Porsche Club Track Days for 2011

The Porsche Club has been successfully organising and running Track Days for the past 13 years. In that time we have organised approx. 200 days, offering in excess of 8,000 driver places.

We know what Porsche drivers want from their Track Days. We listen to our customers and have tailored the days to suit the drivers who attend our events. They are geared towards the Novice / Intermediate Track Day driver, rather than the out and out ‘Petrolhead’. The Club’s days have an enviable safety record. To help maintain this record, we have Instructors on hand at all of our days. This ensures that drivers can simply learn the circuit, improve their driving, or fully explore the limits of their Porsche.

The Club has in place Public Liability Insurance of £10M any one incident. We recognise that Porsche drivers are people of substance and therefore have in place substantial levels of insurance in the event of an incident.

The Porsche Club has a dedicated Track Day organiser to focus on the detail of running these events safely. This ensures there is always somebody on the day to organise activities, answer questions and resolve any issues.

Porsche Club GB have a policy of running fewer cars on any given event than would be found at events organised by others organisers. Smaller numbers create the opportunity for:

- More track time available.
- Less waiting time.
- Less pressure of traffic when on track.
- Improved safety.

All Porsche drivers can also take comfort from being on track with like minded individuals who share a common love of their Porsche car. As a result, the driving standards are generally higher and the level of respect and consideration afforded other drivers is high.

We have put together a programme of Track Days for 2011 using the circuits we know are popular with Porsche Club members. Our members sometimes ask why we are not going to ‘such and such’ circuit. The reasons can be manifold. Firstly it is likely that experience has shown that the level of take-up at such circuits is insufficient to make the days commercially viable – in essence, we need enough ‘paying customers’ to make the day work.

It may be that the circuit has its own issues which make it unrealistic to run a Porsche day. An example of this would be Croft in North Yorkshire, which is still trying to come to terms with the noise abatement order served on the circuit early in 2009. If the local operating conditions do not allow for cars which run at Porsche type noise levels, then there is no point us trying to run such a day. This can also apply to some Goodwood circuit days. We know of Club members who have attended Goodwood days run by other organisers, only to find the car that will be OK on our days is too noisy for the day they have booked, discovering it is a ‘quiet day’. Not all Track Days are run the same – even at the same circuits – and ours are organised to allow a broad cross section of Porsches and drivers to attend !!

We are again running a Novice Evening at Brands Hatch on the Indy circuit again after the success of similar events in 2009 and 2010. This was very popular and we recommend bookings are made early to avoid disappointment. A video was made during the first Novice evening and a taster of this can be viewed by clicking on the link: here.

The cost of some days has increased slightly, reflecting the increase in VAT from January 2011. We are running fewer days than we did at our peak. In part this reflects the fact that a number of 2009 days were cancelled due to lack of support or suffered poor attendance on the day. The Porsche Club will not compromise its policy of keeping the number of cars on any given day, to reasonable levels and thus will not increase numbers simply to be offer lower prices. Club members have agreed this is the best and safest policy.

Our Oulton Park, day will once again take place on the first day of the circuit’s ‘Winter rates’ allowing us to offer that day at reduced price. This event was so popular in 2009 and 2010 we ended up turning people away – so please get your bookings in early this year, to avoid disappointment. This day, plus the Silverstone GP circuit day will be run ‘Open Pitlane’. So, aside from the first hour of the day when drivers will be grouped according to track day experience, drivers will be able to go on track when they choose, subject to the number of cars on track. This type of day is very popular with the membership, as it allows for the potential of lots of track time and a relaxed day.

Following feedback from Club members, all of our Goodwood days will continue with just 25 cars booked on the day and the Castle Combe days with just 35 cars. This has proved to be popular as it allows for more track time, despite the slightly higher cost per head. These days will be run to the traditional queuing system.

Two of our days this year will be on Saturdays as, despite expressions of support they tend to be less well supported than weekdays. Of our Castle Combe dates, three will be run to the higher noise limit of 105dbA (normally 100dbA). This higher limit will also apply to all other venues on all dates shown - (see notes below the list of dates).

We are able to send Track Day dates to those who request them, by e-mail. The 2011 dates have already been mailed to those on the mailing list. If you would like to receive any future updates by e-mail, just forward your e-mail address to trackdays@porscheclubgb.com,