First 3 track days... What's next?

[webspoke]

@webspoke is right about the SC3’s. Mine have 7 weekends and same number of transit miles on them. Still going strong. I’m running -3 degrees up front and targeting 32 hot pressures.

Mine end up around 34-36 hot, but best laps are at the lower pressures on the early laps.. Even when they get warm and high, they only loosen up a little bit, and they do not try to kill me when cold on the out lap - like the RE71's I tried before these.

Sponsored

 

[Biggsy]

Next on the research list - head restraints!

You have received a lot of good tips and I just want to add that I personally think HANs devices are similar to seats in a way. Some may find certain devices uncomfortable. I did a lot of research and watched a lot of YouTube video on reviews. I concluded to go with Necksgen device because of my neck/shoulder size in addition to the reviews.

 

[Egparson202]

I agree with @Biggsy. Head and neck devices are definitely not one-size-fits-all. I chose the Simpson Hybrid for protection in student cars with OE 3 pt belts.

 

[brokenblinker]

I've been reading a lot about safety items, visited a track goods store, and talked with the people there and I'm more torn than ever. At the end of the day, the car is a street/track compromise and won't be perfect.

1) I want to stay more still in my seat
2) I want more headroom both for more driving comfort and for safety
3) I want to retain rear seats for rare kiddo street travel. Car needs to be safe while street driving without helmet for me and passengers.

I think I want to get a bucket seat that I can mount to the floor and get an inch or two of headroom and hold me more still, and swap it in only for track days (swapped back out as soon as I get home). The Schroth harness with antisubmarine tech seem great.

The obvious problem then becomes the fact that most people say you don't want a fixed seat without a roll bar...that would then mean no backseat and increased risk when street driving. I haven't seen any images yet of collapsed roof structure on S550, but it doesn't seem impossible. If I went rollbar, I'd probably just get 6 point harness. I think I will get a neck restraint device regardless. I'll keep mulling it over.

Thanks everyone here for getting me started down the various research paths.

 

[Biggsy]

I've been reading a lot about safety items, visited a track goods store, and talked with the people there and I'm more torn than ever. At the end of the day, the car is a street/track compromise and won't be perfect.

1) I want to stay more still in my seat
2) I want more headroom both for more driving comfort and for safety
3) I want to retain rear seats for rare kiddo street travel. Car needs to be safe while street driving without helmet for me and passengers.

I think I want to get a bucket seat that I can mount to the floor and get an inch or two of headroom and hold me more still, and swap it in only for track days (swapped back out as soon as I get home). The Schroth harness with antisubmarine tech seem great.

The obvious problem then becomes the fact that most people say you don't want a fixed seat without a roll bar...that would then mean no backseat and increased risk when street driving. I haven't seen any images yet of collapsed roof structure on S550, but it doesn't seem impossible. If I went rollbar, I'd probably just get 6 point harness. I think I will get a neck restraint device regardless. I'll keep mulling it over.

Thanks everyone here for getting me started down the various research paths.

Schroth has stated on their site two fixed back options :
Quick Fit harnesses are not approved for use with any fixed back or aftermarket seats with the following exceptions: The Cobra Nogaro and Recaro Pole Position ABE are approved for use with QuickFIt harnesses in already approved vehicles.

https://www.schrothracing.com/item/schroth-quickfit-pro/tuning-Harnesses


The seats are a bit pricey but if you can fit them then it’s worth looking at.

 

[Biggsy]

If the Recaros came in a larger size I would get them for myself but then again at 2k for two seats i would go the whole way (bar+racing seat+ 6pt)

 

[Egparson202]

I've been reading a lot about safety items, visited a track goods store, and talked with the people there and I'm more torn than ever. At the end of the day, the car is a street/track compromise and won't be perfect.

1) I want to stay more still in my seat
2) I want more headroom both for more driving comfort and for safety
3) I want to retain rear seats for rare kiddo street travel. Car needs to be safe while street driving without helmet for me and passengers.

I think I want to get a bucket seat that I can mount to the floor and get an inch or two of headroom and hold me more still, and swap it in only for track days (swapped back out as soon as I get home). The Schroth harness with antisubmarine tech seem great.

The obvious problem then becomes the fact that most people say you don't want a fixed seat without a roll bar...that would then mean no backseat and increased risk when street driving. I haven't seen any images yet of collapsed roof structure on S550, but it doesn't seem impossible. If I went rollbar, I'd probably just get 6 point harness. I think I will get a neck restraint device regardless. I'll keep mulling it over.

Thanks everyone here for getting me started down the various research paths.

Careful! This is the exact same line of reasoning that led me to fixed seats, 6 points and a roll bar. Im happy with the outcome, but ingress/egress and comfort are affected.

 

[brokenblinker]

Ordered a square wheel setup (19x11 ET52 Apex wheels w/ 25mm spacer up front).

I think I also plan on running the Ford Performance lowering springs (which I understand lower very little).

I know that no one has mentioned rub with 305/30/19, but I noticed that the tire size 305/35/19 originally designated for Ford Performance is significantly cheaper right now on Tire Rack (like $75 bucks per wheel!).

Anyone have any idea whether I might expect rub up front with the 305/35?

 

[Egparson202]

I seriously doubt it. Check the section width and tread width specs. I think you’ll have enough clearance.

 

[pilotgore]

Ordered a square wheel setup (19x11 ET52 Apex wheels w/ 25mm spacer up front).

I think I also plan on running the Ford Performance lowering springs (which I understand lower very little).

I know that no one has mentioned rub with 305/30/19, but I noticed that the tire size 305/35/19 originally designated for Ford Performance is significantly cheaper right now on Tire Rack (like $75 bucks per wheel!).

Anyone have any idea whether I might expect rub up front with the 305/35?

The lowering springs are great, and I’d also recommend getting the FP sway bars done at the same time. Those two together will greatly reduce body roll in turns.

You’ll have zero issues with rub if you go with a 305/35 square setup. Keep in mind though, the compound and composition of the cup 2’s is a little different between the 305 and 295’s. Likely not drastic, but there’s a reason the 295’s have always cost more than the 305’s.

 

[Biggsy]

I think I also plan on running the Ford Performance lowering springs (which I understand lower very little).

If you haven’t gotten the springs yet, I suggest looking at BMR Handling Springs. They are linear and have the highest rates for springs before going to coilovers. They should be more predictable than the Ford springs which are progressive I believe. Don’t know if you camber plates already but will definitely need those to save your new tires and help driving performance.

 

[brokenblinker]

The lowering springs are great, and I’d also recommend getting the FP sway bars done at the same time. Those two together will greatly reduce body roll in turns.

You’ll have zero issues with rub if you go with a 305/35 square setup. Keep in mind though, the compound and composition of the cup 2’s is a little different between the 305 and 295’s. Likely not drastic, but there’s a reason the 295’s have always cost more than the 305’s.

The snowball is real... might pass on the sways here just to keep total expenditure SOMEWHAT under control (i feel like every little thing I do is "oh you might as well go just a bit further") and I want to but it hurts the wallet!

 

[brokenblinker]

If you haven’t gotten the springs yet, I suggest looking at BMR Handling Springs. They are linear and have the highest rates for springs before going to coilovers. They should be more predictable than the Ford springs which are progressive I believe. Don’t know if you camber plates already but will definitely need those to save your new tires and help driving performance.

I'm doing an alignment at the same time (w/ camber plates and rear subframe/alignment brackets).

 

[brokenblinker]

I'm struggling to find a consensus on cooling. Last track day was ~75 out and I saw oil temps over 250 towards the end of a session later in the day.

I don't get the sense that many people need additional cooling on the 350, but I'm debating whether to swap out the coolant with water + wetter which I've heard does a better job cooling than antifreeze. My car is garaged and it very rarely gets below freezing in San Jose, so I'm not super concerned about that.

Anyone have experience in this area?

 

[Mr. Maboomba]

As others have said, you should minimize your changes to the car and maximize your time on track. The GT350(R) is a way more capable car than 99% of drivers can exploit.

My maintenance program for a track car (based on recommendations as best I can remember them from Trent Musser, a Bay Area Shelby specialist based at Sonoma) is oil changes every 4 track days, brake fluid every other oil change, transmission and rear axle / gear oil changes every year. You can message Trent on Instagram to ask him questions directly. Tell him I sent you.

I have a RaceQuip SA2015 helmet, Sparco Arrow gloves (some clubs require gloves), Necksgen Rev 2 HANS device (my one indulgence beyond my skill level), and Schroth QuickFit Pro harnesses for my driver and passenger seats. (Some clubs require you to have the same safety devices for driver and passenger if you want an instructor or passenger.) It's easy to install the QFP and they don't impact ingress/egress or require you to lose the rear seats. In my opinion, for our level, a roll bar or harness, race seats, and 5/6-point harnesses are overkill. Track wheels and R-comp tires are probably also overkill until your second or third season.

On suspension, I kept it simple by doing Ford Performance springs and camber plates up front. (There is something nice about the "OEM+" modding approach, and the factory Handling Package included front camber plates and a gurney flap, so that's what I added.) I have been down the route of full coilovers and sway bars and whatnot on other cars but don't want to go that deep here. You don't need to - again, the car is more capable than our skill level.

What you thought was clutch slip was probably traction control as @Tomster suggested or there is a problem with some GT350s that has them surging or hesitating at certain RPMs. It will happen to some people while street driving and cause cruise control to disengage. I wouldn't worry about it for now, but watch out for this symptom.

The Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 FP tires you shared in 305/35/19 last a bit longer and are a bit less grippy than the standard Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires in 305/30/19 and 315/30/19 that came on the GT350R. I've been using those FP tires on my car the last 6 track days. They have been great but they're now spent.

Now that I have square track wheels, I was debating between 305/30/19 Cup 2s ($2000 installed at Costco) or Goodyear Eagle F1 Supercar 3Rs, which I can get for $1200 installed with my USAA discount. I went for the latter. If you want the same deal I can order a set for you - just DM me.

Sponsored