Silverstone 'Arena GP' BMW Trackday - Sept 24th 2012

[essfourteen]

Silverstone BMW Trackday,
Monday 24th September 2012

Full 'Arena' GP Circuit
Open Pitlane
Full use of the entire Silverstone 'Wing' garages
Free ARDS instruction (three of my guys are ARDS grade S 'super-instructors')
Dedicated novice schooling and tutorials
Friendly club atmosphere
Non member guests welcome
Non BMW's welcome
Trophies and prizes

Zoners price £275 - that's the cheapest day there this year by a country mile.. BookEasyGold and all them charge around £400

I keep the entry numbers low so we all get plenty of time on circuit.

Over 30 years at Silverstone - we have been coming here each Autumn since the 70's!
The daddy of all Club trackdays - This for us is where it all began, out on the grand prix circuit and we are still enjoying it.
We don't share with anyone, we bite the bullet and book the whole place as an exclusive hire, we always have - not a bad achievement for a small one marque members club!
If you only do one trackday this year, do this one - nobody runs a Silverstone trackday like we do!

Regards
Nick
nick@bmwcarclubgb.co.uk

[Fushion_Julz]

Planning on doing this in my M3...I have never driven the Arena GP circuit, so will be looking forward to giving it a go...My mate is also taking along his 3.6 E34 M5

Only thing to decide on before turning up is what tyres to use...
My R888s (205/50/15 GG) have pretty much died...The rears aren't too bad and would probably survive another day, but the fronts are shot...
The price is faintly ridiculous now (£136 ish each) and I'm considering either:
Federal FZ201, used slicks (but 15" ones are hard to come by) or Kumho Ecsta V70A

Hmmm...descisions...

Anyone else going to be at this day?

[Demlotcrew]

I would be tempted to do this, but its way too expensive if I'm honest, Im doing a track day on the 6th of October at the ring and it was only £100 more.

I might come along for a laugh, but personally im not a big fan of silverstone, its a bit boring since all the F1 changes came in.

[Fushion_Julz]

I also considered a trackday (not TF) at the 'ring...(with M5board guys), but although the actual entry isn't too bad, by the time you add in the fuel, accomodation and ferry costs, plus the time required it starts to look a bit on the expensive side....

Sure it would be good if this was <£250 (but realistically it isn't a whole lot more) and most summer trackdays are around £200 at least.
The BMWCC do run a good event with a limited amount of entries that means you do get decent space and time on track...free tuition too!

[Demlotcrew]

I agree, the costs for a ring track day soon mount up! But its so much better than any other track, I would happily forgo three UK track days to do one at the ring. Im really looking forward to it, and im building my car just for this one trip this year!

[essfourteen]

Only thing to decide on before turning up is what tyres to use...
My R888s (205/50/15 GG) have pretty much died...The rears aren't too bad and would probably survive another day, but the fronts are shot...
The price is faintly ridiculous now (£136 ish each) and I'm considering either:
Federal FZ201, used slicks (but 15" ones are hard to come by) or Kumho Ecsta V70A

Hmmm...descisions...

Anyone else going to be at this day?

Kumho's are good, I have used race car cast offs and they have been brilliant - I pushed the boat out last year at Siverstone and bought a brand new set of Silverstone FTZ RR from the tyre guy that came to the circuit - they have been the best yet - I have done all our trackdays on them foe a year now and they are barely half way down
This is who I bought them from http://www.serviceandsport.com/
I'll see if I can get them to come along with the tyre van again this year

[essfourteen]

, but personally im not a big fan of silverstone, its a bit boring since all the F1 changes came in.

Really? - I love it now more than ever, the new twisty infield bit gives me chance to catch up with the powerful cars

[essfourteen]

Sure it would be good if this was <£250 (but realistically it isn't a whole lot more) and most summer trackdays are around £200 at least.
The BMWCC do run a good event with a limited amount of entries that means you do get decent space and time on track...free tuition too!

There you go, bang on
£275 is a big wedge of cash, but for the Grand Prix Circuit most of the others like Booka and Easy and Gold are charging it out at £399!
I'm just charging everyone cost price so that we break even on the.. gulp.. £32,310 circuit hire that we need to pay sometime soon!
ARDS grade S instruction would normally cost you quite a lot of money even for a brief session - It's free of charge here with us, so like Jules says you need to figure that in to the cost as well.

[Kos]

hmmmm, i keep saying if i get the compact ready i may bring it for a shake down

[Demlotcrew]

Stop saying it!

[Demlotcrew]

Sure it would be good if this was <£250 (but realistically it isn't a whole lot more) and most summer trackdays are around £200 at least.
The BMWCC do run a good event with a limited amount of entries that means you do get decent space and time on track...free tuition too!

There you go, bang on
£275 is a big wedge of cash, but for the Grand Prix Circuit most of the others like Booka and Easy and Gold are charging it out at £399!
I'm just charging everyone cost price so that we break even on the.. gulp.. £32,310 circuit hire that we need to pay sometime soon!
ARDS grade S instruction would normally cost you quite a lot of money even for a brief session - It's free of charge here with us, so like Jules says you need to figure that in to the cost as well.

So to cover the £32k track fees, there has to be 116 cars going to the day?

[essfourteen]

So to cover the £32k track fees, there has to be 116 cars going to the day?

Well there or thereabouts - realistically we can run a good few less as we get a good bit of income from passengers and extra drivers and we did nearly a grand on the raffle last year.
We got 110 entries last year and I was happy with that, the numbers were just right - never any queuing to get out and the circuit was never full - the marshals there let us run up to 60 cars out at any one time but we never had more than 50 on track

[Kos]

This day should really be combined with the annual festival.

[essfourteen]

This day should really be combined with the annual festival.

Been there and done it before - at Donington Park and at Silverstone - it doesn't work for us

You can see from the previous post what it costs to hire such a place - and that's a weekday hire - weekend hire is hugely more expensive and rarely available. Racing circuits are busy doing racing most weekends anyway.

[Kos]

OK so silverstone and donny are very expensive but the tracks need to be considered and tie it in with a race series race day when some bmw's will be on track.

[essfourteen]

OK so silverstone and donny are very expensive but the tracks need to be considered and tie it in with a race series race day when some bmw's will be on track.

Oh I see what you mean - I thought you meant do our national trackday on the circuit while the BMW Festival was happening in the paddock area.

We actually do follow a race series - we get some free tickets for each of the Kumho BMW Championship rounds and we can put a stand on at each event. Jeff organised a display at Oulton Park, Neil has done Brands Hatch and Mick has done Croft Circuit which included a club parade of cars on the circuit.

[Kos]

No, you got it right the first time.

National festival to be held at a track, one of the less expensive ones like rockingham, have track time available and some real racing going on.

[Demlotcrew]

And not the rubbish Jaguar/Land Rover testing track at Gaydon, I completely understand why Jags handle so badly.

[essfourteen]

Yes, I hear what you are saying - that's just what we did once at Donington Park while the British Grand Prix was being run at Silverstone - It's a few years ago now, but it was a great day.

The trouble is though that the Festival in it's present format is very successful from whichever way you look at it - ok when you have done it a few times and it gets a bit 'same old same old' but you would have an uphill job getting the guys in the club that actually do the organising to consider going anywhere else when this one still drags in the cars and the crowds.

Anyway - we are way off topic now - I'm here trying to sell places at the Silverstone Track Day

[essfourteen]

Our resident snapper Darren Teagles has just confirmed he will be coming to do the pictures again.
They will be hosted on Flickr again so that you can get them all free of charge.

Here is the link to last years pictures
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bmwccgb...7627555035573/

Bob Harper, editor of BMW Car magazine, will also be there to do a feature on the day

We may also get some TV, I'm hoping BMW's in house production team will come and do some coverage for one of their promotional videos.

.. so if you don't want to be spotted on camera or TV, get some gaffer tape for your number plate!

[rix313]

This is happening the day after the 24hr so plenty of debris will be present off line. If I'm still standing after the weekend I'll come along for a nose; won't be in any fit state to drive

[essfourteen]

Yes - we are at the Britcar 24 as well - in the Car Clubs area

Here is a link for the ticket deal - a pair of 3 day tickets for £30

http://www.britcar24hr.co.uk/carclub/

[essfourteen]

Forum price: £275 that's the cheapest day there this year!

Any takers from the E30Zone ?

[Theo]

I hope to book this later in the month, seems very good value to me.

[Fushion_Julz]

Only thing to decide on before turning up is what tyres to use...
My R888s (205/50/15 GG) have pretty much died...The rears aren't too bad and would probably survive another day, but the fronts are shot...
The price is faintly ridiculous now (£136 ish each) and I'm considering either:
Federal FZ201, used slicks (but 15" ones are hard to come by) or Kumho Ecsta V70A

Hmmm...descisions...

Anyone else going to be at this day?

Kumho's are good, I have used race car cast offs and they have been brilliant - I pushed the boat out last year at Siverstone and bought a brand new set of Silverstone FTZ RR from the tyre guy that came to the circuit - they have been the best yet - I have done all our trackdays on them foe a year now and they are barely half way down
This is who I bought them from http://www.serviceandsport.com/
I'll see if I can get them to come along with the tyre van again this year

Any news on the tyre guys?
I've purchased a part-worn set of Michelin 19/57/15 S9c slicks...
Hopefully it won't be wet and I'll be able to use them...

I had a look at the link, and while there are a whole list of tyres, the PDF link isn't working and no sizes or prices are quoted, rendering the website fairly defunct, IMHO...
If they are there and it isn't dry and they actually have 15" tyres in stock, then I may be tempted to have some fitted to my 15" rims, assuming they aren't a total rip-off, of course...

[essfourteen]

I don't think the tyre guys will be coming this time

[essfourteen]

Just had a look at prices for new rubber
Toyo R1r's are around £75 each in 15" if you don't mind dropping to 195's

[Fushion_Julz]

I don't think the tyre guys will be coming this time

Shame...

[Fushion_Julz]

Just had a look at prices for new rubber
Toyo R1r's are around £75 each in 15" if you don't mind dropping to 195's

Yeah, but 195s (in road tyres) are probably a tad small...it would mean more tyre wear and probably a small loss in grip

Also R1r s are not the same as the R888s..not even similar, realy...They bear more resemblence to the T1r s.

Anyway, as I said, I've now got a set of 20% worn (just scrubbed in, really) Michelin S9c slicks in 19/57/15 size...
They are actually 200mm wide...so like a 205 road tyre...but being a slick actually will offer a bigger contact footprint than the equivalent size road (or grooved track) tyre and, hopefully, at least equivalent grip levels to the R888 GG compound.

I'm looking forward to trying them out (in the dry, obviously)...

[essfourteen]

Only a handful of trackday places left at this one

[rix313]

You would want a wet to be slightly narrower so it cuts through the water better. A wider tyre will be more likely to aquaplane.