Track too soon?

Never tracked a car before. But a buddy just made it too easy.

We are going to Pocono Raceway this Thursday for a novice class.

I've only got about 300 miles on the car. I've stepped on it a little, but for the most part I've been relatively gentle.

Is this too soon?

Ford recommends 1000 miles before track.. Mine has 1600 miles and getting first sack day this weekend

Rimox51 said:

Ford recommends 1000 miles before track.. Mine has 1600 miles and getting first sack day this weekend

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I might very well just go and take the class. At least it'll be a nice ride there and back.

Im sure I'll learn a bit from the class. Not worth the risk of doing any kind of damage.

Try to get a total of 500 miles on her 1st. More about the differential and tranny than anything. The motors are run hard at the factory.

Oy... the day after I built my Harley engine (100 miles between first start at the tree) I went to a drag strip. No better way to break in an engine than to use it, IMO. But you don't have to listen to me. Drag strip is a different animal than a track, so... salt. BUT... that engine never, ever, ever burnt oil, ran like a top getting beat on all the time, and made more power than it should have. Frankly, I would not feel bad about going to the track. But... let's be honest, you can get 1,000 miles on your car before track day. Just run your wife's errands for her for a few days... done.

Drive the shit out of it tonight and tomorrow, change the oil, and roll!

Break it in hard. Cars don't have feelings. Old wives' tales persist though I'm sure. It's not like it wakes up one day with 501 miles and says "I'm broken in now, flog me!" Enjoy guilt free !

I'd go at least 500 before track activity where you're in the upper rev range for basically 20 minutes straight. My goal was 1000, but I'm just a little short at 880 and I'm towing to the track right now.

The cars I drove at the Track Attack and the Track Tour both had under 500 miles on them.

Yea just put the miles on it, just do a couple of hour drives around your area. I live in New Orleans so I did a couple of laps around the lake here, which takes about 2.5 hours long to do, or about 200 miles. I think I did that 3 times then the rest were from daily driving.

The Shelby Owners Manual says 1000 miles before tracking the car. Keep that in mind should anything happen while under warranty. Ford could say the warranty is null and void if they find out it was tracked early.

I followed the 100 mile breakin, had first oil change at 1500 miles and tracked it after that. I've noticed the oil pressure is lower than normal, so it's back for another oil change even though the car says I have 17% oil life left.

I had 1,009 miles on the odo as I rolled into NOLA Motorsport for my first track event as the manual instructed.

barstowpo said:

The cars I drove at the Track Attack and the Track Tour both had under 500 miles on them.

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At the first track attack, my car had about 16 miles on it. I wonder how those cars are doing now? Anyone going there in the near future should ask.

If it was my car, I would still put at least 500 miles on it with great variations in the RPM though.

The folks at the ford performance racing school didn't have the time or ability to properly break the motors in and use them for the schoolhouse. There is no practical way for them to get the motors broke in. I thought that Dan told me that his school owned the cars and not ford, and they were not concerned too much about break in.

Just a reminder guys, Your regular car insurance will not cover accidents on the track. I have a buddy that found that out the hard way when he wrecked his Z06 at VIR.

I agree with those that say way until 1000 miles before tracking.

I do recall the manual saying wait 100 miles before doing any 8k runs. I waited about 200 miles but mine has been 8k at least 10 times since then. Motor break in is pretty much BS. drive line break in is a little different.

Superdog said:

Never tracked a car before. But a buddy just made it too easy.

We are going to Pocono Raceway this Thursday for a novice class.

I've only got about 300 miles on the car. I've stepped on it a little, but for the most part I've been relatively gentle.

Is this too soon?

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Take it on a 200 mile road trip