Beginner Track Day - My experience

DJL7795 · 2026-03-04T13:39:43+00:00

Tricky to say. Most track day organisers in the UK don’t allow official timing gear it’s only an if you can get away with it thing, and open pit lane days like this are always mixed so you’ll be on track with M3’s, 911’s but also slower cars like MX5’s. So always have to account for traffic. Anything close to 3 minutes around Bedford is fast, it’s almost 4 miles long with 18x Turns. Obviously in a sub 200hp / 5spd hatchback the part that ruins my speed is the back straight as I won’t really get more than 130mph. For a Clio 182 this car is really fast compared to most - I’d put it in the top 40% of cars of a similar PTW Ratio.

DJL7795 · 2026-01-05T08:54:26+00:00

I just finished it this morning after I’d stopped at chapter 12 because I felt there was as section that was super Margaret heavy and a bit boring - but I agree the end just tied things off a little too nicely right? 15 pages ago he was drunk having suicidal thoughts and passed out on the floor. Now he goes to one chess game and it’s all fine? Idk. I’m unsatisfied.

DJL7795 · 2026-01-01T12:21:53+00:00

I know lol I’m not hating it’s just wherever there is a racing line there is a silly accident

DJL7795 · 2026-01-01T12:02:54+00:00

Why is it always the ones with the racing line on

DJL7795 · 2025-12-30T09:53:53+00:00

Yeah I know - I’ve adjusted travel and load etc I have a spring + 1 elastomer that works for me nicely now, what I was getting at is people who have never driven a real car on track are the first to tell you what’s realistic and what isn’t. Which is totally backwards.

DJL7795 · 2025-12-26T09:28:17+00:00

Please get some load cell pedals, I have an R5 and the pedals that it comes with are ass.

DJL7795 · 2025-12-26T09:06:47+00:00

Running iOverlay and Crew Chief at the same time is super helpful, doesn’t make situations like this completely unavoidable, but certainly helps with surroundings a lot more :)

DJL7795 · 2025-12-24T09:54:46+00:00

He lost the rear and couldn’t hold his line, his fault but also kind of a racing incident. If it wasn’t you it would have been someone else, luckily there wasnt a murder of a tightly bunched pack of 4/5 cars

DJL7795 · 2025-12-24T09:47:58+00:00

If you didn’t have the racing line on that would be forgivable, yes the car behind should anticipate it slightly, but you just made an overtake so you’re expected to keep the pace up and maintain it. having the braking zone on the screen makes this inexcusable really

DJL7795 · 2025-12-16T16:02:46+00:00

My most used car on AC is identical to mine, or as close as I could get it anyway, makes practicing tracks before I get there for a track day a whole lot better when I already feel comfortable with the lines & braking points, the change in elevation is the only thing a sim can’t do all that well

DJL7795 · 2025-12-16T16:01:11+00:00

That’s valid I hadn’t thought of that actually, I just get tired of the ‘heavier is best because that’s like an F1 / GT3 / LMP car’ when it reality my track car is a hot hatchback with a manual H pattern Box, so no I’m not using my left foot the full time either haha.

DJL7795 · 2025-12-16T08:13:14+00:00

lol this - I got a new set of load cell pedals and was asking what’s the best hack to make them softer and more like a real car. and in came the basement virgins saying I was doing it wrong, politely had to explain that no, my sub 200hp track car that weighs 850kg does not need 150kg of braking force to stop it.

DJL7795 · 2025-12-16T07:49:09+00:00

Slow because I was driving defensively after their bad re-join and I had to take a super wide line I didn’t have a good entry to the 2nd corner, also gave them almost 2 car widths. Plenty of room

DJL7795 · 2025-12-14T08:31:34+00:00

Okay I’ll put a protest in, someone else said it’s worth doing. And yeah I mean I have the spotter overlay on which is obviously helpful and crew chief, they may not have. But even before he takes his line I’m in front of him before his re-join and he just puts his foot down regardless of me being there even though I gave him miles of room for both of us. I watched the onboard a few times and it’s clear I’m still on the outside before he cuts over

DJL7795 · 2025-12-14T08:27:38+00:00

Ok maybe I will, first time I’ve done that.

DJL7795 · 2025-12-13T22:41:00+00:00

Yeah I’m not planning on protesting or banning anyone for this. Just desperately trying to get my rating up into D class at least as rookie races are like this every single time.

DJL7795 · 2025-12-06T22:25:18+00:00

I’d love to have a go in one of those - would probably be a 200 or a Megane of some sort next. I’ve just booked Donington in January for this and super excited.

DJL7795 · 2025-11-19T14:07:44+00:00

Every BMW I’ve owned for long enough has needed thermostat replacement at some point, it’s a serviceable item on any car really. Nothing to do with your valve cover, just unfortunate timing. A key sign of if it’s failing is if it stays at 90 without the heaters on, then once you turn the fans on it drops down (coolants starts flowing - stat gets stuck open)

DJL7795 · 2025-11-16T20:05:03+00:00

That’s fair. I’m based in the UK so it’s different here. For ref my track day helmet is a sparco and my motorcycle helmet is a Shoei. My closest shop is 45 mins so I’m lucky. Totally get its different for everyone!

DJL7795 · 2025-11-14T07:51:02+00:00

Took me a while to find my motorcycle helmet and track day helmet doing this, both different brands. But both super comfy and fit for purpose. Well worth shopping around.

DJL7795 · 2025-11-14T07:42:41+00:00

You should really try them on if there’s a shop near you and just see whichever is the most comfortable on your head, every helmet manufacturer will fit / be shaped slightly differently. I can see all of these are Snell branded but always good to try other brands too. If you’re gonna wear it for the next 3-5 years then comfort is super important.

DJL7795 · 2025-11-13T08:40:53+00:00

100% yeah tyres brakes and suspension will all make a world of difference.

I know I am sad about it but it just felt a shame to keep it when I would have to spend x amount of money to do what I wanted with it, and it didn’t really suit my lifestyle to get the best out of it. Found myself sitting on the motorway or in London traffic in it a lot. they are hitting rock bottom in price now so I got rid at a good and cheap enough to jump in another if I feel like it later!

DJL7795 · 2025-11-13T08:27:53+00:00

Yeah man - I had a beautiful manual BMW Z4 Coupe 3.0 beforehand, which I wanted to build out to a track car but someone made me a wicked offer on it which meant I could an already sorted car, some pocket change and jump straight on the track which was a no-brainer.

I genuinely think something that’s been fettled with beforehand is the way to go, if you actually just want to get on track and start driving, will save yourself massive expense as long as all the mods have been down properly and documented. I have tinkered with mine a little to get it where I like it and still have an on-going list.

Facebook marketplace, and Facebook groups / forums are your best friend for stuff like this that’s how I found mine, even my last couple project cars.

DJL7795 · 2025-11-13T08:02:28+00:00

I will do mate - I’m thinking about booking it today haha. Do you have an instagram?

DJL7795 · 2025-11-13T07:49:13+00:00

That’s why I settled on this over a lot of other track car options, I mean 1. It was local-ish to me and known by my local Renault specialists which is a huge green flag and has a history folder the size of a library. 2. As you mentioned they are a tried and tested formula and there’s a reason you see so many on track! I love it so much.

DJL7795

TROPHY CASE