone, the epoxy bung in the air jet of one of the carbs came off. It would only run on the pilot circuit and made BAD noises on the
needles. Limped home. 50 MPH was fine. 60 wasn't.
I'd drive again. Take tools. Buy breakdown cover first.
[Edited on 22-6-2009 by smart51]
|
|
|
Worzey
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 09:49 PM |
|
|
I drove to my last track day at Lydden Hill (approx 80 miles).
As stated watch the fuel, I used about 4 tanks in total 8)
I'm off to Goodwood on the 24th July and will probably trailer the car even though it's much closer.
It's going to be expensive as I have to get a towbar fitted and hire a trailer but as I've just had the engine rebuilt I want to ensure I
have all the bases covered.
Caterham R400
|
|
|
ReMan
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 10:19 PM |
|
|
Driven to all mine (4) so far.
Got one booke for mallory, about 10 mins drive from home and I'm more worried about popping it there than I have been anywghere else
|
|
|
madteg
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 10:19 PM |
|
|
That certain member was me, no questions asked, the AA man said he picked cars up from santapod on a regular basis.
|
|
|
austin man
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 10:39 PM |
|
|
brother in law did 180 miles to Anglessy and a fuul day on the track then drove back zetec engined no problems with cooling, accelerator cable snapped
on the way home quick fix in a lay by
Life is like a bowl of fruit, funny how all the weird looking ones are left alone
|
|
|
MikeR
|
| posted on 22/6/09 at 10:52 PM |
|
|
Friend works for the AA. Coming back from mallory PPC day we chatted about this - after we drove past some lads in a car being recovered. Lets just
say we're both amazed a striped out track day car broke down a mile from the circuit, in a lay by and his mates with a tow rope attached to the
rear of their car just happened to be there!!!
Anyway, AA will not recover race cars, nor will they recover from a track. In theory they won't recover out of a ditch by the side of the
road.
So if you make it away from the track and break down & don't be an arse, you'll get recovered. You may get asked politely if
you've been racing and .... well, have a guess what you say.
I raised that track days aren't technically racing & he said yeah, but it depends on the mood of the patrol person really so you're
better off playing dumb than arguing the point. They're all petrol heads and would rather be playing with a toy car than trying to get a
grannies 10 year old micra to start.
|
|
|
whitestu
|
| posted on 23/6/09 at 07:34 AM |
|
|
I drove to Lydden Hill and back, which is about 190 miles round trip.
Only problem was a cracked alternator bracket, which didn't actually stop anything from working.
Stu
|
|
|
.jpg)
