I've been reading the track-day reports over the last few months having only had a MX-5 for 6 months and I am keen to give one a go. I live in Cheltenham and don't really want to travel more than 100 miles. My questions are:

Which is the best track to start on? I hear airfields with large run-off areas are best.

How much do they typically cost? per car? per person? per lap?

How many laps do I usually get? Cost per extra lap?

Do I need to get myself a helmet or can I borrow?

How easy is it to damage my car? i.e. how dangerous is it?

How much will a day's track insurance typically cost me?

Are the days ALL MX-5's or shared with GTI cars Am I going to embarrass myself in my unmodified motor :o( Will "modded" motors be up my exhaust shouting at me. :o( I'm no boy-racer, but I'm keen to test the handling of my car in a "hedge-free" zone, rather than donuting around wet mini-roundabouts after midnight :o)

I know that's a "lot of questions" in one go, but I need to be convinced I can get a "lot of fun" out of the day WITHOUT doing a "lot of damage" to my car. (7/01)

This is just my personal opinion, but:

Which is the best track to start on?

1) Start on an MX5 club day - this means all the cars are more evenly matched, so you don't have scary machines flying past you all the time. Also, you get a better crowd (Richard keeps them in line! :-) and plenty of good technical support from people who know their MX5 stuff instead of just laughing at your "puny car".

2) A track with nothing to hit anywhere close to it! Donington & Silverstone were great in this respect - wide, with large gravel pits between you and any walls. Allegedly tracks like Oulton park have lots of quite close walls. Wroughton Airfield was good, but the track was marked by cones, which I found quite intimidating at first (as they are things you can hit, and they are very close!)

3) A fun track. Donington was great. Silverstone sucked. Wroughton Airfield was fantastic. (What you perceive as fun is totally subjective however!)

4) Somewhere not too far away. I baulk at anything over maybe 1.5 hours drive away, because you have to be there for about 8:30am!

How much do they typically cost? per car? per person? per lap?

Big tracks are 100-150 quid for the car+driver, plus 15-25 for a passenger. Airfields are more like 70 for car+driver, and 0-10 for the passenger. Check out http://www.atomineer.com/redmx5/art_donington101a.html (at the bottom) for a detailed list of my costs. But you have to factor in: Cost to get there, lunch, wear on brakes & tyres, full tank of fuel used on track, plus track cost, plus insurance.

Insurance can be had for about 70 for a single day, or if you are with someone like AON, it is included "free" in your policy. Typically you should get around 100 miles for your money (although slow twisty tracks you'll get fewer miles), which is ... well, it's plenty - you will be tired & happy by the end of the day!

How many laps do I usually get? Cost per extra lap?

You don't get extra, but you don't have to use all the track time you have bought.

Do I need to get myself a helmet or can I borrow?

Some venues can hire out helmets - or you can borrow from a biker friend if you have one - or buy them (cost from 50 upwards). But organise them ahead of the day!

How easy is it to damage my car? i.e. how dangerous is it?

If you are sensible, it's very safe. If you are a nutter, then you deserve everything you get. But you can take things at your own pace and only go as fast as you feel comfortable with. I start off slower than almost anyone else, and just go faster and faster until I find the limits. I've only spun once, at 80+mph (!) and the car stopped in about 30 feet, totally unharmed. Most spins stop so quickly that don't even take the car off the track. Note that you cannot pass unless the car in front indicates that they are ready for you to do so, so there is no barging through corners - so it's a lot safer than the races you see on TV! On non-MX5 days, there are more naughty people who flaunt the rules and occasionally cut up slower cars though - so stick to MX5 days!

Are the days ALL MX-5's or shared with GTI cars

Depends where & when you go :-)

Am I going to embarrass myself in my unmodified motor :o(

No - just take things at your own pace. If you drive the corners well, you will even be able to "beat" super/turbocharged cars, if their drivers are slow! But it is NON-competitive - you are only "competing" against your own previous laps. The only thing other people will hate you for is if you hold them up for lap after lap without pulling over and letting them pass.

Will "modded" motors be up my exhaust shouting at me. :o(

When you reach a straight, check your mirrors. If something is behind you, then indicate and pull over, ease off the throttle, and they will pass. They will only shout if you continually sit in the way without being polite enough to let them through.

I'm no boy-racer, but I'm keen to test the handling of my car in a "hedge-free" zone, rather than donuting around wet mini-roundabouts after midnight :o)

A wise plan. I learnt more about my car in 1 track day than in 18 months of open-road driving. I have done 3 track days, reports here: http://www.atomineer.com/redmx5/art_donington101a.html http://www.atomineer.com/redmx5/art_silverstone1.html http://www.atomineer.com/redmx5/art_wroughton1.html They should give you a pretty good idea what it's been like for me...

Damage so far; A little smudge of orange cone on my wheel arch - which wiped off. (7/01)

Which is the best track to start on? I hear airfields with large run-off areas are best.

It is better to start of with an airfield day rather than a race track one as you don't have the armco around to intimidate you. Having said that, some airfields, like Wroughton, have too many cones which feel to close in. Out of the race tracks, Donington is possibly the best one for novices as it's free flowing, and while there is armco it is a fair way out. Alas Donington is also just a bit beyond your travel limit.

How much do they typically cost? per car? per person? per lap?

Anywhere from around ?80 to lots - but the main groups only go up to about 180 for the bigger tracks. As a general rule race tracks cost more than airfields, week days are cheaper than weekends and bank holidays, summer is more expensive than any other time. One of the best value places is Donington through Trackzone, which works out as ~115 per day.

How many laps do I usually get? Cost per extra lap?

It depends on the circuit and the numbers. It is normally done by time, not number of laps. Say 15 or 20 minutes per hour. You do not really want to do more as the car needs to cool down, etc after each session. Some places have 'open pit lane' policies where you just queue up to go out when you want (they limit the number of cars on the track at any one point in time). If you're out too long they'll pull you in to allow some one else out.

Do I need to get myself a helmet or can I borrow?

Most circuits/organisers/our OC will hire out helmets (or loan out in the case of the OC) - but it's limited numbers and needs to be done in advance. In many respects it's best sorting out for yourself a decently fitting helmet as you'll find track days are addictive fun :-)

How easy is it to damage my car? i.e. how dangerous is it?

If you don't drive beyond yours and the cars limits, it's not. If you prat around then it is and you'll find your self kicked out by the marshals/organisers.

How much will a day's track insurance typically cost me?

If you're a member of the OC and have insurance with AON, then on our official track days nothing, else it'll be some where around 25 per day until they think you're experienced enough. The main track day insurer (Egger Lawson (also known as Competitive Car Insurer)) will charge around 80 for 7K cover. First thing to do is ask your insurers where they stand. Most will not cover, some will. Note if it's an airfield day, then say you're doing a 'Driver improvement day at an airfield with XXXXXX organiser'.

Are the days ALL MX-5's or shared with GTI cars

The OC days should be all MX-5s, but alas we could not get the numbers together for Wroughton so there were other cars as well. This did not reduce the level of fun though :-). Some circuits are better than others for being with faster cars. Again try Donington (overtaking can only be done on the straights so you're not affected that much).

Am I going to embarrass myself in my unmodified motor :o(

Nope, not in the least. No one is allowed to race.

Will "modded" motors be up my exhaust shouting at me. :o(

They will catch up with you and over-take you, but they won't 'shout' at you, and if they try to push you they'll be kicked off track. You'll find that it's no problem normally. (7/01)

I hear airfields with large run-off areas are best. For ultimate possible damage factor yes...for wear on tyres....no, they are generally more abrasive.

Some race circuits can be heavy on tyres as well - depends on the age of the circuit. Also some airfields are being re-tarmacked with track days and race car testing in mind.

Are the days ALL MX-5's or shared with GTI cars?

I've done track days with cars which will out accelerate race cars (remember that Evo 4 at Donington - been on the track several times with him - he's got around 600BHP and has been re-geared with a top end of sub 120 MPH - that was before he hit the wall (being a silly bugger on a flooded track)), including super cars and race series cars (Porsche cup, Caterham R series cup, Kit car 1600 series, Formula ford (was on the track with one at Donington), and a few others). I've never had a problem. In reality the really quick cars make life easier as they can pass far quicker on the straights, reducing the need to back off to let them safely past before the next corner.

Expect to trash a set of tyres every 2 track days (if you push hard) Ditto front brake pads.

Not sure what you're doing. I've now done 7 full track days, TRAX2000 and teh Curborough session, plus ~ 14K miles on my present set of tyres, which still has about 4 mm+ left. (7/01)

Do I need to get myself a helmet or can I borrow?

Most tracks allow you to hire one, but you can buy a helmet for about 50

How easy is it to damage my car? i.e. how dangerous is it?

Well to be honest, I get more nervous in my daily commute to work. Once a MX5 starts spinning, you'll scrub off speed quite quickly, you would have to be very unlucky to hit anything.

How much will a day's track insurance typically cost me?

30 I think, but the excess is usually very high, at least a grand.

Am I going to embarrass myself in my unmodified motor :o(

God no, the standard MX5 due to the PTWR and handling will show road cars up to 2.5 litre a run for it's money... well mind you I did ;) Westies are another ball game :)

Will "modded" motors be up my exhaust shouting at me. :o(

If you are talking Max Power warm hatches.. they havn't a hope in hell.

I'm no boy-racer, but I'm keen to test the handling of my car in a "hedge-free" zone, rather than donuting around wet mini-roundabouts after midnight :o)

Oh good, I thought I was the only one who did that :) (7/01)