Some reflections on TrackNight at Daytona - August 4th

[boB]

I have run on a number of tracks although it has been years since (with cars and bikes) but never one with high banking so Daytona was high on the wish list. The banking is unnerving at first and takes some getting used to.

Daytona in August is hot. I live here so I already knew that but I don't drive in summer with the windows open and wearing a helmet. The cooled seats are a great invention!


So is rev-matching. Some may pooh-pooh it but slowing from 140 to 60 for the bus stop is intense enough, trying to heel-and toe at the same time is more than I need to think about. Sure, a perfectly executed h&t is a thing of beauty but a poorly executed one can be big trouble. Btw, we can practice h&t on the road but it is nothing like on a track because we are not at speed and not threshold braking.


As for shifting I found that 3rd gear for the infield/bus stop and 4th for straights worked well. Sure I could get better acceleration out of corners with 2nd but the smoothness and time savings by staying in 3rd seemed to make up for that.


PP1 and Magneride are worth the $$ (at least it was in 2019), the tires/suspension/brakes worked great and the coolant temp never moved. Set the suspension back to normal and active exhaust to quiet for a sedate drive home listening to some tunes. Did I mention the cooled seats? ;)


GT350s do not have a huge advantage on the straights (see Lightning Lap numbers) but I would wave them by just to hear them!


Street cars only? I was on the grid behind a Greenwood Corvette race car(a tribute, and nicely done)! It had a license plate but in Florida that does not mean much. A 200 mph car does not need to be mixing it up with stock hatchbacks. And yes, I love the car!


I consider that I "won" because I had fun and was able to drive home. Not everyone was as fortunate, several cars sustained major damage and I saw the roof of the Greenwood Corvette laying on the back straight. I did not run the 3rd session (not sure they had time for it) because some wrecks took a long time to clean up and it was going to be dark by then.


The event was oversold, too many cars. The paced laps did not help with getting familiar with the track, congestion at every turn, yo-yoing everywhere. Session 1 turned into a procession about halfway through, cars stacking up and some drivers never giving a point-by. I would pay more for fewer cars (if the organizers would really limit the numbers), as it is I would not do it again.

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[EFI]

Session 1 turned into a procession about halfway through, cars stacking up and some drivers never giving a point-by. I would pay more for fewer cars (if the organizers would really limit the numbers), as it is I would not do it again.

TNiA is good for novices to get on track, but it sounds like you already are past that and need more open track. There are many other groups that have better car ratios and more track time.

 

[boB]

Yeah, that seems like a good idea for next time. I looked at videos of the event and intermediate had fewer cars with some going slower than I was. ;) TNiA makes everyone start in novice if they have not run that track before.

 

[gone_n_60]

I'm a member of SCCA but this doesn't sound the like the kind of event it's described as in their lit. If you're going real fast with track noobs and having wrecks that's no way to intro tracking to people. Also I was concerned these events run into crowding and ending up in trains. Think I stick to my regional HPDE groups that control size and safety better. Ouf-ta!

 

[Rodpwnz]

Thank you for sharing your experience with Track Night in America. I've recently thought about running with them a few times, but passed them up for the more familiar California based HDPE orgs I usually run with and trust(SpeedSF and Ongrid). Before your post, I was still interested due to low cost and late events that avoid peak heat of day.

I'm wondering how yours and other forums members experiences have been with other national track orgs such as HOD and/or NASA? I can only speak on my experiences with SpeedSF and Ongrid if anyone is thinking of running with them and wants to know more.

 

[Sargent1]

I like your summary. I was there Friday night. Drove my GT350 from Charleston SC, tracked in advanced and drove it home Saturday. I love Daytona. No times but in the third session I consistently hit 170+ into the turn one brake zone. First session got tow laps before an E46 M3 crashed in front of me into the bus stop. My car has Falken RT660s, Castrol SRF, brake pads and safety gear.

 

[boB]

I like your summary. I was there Friday night. Drove my GT350 from Charleston SC, tracked in advanced and drove it home Saturday. I love Daytona. No times but in the third session I consistently hit 170+ into the turn one brake zone. First session got tow laps before an E46 M3 crashed in front of me into the bus stop. My car has Falken RT660s, Castrol SRF, brake pads and safety gear.

170, good fun! Mine is completely stock (unless cutting away some of the engine cover counts as a mod). It has been about 10 years since I was on a track so I was content with 140 before braking for the bus stop and turn 1. Do you have any videos on youtube?

 

[2morrow]

I’m a former coach for the SF region SCCA TNIA program. I’ve worked at Thunderhill mostly but did several stints at Auto Club in Fontana. Our system is probably very different to your region OP so I can’t really speak to that.

My experience of our region (participant since 2016 and coach since late 2018) is although popular, we are extremely focused on safety then having #funwithcars .

I always tell my group to focus on safety and playing together in the sandbox, build your confidence and with that speed is a natural by-product.

Typically as you go up from novice to inter then advanced the speeds go up and session size goes down. I often refer the TNIA program as the gateway drug or feeder into other organizations.

I don’t really want to name names but have run with almost every nor cal group and some are straight dumpster fires lol.

Just what I’ve observed over the years…

 

[Sargent1]

170, good fun! Mine is completely stock (unless cutting away some of the engine cover counts as a mod). It has been about 10 years since I was on a track so I was content with 140 before braking for the bus stop and turn 1. Do you have any videos on youtube?

S550 Mustangs make very good track cars. No video., PM me and I'll send you tsome interesting pics and vids but nothing showing a full lap.

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