Preparation for HPDE

[93calypso]

Ok so April is the event I've chosen to go to at Texas world Speedway before they shut her down. I see everyone suggests better pads, is anyone making them yet? And on the brake fluid I searched a few different ones mentioned and must not be searching properly. Never tracked so a little help here would be appreciated.

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[TRACK CRAZY GT350]

Ok so April is the event I've chosen to go to at Texas world Speedway before they shut her down. I see everyone suggests better pads, is anyone making them yet? And on the brake fluid I searched a few different ones mentioned and must not be searching properly. Never tracked so a little help here would be appreciated.

You can buy Motul 600 at Amazon.com 17.99 for 500 ml. I have been using Stop Tech Street Performance pads on my Mustang GT and VW GTI. These pads are great on the track and do not squeal when driving on the street. Be careful when choosing pads as some squeal and will drive you nuts when street driving. Go to the Stop Tech website to find a dealer near you. Good luck you will have a blast.

 

[Swoope]

I have heard about the new track at Palmer. Have not seen the video so where can I find it?

search tim hillards posts it is in there somewhere.

you are tracking the 309s and they are holding up? on what car?

beers

 

[Swoope]

Ok so April is the event I've chosen to go to at Texas world Speedway before they shut her down. I see everyone suggests better pads, is anyone making them yet? And on the brake fluid I searched a few different ones mentioned and must not be searching properly. Never
tracked so a little help here would be appreciated.

if it is your first event, and it seems it is. i would update your brake fluid..

and make sure your pads have a lot of material left..

then listen to your instructor.. and enjoy..

if you decided you like it, go to your second event and talk to people with cars like your and get recommendations for pads..

repeat.

beers

 

[Tim Hilliard]

I have heard about the new track at Palmer. Have not seen the video so where can I find it?

http://player.vimeo.com/video/111347781

 

[Swoope]

http://player.vimeo.com/video/111347781

timely!

beers

 

[TRACK CRAZY GT350]

search tim hillards posts it is in there somewhere.

you are tracking the 309s and they are holding up? on what car?

beers

I am running the Stop Tech 309's on my 2010 GTI and 07 Mustang GT. Both cars have 5 track days each since changing to these pads. Both cars have lots of pad life left.

 

[TRACK CRAZY GT350]

http://player.vimeo.com/video/111347781

Wow! Palmer reminds me of Nurburgring. There is very little runoff. Looks like one side you will run into a hill and the other side you run off a cliff. Looks like they are going to spend a lot of money on guard rails. Will definitely have to try this one. Have you been there in person?

 

[Swoope]

I am running the Stop Tech 309's on my 2010 GTI and 07 Mustang GT. Both cars have 5 track days each since changing to these pads. Both cars have lots of pad life left.

and the 309s are holding up? that is so funny. just sent a set back as i was unsure if they would hold up. what are you using for tires?

beers

 

[jedirocker]

I have a couple of unsealed bottles of Motul 600 brake fluid. That's really the only change I'll make, as I plan to do my first session low-key just to get the feel of the car. I previously tracked an AWD car, so I gotta start over and learn how this RWD car will handle.

I also gotta find a way to attach a tow hook, as that's a requirement for the HPDE program I normally go with.

 

[ShawnO]

So I made it to the first HPDE at Barber's Motorsports Park. It was a 2 day event with 8 sessions total for around 20 - 30 minutes. This was a local PCA event where they let everyone come out. This is only my second event so I ran Group 2 out of 5 groups. Group 2 is just a step above newbie.

Well the jury is still out as to whether I'm a good driver or the car is hot. We smoked(passed) some 911s (a few GT3s) and Caymans this weekend. I was only passed 3 times this weekend. A newish 911 turbo, a nearly brand new GT3, and the last session of the weekend a locally well known driver passed me in a C6 vette after I held him off for 3 or 4 laps. I finally choked, cooked a corner, and he was on me so I conceded and let him by.

Now before yall get on me about an HPDE not being a race I understand but it's great fun to gauge the car and myself against other drivers. I also understand the Mustang is not a GT3 but I also don't have drive around the track against Randy Pobst either.

Car was bone stock except for Hawk DTC pads. Ran 93 octane all weekend.

Positives....
Zero brake fade all weekend.
Car has no trouble keeping pace in the straights with anything but the stoutest of cars.
It was 60 degrees max temp the day of and the oil temp stayed in the green the entire weekend. I do believe an oil cooler will be necessary this summer.
For a heavy car the pig will stop. Granted, you have to wrestle it sometimes because it wants to twitch on a long hard brake. Coilovers and track tires may cure this.
The car's traction control (left the car in Sport+) will save your tail when you need it and I used it more than once.
Recaros are awesome - I don't care what others say. Granted I'm 5'10 and 155.

Negatives...
The cars turns well when the camber is in your favor and the turn is not too tight. If you have a long sweeper or the turn is off camber the pig will push. This is partly due to a long sweeper preventing you from shifting weight to the rear with the pedal. We would scream through the whole track and then stop to fix our hair in the mirrors on turn 2. Too fast and she just pushed.
Turn 15 is a hard 90 degree that's pretty flat around 45 or 50 mph. In order to rotate the car I had to drop to 3rd and dump the clutch to upset the rear and get the car to rotate. Maybe a little unorthodox but it worked.
This is on me but the front stock tires will last me maybe 4 more sessions (not weekends). More camber and a square setup with 18s are going to be a must if you track the car.
Fuel - My 1992 GTI went through a tank of gas. The Mustang used 2.5 tanks of 93 Octane.

I'm super happy with my purchase. I've never had a Mustang before and only Porsches, Audis, and VWs. The car was flawless all weekend and held it's on against cars 2 and 3 times the price. The service costs on my vehicles should be at least half of the other cars. Would I like a GT3RS? Shoot yeah! Though at some point the risk of damaging a car like that and having to spend the money on service will take the fun out of it for me. If I total a $38K Mustang it's going to hurt - sure. Not near as bad as a 150K GT3RS. I could still live through the Mustang in 4 years.

I had an off track experience due to driver error on the last session. The car drives straight in grass too. :clap2:

Hopefully the Porsche club let's me come back. Just teasing really. The club is really great and everyone was really nice to the Mustang guy. Everyone is on a different level.

Best lap was a 148.1 with a top speed of 110 on the straight. That's still 12 seconds off of Randy Pobst best time of 136.x in a 500+hp Camaro.

Thanks for listening to my rambling and hope it helps someone. Super fun.....

 

[Budwise]

Can you link to the Hawk pads you were running? Did you swap out to DOT4 or keep the OEM DOT3? How did the PP suspension setup feel, too squishy or bouncy?

 

[ShawnO]

Can you link to the Hawk pads you were running? Did you swap out to DOT4 or keep the OEM DOT3? How did the PP suspension setup feel, too squishy or bouncy?

http://www.hypermotive.com/brakes-19/

According to my best friend who is a 25 year Ford Service tech the brake fluid is already DOT4 so I didn't swap out. this could be bad info and someone may correct me but I had no troubles last weekend and I didn't swap out. I will swap out before the next session though.

The biggest complaint about the suspension is under hard braking the car wiggles left to right. However, it may not have anything to do with the suspension. It could be the ABS kicking in. The ABS is really subtle in this car and pedal doesn't kick really hard when ABS activates. Another point of blame could be the tall tread of the new Pirellis wiggling under so much pressure. At this point I'm not sure who the culprit is. The car is heavy but IMO the suspension cannot be called bouncy at all. I never felt out of control on high speed sweepers or switch backs. It was quite tossable for a 3,700 lb car.

 

[jedirocker]

nvm

 

[Trackaholic]

Negatives...
The cars turns well when the camber is in your favor and the turn is not too tight. If you have a long sweeper or the turn is off camber the pig will push. This is partly due to a long sweeper preventing you from shifting weight to the rear with the pedal. We would scream through the whole track and then stop to fix our hair in the mirrors on turn 2. Too fast and she just pushed.
Turn 15 is a hard 90 degree that's pretty flat around 45 or 50 mph. In order to rotate the car I had to drop to 3rd and dump the clutch to upset the rear and get the car to rotate. Maybe a little unorthodox but it worked.
This is on me but the front stock tires will last me maybe 4 more sessions (not weekends). More camber and a square setup with 18s are going to be a must if you track the car.
Fuel - My 1992 GTI went through a tank of gas. The Mustang used 2.5 tanks of 93 Octane.

Glad you had a good time.

Some comments based on theory and by own experience at HPDE and a few days at a driving school. Keep in mind that every car is different, so what works on some vehicles may not work on others. With that said:

You mention having trouble with rotation and with front tire wear. You also imply that you are getting on the gas early and purposefully upsetting the car to get the rear to come around. These comments make me wonder if you would benefit from some trail-braking techniques.

Basically, it sounds to me like you may be getting on the gas too soon, before you've turned enough, which unloads the fronts, causing them to lose grip and making the car want to go straight. To compensate one might try turning the wheel more (wearing the front tires more and scrubbing speed), or initiating power oversteer (you mention trying to kick the rear loose).

You therefore might want to experiment with the typical hard braking in a straight line, but keep on the brakes moderately through the first 1/3 of the corner (as you turn-in). Roll off the brakes slowly, so you initiate your turn while braking somewhat hard, and finish your turn-in under light braking. This keeps the front end loaded, increasing front tire grip and reducing rear tire grip. It also forces you to stay off the gas, keeping the differential open, which allows the car tomore easily rotate as well.

This may help you get on the gas even earlier, as you can get the car pointed more easily and unwind the wheel earlier while applying power.

Maybe you've already tried this, but if not, you can probably find some better explanations online or from others here, and might want to give it a shot at your next event. As always, ease into it because with some cars it is very easy to over-steer on corner entry, but that doesn't sound like your issue at this point.

-T

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