How to Track my GT350?

[Austinj427]

A few years ago I was doing an open lapping day at Pueblo Motorsports Park with a friend. I should have known something was amiss when I asked which flag stations were manned prior to my first session and the track facilitator said only two. We were in the middle of a high-speed turn under full load (turn 6a/6b for those in the know) when we saw a car on the track in front of us coming in the opposite direction. Fortunately, we were able to avoid a head-on collision at high speed, but apparently the kid manning the flag station at the track entrance (which crosses the track surface) decided to use the bathroom during a hot lapping session. The car drove in off the street onto the track surface in the wrong direction. What is worse, there is a gate to block cars from entering the track, but he didn't close it when he left the flag station. Fortunately, PMP is under new ownership/management.

That's terrifying.

If the car had made it closer to 5 and you popped up at the same time over the hill it would have been ugly.

Sponsored

 

[TDC]

Can't imagine anything much scarier than a car coming from the opposite direction! Regardless of cost I would never with that group again. With HPDE it's no fun if the organizer is not creating a safe atmosphere?

 

[icormba]

I always get flack for going against the grain here, but I'd like to point (2) things:

1. A lot of the most reckless drivers I see on track are the ones driving insured cars
2. If you run enough track events, the math might be as favorable as you'd think (you'd be able to repair/buy the car for the amount you'll spend in insurance + deductible)

Now, I am NOT saying to skip insurance. Nor am I saying that only the crazies buy track insurance. But I have noticed that track insurance does give SOME folks a "mental safety net," so they push harder and drive more reckless. I've found that I drive far more conservatively (intelligently) when I am fully on my own dime.

Honeybadger makes a pretty good point here! Day after Thanksgiving my wife and I went to Laguna Seca for track event. Rain was in the forecast, so I bought insurance for both cars (GT350R and Focus RS). Start of the day I was driving the GT350R in the wet and I found myself driving more aggressive than compared to normal driving conditions. I'm guessing it had something to do with getting the insurance. Then, it started to pour down rain! Mud was washing onto the track and everything. I was still in the R when I came out of turn 6 and slide a bit! I am still really new at this sport and it scared the crap out of me. Next session out I convinced my wife to switch cars. I took the RS (all wheel drive) and she took the R (she's a more confident driver than I am). Once I got into the RS I switched my mindset to complete competence and went all out. Don't care as much if I crashed the RS regardless of Insurance. I was passing other cars with ease including other GT350's, Porsches, GT4 & GT3's, and cars typically way faster. It was one of the funnest track days ever. However, when I think back on it... what would have happened if one of those drivers slide and hit me or if I slide and hit them on a pass? That could/would have been my fault due to my aggressive driving in crappy weather??!! ... all because the track Insurance DID give me that "mental safety net"!! I didn't think, at the time, I was probably one of those reckless drivers!

 

[tracktardicus]

This was the track owner running an open lapping day and not an external organization renting out the track. A critical component to running a fun and safe track day are the safety workers, to include both the flag workers, grid workers, EMS (if present), and race/track control. A good corner worker will recognize overly aggressive drivers or novice drivers making big mistakes and notify race control. An effective race control will in turn notify the corner workers to black flag the guilty party and ensure the behavior does not continue. And track management has to back up all aforementioned parties by being willing to tell a participant to leave if they ignore race control. So, some additional questions to ask:

Is EMS present at the track in the event of an incident?
How may flag stations/corners are manned, and what is the training level of the corner workers? (at our NASA events, all of our corner workers have some level of training, and a couple of them travel abroad to do corner work at F1 races.)
How does race control deal with difficult or incorrigible drivers who ignore safety instructions?

Finally, a good tool to have in your toolbag is to volunteer as a corner worker for an event or two. This gave me a different perspective on what's going on on the track and helped me really appreciate what corner workers go through.

Can't imagine anything much scarier than a car coming from the opposite direction! Regardless of cost I would never with that group again. With HPDE it's no fun if the organizer is not creating a safe atmosphere?

 

[fpGT350]

Here is something you can use. See attached file.

 

[fpGT350]

The checklist above is for a viper. For your GT350, the torque spec for your lug nuts is 150 ft. lbs.

 

[tracktardicus]

This may be helpful as well:

https://trackmustangsonline.com/threads/planning-for-your-1st-hpde-event-a-beginners-guide.13020/

 

[Hack]

Great thread! I recently just began tracking my gt350 with the Porsche guys. Still a total noob, but am addicted and kept signing up for more classes/events. So far I've only had it in Sports mode. Had traction control kick in every now and then....I'm tempted to try track mode yet, but am a little worried that it might be too much for me. Any advice?

I think you have to make this decision for yourself. I have run several track events with the car in normal mode. I have never run a track event using track mode. When I went to the GT350 Track Attack event put on by Ford Performance, they told us to run the cars in sport mode. My last couple events I used sport mode.

For me in sport mode I rarely feel the nannies kick in. And when the nannies do kick in it's usually because I made a mistake coming into a corner too hot or getting on the gas too quickly. I don't think sport mode is limiting my lap times significantly. My goal is to not have the nannies kick in on sport mode. I think smooth is fast and sliding around too much isn't that fast. I don't want to destroy my car by going off track and I like having a safety backup. Running in sport mode certainly doesn't make driving less enjoyable for me.

Sometimes you can be surprised on track by things that are at least somewhat out of your control. At my local track the main straight is also used for 1/4 mile running, so it has VHT on it. The last time I was there that morning we had a little rain. VHT is super slippery when it's wet. I was on the VHT at about 100 mph when I must have hit a little moisture. That was a serious pucker moment! The car got quite a bit sideways. I have no idea whether being in sport mode v. track mode helped me or not - or whether it was all driver "skill" that prevented me from losing control. However, I'm really glad I didn't hit a wall or another car.

If you are planning to drift you definitely want to turn the nannies off, but if you are going for car control and having fun lapping on a road course, I don't think the nannies on the GT350 are set so tight that you can't have a good time and run fast lap times with them on.

 

[Zitrosounds]

I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW INSURANCE IS A SAFETY NET!!!! To me that is absurd. I don't drive reckless on the street and I have insurance. Either way, insurance will be a personal decision. I have tracked with and without. I essentially do a risk assessment per track day to determine if I purchase insurance or not. I am very good about looking ahead and knowing my place in traffic. I avoid it at all cost. I usually pit to make space on track.
Still, I recommend it. Things happen that are out of your control.

 

[honeybadger]

I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW INSURANCE IS A SAFETY NET!!!!

A lot of folks have a "hey, the worst that happens is I'm out $6K. I'm good to push 10/10ths" attitude. Lots of ego at track days.

At the end of the day, like you said, it's a personal decision. The important thing is you're comfortable with your risk assessment and you can focus on the driving while on track.

 

[REDLINE]

I think you have to make this decision for yourself. I have run several track events with the car in normal mode. I have never run a track event using track mode. When I went to the GT350 Track Attack event put on by Ford Performance, they told us to run the cars in sport mode. My last couple events I used sport mode.

For me in sport mode I rarely feel the nannies kick in. And when the nannies do kick in it's usually because I made a mistake coming into a corner too hot or getting on the gas too quickly. I don't think sport mode is limiting my lap times significantly. My goal is to not have the nannies kick in on sport mode. I think smooth is fast and sliding around too much isn't that fast. I don't want to destroy my car by going off track and I like having a safety backup. Running in sport mode certainly doesn't make driving less enjoyable for me.

Sometimes you can be surprised on track by things that are at least somewhat out of your control. At my local track the main straight is also used for 1/4 mile running, so it has VHT on it. The last time I was there that morning we had a little rain. VHT is super slippery when it's wet. I was on the VHT at about 100 mph when I must have hit a little moisture. That was a serious pucker moment! The car got quite a bit sideways. I have no idea whether being in sport mode v. track mode helped me or not - or whether it was all driver "skill" that prevented me from losing control. However, I'm really glad I didn't hit a wall or another car.

If you are planning to drift you definitely want to turn the nannies off, but if you are going for car control and having fun lapping on a road course, I don't think the nannies on the GT350 are set so tight that you can't have a good time and run fast lap times with them on.

Thanks Hack! My little pucker moments in Sport mode didn't have me going sideways. Just the tail swinging out a bit. I wasn't sure whether me letting off the gas or the computer doing its thing is what saved me. I looked down and the little orange traction light was blinking for a second or two. When stability control (vs traction control) kicks in, is it still the same little orange light? Or is it a different one? I think I'll give the track mode a shot. Fingers crossed.

 

[Zitrosounds]

A lot of folks have a "hey, the worst that happens is I'm out $6K. I'm good to push 10/10ths" attitude. Lots of ego at track days.

At the end of the day, like you said, it's a personal decision. The important thing is you're comfortable with your risk assessment and you can focus on the driving while on track.

Ego's on track days are the worst!

 

[Tank]

good info here, should be a stickie

Awesome thread folks. Tons of great info. Might not be a sticky but I added a link to the “GT350 Basics...” thread.

 

[Hack]

Thanks Hack! My little pucker moments in Sport mode didn't have me going sideways. Just the tail swinging out a bit. I wasn't sure whether me letting off the gas or the computer doing its thing is what saved me. I looked down and the little orange traction light was blinking for a second or two. When stability control (vs traction control) kicks in, is it still the same little orange light? Or is it a different one? I think I'll give the track mode a shot. Fingers crossed.

The little image of swerving pathways illuminates on the dash when either stability control or traction control are implemented by the car's ECU.

 

[oldbmwfan]

Track mode does leave some nanny intervention active; it just kicks in later (higher yaw angles). I find Sport mode to be a little too intrusive on a dry track. I think Track mode is about right for me; I am too chickensh*t to kill all the nannies completely. It'll let you get pretty sideways before grabbing the reins, so you can play with throttle steering, etc.

The car is pretty fun regardless. I'd rather be on track in Normal mode than not be on track at all.

Everyone hit the big points here: basic mechanical prep is all that's needed; no mods necessary. Check your ego at the gate, go to the track with an organization that has GOOD instruction (i.e. they have an instructor training program, not just "you've been coming a lot so you're an instructor now"), listen to the instructor, get ride-alongs with others, stay hydrated, and be okay giving lots of point-bys early on. These cars are so fast that you won't be giving lots of point-bys for long.

Focus on the line first, feeling the balance of the car change as you use the inputs (throttle, steering, brake), and what "planted" and "smooth" feel like. Don't TRY to go fast. Just keep doing "smooth" and you'll get faster naturally.

Guarantee you will come out of day 1 feeling overwhelmed, day 2 feeling exhausted, and day 3 totally hooked.

Then kiss your savings goodbye, lol.

Sponsored