How to do a track day in your MX5

Thinking of doing a track day in your MX5? it's a great idea, given the handling that makes the cars so enjoyable on the road translates brilliantly to the track too. Whether you're a seasoned track day attendee or a first-timer We've come up with a bit of a checklist of parts and jobs to consider before taking the plunge. don't be intimidated though - these are mainly 'good practice' checks any keen owner would be performing, and any standard MX5 is perfectly capable of being driven on track without any problems whatsoever.

And that's the thing. You may think you need sticky tyres, fancy suspension, a roll cage, harnesses and a turbo conversion to turn an MX5 into a viable track machine. And if you're going to be doing it regularly these are upgrades you may wish to consider as you go on. But in totally standard form a well-sorted, standard MX5 of any type is going to be a ball to drive and you'll learn tons about your driving as you go. And if you've not yet started down the modifiying road it's a great way to identify the areas you might want to upgrade as time goes on. Similarly, if it's just a one-time go to scratch the itch then that's fine too!

here's our 'How To' guide on getting your MX5 ready for the track

What you need:

• An MX5! Mk1, Mk2, Mk3 or Mk4 - it doesn't matter as they're all fun to drive on the track whether standard or modified.
• A track day. All circuits run them, typically organised by third-party operators at venues ranging from airfields with a few cones to purpose-built facilities and pukka race circuits. Choose one according to location, where you want to drive and who you want to drive with - chat with other owners to figure out the venue and set-up that suits your experience and tastes. Weekday events can be cheaper and quieter than weekends so it pays to be flexible.
• A tyre pressure gauge and some sort of foot-pump, compressor or suchlike.
• Spare oil, coolant and a funnel, rags and suchlike to check and top up fluids up as necessary.
• Helmet and comfortable clothes for driving in. Many track days will insist on a full-face if you're driving with the roof down and you'll also be expected to have your arms and legs covered - leave the T-shirt and shorts combo at home! Many tracks and events hire helmets out but check beforehand to be sure and book as required. Bear in mind under no circumstances is it socially acceptable to wear a race suit on a track day, UNLESS your MX5 is an actual stripped and caged racing car!
• A box, bag or plastic crate to store all your stuff at the track.
• Jacking equipment, including wheel chocks, wheel brace, jack, etc. (optional)

Before you go:

• A couple of weeks before your day check your car is fit and ready. Are the tyres in good condition, correctly inflated and balanced? Are your brake discs and pads ship-shape? Is your oil, brake fluid and coolant fresh and at the correct level? Have you had the geometry checked recently? Hopefully you're on top of such things anyway but there's no escaping circuit driving 'stress tests' every component on the car and it pays to make sure it's all in good order and you have time to order and fit any parts you may need. now's the time to hit the MX5 Parts shop for whatever you might need!
• Got a loud exhaust? Consider whether or not you might fall foul of noise regulations. Most tracks operate to very strict limits and you may be sent home before you even start if you're too noisy. If you've got an aftermarket system consider whether it's worthwhile putting a stock backbox on to be sure. If you haven't got one then beg, borrow or treat yourself to a spare.
• Most track days won't permit suction mounts for cameras and suchlike so if you want to record your exploits make sure your mount has a secure, physical attachment to the car. don't bother with a helmet camera and don't ask your passenger to film with a handheld phone or camera - you'll get a ticking off or even sent home.
• Crashes on track days are thankfully rare but there is always a risk involved. If you're going to insure your car for the day now is the time to get some quotes from specialists as your standard road cover will not protect you should the worst happen. Given the relatively low value of older MX5s many owners accept the risk themselves but, especially for newer cars, financed ones or others where you need to protect your money, it may be weighing up the extra costs of track day insurance.

On the day:

• Get up nice and early and give yourself time to fuel up before you reach the circuit - many bigger venues will have fuel on site but it can be ruinously expensive.
• don't forget your licence - most operators will want to see it at registration.
• Arrive in good time so you can familiarise yourself with the venue, eat a good breakfast and be on time for the all-important briefing. If you haven't booked a garage for yourself now's the time to make friends with someone who has and is willing to let you dump your stuff in the corner.
• Clear EVERYTHING out of the car! Empty the glovebox, remove any clip-on/suction mount phone holders or portable navigation devices, check under and behind the seats and remove any loose items from the boot. There's nothing more distracting than loose change or locking wheelnut keys rattling around when you're trying to concentrate on your driving.
• Mk1 and Mk2s have a permanent towing eye in the grille but if you drive a Mk3 or Mk4 you'll need to install the screw-in one before you go out on the track.
• don't be intimidated. you'll see lots of faster looking cars and drivers who look like they know what they're doing but track days aren't races and most people will be more worried about bending their pride and joy than setting a lap time. And you'll be surprised at how an MX5s cornering speed can be a great leveller on track and more than makes up for perceived lack of horsepower...
• Take your valve caps off and store them somewhere safe; check your pressures while cold as a base setting.
• Check your levels again.
• Check your wheelnuts are all done up to the same tightness - use a torque wrench if you're really fussy but an old-fashioned wheelbrace is fine.
• Never been on track before or new to the circuit? Book a session with an instructor - it's the best money you can spend on yourself or the car and will help you get more out of the day.
• Go to the briefing. you'll need to have attended before you're allowed out on track and, while most flag and overtaking rules are similar, each event is different.
• Do the sighting laps. Again, most events have this as a compulsory requirement anyway but this is a great way to get a feel for the circuit at low speed and identify any potential traps like big kerbs, potentially slippery patches or tricky corners that could catch you out.
• Build up. don't try and go flat out from the start and don't be tempted to chase faster cars on the track - make some space for yourself and go at your own pace, taking heed of the instruction you (hopefully) already had.
• After your first session check your tyre pressures. Depending on how fast you've been going you may find them as much as 10psi over what they were when you started so drop the 'hot' pressures to match the cold ones you started with and go out again for a few laps. Check them again and adjust accordingly. You may want to tweak tyre pressures to tune the feel of the car - by all means play around but be aware if the car's been standing for a while you'll need a couple of laps to bring them up to temperature and pressure again.
• Watch your mirrors. you'll be concentrating hard in the corners but when you get to a straight and can relax for a moment have a quick look in your mirrors - if there's a car there that wasn't before it's going faster than you. And there's no point holding them up. Abiding by the overtaking rules outlined in the briefing, now is the time to back off and let them through.
• don't stay out too long. Even a fully track-prepped car will be stressed by constant lapping and MX5s are fundamentally road cars so if it's an 'open pit lane' day keep tabs on your track time and stick to sessions of 10-15 minutes to keep car and driver fresh. Staying out for lap after lap can cook your brakes and ruin your tyres while fatigue can lead to mistakes. Be wary of the curse of 'one more lap'!
• Do a cool-down lap at a steady pace without loading the tyres or using the brakes before coming into the pits. When you do stop leave the car in gear rather than using the handbrake so you don't warp your discs.
• Take plenty of breaks, keep your energy levels up and stick around until the end - you'll often find people leave early and by the afternoon you can have the track pretty much to yourself.
• Before you leave make sure you've not left anything behind and, if you haven't brought a pump with you, stop at the first air-line to bring your tyres back up to road pressure, assuming they've had time to cool down fully.

With special thanks to Oulton Park for allowing us to film on our track day

Above all stay safe and enjoy the ride!