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1. Before the event

While we try to make your life as easy as possible, there are a few things you should do in the days & weeks before the event.

Vehicle preparation

Brakes

Track days are very hard on two main areas, and the first of those are brakes. Exotics will come with either carbon ceramic or iron brakes, and you must make sure you have at least 50% of life left in both the pads and the rotors. If you need some help determining this, and you will not be visiting the dealer or independent shop for a pre-track inspection, please contact us for assistance.

Additionally brake fluid should be either OEM or of a high temperature high quality fluid, should be topped up and bled of any air, and be less than 2 years old.

Tires

The second place your exotic will suffer is tires. Ideally you want tires that will give you good grip on track, and are not “all season” unless the event is occurring in the wet. Generally speaking a good Summer or Streetable Track tire with a maximum of 200 treadwear is recommended, and you should ensure a minimum of 50% tread before attending.

Other requirements

We will provide a technical checklist for each event, but you should ensure your other fluids (engine oil, transmission oil, clutch oil, and coolant) are in good condition, and that filters are within their service period. Seat belts should not be damaged, suspension components should be working as expected, and there should not be any leaks anywhere. Check engine lights also should not be on.

If you drive a convertible/spider, the car should have factory or aftermarket rollover protection.

Track pre-inspection

Lastly, while not required by us, some owners prefer to have a professional track pre-inspection procedure. Some dealers offer this service, but some marques are more open to this than others while your vehicle is under warranty (as, surprisingly, sometimes driving your car on a “racing surface” can invalidate your warranty with some manufacturers).

There are also many third-party independent facilities that will perform the inspection for you. Forums are the best place to find out more, but if you would like more guidance on this, please feel free to contact us.

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Driver & Passenger Preparation

Safety gear

All drivers and passengers will require specific safety gear, as follows:

• All drivers and passengers must wear the following:
  • Helmet – Snell-rated SA2015 or SA2020, or FIA-rated 8859-2015 or 8860-2018
  • Closed toe shoes (preferably driving shoes, but any comfortable closed toe rubber-soled sneaker-style show would work too)
• We highly recommend the following:
  • Long pants
  • Long sleeve shirts

Learning the track

Before attending, you should do as much as you can to get familiar with the specific track you are attending. There are typically lots of resources available, chief among them YouTube, as well as various highly-realistic Sim Racing software, such as iRacing, Assetto Corsa, and even Gran Turismo 7 in a pinch!

The Flag System

Probably the most important thing to understand on track is the flag system. Marshals around the track use the flags to communicate with drivers, and maintain safety for all attendees. The flags are as follows, including what you should do when you see them:

• Green Flag
  • The go flag! This means the track “green” and you can progress as normal.
    
• Yellow Flag
  • The caution flag. If you see this flag, it means there is a hazard on track. You should not pass any drivers “under yellow”, and slow down to 50% pace, until you see a flag station that does NOT have the flag out. Hazards may include debris on track, a driver that has spun off, or other hazards that may cause slippery surfaces or slow drivers ahead.
    
    If the caution is due to some debris on track, but that debris is not considered a major safety hazard, the yellow flag may be removed after 2 laps. This does not mean the debris has been completely cleared, so you should continue to proceed with caution.
    
• Red Flag
  • This is the STOP flag. You should pull over to the SIDE of the track, off the “racing line”, WITHIN SIGHT of a marshal showing the red flag. This is so you know when it’s safe to proceed again. This is usually due to another driver going off the track requiring assistance from our safety and/or ambulance crew.
    
    Ordinarily the red flag will turn in to a waving black flag which instructs all drivers to return to the pit lane.
    
• Black Flag
  • This flag can be shown specifically to you, OR if you see it waving at all stations, it is directed at everyone. This flag means you MUST return to the pit lane immediately. DO NOT return to the paddock – you must go to the pit lane and speak with the marshal, or line up there if it’s directed at everyone and await instructions.
    
    Typically this will be shown due to an incident on track, or if directed at you, because of an infraction (e.g. windows not rolled down, car exceeded track sound limits, you went off track with all 4 wheels, etc).
    
• Black flag with orange dot
  • This is a mechanical flag – also known as the “meatball” flag. This flag will typically only be shown to you and can be used if the marshals see an issue with your car – smoke, fluid leaks, sound infractions, loose bodywork, etc.
    
• Blue flag
  • There is a faster driver behind you. You may be in a hypercar with the following driver in “just” a supercar, but we will only show the blue flag if we notice they are quicker than you (usually in the corners if you’re faster in a straight line). Let the driver by at your earliest convenience, and then try to follow them – you’ll learn a lot more that way, and make it more fun – and safe – for both of you!
    
• Checkered Flag
  • This is your end of session flag – you made it to the end of your session, hopefully with a huge grin! You must proceed off track at your nearest pit lane exit. This flag is usually shown at two places – the start/finish line, and about mid-way around the track. No matter where you see it, you MUST exit as soon as you can. Do not do a cool down lap, or try to get to the start/finish line if you see it mid-way. Doing that will delay the next session, robbing your fellow attendees of track time.

Insurance & Liabilities

While incidents are extremely rare – especially at our low-count exotic-only events – if something does happen, everyone is liable for their own vehicle. If an incident occurs that damages the track (e.g. the walls, or oil is dumped on track), then the perpetrator of the incident must reimburse the track facility directly. Your personal insurance company most likely WILL NOT cover you on track, and even asking can get your coverage canceled.

To mitigate this you may purchase “track day” insurance with a dedicated vendor, such as Hagerty or OpenTrack. This insurance is based on the value of your vehicle, and will give you peace of mind on track, if you so desire it.

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2. The Day of the Event

Onsite vehicle preparation

Loose Items

For safety, and to comply with track regulations, you have to make sure you have nothing loose in the car. Even the smallest item can be dangerous in an incident, or can actually cause an incident (imagine a water bottle getting stuck under your brake pedal!) You should remove all loose items from your vehicle. In the paddock it’s customary for people to leave their loose items in front or behind their car in the place they’ve chosen to park for the day. It doubles as somewhere to put your things, and a way to reserve your spot. Note that while it’s extremely rare that anything goes missing, it is your responsibility to secure your items. Some people bring medium sized plastic containers to store items in, a lockable container, a support vehicle, etc, too.

Mechanical checks

We highly recommend checking wheel lug torque before every session (we will supply torque wrenches), as well as general bodywork checks, oil & coolant checks, seat belt condition, etc, throughout the day.

Numbers

All vehicles MUST have numbers on both sides of the car. We’ll supply vinyl numbers, but if you prefer to have your own, please make sure they are at least 10 inches tall, and two or three digits. If there is a conflict we may need to ask you to change your number, though it’s rare that this happens.

Fuel

You should make sure you have AT LEAST half a tank of fuel before going on track. Your vehicle will use a LOT of fuel on track (up to 1/3rd of a tank per session typically), and running out of fuel on track is not only embarrassing, but also wastes the time of your fellow drivers as you are towed off the track. While towing services are included for free, the only exception is running out of fuel, and there may be an additional fees assessed for anyone running out of fuel. Please do not run out of fuel on track!

Tires & tire pressure

When on track tire pressures is one of the most important parameters, and the heat generated on track will cause the pressures to fluctuate massively. Street pressures can be as much as 15 PSI too high for the track! Setting your tire pressure to, say, 32PSI cold, as you might on the street, may result in a pressure over 45PSI on track as they heat up. Thus it is common to reduce your cold pressures to 25PSI or lower (personally I will get down to 20-22PSI cold for a hot pressure to not exceed 35PSI). Each car, tire, and driving style is different, so you will need to trial and error it by going out, seeing how high it gets, and reducing accordingly.

One way to mitigate this effect is to fill your tires with pure nitrogen (or possibly dry air). Either of these will reduce the moisture content which is what is responsible for the pressure changes. We will have air on site, but WILL NOT have nitrogen so if you prefer this route, you will need to find a facility near you that supplies this. Some Big-O tire locations do it, as well as independent shops, so you may need to call around asking.

Brakes

Make sure your brake fluid levels are at maximum, and as previously mentioned you have fluid that is less than 2 years old and properly bled with no air in them. Also just double check your pads and rotors look good. We will be happy to take a look for you at the track if you have any concerns or are not sure what to look for.

Emergency/safety procedures

Paddock procedures

Please keep speeds below 5MPH in the paddock, and watch out for walking pedestrians, cars coming off track, etc.

Pit lane procedures

Only enter the pit lane during your session, and always ensure you are wearing your helmet and seat belts at all times. Do NOT walk in to the pit lane, and keep your speed down to 10MPH in the pit lane.

On-track etiquette & incidents

The first rule of safety on track is NEVER get out of your car, with the ONLY exception being if your vehicle is on fire. If your vehicle starts dropping fluids for any reason, please pull off to the side of the track AS SOON AS POSSIBLE and shut off your engine. This is to prevent dropping fluids all over the track which can take a long time to clean up. Some tracks will also charge an additional fee for fluid cleanup, so the quicker you can pull off to the side of the track, the better. DO NOT keep driving around the track to try to get to the pit lane!

Passing procedures

While on track there will be occasions where you must let other cars pass you. Sometimes this will be in response to a blue flag, or simply because you have seen a faster driver behind you. There are two different rules to passing depending on the group you’re in:

• Beginner / Intermediate groups
  • Generally speaking, these groups will have a “point by required” rule. This means that drivers MUST NOT pass unless the driver in front indicates by pointing left outside the drivers window for a left pass, or by pointing right over the top of their car to indicate a right side pass.
  • If the driver does not indicate you can pass, you MUST NOT pass – no matter how frustrating it gets. We suggest coming in to the pit lane and requesting space. The marshal will send you back out again with no traffic ahead of you.
  • If you are the car allowing someone to pass you, you must STAY on the racing line, and only indicate passes at the beginning of a straight. Do NOT indicate a pass on a corner. Simply lift off a bit to allow the car behind to complete the maneuver safely.
  • Lastly, if a car indicates you can pass, but the pass does not appear safe, you do not have to take it. The decision is ultimately yours, and you are not obligated to take the pass if you do not feel it can be completely safely.
• Advanced groups
  • Advanced groups generally will have a “point by optional” rule. Drivers in this group may pass anywhere on the track, including corners. You should maintain your line as the passing car is responsible for making the pass. If you notice a car wants a pass, it is customary to slow down a little (it’s not a race).
  • While you can pass anywhere, if the car ahead appears to have not noticed you, do so with extreme care. Also, you should NEVER “dive bomb” a corner at the last minute. You will be black flagged.

Drivers, passengers and guests

• Drivers
  • As a driver, you are responsible for your vehicle, passengers and guests at all times.
  • Water will be provided and we highly recommend keeping well hydrated throughout the day
  • Make sure to keep hunger at bay by eating breakfast & lunch
  • Do not overdrive your vehicle. This is not a race, and if someone is quicker behind you, just let them pass you. Any kind of road rage will get you ejected from the event!
  • Black flags are bad – if you get three of them in a day, you will be done for the day. This is for the safety of all participants.
• Passengers
  • Passengers must follow all the same rules as drivers, including the helmet/clothing rules.
  • Passengers cannot be holding anything in the car – e.g. a cellphone.
  • Passengers cannot take pictures or video while the car is on track.
  • Passengers must be over 18 years old (sorry, this is due to our insurance requirements!)
  • Passengers are free, but must sign a waiver, and receive a wrist band.
• Guests
  • Non-passenger guests must remain in the paddock – never in the pit lane or on track
  • Families are welcome, but please keep any children under control, and they must not be walking around the paddock unattended

3. After the event

Before leaving the paddock

• Tires – make sure you bring them back up to “street” pressures – if you brought them down for track pressures, you’ll have very low pressure as the tires get cold! Check your tread, make sure you don’t have abnormal wear and they are safe to drive on. Also, double check your wheel lugs again – the heat cycling can loosen them!
• Make sure your brakes look good, fluids look good, remove your numbers, put your license plate back on (if you removed it), and make sure you picked everything up.
• Drive home safely! Do not leave the track at speed. Adrenaline may be high, but the police often hang around outside race tracks at the end of the day to catch overzealous drivers!

Post-track inspection

If your car is under warranty, and your vehicle manufacturer is track-friendly, they may require you to do a post-track inspection as early as possible to maintain your warranty. If you don’t have a warranty, some people like to still do it for peace of mind. In general, it’s not needed if everything looks good, but this is a personal decision for your comfort levels.

Congratulations – you made it! Now, go to our events page and sign up for the next event!! 🙂