My First Day ever at a Track
 

I went to Palm Beach International Raceway Sunday August 15.
I gained new found respect for guys who can drive these courses. I am 64 years young and found out quick that it is nothing like the street. My instructor, Sebastien was cool, calm and collected tru-out the whole ordeal mistake after mistake. I finally caught on, though I had a hard time rolling my foot over to blip it but got the hang of it after a while. I was able to get up to 120+ on the back straight (Sebastien 130+). It started to rain as usual in South Florida this time of year and thought that track time was over but my instructor wanted me to go out again so we went out on a wet track and still raining. Things went okay for the first few laps. Water was building on the track and I had slowed it down a bit. Couple of times I could feel the back end break away as I was comming down the back straight 80-90 mph lifted on gas a little and it settled down. A couple laps later I picked the wrong line on the back straight.
Should have been to the left a little more, felt the backend start to loosen and before I could let up a little I went for a wild ride. The car did a 180 right looking at on comming cars, did a 180 left caught a little grass on drivers side and came to a stop pointing in the right direction. No skid marks on track or grass but left them else where. I am going to leave the track driving to you young guys who have had plenty of seat time and I'll watch.

Oil temps stayed at 230 with oil cooler. Air temp 94 degrees, track temp 125.
Lost my clutch due to high temps. Need to wrap those lines and change fluids. That was my only issue mechanical all day. Changed oem pads to EBC yellow and the bite was excellent all day.
Driving on the track takes a lot of mental focus and agility along with a kind of smooth dance with your feet. Brake, gas and clutch Samba.
Need less to say I was burnt out at the end of the day.
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_gkPwvw7_6gc/TG...U/s144/myz.jpg

Mag Black, 6 spd m with short shifter, CAI, Oil cooler 25 row, Invidia Ehaust, Hotchkis Antisway bars second hole, EBC brake pads, Osirus Tuned.

cool story, every enthusiast needs to try it once in their live... gives you a different perspective about driving a sports car!

Good to hear there were no major mishaps, and you had fun.

Sounds like it was a blast!

Is Palm Beach Speedway Moroso?

Glad you made it though unscathed. This is why you need a GoPro HD :). Gotta document those moments!!!

Yes it is Moroso sold it a while back and it has been redone. Nice small track for learning.

Don't let one off turn you away! Maybe some AutoX in the meantime?

^Yeah. AutoX is great fun and safe. Also much easier on the car. Frankly, track days are fun but have a different kind of thrill than AutoX. Different beasts, so don't write off the fun stuff with your car yet.

Yes! A low risk activity that's still high on the fun-meter. If only I could get over my ridiculous fear of orange cones. :(

great story Billy! Glad you didn't hurt the car, and kudos for giving it a try. I am a little surprised at the clutch comment though, as I have boiled brake fluid a few times, but never had a problem with the clutch.

Need to do some digging on this one. After about three to four laps comming into a corner I went for the clutch and could not find it, I freaked out then there it was all the way at the bottom but still had some clutch and could still shift, would not come allthe way back. After my session and in the paddock I worked the clutch and it came back. Same thing happened on all my sessions. Wrap the clutch lines and change fluid?
The EBC Yellow pads with stainlees brake lines on oem rotors and calipers did fine no fade at all. Any body got some ideas.

Change teh fluid, note how small the reservoir is. Just change it with some good DOT4 fluid like Amsoil, Motul or Castrol.

Billy - great story - I have been involved in motorsport at all levels from local club stuff to state and national series for over 40 years ... fiddling with your car and drving it the way it was designed to be driven (and then some) is just about the most fun your can have (at our age at least). Go for it -

With respect to the clutch problem, it sounds like you may have a little air in the system - so replace the fluid with DOT 4 or DOT 5.1 (DOT 5 is silicone based and I wouldn't use it as a matter of personal preference) and then bleed the system - this will be a PITA if you don't have ramps or a hoist and someone to assist - otherwise it is a shop job unfortunately.

Like I said, giving the car a spanking on the track is a great way of passing the time and no matter how long you have been at it, you never ever stop learning.

Like others have said track seat time is priceless and it will make you a much better driver overall! I remember my first track day lol I was all nervous with butterflies in my stomach... But once I was on the track I felt at home. I know exactly what you went through with the back end stepping out in the rain! I was at little tally on a day that was just supposed to be cloudy and then BOOM a storm rolls up and drops inches of rain on us flooding Lil sections of the track but we kept rolling... I decided to turn traction control back on as any time I touched the gas the car went immediately sideways!!! Even on the straight away going from fourth to fifth! I was like no freaking way! It ended up being a great day and I hot the pic from my avatar that day. I honestly believe that everyone should have to do 3 or more track days before getting their license! Many hours of proper track time could easily equal years of street time. Anyway, I hope you go back out and try again :tup: tracking ur car is such a great feeling and really makes u appreciate the technology and the car itself that much more!

sounds like dirty fluid. Used to happen all the time in my C6 and once in my 350. Had to pull the clutch pedal back up from behind it. The corvette slave cylinder design allows a tiny bit of dust to enter the fluid and it needs to be flushed out regularly.

First Day ever at a Track Instructors comments on car
 

Sebastien my Instructor drove my car for three or four laps.

He has driven a 370Z before propably was not tuned because he said the car had good power thru the gears. For OEM rotors the brakes were really good, did not fade at all. Looked at rotors after event and were very smooth. He had to make an ajustment to the short shifter and blipping the the motor.
He had said that you have to be right on when you blip the motor or you feel the back wiggle abit and he was right. All in all he complimented me on the car a said it was vey srtong and I did see that as at times I could pull away from a few cars that were on the track, mustang included.

I trust him on his comments as he drives a few different cars. Radical, EVO, Lotus and a GT3 twin turbo. He held the Sebring lap record for a while don't remember which car it was, may have been the radical or the EVO.
he also said that on the clutch problem it was probably an air bubble as someone already suggested.

Talking about all of this is getting me all worked up to try another event autox or track? I quess when it gets in your blood you start to get hooked. I still want to learn and have fun at the same time.
Actually my son in law got me hooked, he just upgraded his 911 five years old to a GT3( never been on the track) that is 2 years old and I go with him to Sebring and Homestead and help out as crew for the group of guys that go there. And I have a blast. I am getting goose bumps.

Nice! Sounds like you had a great time. Every 370Z owner should take their car to the track at least once to find the limits of their Z.

Thanks for sharing your story! I read it just before taking my Z to the track yesterday at Summit Point Raceway in WV. It was a blast. Lots to learn of course but I learned so much in just one class and a Hyperdrive. I'm stoked about taking it again soon!

glad to hear you had a good time.