My first time on race track, what should i expect
03-05-2005, 07:31 AM
#76
He's as bad as Can
I also find driving 100+ on the track to be MUCH MORE safer than my usual 75 on my way to work. Image if you could only pass people is they give you a point-by 
As for who would fix your car if you were to crash, I would read your policy. Mine has an exclusion for racing / competition. So back to the main point of the thread so long as your not “competing” you should be able to get your car fixed after you prove it was not “racing”. If you were driving 100+MPH on the road and crashed they would fix it before they dropped you as a customer.
As for who would fix your car if you were to crash, I would read your policy. Mine has an exclusion for racing / competition. So back to the main point of the thread so long as your not “competing” you should be able to get your car fixed after you prove it was not “racing”. If you were driving 100+MPH on the road and crashed they would fix it before they dropped you as a customer.
03-06-2005, 04:37 PM
#78
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Sorry, been busy so i didn't get a chance to update since i been back from button willow. that track is very technical, it took a while for me to adjust to all the late apexs. especially the s turns, u gotta pretty much be paralle with the road on those s turns. i'm sorry to say that i didn't have that great of a time on this track day cause on my second session i was blocked for 30 min, total of 8 laps. damn wrx that came with our group was blocking me on purpose. he let 5 cars pass and would always close in on me when i wanted to pass. it was tough cause we where in beginners group and we were not allow to pass unless person ahead signaled to let us. he signaled everyone but me. he was trying to be cute cause night before we exchanged some competitive words. then on first session when he was behind me i smoked him easy. on second session he thought he'd be cute by not letting me by. so on third session i carried all that frustration with me and pushed my car to hard and spin out and got stuck in mud. i post some pics. i was so anxious to get out agian i went into the wrong group, went into intermediate group instead of begenners. plus i wanted a good time so bad i turned off my DSC. that plus i didn't warm up my tires on first lap all lead to me getting stuck in mud. i was stuck in mud for 30 min watching the cars go by. then when i finally got out i couldn't go out for my 4th and 5th session cause i spent all my time cleaning my car. 
all in all i still had fun, but it could have been better.
all in all i still had fun, but it could have been better.
03-06-2005, 05:09 PM
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Originally Posted by JoePaterno
......and?? No **** driving on public roads may be more dangerous. That has nothing to do with my question. Thanks for the info, but I was asking about what happens if u do wreck your car. Can u get insurance to pay for it?
It does not cover me for wheel to wheel racing, including drag racing so I don't go to the drag racing track even though the chance of having a problem there is remote.
03-06-2005, 06:19 PM
#80
He's as bad as Can
Originally Posted by mike0615
i'm sorry to say that i didn't have that great of a time on this track day cause on my second session i was blocked for 30 min, total of 8 laps. damn wrx that came with our group was blocking me on purpose. he let 5 cars pass and would always close in on me when i wanted to pass. it was tough cause we where in beginners group and we were not allow to pass unless person ahead signaled to let us. he signaled everyone but me. he was trying to be cute cause night before we exchanged some competitive words. then on first session when he was behind me i smoked him easy. on second session he thought he'd be cute by not letting me by.
03-06-2005, 08:45 PM
#82
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This is my second time out with speedventures.net. they are the organizers. on my first time out on willowsprings they where very good with flagging people that where slow, i figured it would have been the same this time, but for some reason, no one at the flags this time seemed to care. i didn't want to just pass him on the corners cause i was afraid i was gonna get black flagged, kept waiting and wait, but no one gave him the flag to let me pass. we went to buttonwillow in the west coast. its a very fun track, to bad i didn't get much time to enjoy the road. i do have to say, after being out there with 4 other WRX and a STI, they are slow. on the straights they do pull away, but they don't seem to corner that well, i'm disapointed in that, i was gonna get a WRX but choose the RX8 instead. I know evo 8's have less power then the STI's, but why are they so much faster? its not even fair the way they whoomp on everything out there. anyone can explain the secrects of the EVO to me?
03-06-2005, 10:57 PM
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Were the WRX's and STI's in the beginner group? It could easily have been driver skill that accounted for them being slow, especially if they're first timers.
Sorry to hear about that one WRX though. I haven't been to many track events but occasionally I think there are bad eggs in the bunch. Last november I had a guy in my run group doing the exact opposite, passing everybody, ignoring all the no-pass zones. It was the beginner/intermediate group so I'm pretty sure he wasnt allowed on track for the rest of the weekend.
If that happens again, try pitting for maybe 3/4 of however long it takes for a full lap, so you can focus on an open stretch of track
Sorry to hear about that one WRX though. I haven't been to many track events but occasionally I think there are bad eggs in the bunch. Last november I had a guy in my run group doing the exact opposite, passing everybody, ignoring all the no-pass zones. It was the beginner/intermediate group so I'm pretty sure he wasnt allowed on track for the rest of the weekend.
If that happens again, try pitting for maybe 3/4 of however long it takes for a full lap, so you can focus on an open stretch of track
03-07-2005, 07:38 AM
#84
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To answer the insurance question, you have to look at your individual policy. Mine has an exclusion for any timed driving event in an enclosed circuit. HPDE's are not timed, therefore you are covered. NASA in South Florida has just started a race program and in the expert/instructor group (which I am an instructor) we are now combined with race practice and any of their competition school students. Total open passing anywhere/anyplace allowed. During one session on this Saturday at Moroso we had 40+ cars on the track. It was one wild and crazy ride. I dropped down on one group for safety and insurance reasons. The race cars were timed in the combined group and that may be a voiding reason for insurance. We also had a real disparity of cars and driving experience. A new solo student who decides he wants to race could take the comp school and wind up on the track with me. NO THANK YOU !!!. One person who fits that discription made a real fatal mistake and totalled a E46 M3. If he had more track experience he would never have subjected himself and others to his risk. He had a brake pedal start to go mushy- keep going at speed and than lost brakes. He realized he had problems while on the main straight, but drove off the track onto grass/dirt and started to pump his brakes. He got some pedal back, but do to being on grass he than fish tailed slightly sideways, sliding with no speed lose and than hit the track. Slightly higher surface created a double or triple roll with at least a half twist. He ended on the roof on the opposite side of a tire wall. Walked away even though he had no roll bar. Roof crushed on passenger side and back end broke off. This all happened right in front of me.
Moral of this is simple. First of all - check your own policy and learn each and every WHAT IF.
Jay Goldfarb
Senior Instructor - NASA FL Region
Moral of this is simple. First of all - check your own policy and learn each and every WHAT IF.
Jay Goldfarb
Senior Instructor - NASA FL Region
03-07-2005, 12:47 PM
#85
Mike, see that guy in the Red shirt?
He's trying to tell not to go 4 wheel'n in the mud.
What was that? You were comming out of the turn on to the main straightaway?
Or was there some hot chick you looked at while driving straight?
He's trying to tell not to go 4 wheel'n in the mud.
What was that? You were comming out of the turn on to the main straightaway?
Or was there some hot chick you looked at while driving straight?
03-08-2005, 09:50 PM
#87
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Originally Posted by Razz1
Mike, see that guy in the Red shirt?
He's trying to tell not to go 4 wheel'n in the mud.
What was that? You were comming out of the turn on to the main straightaway?
Or was there some hot chick you looked at while driving straight?
He's trying to tell not to go 4 wheel'n in the mud.
What was that? You were comming out of the turn on to the main straightaway?
Or was there some hot chick you looked at while driving straight?
http://www.speedventures.net/3-11-2005_event.asp
I guess i'm gonna keep my DSC on for at least 5 more track days before i do some crazy **** like that again. i was trying to go through that hairpin at 50 i think. i remmember i was at high rpm in 2nd gear. plus the fact that my tires where cold didn't help me grip that corner i suppose. last thing i heard was my passenger so "oh ****!" then after that we where looking at on coming traffic for side of the road.
03-18-2005, 11:42 AM
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Originally Posted by BlueRenesis82
I would think that I could hit at least 120 ish on the back straight at RA. I will be pretty interested to see what it will do, I really hated having that stupid speed limit when we were out there touring.
BlueRenesis82,
Are you (or have you) upgraded your brake fluid or pads for the F-body event at Road America?
I'm doing a 2 day DE there at the end of April and debating if I should upgrade (this will be my first DE).
03-18-2005, 12:02 PM
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Yeah, I went to Hawk pads, and redid the whole system with Motul RBF 600 fluid. Most ppl say that the stock pads are ok, but I have close to 13k miles on the car, I don't want to take chances. Same thing with the fluid, I don't want to be braking and have the pedal go to the floor.
05-31-2005, 11:20 AM
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Reviving this thread because I have a few questions for the more seasoned driver. What types of pre-session preparations do you think are required prior to the track day? Is there a recommended tire pressure? Do you turn A/C off for more performance (I'm assuming yes, since windows are down anyways)? Anything need to be done after a track day?
What other pertinent things would help the newbie out?
What other pertinent things would help the newbie out?
05-31-2005, 11:33 AM
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Originally Posted by MI_FamilyMan
Reviving this thread because I have a few questions for the more seasoned driver. What types of pre-session preparations do you think are required prior to the track day? Is there a recommended tire pressure? Do you turn A/C off for more performance (I'm assuming yes, since windows are down anyways)? Anything need to be done after a track day?
What other pertinent things would help the newbie out?
What other pertinent things would help the newbie out?
If you're running street tires, you probably want to be at least 5psi above spec, and perhaps more. Check your tires carefully before the event to make sure they're not too low, as you will wear the tires a bit at the event.
If it's your first track day, the stock brakes will be fine, so long as you have enough pad left. If you get hooked, you'll want to use DOT4 fluid and higher temperature pads, both of which are easy to do yourself. And, after a session o the track, don't use the parking brake--just park it in gear.
There's no reason to have A/C on, and lots of reason to have it off.
I'd not use the traction control, but YMMV.
You'll want to take everything not bolted down out of the car, but you can do some of that at the track (e.g., spare tire if you have one; floor mats; spare change in the ash tray; radar detector).
After the track day, take out as much air from the tires as you put in. Put everything back in the car. And smile. :p It's a great time.
05-31-2005, 11:02 PM
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Originally Posted by 124Spider
Without reviewing all the old posts:
If you're running street tires, you probably want to be at least 5psi above spec, and perhaps more. Check your tires carefully before the event to make sure they're not too low, as you will wear the tires a bit at the event.
If it's your first track day, the stock brakes will be fine, so long as you have enough pad left. If you get hooked, you'll want to use DOT4 fluid and higher temperature pads, both of which are easy to do yourself. And, after a session o the track, don't use the parking brake--just park it in gear.
There's no reason to have A/C on, and lots of reason to have it off.
I'd not use the traction control, but YMMV.
You'll want to take everything not bolted down out of the car, but you can do some of that at the track (e.g., spare tire if you have one; floor mats; spare change in the ash tray; radar detector).
After the track day, take out as much air from the tires as you put in. Put everything back in the car. And smile. :p It's a great time.
If you're running street tires, you probably want to be at least 5psi above spec, and perhaps more. Check your tires carefully before the event to make sure they're not too low, as you will wear the tires a bit at the event.
If it's your first track day, the stock brakes will be fine, so long as you have enough pad left. If you get hooked, you'll want to use DOT4 fluid and higher temperature pads, both of which are easy to do yourself. And, after a session o the track, don't use the parking brake--just park it in gear.
There's no reason to have A/C on, and lots of reason to have it off.
I'd not use the traction control, but YMMV.
You'll want to take everything not bolted down out of the car, but you can do some of that at the track (e.g., spare tire if you have one; floor mats; spare change in the ash tray; radar detector).
After the track day, take out as much air from the tires as you put in. Put everything back in the car. And smile. :p It's a great time.
And forgive my ignorance, but what does YMMV mean?
05-31-2005, 11:38 PM
#96
after a track session, your brake rotors are extremely hot, if you use the parking brake, your rear brake pads will be touching the hot rear rotors for an extended period of time, this will cause irregular burn-in marks on your rotors, resulting in uneven brake rotor surface, vibrating brakes, etc.. AFAIR
YMMV = your miles may vary.
YMMV = your miles may vary.
05-31-2005, 11:56 PM
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Originally Posted by ZoomZoomH
after a track session, your brake rotors are extremely hot, if you use the parking brake, your rear brake pads will be touching the hot rear rotors for an extended period of time, this will cause irregular burn-in marks on your rotors, resulting in uneven brake rotor surface, vibrating brakes, etc.. AFAIR
YMMV = your miles may vary.
YMMV = your miles may vary.
