Trackdays, a worrying trend....discuss

[SKiddell]

For those who enjoy or who plan to experience track-days, take care when booking up, the trend is now that "acceptable" noise levels are being dramatically reduced to around 98db on a fair number of available days on a number of major tracks e.g. Donington and Mallory park to name but two. Many aerodrome circuits such as Bedford etc. have limit way less than this (87.5 drive by) IMHO most of our modified cars will fail this.

It looks to be all part of the Noise management plans that tracks are being forced to sign up to in order to stay in business.

Tracks are now relying more and more on drive by monitoring to police this, even to the extent of photographing the vehicle responsible, often less than 3 strikes and you’re off, no refund no challenges allowed.

Certain "golden" venues seem to fair better such as Silverstone or Brands, but Silverstone is often cost prohibitive and Brands is inaccessible to those of us that don't speak with a glottal stop.

 

[AliK]

Having fallen foul of this rule at the last Japfest at Castle Coombe (tested at 104db at 5k RPM), I have a few concerns:

1. The guy testing had his sensor right up against the pipe as opposed to a certain distance away: so I question the testing methods.

2. The shriek of some of the modern cars going past on the track made me cover my ears they were so loud so what frequency range are they testing!?

Fitting a silencer can to the end of my exhaust would have ruined my paintwork and tail pipe chrome so it wasn't an option.

3. How can you possibly measure this at home before booking your track day? Even if you have the equipment your calibration would be different from the tester's one on the day.

It's nuts that people buy houses next to race tracks, airports, night clubs etc and complain about the noise!!!

Skiddie - here's a question for you: does an induction kit / free flowing filter increase the noise at the exhaust? I always wondered if the induction noise is just that or a combination of input and output noise!

 

[johnymd]

Hope they don't go too far into the 80's or it could even effect my car, which normally tests at high 80- low 90.

 

[SKiddell]

@ Smiley
Castle Coombe seem to be a law unto themselves, Ive read a number of comments around the internet mentioning the inconsistant practice that they adopt when static testing.

Re the induction question, TBH I've never really done any testing on that but I would suspect that there is more overall change due to muffling the induction noise rather than subsequent changes to the exhaust noise though.

@Johny
Blimey JP thats low....

 

[SeanDezart]

Already noted the trend over here and begun reacting with my exhausts (no point making and selling one only to see the owner disappointed when its time to DRIVE !).

Centre box now modified to its max and the rear one can't be made bigger* and I reduced the diameter through and exiting the rear silencer to also help reduce noise.

*I could develop a baffled version, perhaps specifically for certain track days.

Funnily enough I was only thinking about this as an option on the way in to work this morning.

Unclamp the daily muffler and fit up the track-day version within a few minutes.....also useful for any strict MOT.

Sorry for the plug...my current system should be good to beat the 98db limit but one can't rest idle as laws change.

 

[Rob Gaskin]

Good point Steve and one often overlooked by trackday novices. When I started doing trackdays I took along a spare silencer connected to a right-angle piece of exhaust pipe and some web-type straps. I did this because I had witnessed many folks having trouble with noisy cars in my rallying days. Fortunately I never needed it and learnt that my car was under 98db.

Induction roar adds to the overall noise of a car so it isn't going to help on 'drive-by' checks.

Ali, yeh it's hard to know if you'll pass a test until you've tried it and then you may be disappointed hence my silencer. However if your car was 104db it's loud so you must have realised that.

Living by a circuit - I know what you mean but circuit use has increased a lot (testing, trackdays midweek don't help). I live in 'hearing distance' of Mallory Park and MIRA - I don't mind the noise but I can understand it getting on people's nerves if they are not enthusiasts and live closer. What was acceptable years ago isn't anymore e.g. smokers.

 

[SeanDezart]

Induction roar adds to the overall noise of a car so it isn't going to help on 'drive-by' checks.

Living by a circuit - I know what you mean but circuit use has increased a lot (testing, trackdays midweek don't help). What was acceptable years ago isn't anymore e.g. smokers.

Tyre noise will be louder than pass-by induction and the slicker your tyres (and therefore less 'holes' for the compressed air to escape, the louder they will be. A 'quiet road surface' is simply one with more holes incorporated to allow said air to dissipate.

Circuits are easy targets, despite builing earth sound-barriers and anti-noise screens, inevitably noise escapes....but a lot less than for those living by busy roads.

 

[Alphabettispaghetti]

a noise check should be taken at a 45deg angle 1m away from the exhaust outlet.

I've had many a discussion about this on motorbike trackdays. That's how they should test.

Other things some have done is to alter the rev counter so the rpm limit looks lower which lowers the rpm the car/bike is tested at

 

[SKiddell]

Other things some have done is to alter the rev counter so the rpm limit looks lower which lowers the rpm the car/bike is tested at

Unfortunately that doesn’t get around the increasing trend of installing single or multipoint drive by microphone monitoring stations situated around the track which are a pre-requisite of the local councils noise management plan

I have particular issue with these are there are a number of factors that can give false high readings such as 2 or 3 cars passing the monitoring point at once.

I still can't get my head around the "complainers" perspective though.....particularly in Doningtons case which is situated next door to an Airport.
Donington has been a race track since the 1930's far longer than almost any resident alive....ergo they have decided to live there in full knowledge of what life next door to a race track entails.

But that has been endlessly debated here and elswhere on the net, noise restictions are here to stay like it or not.

 

[jonbills]

Steve, do you see this as a performance limitation or is it just unwelcome cost to the exhaust system?

 

[SeanDezart]

Question not directed at me but if you accept that John's car is quiet and performance orientated (understatement) then I would personally just see this as an adjustment to be made to continue the fun of track-days which, let's face it for most of is is the only and still the least expensive playground for our toys......straight-line excepted........

I should remind you that events like Spa Classichave no noise limitations AND you have the joy of the journey there and back.

 

[AliK]

Ali, yeh it's hard to know if you'll pass a test until you've tried it and then you may be disappointed hence my silencer. However if your car was 104db it's loud so you must have realised that.

.

I did suspect I'd be close to the limit but never imagined being twice as loud, especially given the other cars I've seen on the track!!! You only have to wear the ear plugs inside my car not outside

Some of the cars on the track were easily 100metres away and making my ears hurt / bleed!!

I see what you mean about acceptability, I like letting my hairy chest out but it's sadly no longer cool. But on topic, I would contend that despite the increase in tracking popularity, you can't buy a house next to a motorway and complain about increase in traffic volumes. It's a risk you accepted by default when making that decision. And in most cases the majority of the complainers tend to be new residents not used to the noise - ergo the case of the residents trying to close down The Ministry of Sound in London. I can't find the exact link but here's one example ...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/mos...-globe-does-fate-lie-hands-Boris-Johnson.html

 

[racer]

Jap Fest rules for next year.
102db for Silverstone as aposed to 100db at Coombe last year. Should make things a bit easier for some.

http://www.japfest.co.uk/sites/default/files/Track Time Rules.pdf

 

[johnymd]

In reality I can't see the noise limits making much difference to many Zclub members.

 

[SeanDezart]

In reality I can't see the noise limits making much difference to many Zclub members.

Err...I can - seen it happen that Zs were turned away and also after average noise levels raised during a couple of sessions, the organisers 'asked' one car to refrain from opening full-throttle or risk being abjected.

 

[Rob Gaskin]

A car doesn't have to be loud to be quick but it's another aspect of a sports car that makes it fun and exhilarating to drive. The problem is it affects others and enjoying our hobby is not as important as motorway commuting or flight.

 

[SeanDezart]

It IS perhaps important to the circuit owners who wish to fill as many bookings as possible during the year and if noise levels are exceeded or average noise levels attained, their available track-days will diminish in favour of loud but more profitable bookings.......

 

[SKiddell]

A car doesn't have to be loud to be quick but it's another aspect of a sports car that makes it fun and exhilarating to drive. The problem is it affects others and enjoying our hobby is not as important as motorway commuting or flight.

It’s the hypocrisy Rob
"I’m fine living next to an airport but I'm not happy people are enjoying themselves noisily"

Or more cynical....."Hmm my house price would be higher if......."

And the lack of consistency in the way the councils deal with it eg
Next door neighbour’s dog can bark until its head drops off, the kids can swear like a trooper, play video games at ear splitting volumes, spotty oiks lurk on street corners shouting obcenities at all and sundry.......phone the council, nothing is done.
Drive around a race track that’s been there for 80 years and the reaction is biblical

 

[SeanDezart]

Modern modes - cars are politically incorrect but embrace the inconsistency and calculate just how much money turns in each economy courtesy of internal combustion.......

 

[SKiddell]

In reality I can't see the noise limits making much difference to many Zclub members.

Yes but only because of other factors eg

80% of members will not go on track days.
90% of those that do will not drive even close to the limits for various reasons.
The remainder (a handful) will more than likely have modified cars and as such will be subject to the ever lowing limits.

So whilst it wont affect the majority of members (if they don't go they can't be affected right)
It will affect some....of which you, I, Matt, Terry, Wyn, Rob and a good many others are included