KILLARNEY OPEN TRACK DAY
Event date: 31 January 2015 | Photos: Nishaam Ebrahim | Words: RaceMasteR J | Location: Killarney Raceway, Cape Town.

 

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This Killarney open track day is officially the first event we covered for 2015. We aim to bring you more open track days as well as many other events during the course of 2015, be it at Killarney or elsewhere. Open track days are always great to attend be it as a participant or spectator. The vibe is chilled and the venue is never overcrowded. Free entry for spectators means you can hang out at the track with likeminded petrol heads at no cost which is always great.


From personal experience I always recommend that you must do at least one track day in your life time. Most people’s reply is that they don’t have the proper vehicle to do one in. My reply to them is that you don’t need a race car. If you own a Toyota Tazz, or Aston Martin V12 DBS, you can do a track day.


It’s the best thing you could do for yourself and your car. Ok not so much for your car as it can be quite hard on it at times, brakes, tyres, etc. But what I always tell people is that you don’t need to go flat out from the get go.


Go at your own pace. One lap at a time. Gradually increase your speed as you gain confidence. Remember that it’s only a piece of road. It’s what you do on it that counts. Don’t get me wrong, never underestimate the track. So many people who have fell short very badly either crashing or even writing off their vehicles, like one poor chap did at this very event.


The point is that you will get to learn so much about your car, the way it handles and reacts in different situations like cornering and under braking, and most importantly, you learn so much about yourself. You can push the limits of your skill, safely, in a controlled environment, with medical support, and gain so much experience. That in turn makes you a better driver, not only on the track, but on the road as well.


Top Gear Magazine SA journo Calvin Fisher testing the limits of the new Lexus IS350 on track... understeer much buddy?


The cost to participate is R450 for non WPMC (Western Province Motor Club) members and R330 for members. Passengers are welcome to join at a cost of R70 per person. If you don’t have a helmet you can hire one at the track for a nominal fee of about R90.


If you are interested in doing a track day you can check out the calendar here, or visit the WPMC website here. If you want to contact Killarney directly you can call them up on 021 557-1639 or email them on admin@wpmc.co.za. Remember that if it’s your first time you need to get there early enough for the compulsory drivers briefing 15 minutes before the start of the event.


Remember that you will also need to fill out the required paper work and admin, as well as have your vehicle scrutineered for safety reasons. You would also want to do the basic checks on your car before you head out onto the track. Things like water and oil levels, tyre pressures etc. It’s also good to be early so there’s no need to rush.


A clear frame of mind is what’s needed in order for you to drive at the best of your ability. There’s no need to worry as drivers are grouped according to skill/experience levels. Novice drivers are put into group 1 while more experienced guys usually go into group 2, while the experts and race drivers in racing cars go in group 3.


Never underestimate the track! We've seen so many people crash at the kink. Situated just after turn 2, it's a tricky little humped kink that if taken incorrectly, the worst of things could happen. Like the famous saying by the late rally legend Colin McRae goes: "If in doubt, flat out!". I say, you're not Colin McRae! Either way this was a very hard lesson to learn for the owner of this vehicle. We just hope he's ok!


There are usually experienced guys around who are willing to help out with advice like racing lines and what to do etc. You could even contact us here at Raceweb for help regarding your first track day, we are always willing to help out with driver instructing (provided we have enough notice).


So in conclusion, I stress, do a track day! It doesn’t matter what you drive, as long as it’s in proper roadworthy condition obviously, you will have the time of your life! Below are some of the highlights that Nish managed to capture from this event. Enjoy, and we hope to see you ON track soon, wether you have an Opel Corsa, or a Porsche GT3 RS!

RaceMasteR J

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