Originally published December 9, 2019. Last updated March 11, 2025.
Motorsports drivers of all levels rely on their skill and experience to carry them through tricky spots with success. But the same preparation can also help you safely handle a crash and walk away with important knowledge for the future. Here’s how.
How to Prepare for the What-Ifs
Driving a fast straight with a tricky corner ahead, there’s no time to doubt yourself. Confidence is key when you’re behind the wheel and need to stay in the zone. However, when your event is over and you’re out of the driver’s seat, it’s not a bad idea to think about what to do when things don’t go according to plan.
If you drive long enough, sooner or later your mental preparation for a crash will come in handy. Even eternal optimists can benefit from preparing ahead of time for those what-if scenarios.
Imagine:
- You’ve just crashed into a tire barrier and track safety personnel are hurrying over.
- You’re at top speed and your car catches fire.
- You roll your car and you find yourself upside down.
What would you do? Unless you’ve thought about it beforehand, you may get out of the car when it’s not safe or freeze up when staying belted in the car could be the wrong move. But like everything with motorsports, making the right move in the moment is just a matter of practice. Here are four steps you can take now to be ready:
1. Know the Track Rules and Procedures
First, make sure to always know the track’s rules and procedures. These track rules help keep HPDE participants, visitors and event personnel safe. Flag workers, recovery crews and EMTs all have their own rules and procedures they follow. If a crash occurs, let them do their jobs and follow any instructions they give you. Look for the nearest safety personnel immediately after a crash. If you have a window net, put it down. In a street car, wave a thumbs-up. Both let track personnel know you’re awake and alert.
2. Stay in the Car Unless It’s on Fire
Wait for help to come to you. This can be hard for some, since it may feel odd to wait in your car, fully buckled in. After a typical crash, most people want to get out and assess the damage and meet the help that’s arriving. But with other cars flying by — and potentially driving off the track themselves — you want to be inside the car, not on the track or grass where you could be hit. Staying buckled in with all your safety gear and helmet on is also the rule for most HPDE track events.
3. Know How to Handle a Fire
There’s one big exception to staying buckled in: fire. While you may face hazards from other cars, a track is often safer than a burning car. But it depends. At speed, focus on the fire. Practice sitting in your car and working your fire suppression system, finding the button instinctively without looking. If you’re driving a street car without fire suppression, your biggest goal should be to get the car stopped and get yourself out of the vehicle as quickly as possible. If you can, aim to pull the car near a corner station and off the track.
4. Practice Quickly Getting Out of Your Car
If you do need to get out of your car, you will probably need to do so in a hurry. Practice sitting in your car fully belted in with all your safety equipment on. Practice with your eyes closed since you might have trouble seeing if there’s fire or smoke. Think through the order you do things, choreographing the fastest process to get out and clear of your car. Some series even set a time limit that drivers have to meet before you’re allowed to participate. Aim to beat that limit.
Conclusion
At a track event, you want to focus on driving your best and not worrying about the what-ifs. That works best if you’re prepared. Taking the time now to practice for those not-so-positive what-if situations allows you to be better prepared.
Yet along with being prepared for a crash, it is also important to know that most auto insurance policies don’t cover damage that your car sustains while on the track. Here’s how you can check your policy for common coverage exclusions. If your auto policy does have exclusions for your car on the track, not to worry.
Lockton Motorsports offers HPDE Insurance to protect your car from damage when you’re participating in HPDE, Track Day or Time Trial events. It’s one extra step you can take to be prepared for your next day at the track.