Track Day Primer

Note: I'm not an expert track day driver. As of the time of this writing I've only had about 12 track days total on three different tracks. But I figured this might help a few people who are getting started.

What is a Track Day?

A track day is an opportunity for regular folks like you and me to take our street cars onto a real race track. It is not racing! Track Days are not a competition and are not timed. They are events designed to let us drive on race tracks for fun and learning.

There are many organizations that run track days. In my area (Northern California) the best one for beginners is Hooked On Driving. They offer lots of instruction and structure their track days with an emphasis on safety and fun. I highly recommend them for your first track day.

Is it Dangerous?

Driving on a track, just like driving on the street, can be dangerous. Oganizations that host track days always have saefty as their number one priority. Drivers are separated into run groups based on their skill level and past experience. Novice drivers are typically not on the track the same time as experienced drivers.

Coaches

New drivers always drive with a coach in the car. Your coach is there to help you stay safe, have fun, and learn. In some organizations, your coach will drive your car for the first couple of laps of the day. This allows the coach to check the car itself, and allows you to see the track before you get behind the wheel. After that your coach will ride with you as a passenger, giving advice and feedback and helping you to stay safe.

Before you get in the car, your coach will talk with you and ask questions to get a better understanding of your experience level and goals. Be open with your coach about what you hope to achieve (hopefully "have fun" is near the top of the list!) and any fears you have. 

Here's a great interview of the head coach of Hooked On Driving: Dev Clough: Head Coach for Hooked On Driving

Note that also there may be cases where you and your coach's style don't quite get along. That's okay! If you're not comfortable with your coach, ask to have a different coach. 

Typical Track Day

A typical track day will go something like this:

7:30am gates open
8:30am Drivers meeting - this is mandatory for all drivers
9:00am Novice/beginner instruction session in classroom setting
10:30am First novice session on track - most sessions typically last about 20 minutes
10:50am novice download meeting - talk about on-track issues and experiences
12:00pm next novice session
12:20pm novice session download
....

3:40pm last novice session
4:00pm smiles all around

For beginner/novice drivers, every on-track session is followed by a download meeting where drivers discuss issues they had on track and concerns or questions they may have. These meetings are super-helpful! Be sure to attend all of them (in some organizations they are mandatory to allow you back on track for the next session).


So, what do you need to do for you fisrt track day?

Determine your goals for the day.

What do you want to get out of the day? Do you want to do a lot of track days in the future, and want to get started toward becoming a safe, fast driver? Are you there just for the fun and thrill of driving a race track? Is this just something you've wanted to try for a long time? Maybe you're there because a friend or significant other does track days and you're not too sure about it? Whatever the case, have this in your head and talk to your coach about it when you get to the track. 

Personally, my main goal for every track day is "Have Fun!".

Check your car.

Most groups have car checklists that cover pretty much everything. In particular:

1. Tires. Be sure that your tires have at least half of their original tread on them. Check the pressures as well. If you're not sure what pressure to use, you might wait till you're at the track and ask your coach.
2. Brakes. You'll need at least half of the pad thickness to be there before you get on the track. You'll use it.
3. Seatbelts. Make sure they work well and aren't frayed at all (check down near the car frame along the seat very carefully).
4. Lug Nuts. If you don't have a good torque wrench, you should ask around at the track to borrow one. Check the torque on the lug nuts before you go out and after a few sessions on the track.
5. Gas. Put in premium gas and come to the track with the tank close to full. 

Here's a few sample car checklists:

Hooked On Driving's Tech Checklist 
NASA Car Checklist
Northern California Racing Club Car Checklist

 Learn the track layout ahead of time.

Just about every track has had some folks drive around it with cameras in their car that they've posted to youtube. This is a great resource. Try to find videos of drivers using the same kind of car you have. Note that most videos will be from drivers with more experience, so don't expect to be going as fast as they are.

A few of my videos:

You can also practice driving the track on video game consoles like the PS3 using Gran Turismo. In my area (northern CA) the only track usually in games is Laguna Seca, but I go there a lot so I do practice it a lot on the game. In most games you'll get around the track a lot faster than in real life, but you'll be amazed at how much it helps to have already virtually driven the track before you actually get on it in a real car.

Check out Jeremy Clarkson trying to go around Laguna Seca in real life versus in a video game:

You can also get most track layout maps online, usually via google search. Use them to learn the turn numbers and get a good feel for the map in your mind.

Some tracks are also available online in google maps and google street view. I like the street view because you can pan around and see what's to the left and right of any particular part of the track.

Google Street View of Laguna Seca 

Learn the Flags.

This is super important. You must know what the flags mean and be ready to react to them quickly. 
Different groups have different meanings for some flags, but here's the ones that are pretty much universal:

Be sure to learn ALL of the flags for your event!
 

Flag Stations

An often overlooked topic in many first-time track days is the flag stations and where they are located. I find this to be super important and I think it should be stressed in every beginner track day session. Some organizations, like NASA, are actually very good at this and require you to wave at every flag station on your first lap (and sometimes your last lap as well). I think this is a great idea and you should strive to do this as well. Before you try to learn the track, learn the flag stations. They can save your car (and your life!).

Point-By and Passing

A lot of new track drivers can get really nervous on the track and can inadvertently hold up faster drivers behind them, resulting in a traffic jam or 'conga line'. The best way to avoid this is to learn how to do point-bys and keep an eye on your mirrors.

So what's a "point-by"? It's simply an arm extended out the driver-side window, with the hand making a point. Note it should be a fully extended arm with a very deliberate, steady point. 

A good example of a point-by is at 0:55 into this video:

If you want to let someone pass you (see "passing zones" below), point them by. Note that when you do give a point-by, it is your responsibility to let the car pass. Sometimes a car behind you may not have much power, and you may need to let off the gas to let them by.

If a car is right behind you and you'd like them to back off until you can get to a passing zone, you can do a mirror tap to let them know you see them and will point them by the next chance you get. Just reach up and tap your rearview mirror a couple times. This really helps the driver behind you so they know you see them.

Passing Zones

Just about every organization that runs track days has specific passing zones for beginner drivers (and most other drivers as well). In a typical beginner group, passing will only be allowed on long straights and only with a point-by. Be sure to get the passing zone rules for your sessions and ask questions if you're not sure. You should also review the passing zones with your coach before getting on the track.

Dealing with traffic

The best advice when in traffic is BE PREDICTABLE. Don't make any radical moves, switch lanes, swerve left or right. Follow your line as much as possible while still giving other cars room to pass. And when you attempt to pass, try to keep as much room as possible between you and the car you're passing. Remember - it's not racing. If you're not sure if you can make a pass in a specific passing zone, don't pass. Wait for the next safe zone.

Avoiding Common Mistakes

Remember - you're going to be on a real race track. Tracks are dangerous. You could very well end up crashing and having your car hauled home on a tow truck (or worse). Drive within your limits! Track days are not racing. Safety is the top priority over all else. That being said, there are a few situations that you may find yourself in that can either go smoothly or very badly depending on your reaction. Here's a few tips to help.

Going off track: if you're exiting a corner and it looks like you're going to go off the track, don't panic. Just before your wheels go off the pavement, straighten up the wheel and drive smoothly off. Do NOT try to crank the wheel more to stay on the track. If you do, when your front wheel gains traction again, your car will suddenly shoot across the track and you may go into a wall. In this situation, lift off the throttle, drive smoothly off, and when you are back in control drive smoothly back on. 

Here's an example of what not to do. The Evo in front of me gets two wheels off coming out of turn 10 at Laguna Seca, and he cranks the wheel to try to stay on. When the wheel catches, it shoots him across the track:

And a good example of what TO do:

   
There is some excellent information on the web about track days. One I found useful is this: Auto Trackday Monthly: Getting Started.

More to come....