First track day impressions
 

Had my first track day in my 2004 GT on the 24th at Laguna Seca. All i can say is WOW what a great car. First sesion was in the rain and i left the stability control on and that with my goodyear gt all seasons made it a very controlabe session. The stability cotrol only kicked in when needed and was not entrusive at all. As the tarck dried out i turned it off and started to push alot harder. I was in the novice group and only had to let smeone by twice and it was the same Z06 corvette. I was supprised at how well the RX8 did in the main straight. The E46 M3 was just barely pulling me and then i would reel him in and made the pass between 5 and 6. He obviously was not a confident in the corners as i was because he should have been able to maintain my pace. Did 6, 20 min. sesions, burned a tank and a half of gas and about 1/2 to 3/4 qt of oil. Topped out at 106 between 1 and 2 (once i got brave enough not to chicken lift in turn 1) and the brakes are nothing short of awsome.

Way more fun than my E36 M3 that was lowered with bushings, springs and bilsteins

What a sweet track car, and totaly stock!

a few minor upgrades would make it even better!

What are the suggestions for my track day enjoyment? Can't go too stiff on the suspension or the wife won't ride with me.

anti-roll bars and better tires.

Nice to hear about your positive experience & overall impressions.

I'll be heading to my 4th track weekend with my 8 in a couple of weeks. I'm very happy with how this car has handled itself so far, and I hope it will continue this way for a long, long time.

Great track car indeed, especially in stock form.

Isn't this to be considered a plus?

Better sways and summer tires will make it feel much better and your wife can still drive it.

Adjustable sways!

It is amazing what just a little bit of sway difference can do to the balance. This way you get to adjust the car with sways, and not tire pressure.

Ditto on tires, I really like the Hankook V12. I have something like 18 track sessions and 10,000 miles on them and they look great.

04Green,
Yeah, I'm a Hankook fanboi myself!

You and were conversing about how tune suspension with the Hankooks.

You were right about the air pressure; even on rainy track day, I needed 44hot f and 40 hot rear. Actually the rears might need 42 hot and the front 44 or 46 hot.

I'll be at Texas MSR Cresson on Sunday so I can get more ideas.

I haven't changed anything except the shortened endlinks (I still like it that way), and alignment.

I sat in the car while the mechanic set the rears to as little as he could -1.65, and the fronts to as much as he could -1.6 or -1.7.

In the rain on very slick surface my 8 is very neutral, and goes to oversteer when I apply power in a corner.

In the dry, I can just turn in and punch it with it neutral, and not feeling like the rear will come around.

My GTR2 computer game says to get however much stiffnes you want with sways, springs, and shocks, but finetuning to be neutral can be done by adjusting the right negative camber in the fronts and rears; just what I did.

Red,

Glad it is working out... I can tell you that with the sways (adjusted), I was slowly dropping air pressures, getting more grip, getting faster and the tires do not seem to be wearing much at all. I can tell you that if you put the Progress Bars on in the lightest position, you will really wish the rear has a little bit more roll resistance about halfway through a long sweeping turn, like 9 at Roebling. That will be the thought after you realize the your track out point is the other side of the rumble strips at 85 miles per hour. Recommended starting position is softest on the front, and the mid setting (one up, one back) in the rear.

Hate to tell you, but you need sways. HUGE difference, like 2 seconds. I am also -1.8 on the front, and -2.0 on the back. Still cannot keep up with the GT3s though. But, I passed a vette, so the streak still holds.

3rd,

For Suspension, I did the Tokico D-Spec Adjustable Shocks as well. I drive around at 7, and track at 2. These can be fully adjusted on the car with the cable kit. I did Tein H-Tech at the same time to get rid of the front wheel gap. There are several DIYs here.

And, unless you just did it, Brake Fluid flush once a year, there are several good ones out there, I used super blue last time, but mogul has been recommended and I will try that next.

I've done about 10 trackdays, and it was about on the 3rd one that I noticed how I hated the understeer, so in a little over a year I've done all the mods that I like like BHR ign, upgraded fuel pump, auto trans radiator, etc.

My suspension is sport, but it's slightly below minimum height specs of 360-365mm front, and 350mm rears.

I really like the feel, and drivability on the street; you'd probably beat me on the track, but I can haul ass anywhere without slowing for speed bumps so I'm really happy with how it turned out.

I'd like to run with you some day for grins though.

Why don't you post a few pics of track day at speed especially front view cornering so we can see how stiff your setup is.

I might be getting .9 to 1.0 g's at some point on a track with good surface. I rode withone of our members, Altain, and he must have been getting 1.0 to 1.2 g's, but he put on 9 x17 wheels with 255/40r17 Toyo R888's.

I've had a RX3 with sways so stiff you could drive with 3 wheels and not drag a hub, but it made my kidneys hurt, and the wifey went nuts.

I really like my wheels, Enkei 7.5 x18 GF-1's with 38 offset (moves it out 12mm so track is 24mm wider), and they weight 19#'s so with my 23# Hankook 225/40r18, my wheel weight is 42#.

In about 3 or 4 years when I need new tires, I'm gonna put 215/40r18 Hankook's on which weight 21#, fit the wheel best, gear the car down 4% from stock size, and the total wheel weight will be 40#'s.
Yeah, there will be faster cars and RX8's, but I like tuning on the cheap, and not have to keep fiddling with the mod after its done.