Driving to a track....car breaks down, how to get home?

[takman]

I was planning on towing my mr2 to a track...strongly considering bedford..

Now im thinking to just drive it there...but beford is 1.5 hrs away. What if my car breaks at the track?

I was thinking about getting AA.......but under AA's terms and condition, they state the car will not be covered under motor sport racing. So I suppose i would have to get it recovered by a company.....but that could be quite expensive....and to feel comfortable, i would have to have something arranged with a company beforehand.

this will be my first track day in many years btw..

what do you regular track guys do about this?

[monkeyra]

I just

[Shmed]

I drove to a trackday in my car, once.

[vinp182]

If you break it on track then push it out on to the nearest public road and call the AA

[Laurens PNut]

About 1,5 yrs ago I drove my track-Nissan from the Netherlands to Budapest when I was attending a Hungaroring-trackday.

Went flawlessly without technical issues and it was awesome to do such a trip in the racer.

[Draven]

If you break it on track then push it out on to the nearest public road and call the AA

This +1

[slipping clutch]

If you break it on track then push it out on to the nearest public road and call the AA

This +1

Unless you get lucky enough to have a call out mechanic from any of the major rescue companies ( AA/RAC?greenflag etc.) who is willing to bend the company rules you will not get recovered - pushing the car or dragging it down the road from a race track isn't going to fool them and the nature of the breakdown (if you're unlucky enough to have one ) is more likely to be in line with and show the symptoms of the car being pushed to its limits repeatedly around the track than something that has happened whilst driving along a country lane.
Most tracks will have facilities for you to leave the car there for 24 hours until you can get it recovered, Like wise they will have an arrangement with local towing companies to be able to get the car moved if you ask them.
However as with anything in life preparation is key - so go through your car carefully before the track day and be honest with yourself if theres a problem sort don't think it will be alright for a bit longer.- lets face it no one knows a car's problems better than the person driving it so if the brake pedal is long then look at the brake pads, using a bit of water check for a leak etc. If the car is sound on the day why should it break down? The only real fear should be having an accident on track with the car that makes it immobile.
There are a number of companies that would also be happy to give the car a once over before a track day if you don't feel confident to do it yourself and if you went to some one like Rogue who have a fleet of mr2 track cars they will know of anything that is likely to be a problem on or off track.
I am sure that there must be some kind of insurance that you can take out to get recovered from a track day but to be honest I have never looked so maybe a google search will come up with something?
Check the car over thoroughly before the day then go and enjoy yourself - thats what the day is about not worrying endlessly about the car braking down etc, etc,

[Tedtiler]

Sods law says if you drive it there it will break, guaranteed.

[ashley]

I also drove my car to a track day...once. Since then I've always used a trailer; it was fine, no issues at all, but it did take the edge of my fun...I was too worried about coming unstuck and doing something to the car that meant I couldn't make the 3.5hr drive home.

The next time (and since then) I've used a trailer and I had so much more fun- no matter what happened I wasn't gonna get stranded- totally worth it if you are a natural worrier

It also means I can have a boot full of spare parts, tool, tyres and petrol so if anything does go wrong I can hopefully recover it and still get track time for my money

[Shmed]

I also drove my car to a track day...once. Since then I've always used a trailer; it was fine, no issues at all, but it did take the edge of my fun...I was too worried about coming unstuck and doing something to the car that meant I couldn't make the 3.5hr drive home.

The next time (and since then) I've used a trailer and I had so much more fun- no matter what happened I wasn't gonna get stranded- totally worth it if you are a natural worrier

It also means I can have a boot full of spare parts, tool, tyres and petrol so if anything does go wrong I can hopefully recover it and still get track time for my money

100% +1!!!

I wasn't so lucky. My old ct26 exhaust turbine shattered so it was like driving with no exhaust. No power, sounded like a tractor. The 70 mile trip back from Mallory on grained (but still legal) tyres, no power and waiting for the car to totally stop made the rest of the day a bit less memorable.

Always trailer it now. You can take fuel & tools, not worry about the state of the tyres and that's well worth the £100 to hire a trailer (assuming you have a tow car and passed your test pre 1997)

[dantheman]

Buy membership with ADAC (german), they contract out the AA, who get paid even if you are at a track. Hey presto you get towed home.

Though I did try this on thursday and it was more tricky than I remember...I seemed to have forgotten to get road tax for my car and they refused to tow my car as a result. Had to get a private recovery at the cost of £372 :/

[Lauren]

The AA should recover you. A trackday is not a competitive event. This was our understanding when it happened to us. The AA refused to recover us because it was a trackday.

We found out later they should have recovered us and we got an apology or a voucher or something.

I've driven all my cars to trackdays for 14 years. We've only needed recovery once and that was Mark's car, though I did blow up his engine.

So driving to a track day, driving all day then driving home should be no issue in a well maintained car.

I've trailored race cars and Caterhams. It's a PITA.

[takman]

i called AA and they said they will not tow it if it breaks down because of a track day...

i even argued with them...citing the terms and conditions...but in the end they pointed these keywords in terms and conditions that i have bolded...

n. Participation in sporting events
Assistance for vehicles broken down as a result of taking part in any “Motor Sport Event” including, without limitation, racing, rallying, trials or time-trials or auto test. However, for the avoidance of doubt, the AA does not consider “Concours d’elegance” events, track test days for road-legal vehicles or rallies held exclusively on open public highways where participants are required to comply with the normal rules of the road, to be Motor Sports Events.

if the track day was somehow on a public highway, they would tow you...but because it is on private land (the race track).....they will not

and as mentioned in previous posts....if you push the car outside the track...they arent stupid.....they know whats going on..

[hoagy5]

takman in your quote surely that says a trackday or test day is ok as long as you have a road legal vehicle. They don't like competition events but I have been recovered from Santa Pod drag strip with broken driveshaft before and have thought the AA would cover me for track days etc (been relying on it)

However, for the avoidance of doubt, the AA does not consider “Concours d’elegance” events, track test days for road-legal vehicles or rallies held exclusively on open public highways where participants are required to comply with the normal rules of the road, to be Motor Sports Events.

Track test days and road rallies are seperate things in that sentance. it says or, if it meant both it would say and.

They won't pick you up after an accident though. Only a breakdown.

[slipping clutch]

'Track Test days' - it does not say trackdays - I think thats where the definition lies - I am guessing if you booked an exclusive test session for your car you would be covered and I am guessing if push came to shove a track day would not be. Very interesting wording though open to interpretation which would be why Lauren was compensated by the A.A. perhaps?
Looks like quite a debate could go on about this.

[hoagy5]

But if I booked a test day I would have to show my MSA liscence and would be allowed to put my timing beacon on the pit wall

This may be a 'print out the AA rules and keep in the car' job i think...

The other way round it is get independent breakdown cover.

Mind you, if you tow your vehicle to the track, and your tow car breaks down, will the AA recover you then with a trailer?

[gavsdavs]

You are going to wear your brakes and tyres out, that's a given, but check the things that will actually cripple a car.

Last track day I did there were a number of cars overheating. What with the hose from hell, a potentially 25 year old cooling system may not be optimal. Replace/check your coolant/flush before hand ?

[Ben]

You are going to wear your brakes and tyres out, that's a given

Especially if you spend all day doing 45-minute sessions

[takman]

takman in your quote surely that says a trackday or test day is ok as long as you have a road legal vehicle. They don't like competition events but I have been recovered from Santa Pod drag strip with broken driveshaft before and have thought the AA would cover me for track days etc (been relying on it)

However, for the avoidance of doubt, the AA does not consider “Concours d’elegance” events, track test days for road-legal vehicles or rallies held exclusively on open public highways where participants are required to comply with the normal rules of the road, to be Motor Sports Events.

Track test days and road rallies are seperate things in that sentance. it says or, if it meant both it would say and.

They won't pick you up after an accident though. Only a breakdown.

According to the AA advisor i spoke to....the keyword here is "public highway".

if the event (call it what you want) you partook in was not on a public highway, and the car brokedown because of that event...they will not tow you, even if you pushed it outside the track or whatever.

i suppose if you managed to drive it some distance from the event, then they may. but i am sure a lot of the drivers working for AA are seasoned professionals, and have come across the same situations in the past.

[gavsdavs]

You are going to wear your brakes and tyres out, that's a given

Especially if you spend all day doing 45-minute sessions

okay, so i had to top up the brake fluid a fair bit