First Track Day - What you NEED to know!
#46
You are a braver man than me! Thanks for all the track tips, but I don't think I will ever take the car to the track, I am too afraid I would crash the damm thing.
Looks like you had a great time and really learned a lot about the car, I guess that is why some people have bought their car for.
There is a great web page here in Japan about a guy who is modding his "F" by making weight reductions , modifing the diff, exhaust, injectors ect,ect . I think he has taken off over 400lbs if my calculations are correct. How would you think your car would perform 400lbs lighter?
Looks like you had a great time and really learned a lot about the car, I guess that is why some people have bought their car for.
There is a great web page here in Japan about a guy who is modding his "F" by making weight reductions , modifing the diff, exhaust, injectors ect,ect . I think he has taken off over 400lbs if my calculations are correct. How would you think your car would perform 400lbs lighter?
#47
Instead of buying brand new crappy tires, specially if you are using R-comp, get good tires that are race-used. You can find those at ebay or sources like below. Also if a particular racing series - in my case Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series - has your car or car that uses same/similar spec tires, go to that race when they are held nearby. You can "possibly" score sets of tires that were used only for qualifying. I've gotten 4 tires for like $100. That's like getting pretty much brand new ones with free shaving and heat cycled to boot.
http://www.meisterschaftmotor.com/tires_wheels.html
http://www.jbracingtires.net/
www.fossport.com
http://www.meisterschaftmotor.com/tires_wheels.html
http://www.jbracingtires.net/
www.fossport.com
#48
BTW if you're just starting out doing HPDEs, most experienced folks recommend you do NOT buy R-compound tires like kt22cliff recommended in his post above. Learn the limits of your car first using street tires.
#49
Thanks for your post - I really enjoyed your notes and preparation ideas! Usually I just bring my entire Craftsman socket setup and a general tool bag since it seems the tools you need are always the ones you left behind at home!
It seems from your assessment of the front brakes that they are barely adequate for track use? Correct me if I'm wrong but your use of oil, brake fluids, etc really conflict with what I had to use.
I used to race occasionally at Putnam and other tracks in the midwest with my Eclipse and Audi S4. I can say the brakes on the Japanese cars really suck - barely 1.5 laps into the race and my pedal sunk to the floorboard and the Eclipse was done. The Audi however had much better success. Having an instructor is priceless to tell you what to do because my first couple laps in the Audi I "thought" I was flying but my lap times were like 12 seconds off pace. This is when I found out drifting the car is not the fastest way around the racetrack!
But from most of my track sessions I don't remember swapping pads or adding that much oil nor doing all the mechanical aspects you mentioned. Is the IS-F just too heavy of a car to track hence the large amounts of heat generated?
Would have been awesome if you had a video camera next time - it's fun to watch yourself drive, ask me how I know...
I have to agree with the OP it's NOT about lap times - just going fast on the track requires 110% of your concentration and really teaches you how to drive the car safely and quickly. In real life situations this can mean the difference between a crash or driving home safely.
For those who have not tried tracking your car (not racing) you MUST do it - it's the best time you will ever have with the car. Nothing beats not having to worry about police around the corner but make sure you get a lot of rest the night before, I was totally exhausted after one half day track session! I could play 6 full court games of b-ball and not be this drained
rick
It seems from your assessment of the front brakes that they are barely adequate for track use? Correct me if I'm wrong but your use of oil, brake fluids, etc really conflict with what I had to use.
I used to race occasionally at Putnam and other tracks in the midwest with my Eclipse and Audi S4. I can say the brakes on the Japanese cars really suck - barely 1.5 laps into the race and my pedal sunk to the floorboard and the Eclipse was done. The Audi however had much better success. Having an instructor is priceless to tell you what to do because my first couple laps in the Audi I "thought" I was flying but my lap times were like 12 seconds off pace. This is when I found out drifting the car is not the fastest way around the racetrack!
But from most of my track sessions I don't remember swapping pads or adding that much oil nor doing all the mechanical aspects you mentioned. Is the IS-F just too heavy of a car to track hence the large amounts of heat generated?
Would have been awesome if you had a video camera next time - it's fun to watch yourself drive, ask me how I know...
I have to agree with the OP it's NOT about lap times - just going fast on the track requires 110% of your concentration and really teaches you how to drive the car safely and quickly. In real life situations this can mean the difference between a crash or driving home safely.
For those who have not tried tracking your car (not racing) you MUST do it - it's the best time you will ever have with the car. Nothing beats not having to worry about police around the corner but make sure you get a lot of rest the night before, I was totally exhausted after one half day track session! I could play 6 full court games of b-ball and not be this drained
rick
#50
I have to agree with the OP it's NOT about lap times - just going fast on the track requires 110% of your concentration and really teaches you how to drive the car safely and quickly. In real life situations this can mean the difference between a crash or driving home safely.
#51
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Joined: Jul 2006
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From: Georgia
I used to race occasionally at Putnam and other tracks in the midwest with my Eclipse and Audi S4. I can say the brakes on the Japanese cars really suck - barely 1.5 laps into the race and my pedal sunk to the floorboard and the Eclipse was done. The Audi however had much better success. Having an instructor is priceless to tell you what to do because my first couple laps in the Audi I "thought" I was flying but my lap times were like 12 seconds off pace. This is when I found out drifting the car is not the fastest way around the racetrack!
Yes, drifting is the slow way around an asphalt course, and it shouldn't take a watch to arrive at that conclusion.
Would have been awesome if you had a video camera next time - it's fun to watch yourself drive, ask me how I know...
I have to agree with the OP it's NOT about lap times - just going fast on the track requires 110% of your concentration and really teaches you how to drive the car safely and quickly. In real life situations this can mean the difference between a crash or driving home safely.
I have to agree with the OP it's NOT about lap times - just going fast on the track requires 110% of your concentration and really teaches you how to drive the car safely and quickly. In real life situations this can mean the difference between a crash or driving home safely.
For those who have not tried tracking your car (not racing) you MUST do it - it's the best time you will ever have with the car. Nothing beats not having to worry about police around the corner but make sure you get a lot of rest the night before, I was totally exhausted after one half day track session! I could play 6 full court games of b-ball and not be this drained
rick
rick
#54
Thread Starter
Tech Info Resource
iTrader: (2)
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 22,471
Likes: 4,099
From: Georgia
The Chief Instructor recommended buying used street tires - worn down to the wear bars - as an economical way to keep track tires on the car. It actually makes sense since you're not competing, just learning the car, and those used tires will work fine on the track as long as the previous owner was a cruiser not attacking every freeway on-ramp in sight.
I'm seriously thinking about getting a set of OEM wheels from Finish Line Wheels and putting used tires on them for track days. Admittedly I had less wear than I anticipated with the Bridgestones (I really thought I might completely kill the outer tread blocks, but didn't), but I'd still feel better about putting on a set of throw away tires and driving home on a set of full depth tires.
Also FWIW, drilled discs suck. I knew this when I bought the car, but these pics tell the whole story. Cracking is evident after a single track day.
Another interesting note, the Lexus on the front calipers looks gold now, not silver,
I checked pricing, and the OEM discs can be had for ~$240 a piece before shipping, but if I'm only going to get a couple of track days out of a set of discs, I might even swap discs for a track day. I'd really like to get some flat blanks or maybe slotted, but PLEASE no more drilled rotors.
I'm seriously thinking about getting a set of OEM wheels from Finish Line Wheels and putting used tires on them for track days. Admittedly I had less wear than I anticipated with the Bridgestones (I really thought I might completely kill the outer tread blocks, but didn't), but I'd still feel better about putting on a set of throw away tires and driving home on a set of full depth tires.
Also FWIW, drilled discs suck. I knew this when I bought the car, but these pics tell the whole story. Cracking is evident after a single track day.
Another interesting note, the Lexus on the front calipers looks gold now, not silver,
I checked pricing, and the OEM discs can be had for ~$240 a piece before shipping, but if I'm only going to get a couple of track days out of a set of discs, I might even swap discs for a track day. I'd really like to get some flat blanks or maybe slotted, but PLEASE no more drilled rotors.
#55
But drilled rotors look so much cooler Lance!
LOL Actually on a serious note, one of the main reasons besides the insurance issues that I don't go to tracks like this is the huge amount of wear and tear on the car and the costs incurred. If I ever decide to do this sort of racing I'd definitely have a dedicated lightweight track car to play with, but what you did by going out to learn the car deserves a .
PS..Definitely not cool about small cracks and the discoloration on the brake calipers.
LOL Actually on a serious note, one of the main reasons besides the insurance issues that I don't go to tracks like this is the huge amount of wear and tear on the car and the costs incurred. If I ever decide to do this sort of racing I'd definitely have a dedicated lightweight track car to play with, but what you did by going out to learn the car deserves a .
PS..Definitely not cool about small cracks and the discoloration on the brake calipers.
#57
Also FWIW, drilled discs suck. I knew this when I bought the car, but these pics tell the whole story. Cracking is evident after a single track day.
Another interesting note, the Lexus on the front calipers looks gold now, not silver,
I checked pricing, and the OEM discs can be had for ~$240 a piece before shipping, but if I'm only going to get a couple of track days out of a set of discs, I might even swap discs for a track day. I'd really like to get some flat blanks or maybe slotted, but PLEASE no more drilled rotors.
Are the cracked discs at all covered under warranty?
#59
So been considering doing a track day lately as I would really love to learn about the car more and get some instruction. However you mention about needing to service the breaks a lot and that worries me as it is something I have never done in the past. I take it I couldn't make it through a track day without doing anything about the brakes then?
Only starting to look into things now but hoping to maybe do one this fall sometime.
Only starting to look into things now but hoping to maybe do one this fall sometime.