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Wakefield Track Day preparation for a newbie

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:47 am
by Alex
I tired to reply on This thread but for some reason it wasn't working, and it's a few years old

So far this is what I got from the other thread

Steel tyre caps
Full face helmet AS1698
Long sleeve shirt
Full length pants
Leather shoes (are they really required or can you just wear any enclosed shoe)

I was also thinking of bringing
tyre pump (to change pressures) and gauge
food + water
and removing spare tyre, jack, tools and stuff like that after I get there (and audio system before leaving home it'll be a quiet drive there :roll: )
Should I be taking extra oil, brake fluid, coolant?
anything else I should take?

also I'm a track day virgin so

What time should I try to get there, and what time will it finish?
how much fuel should I expect to go through? should I bring extra?
how much time on the track should I actually expect? how many people normally turn up (for a speed off the streets day)?
any procedures I should be aware of ?
Do I need padding on my BD bar (I will have the hardtop on so padding might be a tight fit, also where is the best place to get some that won't just fall apart)?
Planned travelling time from the North Shore of Sydney?
any other questions I should have asked?

ps.
I already have new tyres and brake pads seem to have enough left in them although they are still the factory standard ones, also all fluids are filled last serviced in december.
also mods sticky maybe? to help out other first timers

Re: Wakefield Track Day preparation for a newbie

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:08 am
by bigdog
So far this is what I got from the other thread

Steel tyre valve caps
Full face helmet AS1698 (or Snell equivalent)
Long sleeve non-synthetic shirt ie cotton
Full length non-synthetic pants ie cotton (a pair of King Gee cotton overalls will fit the bill too)
Leather shoes (are they really required or can you just wear any enclosed shoe) Leather or fire retardant material - Nomex

I was also thinking of bringing
tyre pump (to change pressures) and gauge
food + water
and removing spare tyre, jack, tools and stuff like that after I get there (and audio system before leaving home it'll be a quiet drive there :roll: ) All good
Should I be taking extra oil, brake fluid, coolant? Not unless you think the car will consume them
anything else I should take?

also I'm a track day virgin so

What time should I try to get there, and what time will it finish? MX-5 lub days 7.30am start for scrutineering, 4.30pm odd finish. Wakefield Speed off the Street days check with the office
how much fuel should I expect to go through? Full tank at Goulburn should get you through the day ok should I bring extra? You can always duck back into town and fill up if you're running short in the afternoon
how much time on the track should I actually expect? More than you or the car can handle how many people normally turn up (for a speed off the streets day)? Varies a lot, sometimes very few, sometimes lots of cars - although I've not been to a SOTS day with more than 40 cars in total there.
any procedures I should be aware of ?
Do I need padding on my BD bar (I will have the hardtop on so padding might be a tight fit, also where is the best place to get some that won't just fall apart)? Not necessary, but a good idea. Any of the race shops will cell you roll bar foam - Revolution Racegear, Race & Rally etc
Planned travelling time from the North Shore of Sydney? 3 -3.5 hours depending on traffic
any other questions I should have asked? Purchase Wakefield licence at track $50 for the year (or CAMS L2S through club).

ps.
I already have new tyres and brake pads seem to have enough left in them although they are still the factory standard ones, also all fluids are filled last serviced in december. Just stop racing when they wear out - remember you have to drive it home!
also mods sticky maybe? to help out other first timers[/quote]

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:13 am
by Alex
thanks alot 8)

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:21 am
by Cal
He forgot have fun. :D

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 10:36 am
by manga_blue
List looks good. My checklist for Vic events also has:
- club membership card and CAMS licence at the top of the list, it wouldn't be much fun getting there and finding that they won't let you enter
- sunscreen, you can fry yourself in a full day in that clear country air
- insect repellent
- a thermos of strong coffee, for a good hit of caffeine 30 mins before a sprint.

Do you need to carry a fire extinguisher and secondary bonnet restraint there?

For fuel I usually budget for 2 laps per litre.

Re:

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 11:42 am
by bigdog
manga_blue wrote:List looks good. My checklist for Vic events also has:
- club membership card and CAMS licence at the top of the list, it wouldn't be much fun getting there and finding that they won't let you enter Excellent point! :D
- sunscreen, you can fry yourself in a full day in that clear country air
- insect repellent and a good wide brim hat for when you're out of the car, and being Goulburn a jacket and raincoat are always wise (have experienced 4 degrees and sleet in late November there!)
- a thermos of strong coffee, for a good hit of caffeine 30 mins before a sprint. Food shop at Wakefield does reasonable coffee

Do you need to carry a fire extinguisher and secondary bonnet restraint there? not for SOTS track days, and not for MX-5 Club days, but both are good ideas.

For fuel I usually budget for 2 laps per litre.

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 12:06 pm
by Li7hium
John has covered it pretty well.

Wow, that was my thread from 2 years ago?

Since then, 10 or 11 Club track days and 6 Rounds in the State Supersprint Series.

Consider yourself warned SM! :mrgreen: You are going to have a ball!

Matt

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 1:57 pm
by Charlie Brown
Big Dog drives very slow. :D
It takes me 1.75 hours from Beverly Hills so using the Eastern Distributor and then the M5 to Beverly Hills it would take you under thirty minutes, so leave at 5:15am to be there by 7:30am.

A non turbo MX-5 will go the full day at Wakefield on a full tank. I fill up in Sydney, drive down, race and then fill in Goulburn on the way back.

Another point for anyone considering trying out the track. From now on if you are competing at an MX-5 Club day you don’t need to purchase a Wakefield licence. If you go outside our events you will need the Wakefield licence or a CAMS LS2 licence.

Sunday’s event has 50 starters. Good luck.

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 2:18 pm
by bigdog
Palm Beach to Beverly Hills 1 hour approx, so close enough to 3 8) :mrgreen:

Re:

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 4:43 pm
by Charlie Brown
bigdog wrote:Palm Beach to Beverly Hills 1 hour approx, so close enough to 3 8) :mrgreen:


Palm bloody Beach :shock: I read it as North Sydney not FAR UPPER North Shore. :oops:

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 7:31 pm
by manga_blue
Forgot windscreen cleaning stuff ... plagues of locusts.

Re:

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2008 8:50 pm
by Alex
manga_blue wrote:Forgot windscreen cleaning stuff ... plagues of locusts.

good point

well the bank balance has been lowering since talk of the track day so I hope I have fun :P
I'll be looking at buying a helmet around the $150 mark over the next week (i'm going to the mania day, not a club member yet but might be shortly), I have a fire extinguisher going in when I get around to finding that rivet gun and I just got the sprint V put in (not really required but it was as good an excuse as I was going to get 8) )
I'll be getting a Wakefield licence on the day

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 3:49 pm
by Ajay
why dont you just hire one alex?

Re:

Posted: Mon Feb 18, 2008 6:03 pm
by Alex
Ajay wrote:why dont you just hire one alex?


already bought one :P , I just don't like the idea of using a helmet that lots of other people have used before me

Posted: Tue Feb 19, 2008 8:52 am
by Ajay
where did you get it from?..