First Track Day Experience

[Thub]

A/C off for sure. You're making a lot of heat for the radiator to deal with. Adding the heat from the cabin will make you risk overheating even more.

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[Ewheels]

Most organizations make you run with windows down anyway. I haven't heard of one that lets you race with windows up, at least not in my area.

 

[TDC]

Most organizations make you run with windows down anyway. I haven't heard of one that lets you race with windows up, at least not in my area.

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[Holmes]

First, thank you for your OP. Very informative. I’m going to my first “real” full Track Event this weekend. It’s a 2 day event. 2019 GT PP1 MT with 1700 miles on it. Running in the Novice Class with an instructor. I went ahead and changed oil to full synthetic 5w30, Motul RBF Brake Fluid, Motul also for rear axle and MT box. Has all this done at my local shop and had the shop foreman sign off on my tech sheet. I have my new helmet, small cooler for water and snacks, 2 extra qts of oil, camping chair, a wide brim “Panama jack” style hat for sitting out in the sun, sun screen. I’m not a mechanic. For example, i’ve never changed brake pads on my own car or bleed my own brakes. I have changed my own tires (after a flat), done a couple of oil changes, changed air filters, batteries, etc. So here are some questions regarding what I should bring to the track (all would require new purchases):
Torque wrench and socket set?
Impact wrench?
Jack?
Jack Stands?
Portable air compressor? (Is there air generally available at the track?)
A 10x10 easy-up canopy tent?

Tires and brakes are essentially new. And with running in the Novice group, I really do not anticipate wearing out the brakes or tires. Although I do expect they will be worked hard.
Any help or comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Thub]

@Holmes You're pretty well prepared right now. Most tracks will have air available, but having your own compressor is nice.
Your rear pads are in no danger at a 2 day event, but your fronts might be (it'll depend on the track and your aggression level). The good news is that a front pad swap is really easy. I'd still recommend your first attempt not be at the track, though. You just never know. Check it out on YouTube, it's a 15 minute job for me, but I've got a lot of mechanical experience.
Everything else you mentioned will fall into the "nice to have" category.

Something you didnt mention that a lot of guys use is extra fuel. You're gonna go through ~2 full tanks or more at a 2 day event. Some tracks dont let you leave and reenter during the day, and track gas is expensive. Personally, I prefer not to carry that much gas in my trunk, but I also pay double for gas at the track.

 

[ANGST]

what I should bring to the track (all would require new purchases):
Torque wrench and socket set?
Impact wrench?
Jack?
Jack Stands?
Portable air compressor? (Is there air generally available at the track?)
A 10x10 easy-up canopy tent?

easy-up , air compressor and torque wrench . Though usually someone will be around to loan you the last 2 .

Jack and jack stands are not going to help unless you have an extra set of wheels and tires , or brake pads ; )

 

[Zinc03svt]

Thanks for sharing OP. I want to get out to Hallett this fall. Good to hear the car can make it more than one lap without overheating at just the pp1 level. Lol. I have hit the brakes hard around 130 mph (in Brazil) and they do work quite effectively!

Has anyone ran a road course on a E85 tune? I would think the corn would be even more effective in keeping cylinder temps down versus pump. The extra power may not be helpful for novices though. ;).

 

[Zelek]

Good read, I'm looking to do some introductory to performance driving on Circuit of the Americas here soon. Always wanted to drive on that track and learn the ins and outs of what performance driving is all about. Going to be real interesting with a 6-speed too. That and seeing how fast I can go down the grandstand and back straightaway, lol.

 

[JohnD]

Most organizations make you run with windows down anyway. I haven't heard of one that lets you race with windows up, at least not in my area.

Where I run they're fine with it either way FOR LAPPING DAYS. In fact for street cars windows up is probably preferable since the air bags are designed to work that way. There's a lot of evidence that with today's containment airbags helmets aren't helping and may be harmful given that the extra weight is putting the head motion outside the design parameters for the bags. As I said, this is street car relevant only, if you've got a roll bar of any kind you're outside that.

 

[Norm Peterson]

Good read, I'm looking to do some introductory to performance driving on Circuit of the Americas here soon. Always wanted to drive on that track and learn the ins and outs of what performance driving is all about. Going to be real interesting with a 6-speed too.

Do less shifting rather than more. First time out, don't worry about being in a gear that's "too high". Learn things like braking points for much harder braking than you normally do on the street and the line through each turn instead.

That and seeing how fast I can go down the grandstand and back straightaway, lol.

Pay as little attention to things like that as you possibly can. It'll get in the way of learning the things you need to learn and there's a real possibility that the "red mist" will take over and get you into trouble that your current skill level can't get you out of.

The serious kind of speed that your car is capable of is, well, serious. Respect it.


Norm

 

[Thub]

Do less shifting rather than more. First time out, don't worry about being in a gear that's "too high". Learn things like braking points for much harder braking than you normally do on the street and the line through each turn instead.



Pay as little attention to things like that as you possibly can. It'll get in the way of learning the things you need to learn and there's a real possibility that the "red mist" will take over and get you into trouble that your current skill level can't get you out of.

The serious kind of speed that your car is capable of is, well, serious. Respect it.


Norm

Could not agree more with this. Lap times and top speed should be the furthest thing from your mond on your first track day.
Braking points, line, and the corner workers and instructor should be the only things you pay any attention to.
Track driving is a lot more mentally involved than it might seem and if everything goes just right, you get to keep your car in one piece.

 

[GTP]

TLDR summary: my experience with 3 different instructors on the same track day

My third track day and first for my new 2019 GTPP1-A10 was Sunday with AutoInterests. This is a proactive group and I invited an instructor to ride with me for all 5 sessions. I already know this track fairly well, although that is not the same as claiming I am perfectly consistent.

The first instructor was pretty chill and did not have much to say. Later that afternoon he was driving a Ford Crown Vic on the track and was really fast!

While waiting in the hot pit line the second instructor asked how many track days I had. He immediately criticized my driving position. I had to explain that it all starts with the headrest not providing helmet clearance, which then trickles down to everything else, and that I had to compromise with the seat back angle, etc, until I can solve the headrest issue.
He seemed uneasy in my car, and told me that I was overdriving the car, and that I needed to "take it down a notch", and that when I went into the corners slower I probably had a faster lap time. Strange.
He said that my brakes would not survive the day with hard braking from 120mph into turn 1. I explained that they were not street pads, but "beginner track pads" (ie stock PP pads).
Turn 3/4 is a fast right/left transition that goes uphill in 3 and then crowns halfway through increasing radius 4. It is the most fun section of the track because you can really hammer on track-out and up the straight to turn 5. He told me to "straight line" from the exit of 3 to the entrance of 4. But that line totally blows the "fun" track-out exit of 4. So I do everything he says, because what do I know, right?

Instructor #3 was 73 years old, had two hundred and fourteen days at this track alone! Before getting in he only asked what was the torque on my lug nuts. On track he had no problem with me late braking into any corner, and promptly criticized the straight line from 3 to 4. So we start talking about how instructor #2 told me to do this. He said that #2 was teaching me the "momentum car line" everywhere which is no good for a horsepower car like the 5.0 GT. So I start turning in later in the turns, and he says it can be even later. Turn 7 is the slowest 90deg corner (<40mph) and he told me to not turn in until I was almost to the grass!
This guy was great. He had good advice in the car, and great stories in the pits. He rode with me for the last 3 sessions and by the end said I was getting better and doing a good job.

Yes, it's true to listen to the instructors because they all have some good free advice to give. But I think there can certainly be some wrong info sometimes, too.

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