Need first time track advice

[NightmareMoon]

PS4S tires are fine when you’re starting out, as said, more camber in the front helps, 30-31psi cold, when they warm up to 33psi you can lean on them, they start getting a bit slippery above 37-39psi, drive accordingly and monitor the pressures. Turn traction control off or you can cook the rear pads. You’ll need to fill up fuel after each session, figure out where you going to do that before you get there. Check and measure pad thickness before you go, if you are going to spend some money on prep, this would be a good place As well as fresh oil.

Be smooth and have fun!

Uh, leave the traction control ON if you’re unfamiliar with running TC off at the limit. Better to cook some rear brakes a bit than to go off and need that insurance policy. Traction control is really helpful when drivers without a ton of hardcore track experience go hit a road course for the first handul of times.

Everything else is +1 correct. If the oil is a little old, change it. You’re going to be getting things good and hot and revving the motor out to the limiter. Last thing you want is oil which is starting the age out.

MP4S get slippery about about 37-38.

Bring or borrow an air inflator and a pressure gauge to pressure back up for your drive home, cause you’ll need to bleed a lot of air out to keep the hot pressures under 38.

Be smooth! if/when the tires are screaming at you, slow down 1-2mph. Theres no winners at untimed track days, but you can loose.

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[Knockdown]

Uh, leave the traction control ON if you’re unfamiliar with running TC off at the limit. Better to cook some rear brakes a bit than to go off and need that insurance policy. Traction control is really helpful when drivers without a ton of hardcore track experience go hit a road course for the first handul of times.

Jusr from my personal experience, traction control almost put me in the wall coming out of turn 7 at Sebring when I was first getting use to the car on track, I’ve had it off ever since. For me, it’s better to find the limit without the nanny surprises.

 

[NightmareMoon]

Jusr from my personal experience, traction control almost put me in the wall coming out of turn 7 at Sebring when I was first getting use to the car on track, I’ve had it off ever since. For me, it’s better to find the limit without the nanny surprises.

I agree it is a personal choice, and I dont (personally) ever recommend turning it off unless I know the person. I rarely recommend turning it on either FWIW.

Those mistakes which dont kill you might let you live long enough to get a little faster?

 

[murick]

From my very limited experience, I had the feeling that in Track mode the traction control was at least eased a bit - I could feel a slight and intermittent loss of traction in turns.

 

[TEAsGrabber]

Track Attack cars did well on PS4's and paint wise they didn't look any worse for wear! Enjoy the track time.....don't sweat the other stuff!

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Thanks for all the feedback about the tires. I feel better about them now. And good tip about the changing the oil. I hadn't thought about that.

There are no noise restrictions at Willow Springs.

Curious why I would need to fill up with fuel after every run...

 

[NightmareMoon]

Thanks for all the feedback about the tires. I feel better about them now. And good tip about the changing the oil. I hadn't thought about that.

There are no noise restrictions at Willow Springs.

Curious why I would need to fill up with fuel after every run...

Well if you’re doing it right you might get like 4-7 mpg on track. So you will need to fill up at least a couple times per day, maybe not every time. Show up that morning with a full tank.

 

[gone_n_60]

Ok. Thanks. As long as my insurance doesn't find out.

if you google track day insurance you'll find only a small handful of companies that provide it. Lockton is one, Hagerty is another. Your insurance won't cover HPDE so they don't care 'cause they won't take a claim. I always pay for it since I want to have road trips too, and the GT isn't paid for yet.

 

[GTP]

From my very limited experience, I had the feeling that in Track mode the traction control was at least eased a bit - I could feel a slight and intermittent loss of traction in turns.

I think Sport mode drags the rear brakes and induces a little understeer. I don't like it. Track mode does start teaching you immediately how to "steer with the throttle".

Well if you’re doing it right you might get like 4-7 mpg on track. So you will need to fill up at least a couple times per day, maybe not every time. Show up that morning with a full tank.

My worst track MPG to date was 4.6. My routine is to drive to the track using my daily 87-octane, fill up with 91/93 the night before, and then check into the hotel.

On track day, I go into town for a relaxing lunch and fill up 91/93 again. I also fill up my one VP 5.5 gallon fuel can, and that will last the afternoon until I leave the track and immediately top up before heading home.

For OP's first track day, filling up a lunchtime should be sufficient. He should get ~7mpg.

 

[IanKar]

I think you have received some great advice. My 5c worth - I would try to get the maximum camber to save the tires. My PS4S tires did fine and I managed to drive over 200 miles each way. Only issue is that you'll see the extra wear on the outside of the tires. Check your brake pads are sufficient for the 2 days. I only use Sport Mode in the wet. Even at the Ford Perf School they had us in Track Mode.
Concerning the paint damage, I put the track package PPF (Paint Protection Film) on. Later on, I wish I had done the rear panel section as in the photo, this panel got marked quite a bit. I installed the PPF with black car wrap. I do have the fender flares on.
Hope you have great fun. My 1st time on the track was a whirlwind. The 2nd time I went to the same track about 9 months later I shaved off 15 seconds. Both were on the Cup 2's.

 

[sakman84]

You might want to read my track report the first time I went to Willow Springs with the Mach 1, hope its useful for you.
https://www.mustang6g.com/forums/th...on-hp-a-viable-track-car.169012/#post-3435960

WCRookie also provided valuable posts on this thread, much more track experienced than I.

 

[SBR70.3]

Definitely get track insurance.

Someone earlier said don't worry about changing brake fluid, but I'd feel much safer using Motul RBF 660 or Castrol SRF. You don't want your fluid boiling when you are standing on the brake pedal. Check pad thickness. I chewed through a new set of Power Stop "Extreme" pads on a day where 2 of the 5 sessions were in the rain. Not a good thing having metal-metal rubbing the 1.5 hour drive home. Now I have a new set of rotors and some G-Loc brakes sitting in my garage waiting to be installed.

I've never driven Willow Springs in person, but have several hours of seat time driving it on Gran Tourismo 7! I bet you will have a blast.

Most importantly, check your ego, listen to the instructors, and have fun, Track days are the most fun thing you can do in your Mustang!

 

[WItoTX]

Just my two cents....if you don't have a good feel for the car limits (best learned through autocross), keep some TC on.

As for fuel consumption...I was burning a half tank per 20 minutes session last weekend. I bring two 5.5 gallon jugs of 93, both are gone in a day, and I come back with two more the next day. And those were both gone. 8-20 min sessions.

Maybe consider new diff and trans fluid along with oil.

Lastly...don't drink the night before, eat something relatively light, and bring reasonably healthy snacks, and you won't feel like crap when you need to be focused.

Go out and enjoy the car, you will be blown away how solid the M1 is!

 

[Roady68]

Look up my posts here and over in Road Course, Track, Auto Cross, HPDE sub forum. I did my first track day at Watkins Glen. Drove my car there, unloaded, tracked, then loaded up for the evening. Repeated on the second day. I purchased track Day Insurance from Open Track as they were affiliated with the host group for the HPDE. I found rates to be comparable between Hagerty, Open Track and Lockton. My car had 3000 miles on it. I changed nothing. The brakes got a workout. Though, as I got smoother and faster, I think I was actually easier on them. I was on stock PS4s. I did take some life off them, maybe 1000 miles of wear in two days. Just guessing. I also noticed some brake pad wear. I had changed oil before, as it was more than one year. The owners manual recommends changing rear diff fluid after so many hours. Also has guidance on other fluid changes. I did get brakes pretty hot so will change the fluid. I have three containers of Motul 600 on the bench ready to go.

Posts above on advice are pretty spot on. Have fun. I had a blast and I am hooked. For next year, I am adding adjustable camber plates, four point bar with harness, and changing brake pads.

 

[EFI]

so there is no room for an extra set of tires or equipment.

You can fit 4 good sized tires (285/305) in the car along with jack, tools, folding chair, fluids etc.

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