Who Likes Track Days? Who's Scared Of 'em? Who Can't Afford It?

[N1GTR]

Im in the same boat (not r33) as the Baron for this one - im very keen on doing the Oran Park track before its demolished

[BWA]

I am interested in doing a track day asap after watching the super sprint at oran park on sunday. The only thing stopping me is I have no idea how much it will cost all up and what I need to do. Also I need to get my car fixed but don't know of any good mechanics

If someone tells me how to prepare for the track day like what to buy and stuff and how much money I will need I'm in for the next one.

[N1GTR]

Just check oil and coolant levels and bring some spare coolant/oil just in case

You will also need a helmet (cheap - go to motorbike shops) and fully covered clothing (long sleeve shirt etc)

If an L2S is required, they are easy to get through CAMS

[Silver-Arrowz]

I've torn my achilles tendon so I have no control of the clutch. If my cast comes off before the day and I've regain some use of my left foot then I might be in, still though the whole saga has already costed me a small fortune so I'll just have to wait and see.

[sanger]

Hey abo,

For me its a dollars thing, Ive just started racing in the historic series so that takes a fair bit of money. Plus im already booked into a track day in may down at wakefield. Its costing us about $180 and that is for the day, dorian timers for all cars a nights accomodation at the pelican sheep station next door plus pretty much all the pizza and booze you can drink. I would love to do the oran park day but i havee recently just done a private practice and some driver training there so would prefer to go somewhere else. But if money allows ill be in!

Thats just my 2cents

[lingeringsoul]

afraid of breaking my car, car in a constant state of dodginess, most of all, $$$$$$$, too poor

[Tommyk]

I would come but by then I will no longer be a skyline owner (hopefully)

[Nathan]

Abo,

Excuse

WHAT DID YOU EXPECT

I agree100 & 10%. I don’t understand, the scared will tell you without reservation on how quick there car is “on the street”, BIG DEAL.

I love the idea that someone is willing to have a go against themselves, and there within lies some truth.

The track days are about proving your ability to learn a skill, not your car to learn a skill, (Does a puppy get smatter at puppy school or does the master learn how to train a puppy?). This is where most run away, with poor excuses about the performance of there cars to hide themselves.

The scared are comfortable to flog the snot out of their cars on the street where we have traffic lights, on coming traffic, parked cars on the side of the road, pedestrians, Police, School mums bumped up on valium sandwiches or even better in the late evening or early morning where pissed people are primed targets.

The person that drops the excuses and gets out there has just seen another world….poor buggars will now spend bulk on the true performance parts ie brakes & suspension.

They also learn a few new words like apex, tyre pressure, over & under steer & worst of all when’s the next day on.

I am no good driver, but I will say that getting on the track is the best fun. From my personal experience, the best fun I have had in a car on the track is my old Skyline not quick but fun and that’s the important part, you are not against anyone else until you are really hooked.

And stacking your car (even with ‘P” plate exception here), Search this forum and the news papers & then tell me that more per capita stack on the tack than on the roads…..

This is my thesis without a fourth drink or an education: Get out, enjoy, have fun & frighten the crap out of yourself before crap frightens YOU.

[BWA]

Another thing I would be worried about is damaging my car because it is my daily but Nathans post makes a lot of sense.

I think the main reason though is because I will enjoy it so much I will become obsessed and go to every track day I can. Anyway I have decided to try it so I will be at Oran Park in April

[Silver-Arrowz]

It's simple, push the car to the limit that you feel comfortable with. Nobody's sitting next to you with a gun in your head and telling you to go faster. If the format follows all the track days I've been to then the fast cars are seperated from the slow/beginners. And you shouldn't be ashamed to be in the slow group because we all started there at one point. Hell I sometimes go there when I'm unsure of my cars performance from time to time.

Get one of the experienced guys to sit in the car with you for pointers. Heck if allowed I'll be more than happy to get in and give pointers. I'm already planning on flag marshalling to make this day enjoyable for all so get out there and have a poke.

Back in the early days of SAU a lot of members got out there and had a bit of fun but along the way we learned a lot about out cars from these days. This knowledge we don't mind sharing with fellow members, we're not a F1 paddock where everything is secret.

P.S. Flavio's not out there scouting for Alonso's replacement (thats because he's signed me up already )

[BWA]

I will probably be going really slow at first especially because I don't know my car too well yet and it is stock. I'm so excited now that I have paid. It is going to be so fun but everyone has to help me out. Will there be many girls going?

At least I only live 10 minutes away so if I do break something it isn't far

[turbohectics]

Well said Nathan ,

I think alot of us need our cars to get to work the next day etc so alot of daily driven skyline owners are gonna be a lil scared of the thought of walking to work,in my case already takes just over half an hour driving to work and there is no public transport around.

My 2 cents

[blk180]

Mine is off the road again was looking forward to some track days

[SECURITY]

ive been wanting to get out to a track day but im a bit worried about going somewhere with walls on my first go as i know ill be testing my cars limits from the word go.. its just how i drive, i like to know my limits and especially out on a track i know i wont hold back.

id be interested in going to wakafield park as soon as my rebuild is completed and run in.

the cost is another factor for me. im a uni student and i work as much as i can but most of it goes onto my morgage repayments.

also my car is a daily driver (when i get it back anyway), and with 6 people in my family its really hard getting a car otherwise. ive got a lancer too but ive sold it to my old man because he gave his car to my mum.

if i thought about going to events then i usually need time to save and owning a skyline doesnt help my $$ situation. but in saying that ive been itching to go to a track day and if the price is right ill definately attend.

[hanyou]

i realllly want to go... but i do have a good feeling im going to hit a wall or something im liek secur1ty.. push it untill something stops you haha..

[yogi000]

my mentality is that i have a car that makes X amount of power.....but that power on street only gets me into trouble cause i cant really use it but i really wanna. So i've told myself i'll use the circuits in nsw to let me have some fun and see how good or bad of a driver i am. To me i dont see the point of having this quick car on the street.....but thats just me.

My car is a daily driver aswell, so when i hit the track i tone down the rev limit to a timid 6600rpm and make sure all maintenance has been done and just have fun.

You wont hit a wall or tyre barrier unless you begin to push it harder or drive beyond your limits......i've been there done that too.

I think adam does a great job of organising events, giving us a decent amount of time to organise ourselves.

[sanger]

i realllly want to go... but i do have a good feeling im going to hit a wall or something im liek secur1ty.. push it untill something stops you haha..

Guys track days are meant to be fun.... You drive within your limits and you wont have a problem, Its when you try and beat that person in front thats been doing it for years or when you try and beat a mates time(who just happen to do this time at another trackday when there was no one else you knew there). At tracks like oran you can pick and choose when to go full pelt (turn 1 short curcuit) or when to hang back a bit( like coming on to the straight where the wall is close). You just have to be sensible and gain confidence gradually and work your way up to going quicker!!!!!

Also Driver training = safety not just quicker lap times. So if there is some more experienced people out there who are willing to help you with your driving for free Thats GREAT!!!!!! Like the others have said test your cars limits on the track not on the road where you could do something stupid that effects others not just you! Damn im starting to sound like an old crank!!!!!!! Back in my day...........

[A NewTattoo]

well i will try and come to this 29 april day. i love the GP circuit and i think anyone whos driven it will happily pay the extra it costs over the south ciruit and wakefield. the only thing that has stopped me putting in my entry so far is the state of my skylines. neither are quite ready at the moment so i dont want to say i'm in, only to have to pull out later.

as for SBS, it's never stopped me before. i managed about 8 events last year including super sprints etc.

guys that think it's expensive i can understand, but they are much better than the open days. there is less cars, so more track time. plus generally there are instructors there to help out.

i ll go if richard s going ~~~

yeah there are too many reasons , if i dont go with someone then i dont know what to do and what s going on , and the money problem .....i m broke after i got my r33 , and i think i m interested in run with other cars more than just test the limit in my own car by myself ....but yeah i dont mind go and watch....hehe~~

[sindows]

I have signed up and payed.

But the more i read, the more i too am getting a little anxious!

I dont want to hit a wall as well as i have just forked out $250 for a set of rear tyres and just realised i am going to be chewing 50% of my fronts as well!

On top of that, to sum it all up. Its going to cost me about $470 just to attend and enjoy the day, that doesnt include extra oil, coolant, petrol and food.

So for 1 day costing over $500 its quite costly and as everyone else has said, this is the main reason i wont attend very offtern.

my 2c.

[ferni]

Most of you will feel nervous on your first, second even third track day.... I've been to half a dozen and i still get nervous on the first session. But seriously you get over those nerves, once you get out there you realise its not as bad as you thought. The track is wider, smoother and easier to see around the corners compared to driving on the street. Don't look or think about the walls and you won't hit them. The only people who hit the walls are the people who drive 10/10ths. Just go out there and drive 8/10ths and you won't hit a wall.

If you've never been on a track before get one of the more experienced guys to sit passenger with you and give you some pointers. Even better go out as a passenger in a more experienced drivers car and see how they do it. You'll learn so much about your cars braking and handling.

It's only expensive if you make it expensive. You know how many things i've broken at track days since I started going to them 18months ago? zero.... I've also done it on the same set of street tyres, and its my daily driver.... unless your really pushing (which you won't be) you won't chew your street tyres that much.

People who haven't been out there don't know what they are missing out on.... when was the last time you read/heard someone say 'i went to a track day and didn't like it im not going back again'