First track day shakedown
 

Got my Z a little over a week ago just in time for a track event I was instructing at. So turned out I had a great opportunity to test it out before doing some other big track events I am planning on.

After reading SO much on this forum about the car's shortcomings for track use I decided prepping the brakes was my number one goal this week.
-Changed brake fluid to Brembo LCF 600
-Installed Carbotech pads (xp10 in front, xp8 in rear)
I had ZERO fade issues on brakes all day and I started pushing pretty hard about mid day once I felt comfortable. The setup definitely can overpower the stock tires and loosen up the rear significantly. Once I learned that I could drive around it pretty easily.

I didn't have time to review, order and install an oil cooler like so many posts suggested so my plan was to watch the temp and do short sessions.

It was a 75 degree day and with short shifting at 6,000 I was running just shy of 245. The last session I started pushing it and spent a couple laps focused on running down a Mustang. I noticed the temp almost to 260 so that ended that (he moved over, I passed :driving:)

All in all I'm VERY impressed with the car even in all stock except for the brakes. Great turn-in, slight mid corner understeer but I think an alignment will help cure that combined with me getting comfortable using the gas pedal more to rotate the rear.

Waterford Hills is a pretty small track which does beat on the brakes. Can't wait to get to a longer course and stretch the legs out more.
http://www.trackpedia.com/mediawiki/...rfordHills.jpg

Check your power steering as well. Boiled mine for the first time yesterday and again today. Other than the mess on the engine compartment no real impact that I noticed.

Z1 PS cooler and some Redine ATF will be on order ASAP.:tup:

And don't fill it up to the cold line. Leave a little extra space under the line. ;)

Wonder if this is what happened to Ric Bushey 51 at Long Beach a few weeks ago in Pirelli world challenge. In the ending credits of the race there's a shot of him coming down a straight that lead into a left hander. No one touches him but all of a sudden in the braking zone the car pitches hard left and he slams into the wall going into the corner. Was very odd to see and no one commented on it during the race. Just reminded me of a low side on a bike where you tuck the front end and once down the rear comes around or on corner exit you gas to hard and the rear slips out.

Detroit buddy! Come out to our meeting tomorrow night at 7 at JD Karting in Novi! :)

I love Waterford Hills. My first track day ever was there with SEMPCA in a terrible downpour. It's worth a trip for the semi-local folks too. If I don't get my 350 back together I'll probably do a couple of sessions in my 370 on the 21st.

Er... he's definitely not on stock tires. :)

Thinking about it. I have a later meeting right around the corner which might coincide well with this.

I'll definitely have to check that. I didn't have any issues and Waterford is a small twisty track but the temps were only low 80's so this might be an issue when it gets hotter out.

synolimit

He suffered from brakes over heating. Then track doesn't allow the for much ventilation of the heat generated by the cars. Along with running the sport akebonos his brakes just boilded over. It was a crazy hard impact as well. I was stunned that he was able to drive away a few seconds after the impact.

If the brakes overheated then how did they look like they locked up the front and his rear end came sliding around the front? It looked just like someone slamming the brakes on ice with a wheel not strait.

None of us in PWC are running the Akebono brakes and we are all running significant cooling ducts. The #51 is has a custom specced PFC brake system.

When I watched the in-car video, it just looked like he went too deep in the brake zone and jinked to the left to avoid the car in front of him, but then hooked it back to the right and down the escape road.

Learn something new every day around here. I didn't even know jinked was a word :) jink - Wiktionary

Yup, probably just add a bit of front camber and caster, and maybe a thicker front sway (e.g. Hotchkis) and you'll be rid of the understeer.

yeah i wouldn't think so. begining of that race the Stop Tech sponcer was talking them up like no other.

we might be talking about a different race?? the one i saw there was no one close to him. he just hit the brakes, pitched left, rear stepped right, and he went into the wall. no run off in that corner. looked like a very hard hit.

Okay...I have to say...

A thicker front swaybar will NOT help with understeer. It won't. The camber may, but the swaybar will not. It confuses me when people say this...

Tracy Ramsey