Track driving tuition recommendations

[decapman]

Guys
My daughter Sienna is coming up to 21
She told me that what she would love for her birthday is a full day or maybe weekend of 1 to 1 driver tuition on a track with car supplied.
Apart from some karting days when she was much younger she is a novice. She has a full UK drivers licence.

Sienna is doing a motorsports engineering degree at Derby so Donnington is the closest circuit

Any thoughts?

[yoda]

I would give Johnny at Book a Track a call. They run trackdays using their fleet of Caterhams and are based at Donington so run plenty of days there. They do an all inclusive rental package (car, fuel, track time, instruction) and you could add a full day of instruction (the package includes one session). They are very helpful and really want you to have fun and go faster. I have found Paul to be a particularly good instructor (if still there). They use R300 or R400 race cars which are very quick and huge fun. They also telegraph very well so you can really feel when you get it right / wrong which helps the learning process.

No connection to the company but I have done many days with them and found them to be amongst the best trackdays that I have done.

Costs and dates are on their website and they cater for all levels of experience.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Regards

Feroz

[map]

Have been using a guy called Daniel who you can contact via http://www.car-iconics.com/contact-us/ for Track Day coaching for the last couple of years.

Dan is excellent, genuinely enthusiastic about his coaching with that rare ability to transfer his understanding of what's going on in a way that sinks in and remains useful whenever you're driving. He also has the knack of being able to push you a bit outside your comfort zone without that being intimidating. Recently had a day's coaching with him during which he also spent time with a couple of friends one of whom is a total trackday novice the other a "rusty returner" to trackdays. Both were extremely complimentary.

He normally coaches you in your own car but as mentioned above renting a car from BaT is a good idea, Dan's local circuit is Donny so the location would work well.

Apart from being a very happy customer I have no interest in car-iconics and would really recommend you contacting Dan and having a chat about the ways to approach this.

map/matthew

[KS]

Ref: the above post. I got talking to Daniel at Goodwood. Seems that it was he who bought Bob Watson's Skyline after his passing... Small world.

[smallspeed]

I'm going to throw Rockingham into the ring too as an alternative circuit - its a cracking track and a bit less daunting than Donington for a first timer, although VERY technical with plenty to get your teeth stuck into! Also the banking through turn 1 is a unique experience (and fast). I absolutely love it as a track (its "my local"), plus its usually quite a bit cheaper than Donington for a track day so might give you some leeway for more expensive or inclusive instruction within your budget

Regards coaching, I've found the guys at Racewell motorsport to be superb although disclaimer, I've only used them once for a free 20min session earlier in the year. That said, they're a great mix of Engineering, driving, racing and general hands-on-ness and as an (ex) mechanical engineer myself I found their approach to discussing things like car balance, settings and handling really, really good! They understand it from behind the steering wheel as well as in front of the black board if that makes sense and so given her training your daughter might enjoy that insight too. I believe one of them is actually a lecturer at a college or uni down south somewhere - they're based near Southampton but they travel all over.
They use e36 BMW's primarily, which aren't as quick as the Caterham's suggested above, BUT if this is her first time on track she may appreciate being in a tin box rather than a canoe! I know my wife loved driving a cayman and an M3 on track but hated being in the Caterham, Atom, and Formula Ford on an experience day she did 3yr ago - she spent too much time worrying about being exposed to M3's and things on track around her to really focus and get stuck in to the driving. Its also worth noting a well set-up e36 M3 (or even a 325 or 328) is going to be WAY more capable than she is if this is her first time on track. No offence intended by that statement, but they are very quick cars with the right set-up and modifications and the guys at Racewell spend most of their weekends "taking names" (to use their phrase) mixing it on track with considerably more exotic and supposedly quicker cars!
Racewell Motorsport are on facebook, instagram, etc. - if you speak with them feel free to let them know I sent you. Neither of us will get a discount on anything but its an ice breaker! I have no real affiliation with them, but we have spent quite a bit of time helping each other out via instagram messenger with issues as we're both building and working on the same cars.

Another person to consider is Geoff Steel Racing who's in Kirton Lindsay but again travels all over Europe. Old-school kind of a guy, but a really good instructor with a LOT of experience. Not cheap, but very much worth it and a proper pro-race-team! Obviously something like their E46 M3 GTR is going to be a huge step-up even from a Caterham r500, but they do have other cars they use as well so don't be intimidated by their website! I have no idea what their prices are like, but worth a punt in case they're at a track anyway and you can share with someone else (ie 1 day car hire, 1/2 day instruction). This is actually quite a good way to do it, as being blunt, you're not going to spend the entire 8-10hrs behind the wheel anyway
They are at Donington a lot so very familiar with the territory - my first time on track proper was being driven by Geoff, a wet day in 2001, in someone else's brand new e39 M5, sliding about in the back with his daughter while he tried to figure out how to turn off the traction control!
I have no real affiliation with Geoff - I know his youngest daughter, and brought some parts from them over the years, but never really had anything else to do with them

One last recommendation (or pair of) - Jade Edwards or Abbie Eaton. Jade had a proper filling-rattler of a crash racing in clio cup at the weekend so might be out of action for the very immediate future - they were on ITV's "DRIVE" show a year or two ago as instructors; Jade teaching Johny Vegas and Abbie teaching Prof Green (who won I think). They're both AWESOME drivers with lots of experience, and having a younger female instructor might be nice for your daughter? Both local-ish to Donington and also travel a lot.
I'm not sure either of them have cars they use for instruction, but I'm sure they have cars available via other companies such as BaT, etc. as they will be well known in those circles. I have no affiliation with either of them, just followed them on social media since trying to convince my company (to no avail) to sponsor Jade a few years back

Hope that helps, and let us all know how she gets on!

[decapman]

Guys
Thanks so much for taking the time and trouble to respond
Some great steers here.
I am always amazed at the wealth of knowledge on this forum!

Marcus

[Simon Rudge]

Hi,

I use and recommend Rob Gilham for tuition. He has a different approach to many others (ring him to find out! 07775797409) which has shown great improvements.

A really nice guy, mention my name if you contact him, no sweetener or anything in it for me.

Regards

[oldtimer]

Marcus , Dan Gannon (cariconics) is your man , believe me.

[Nick Moss]

Although there is no substitute for on-track training, I found "Porsche High-Performance Driving Handbook" by Vic Elford very useful in describing the physics of car handling. Well worth a read.

[Ferry Man]

Although there is no substitute for on-track training, I found "Porsche High-Performance Driving Handbook" by Vic Elford very useful in describing the physics of car handling. Well worth a read.

Marcus, I have a copy of this book and I'd be delighted to gift it to your daughter. PM me Sienna's address and I'll send it off to her (if she'd like it).
Nick is correct, it's a superb reference piece from a guy who knows the science behind driving. It's technically heavy but well illustrated with pics, illustrations and anecdotes from Vic.

[Nick Moss]

anecdotes from Vic

Quick Vic or Slope?

[gridgway]

I've used Ryan Hooker for race/track tuition for both me and my Daughter. He is very gentle, capable and encouraging. Jen really got on well with him. I think also he has a caterham that can be used. Highly recommended.

http://www.ryanhookerracing.co.uk/

[Mitch]

Marcus, just to add to all the great ideas here..

Many years ago I did the Silverstone 5 day intensive race school, including the ARDS test which was brilliant. Looks like they no longer do this course but a one day 1:1 coaching http://www.silverstone.co.uk/experience ... -coaching/

And if Sienna wants to go on to do ARDS http://www.silverstone.co.uk/experience ... s-courses/

The Caterham based coaching others have suggested will be exciting, they're wonderful cars, but having done both.. I think early stage 1:1 coaching in a Caterham can be tricky (unless they use helmet intercoms) and it's easier for coach & student in a tin top. Just a thought and whatever you choose, it'll be a great present!

[Ferry Man]

anecdotes from Vic

Quick Vic or Slope?

Anecdotes from Mr Cohen could fill a book. A big book.

[Slope330]

i m not stopping at 1 volume !