Wheels and Tyres
You should check the following on your car at least one week before the day in order to be able to source and fit any new parts that may be required.

As with any driving – the only contact your car has with the road is through the tyres – and at high speed it is vital to make sure your wheels and tyres are in good shape. Check the tread levels and uneven wear which could point to the alignment being out. Many people may know of alignment settings that offer more grip or different characteristics, at the expense of tyre wear. It is often good to do your first track day on the stock settings so you can feel what areas you feel need adjustment.

Tyre pressures can also be altered – the more air you have in the tyre the stiffer you make the sidewall and so the more responsive the car is. Obviously taking this too far will reduce the flat tyre foot print.

At the end of the day remember to reset the tyre pressures once the tyres have cooled down and carry out a quick check to make sure you have enough tread to get home and that the tyres are not beginning to fall apart.

Brakes
Brakes are often the element that show their weakness out on track. Ensure that your pads and dics are up to a track day – the level of wear and a visual inspection for warping or cracks. Brake fade often reveals itself as the heat builds up to level much greater than achieved on the road. Braking from 90 to 30, several times every two minutes for each session is some real abuse! Fast road pads are a worthwhile upgrade. Made from harder materials, these can be more resistant to brake fade than the standard brake pads. If you need new pads or discs make sure they are bedded in before the day – as a rough guide at least 200 miles of urban driving is required to bed in a set of pads or discs. Ensure that brake operation is smooth under normal conditions and that they are not binding.

Do a cooling down lap berfore returning to the pits. This will give some airflow and help themcool down more gradually. Once in the pits DO NOT apply the handbrake as the hot rear pads can bind to the discs and then disintegrate when you release the handbrake.

Fluids
Check your oil and coolant levels and ensure that they are optimum. Check your brake and clutch fluid. Consider changing your brake fluid if you can’t remember the last time it was done and also consider using DOT blue.1 specification fluid. Good quality uncontaminated brake fluid is critical to good performance on a track as it is the one component of your car that will be put under vastly greater stress than it is on the road.

Tool kit
At a bare minimum you should carry your jack, wheelbrace, and footpump. Consider carrying a small general purpose toolkit containing a metric socket set, hammer, screwdriver with interchangeable bits, adjustable wrench, strong adhesive tape, and craft knife. At all of TrackDays.com listings are from organisers that offer trackside support so don’t worry if you don’t have these item, we can help.

Personal preparation
All circuits require both drivers and passengers to wear a crash helmet. This can be open face of full face and should be at least legal for use on a motorcycle. Helmets vary in price from £40 to many hundreds – it’s up to you how much you value your head!
Most organisers will be in a position to hire you one, but always check in advance: it will be a short day if you can’t get hold of one.