A simple survey.
How many people here have taken/had professional driving lessons to improve their race craft ?
I read this site quite often and see how much is spent improving cars specs and every mechanical part possible, but never on improving driver skill ( not that I am saying no one can drive here ! ) I recently went on a road craft driving course and improved my times dramatically, either that or I drove like my mother, which is possible. So don’t be shy let us know what you learned or whether it was worth/not worth the money. Graham
Instruction on a circuit is the best “bang for buck” without a doubt.
As you say, there’s often too much emphasis on “pub talk” power/mod figures, & not enough (if any at all) driving the cars on track.
I tend to think that regular track driving makes one a better road driver (less inclined to drive aggressively/more aware of other traffic etc), rather than the other way round.
Now I have my car setup how I want it I am focusing on driving skills. My first trackday of the year is tomorrow and I have booked Malcolm Edeson (chief LoT instructor).
We will be data logging and using 4 bullet cams so we can overlay the data on the video and analyse for improvements even after the day.
Having worked in GT racing it really brings it home how important the skill factor is. In most 2 man driving teams one is a �gentleman� driver and several seconds a lap slower in the same car and setup. Some of these gentlemen drivers spend hundreds of thousand pounds every year on their racing habit but little time or money developing themselves. It is really frustrating to lose good positions in races after the changeover.
So for me it�s a priority. For example, I didn�t buy the 46mm Ohlins but the 36mm Ohlins as I know I cannot extract the performance of the 36mm yet!!! Any upgrade will wait until then.
Surely it depends what you want from your trackdays. I have had a couple of lessons and it was a little boring to me, like being back at school. I prefer to just have a laugh at the trackdays. If you are that serious (like damon obviously is with his helicopter tracking views and instant telemetry readings :O)) you will probably end up going racing eventually. Each to their own though.
At trackdays the different machinery/drivers makes it very difficult to know if you are improving or not. Because you arent supposed to be racing/timing/etc.
Spot on David!
Your final paragraph eloquently says it all 
Well thank you sir :O)
Yep thats the plan
I have done a couple Carlimits days at North Weald which I found very good for understanding the basics of why the car behaves in the way it does and learning basic car control (how to cope with understeer/oversteer etc). I also did one of Andy Walsh’s track training sessions which builds on the carlimits airfield stuff which was also really useful.
I agree that trackdays are about having fun though rather than lap times, so I’m not really interested in trying to get faster and faster, now that I think I have a reasonable grasp of the basics, but I would still do more Carlimits days to brush up the skills learnt, and they are also a lot of fun!
I have had some other instructor sessions at track days, but if they don’t use intercoms then they are pointless in my opinion.
Neal.
yea track days are for fun but some of the driving skills include how to correct it if the back end goes wild…
It aint just for track it might save your life one day if ur on the roads and loose the car…
but thats only “my view” because its my first rear wheel drive car and have had the end going round corners with bumps in them… very scary…
[quote=Ash]yea track days are for fun but some of the driving skills include how to correct it if the back end goes wild…
It aint just for track it might save your life one day if ur on the roads and loose the car…
but thats only “my view” because its my first rear wheel drive car and have had the end going round corners with bumps in them… very scary…
[/quote]
I would recommend the Carlimits training for this. You can experience what happens to your car when you overstep the limit, but in a safe environment with wide open spaces.
When the rear end lets go you have to react instinctively in my opinion, if you have to think about it you’re too late! The only way to get to this point is through practice, practice, practice…
[quote=Ash]yea track days are for fun but some of the driving skills include how to correct it if the back end goes wild…
It aint just for track it might save your life one day if ur on the roads and loose the car…
but thats only “my view” because its my first rear wheel drive car and have had the end going round corners with bumps in them… very scary…
[/quote]
You can also try the introduction to drifting day at oulton. Its on special tarmac so everything happens at about 20mph. Its awesome fun as well.
Enjoyed the drift days in my CSL at OP great fun.
Must be hard work in the Exige compared though?
I’ve had a bit of training - not that you’d know 
John Lyon - I did a couple of parts of the High Performance Course with John that focused on Road Craft. I think John has retired now but it was a real experience and John can certainly peddle cross-country!
Andrew Walsh - Been to North Weald quite a few times and it is always worth it, I can’t think of a time that I have not learnt something. Also been to Llandow with Walshy as my first ever trackday many moons ago with AndyD, IDG and Mike Lane remember that lads (about 6years ago!!!).
Trackdays - I usually get instruction when on a full day just because it’s always useful to get some pointers of the circuit and driving in general.
Like many others I’m just out to have some fun and learn how to try and bridge the divide between the car’s capabilities and my own 
As has been said above its a track day and everyone should go at the pace that suits them, but I’m in the group that likes to go as fast as they can when on track. I try to make sure that this isn’t at the expense of anyone else’s fun.
If I’m going somewhere new I always get some instruction, and prefer to get an instructor who will comment on the driving, not just a co driver to show me the lines.
As far as specific training is concerned I’d recommend Colin Hoad at CAT Driver Training.
For me bottom line from all the instructors has been “Look further ahead”. Should know this by now, but its always worth someone repeating it to me.
[quote=Damon]Enjoyed the drift days in my CSL at OP great fun.
Must be hard work in the Exige compared though? [/quote]
I did it in my bmw 5 series … great fun !!
Were you there with a couple of other CSLs ? Last time we went there were 3 there all doing a good job of promoting the bmw brand. I love those cars, do you still have it ?
Also, last time I was at the ring 6 CSL owners had hired a house in Adenau. Looked awesome all 6 parked outside one house.
Yes there where 3 on the day I was there, but it was a couple of years ago.
CSL went for the Exige. Miss it dearly.
I have had quite a bit of instruction as well, and have always learn’t something!!
I’ve had instruction on most circuits I’ve driven and always found it invaluable although obviously it tends to be geared more towards how to drive that particular circuit rather than general car craft.
I’ve done a Walshy day which was fun but tended to get a bit boring driving the same old left hander all day.
I’ve also had one-to-one at Plans which is about 2 hours or so, made up of 50% theory and 50% on track. The track work was good but the theory bit was done in the office so constant interruptions and phones ringing etc was tedious.
My next one-to-one I’ve decided will be with Ed Moore who runs Motorsport Events. Ed’s a fantastic driver and tutor (I’ve used him before) and at �350 for a half day including the hire of Keevil Airfield I think it’s a bargain.
[quote=Damon]Yes there where 3 on the day I was there, but it was a couple of years ago.
CSL went for the Exige. Miss it dearly.
[/quote]
I think I was there that day. Weird, small world eh ?
Had a fantastic day with Malcolm Edeson today. A great instructor, very good communicator.
Really got to grips with some trail braking today.
Very wet at times, but a couple of dry sessions so a good all round. Highly recommended coach.