MX5 CLUB OF QLD-TRACK DAY LAKESIDE 20 APRIL 15

[Vat]

Paperwork's sorted, just need to make payment and we're all set. Should get more than 5 laps in this time!

[adidistyle]

Reminder: Today (Monday 6/4) is the last day to get the early bird entry fee. Enter now!

[Cal]

Got the motor back in the car over the weekend after Gary Stewart gave it a refresh. My dad will now be at the track day.

[zero00]

Great to see Cal - sorry you weren't able to sit back eating easter eggs

[Orphan]

I am pretty keen to go, will sort out joining the club and payment this week. I haven't done a track day before, any advice? Obviously make sure car is 100%. I guess I will just start slow and get comfortable. From what I have read the focus should be on being smooth and tidy. I've been practicing heel toe and have that pretty smooth now. Are there any courses around on handling cars at the limit?

[Vat]

Have a read through the various track day threads, they'll give you an idea of what to expect. Your thought on starting slow and getting comfortable is about spot on, I think the first couple of days is about understanding and fitting in with the structure of the day, and getting a feel for what happens out on the track.

[MattR]

I am pretty keen to go, will sort out joining the club and payment this week. I haven't done a track day before, any advice? Obviously make sure car is 100%. I guess I will just start slow and get comfortable. From what I have read the focus should be on being smooth and tidy. I've been practicing heel toe and have that pretty smooth now. Are there any courses around on handling cars at the limit?

Yep, a good defensive driving course first up will teach a lot and then move onto the advanced or more performance orientated courses.

The company I do part time work for has a good track day option at Morgan Park at Warwick. Next one is in July. It is a no pressure day where if you want instruction you can have someone sit in the car with you for every session if you want, or if you just want to cut laps on your own you can do that as well.

If the club offers tuition at the track day by Doug Chappel, or even if they don't, see Doug and what ever it will cost you on the day will be worth it.

The approach to just get comfortable and well within the car limits is a good one, especially at lakeside, where you need to respect the track. If you do all will be good, if not, it can bite pretty hard.

My only other advice, be picky who you get your advice from...... have a chat to Adam, the club motorsport officer, or John Tait when doing your paper work and they will steer you in the right direction.

[zero00]

6 DAYS THEN TIME TO HAVE FUN!!

Don't forget to put your paperwork in the car - maybe leave it with your helmet!!

Looks like it will be slightly overcast - who knows what that means?

[Trackphotos]

Welp, looks like I'm doomed to run it with an annoying, but not overly concerning, rattle. Unless my RDO tomorrow proves particularly productive, I've pretty much run out of ideas. Oh well, a helmet would hide the rattle nicely.

[Vat]

6 DAYS THEN TIME TO HAVE FUN!!

Don't forget to put your paperwork in the car - maybe leave it with your helmet!!

Looks like it will be slightly overcast - who knows what that means?

Windy but sunny after a wet weekend now. Given my 'roof' is more tape than vinyl now, no bad thing.

[zero00]

6 DAYS THEN TIME TO HAVE FUN!!

Don't forget to put your paperwork in the car - maybe leave it with your helmet!!

Looks like it will be slightly overcast - who knows what that means?

Windy but sunny after a wet weekend now. Given my 'roof' is more tape than vinyl now, no bad thing.

Haha Vat - I've got a hardtop!! Currently sitting in the loungeroom where it went while the ding from the letterbox attack was repaired - it will stay off for at least this meet

Current Norwegian long term forecast attached - YIKES!!!!

http://www.yr.no/place/Australia/Queens ... /long.html

Oh geez hope this is totally wrong!! That's a lot of rain!!

[Orphan]

Not a great forecast at all. Do track days ever get rained out?

[zero00]

Not a great forecast at all. Do track days ever get rained out?

I've run every one since September 2010 and there have been a few where it rained - but we have always persisted and finished the day having fun!

Still five days out and a lot can change with the weather! I left home this morning in the rain - nobody believed me when I told them at work!!

[Trackphotos]

Not a great forecast at all. Do track days ever get rained out?

QR/Lakeside cancel their own events if the tracks go too far underwater, like the last cyclone weekend: https://www.facebook.com/lakesideparkql ... =3&theater

Private hires are occasionally canceled if it's wet enough, but rarely by the hiring party. If QR determine that the condition is poor but still safe enough to run, they will not refund the track hire cost. In 2012 I was gifted some passenger laps with Paul Stokell in a Gallardo, and the weather was terrible. The kink, parts of the straight, the braking point for karussel, and up around the bus stop all had rivers running across the track, and just after the bridge about 1/3 of the track was underwater, but not out on the racing line. Track staff determined it was still safe enough to run, and Paul's options would be to either eat the cost of the track hire and reschedule the sessions, or run the sessions anyway. As a business, he understandably went ahead after doing some sighting laps to make sure he was confident it wasn't an accident waiting to happen. You can see the condition here: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid ... =3&theater

Typically they run in the rain, you just have to be more careful. Being Lakeside though, a well-booked wet day usually ends with bent panels for at least one person in sprints/time attack. Club hires, most drivers are cautious enough to putt around without running into walls/each other.

[Cal]

If anyone needs pads for a 1600, I posted these the other day. I've used these pads for street and track for years and love them. viewtopic.php?f=44&t=67864