It’s becoming seemingly more pointless to own or drive a fast Car these days. We can barely make it out of first gear through fear of bottoming out over one of the hundred speed bumps we pass to get out of our road, and even when we hit the bypass or motorway there are more cameras pointing at you than a Hollywood Movie star on the red carpet…
Thankfully there is an answer.
Many people do not realise that you can actually take your own Car (or Motorcycle) for a full day of driving at one the many Racing Circuits in UK. It’s commonly known as a Track Day and often misinterpreted as a ‘red letter’ style driving experience which it is certainly not. On a track day its just you, in your vehicle and you have the open track to drive on at your leisure. There are no speed restrictions at all and your vehicle does not have to be race-modified in any way at all. As long as you have a helmet (you can hire these on the day) and your Car is in safe working order then you qualify – assuming you have a full and valid driving licence that is! You can find events as cheap as £49, but expect to pay around £150 – £300 for a full day for somewhere like Brands Hatch or Silverstone.
You may think this sounds a little unsafe, but rest assured there are qualified Circuit marshals at every corner insuringthat all participants are driving within their own capability and following the track driving code, all of which is explained to every driver in a briefing before the event.
So, for all you drivers out there lucky enough to own a motor with something tasty under the bonnet or that would simply like to see how well your Car would perform on track, get yourself along to a track day and get a real feel for what your pride and joy can do.
Trackdays.co.uk are the UK’s leading site to find a book track day events. They have options at all the major UK Circuits including Silverstone, Brands Hatch and Donington Park s well as some of the cheaper airfield venues.
You can view the full calendar here Track Days Calendar
