Track Day Best Practices - MUST READ

MightyBobo · 11-02-2012, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

I've been doing track events since 2004 and have only ever seen one car to car contact event.

Any car-on-car event at the track is, as Im sure we can all agree, a serious mistake on at least one, or potentially both drivers parts.

spearfish25 · 09-09-2012, 07:20 PM

I'd be more concerned about 'pushing it' in the canyons than on most tracks. I just did Blackhawk today though...not so forgiving if you go off. And the brake cooling kit is for the birds. My dust boots are vaporized once again.

wstar · 09-10-2012, 05:44 AM

Those titanium shields that go behind the pads might help with heat on the dust boots, too. I put some on mine for the hell of it a little while back: Hard Brakes - Titanium Brake Backing Plates, Brake Shims, Brake Heat Shields .

Car to car contact is really really rare in an HPDE-type track event. Everyone's generally really careful about passing, and perhaps more importantly there's no winner or official timekeeping, so there's no reason for aggressive jockeying for position or anything.

Spinning out (and possibly spinning off) is going to happen with some regularity overall, it's rare a day goes by at MSR-H that someone doesn't spin in some group, usually more than one person. With the guys I run with, they have a 2-spin rule: first spin they black flag you into the hot pit, check under the car, make sure you're coherent and ready to go back out, etc. Second spin in the same session and they take you off the track and you miss your next session as well. I imagine if you repeatedly hit the two-spin rule you're going to get bumped down a run group, etc...

How dangerous a spin is depends on the track and on the other drivers. Look for tracks with generous runoff areas. Of course, there's always risks, but really you don't need to spin out to learn the limits. If you're spinning, you're doing something wrong (or had some freak mechanical failure (e.g. tire falls apart mid-corner)). Instructors will talk you through slowly raising your speed as you learn to apply better techniques and read the car's feedback.

Juice14 · 11-02-2012, 10:32 AM

Good post. MUST MUST do the fluid and pads.

Ive been to the track sith stock suspension and its surprissingly great with a good set of tires. The only problem i had with the sport package stock tires is the braking, they just dodnt stop the car well enough. other than that this car is great stock.

as far as tire psi. I like low tire pressures for some reason, I keep taking air out and drive them at arouns 33psi when hot. Maybe this my prefference for the track i go to

good post

Juice14 · 11-02-2012, 10:33 AM

Forgot to mention, I have the yellow stuff pads from EBC and motul 600 fluid. NIGHT AND DAY vs stock. Also the 34 ROW oil cooler, 25 is not enough for my climate

DR_ · 11-03-2012, 10:00 AM

One thing I haven't seen mentioned but it is something I like to do if I have the time is drive the car around the pits or outside the track after a session. This helps cool the brakes, coolant, and oil more before turning off the car. This is really important on turbo cars (or at least a turbo timer) but it also helps on NA cars as well.

mprog · 11-30-2012, 01:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DR_

One thing I haven't seen mentioned but it is something I like to do if I have the time is drive the car around the pits or outside the track after a session. This helps cool the brakes, coolant, and oil more before turning off the car. This is really important on turbo cars (or at least a turbo timer) but it also helps on NA cars as well.

Definitely. Very important, and I'm usually only one of a very small number of people doing it after a session.

DR_ · 11-30-2012, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mprog

Definitely. Very important, and I'm usually only one of a very small number of people doing it after a session.

Plus you really should fill up after every session so if you drive to the closest gas station it kills two birds with one stone.

bigdog1250 · 11-30-2012, 11:54 AM

I can't wait to track my car come Spring. Will be installing my oil cooler this weekend. Also have Whiteline sways on the way

I'll install my XP-10s and flush my fluids once the time draws nearer.

This thread is great

Onelownismo · 05-23-2013, 02:21 PM

This thread is great. Thanks for all the advice.

One more question, how many of you use the same pads for both track/daily?

Does one session of hpde kill them? I intend to have 2 sets eventually but for my first hpde I probably will only have hawk hp +

osbornsm · 05-30-2013, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Onelownismo

This thread is great. Thanks for all the advice.

One more question, how many of you use the same pads for both track/daily?

Does one session of hpde kill them? I intend to have 2 sets eventually but for my first hpde I probably will only have hawk hp +

HP+ should be pretty good, but for the love of god do not track with the OEM pads. They will be gone in ONE day, dead, to the backing plates.

eek

MightyBobo · 05-30-2013, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by osbornsm

HP+ should be pretty good, but for the love of god do not track with the OEM pads. They will be gone in ONE day, dead, to the backing plates.

eek

That's assuming you dont put your car into a wall, first...

Mike · 05-30-2013, 07:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MightyBobo

That's assuming you dont put your car into a wall, first...

you going to VIR with NASA in July? I'm registered

MightyBobo · 05-30-2013, 09:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike

you going to VIR with NASA in July? I'm registered

Ah, I wish. Sadly, I have a few things I'd like to pay off before I hit the track again. I MAY hit up Summit Main later this year, but we'll see...

Also, as my friend StangerGT REALLY wants to hit VIR, I may just wait until he's back from deployment to go there next (read: next year).

DR_ · 05-23-2013, 03:15 PM

Driving around on track pads wears them and the rotors down at a high rate plus they aren't as effective as street pads at street temps. They also typically dust more and squeal more than street pads. Finally my track pads are 3 times the cost of street pads and my track rotors are 5 times more expensive than my street rotors.

I can get 2-3 weekends out of a set of track pads and 4-6 weekends out of a set of track rotors. If you watch my videos you will see I'm very hard on the brakes.

09-09-2012, 07:20 PM	#2 (permalink)
spearfish25 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Naples, FL Posts: 4,117 Drives: to work Rep Power: 1856	I'd be more concerned about 'pushing it' in the canyons than on most tracks. I just did Blackhawk today though...not so forgiving if you go off. And the brake cooling kit is for the birds. My dust boots are vaporized once again. __________________ 2013 Cadillac V-Wagon, RIP Z

09-10-2012, 05:44 AM	#3 (permalink)
wstar A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 4,024 Drives: too slow Rep Power: 3595	Those titanium shields that go behind the pads might help with heat on the dust boots, too. I put some on mine for the hell of it a little while back: Hard Brakes - Titanium Brake Backing Plates, Brake Shims, Brake Heat Shields . Car to car contact is really really rare in an HPDE-type track event. Everyone's generally really careful about passing, and perhaps more importantly there's no winner or official timekeeping, so there's no reason for aggressive jockeying for position or anything. Spinning out (and possibly spinning off) is going to happen with some regularity overall, it's rare a day goes by at MSR-H that someone doesn't spin in some group, usually more than one person. With the guys I run with, they have a 2-spin rule: first spin they black flag you into the hot pit, check under the car, make sure you're coherent and ready to go back out, etc. Second spin in the same session and they take you off the track and you miss your next session as well. I imagine if you repeatedly hit the two-spin rule you're going to get bumped down a run group, etc... How dangerous a spin is depends on the track and on the other drivers. Look for tracks with generous runoff areas. Of course, there's always risks, but really you don't need to spin out to learn the limits. If you're spinning, you're doing something wrong (or had some freak mechanical failure (e.g. tire falls apart mid-corner)). Instructors will talk you through slowly raising your speed as you learn to apply better techniques and read the car's feedback. __________________ 7AT Track Car! Journal thread / Car setup details Last edited by wstar; 09-10-2012 at 05:48 AM.

11-03-2012, 10:00 AM	#6 (permalink)
DR_ Track Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dallas Posts: 981 Drives: Touring/Sport M6 PG Rep Power: 17	One thing I haven't seen mentioned but it is something I like to do if I have the time is drive the car around the pits or outside the track after a session. This helps cool the brakes, coolant, and oil more before turning off the car. This is really important on turbo cars (or at least a turbo timer) but it also helps on NA cars as well. osbornsm likes this.

11-30-2012, 11:54 AM	#9 (permalink)
bigdog1250 Track Member Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: San Francisco Posts: 846 Drives: 991.2 GT3 Rep Power: 18	I can't wait to track my car come Spring. Will be installing my oil cooler this weekend. Also have Whiteline sways on the way I'll install my XP-10s and flush my fluids once the time draws nearer. This thread is great __________________ 350z / 40th 370z / C6 Z06 / BMW M4 / V10 R8 / C7 Grand Spot / 997.1 GT3 / S2K / Camaro ZL1 / 718 GTS / 991.2 GT3

05-23-2013, 02:21 PM	#10 (permalink)
Onelownismo Track Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Suffolk, VA Age: 38 Posts: 805 Drives: 09 PG base/sport Rep Power: 15	This thread is great. Thanks for all the advice. One more question, how many of you use the same pads for both track/daily? Does one session of hpde kill them? I intend to have 2 sets eventually but for my first hpde I probably will only have hawk hp + __________________ 2009 Base w/ Sport - Fast Intentions - Stillen - Whiteline - BC - SSR - Enkei - Z1 - UpRev Tuned

11-02-2012, 10:32 AM	#4 (permalink)
Juice14 Base Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: International Posts: 132 Drives: Red 370Z Rep Power: 14	Good post. MUST MUST do the fluid and pads. Ive been to the track sith stock suspension and its surprissingly great with a good set of tires. The only problem i had with the sport package stock tires is the braking, they just dodnt stop the car well enough. other than that this car is great stock. as far as tire psi. I like low tire pressures for some reason, I keep taking air out and drive them at arouns 33psi when hot. Maybe this my prefference for the track i go to good post

11-02-2012, 10:33 AM	#5 (permalink)
Juice14 Base Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: International Posts: 132 Drives: Red 370Z Rep Power: 14	Forgot to mention, I have the yellow stuff pads from EBC and motul 600 fluid. NIGHT AND DAY vs stock. Also the 34 ROW oil cooler, 25 is not enough for my climate

05-23-2013, 03:15 PM	#15 (permalink)
DR_ Track Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Dallas Posts: 981 Drives: Touring/Sport M6 PG Rep Power: 17	Driving around on track pads wears them and the rotors down at a high rate plus they aren't as effective as street pads at street temps. They also typically dust more and squeal more than street pads. Finally my track pads are 3 times the cost of street pads and my track rotors are 5 times more expensive than my street rotors. I can get 2-3 weekends out of a set of track pads and 4-6 weekends out of a set of track rotors. If you watch my videos you will see I'm very hard on the brakes.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
If u ain't doing anything read	afgiussppe	Mid-Atlantic Region	3	08-07-2012 05:58 PM
I'm a Noob. Read this!	uMadeBro	New Forum Member	30	05-11-2012 03:29 PM
Fun Read	sonic370	Nissan 370Z Pricing / Ordering Discussions	1	06-02-2011 08:20 PM
Wow - just read this if you need a LOL...	FricFrac	Other Vehicles	5	08-12-2010 10:49 AM
Something to read	Shift	Nissan 370Z General Discussions	6	06-02-2010 08:30 PM