Track day #3 with my Mach 1

[SBR70.3]

Hallett Motor Speedway in Jennings, Oklahoma. I took my GTI on Saturday and Mach 1 Sunday. Stupid cold temps on Sunday morning! Cloudy skies, 44 degrees, and it rained a few hours earlier. The track was a bit slippery the first 2 sessions. I took my 14 year old daughter on sessions 2-5, so I did not go 10/10. This car, stock, is a beast. The only car I had to point by was a Lotus Exige S. I had a ton of fun tracking down and passing a spec Boxter S. The last session, I went out behind my friend in a C7Z06 (the black Z06, not the purple one-I passed him a lot). By the end of the session I was on his bumper. One more lap and he would have pointed me by. The Mach 1, compared to my 16GT, is so much more composed on the track. It really does help you feel 100% confident in the car, especially when tracking with precious cargo in the passenger seat.


I did add the Steeda Ultimate Handling kit about a week before the track day and I will say the rear end felt a lot more stable coming out of the turns. Zero wheel hop.

If you have a Mach 1, or really any Mustang, I highly suggest taking it to the track for some HPDE. I personally prefer this discipline because each of the 20 minute sessions gave me an out lap, 9 hot laps, and an in lap. Plenty of opportunity to learn from my mistakes and adjust my driving line and inputs.

Sponsored

 

[Aonarch]

Looks like a great time!

I'll echo the Steeda Ultimate Handling Kit, for me it was mandatory. Maybe my rear subframe was misaligned from the factory (Possible), but my rear end felt awful stock. The Steeda kit firmed everything up nicely, without additional NVH.

 

[Ewheels]

Always glad to see people using their sports cars as intended.

Corvette drivers are an interesting mix.. Half the time, it's an older dude going half-throttle the whole time, just cruising. Others are complete animals flying by everyone.

 

[Aonarch]

Always glad to see people using their sports cars as intended.

Corvette drivers are an interesting mix.. Half the time, it's an older dude going half-throttle the whole time, just cruising. Others are complete animals flying by everyone.

Ha yup!

I came from a C7, and everyone in my area are FAST. The slow guys are in Porsches, except for the GTx guys.

 

[Ewheels]

Ha yup!

I came from a C7, and everyone in my area are FAST. The slow guys are in Porsches, except for the GTx guys.

Yeah Porsches are typically the same mix as well.
Funny; I've seen plenty of Corvettes, Porsches, a decent amount of McLarens, a Lambo or two, but I've never once seen a Ferrari on track.

 

[Aonarch]

Yeah Porsches are typically the same mix as well.
Funny; I've seen plenty of Corvettes, Porsches, a decent amount of McLarens, a Lambo or two, but I've never once seen a Ferrari on track.

Ferrari would break. ;)

 

[SBR70.3]

Always glad to see people using their sports cars as intended.

Corvette drivers are an interesting mix.. Half the time, it's an older dude going half-throttle the whole time, just cruising. Others are complete animals flying by everyone.

I have said the exact same thing about Corvette drivers (and 911 drivers)! Either they are really really really good or they suck. There is very little in between. There was a guy in a GT3RS Saturday. My GTI got a point by from him! He could not drive for shit. No idea where the racing line was. But on the straights......damn.....that car pulled away from me fast. There was a pro driver in a C8Z06 who was destroying everyone. I'd glance in my mirror and see him coming out of a turn heading into a long straight, next thing I knew was my hand was out the window.

I too have never seen a Ferrari on track. A buddy of mine (David Deatsch-Deatschwerks) has a McLaren 720 but doesn't track it. He had an almost impossible time finding a company to insure it. Too many billionaire tech brats buy them and wrap them around phone polls. He was there killing it on Saturday in a sweet Lotus.

 

[jay_larold]

I'm jealous. Can't wait to get back out there now that the winter is behind us in the Northeast.

What size wheels/tires and alignment settings are you running?

 

[GT_MTL]

I've noticed that everyone has thier window wide open. I wonder if it's a track policy for safety ?

It caught my eye because when I was in Europe, it's the other way around : Windows must be fully closed and Track Marshalls make sure you did (Official reason was that in case of crash no parts of your body can go outside the car and be crunched).
I have some good memories on hot days with no A/C and no insulation whatsoever in the car (track oriented light car...)

 

[Ewheels]

I've noticed that everyone has thier window wide open. I wonder if it's a track policy for safety ?

It caught my eye because when I was in Europe, it's the other way around : Windows must be fully closed and Track Marshalls make sure you did (Official reason was that in case of crash no parts of your body can go outside the car and be crunched).
I have some good memories on hot days with no A/C and no insulation whatsoever in the car (track oriented light car...)

Yes, windows must be down here. I think it's a safety thing. If you crash, they can easily pull you out the window. Not certain if that's accurate but it makes sense to me

 

[jay_larold]

I've noticed that everyone has thier window wide open. I wonder if it's a track policy for safety ?

It caught my eye because when I was in Europe, it's the other way around : Windows must be fully closed and Track Marshalls make sure you did (Official reason was that in case of crash no parts of your body can go outside the car and be crunched).
I have some good memories on hot days with no A/C and no insulation whatsoever in the car (track oriented light car...)

Yes, the tracks/organizations that I've run on in the US make you keep the windows down. I would think it's mostly for point by's. From what I've seen of Nurburgring videos, it seems like they prefer blinkers for passing in Europe.

 

[GT_MTL]

Yes, windows must be down here. I think it's a safety thing. If you crash, they can easily pull you out the window. Not certain if that's accurate but it makes sense to me

The best thing is to never have to test whether it's the real reason or not

 

[SBR70.3]

I'm jealous. Can't wait to get back out there now that the winter is behind us in the Northeast.

What size wheels/tires and alignment settings are you running?

For the track, I use 20x9 AR924 wheels and Bridgestone Potenza RE-71RS tires in 285 35/20. I absolutely love the tires. I have toe neutral (for now, but this will change for the next track day) and I have 3 degrees neg camber in front and 2 degrees neg rear.

First session out my tire pressures were 25 cold........bad.......I got to talking to the cool guy next to me in the C8Z and forgot to check them. Combined with the 44 degree temps.....no bueno.

 

[tosha]

The legend says that you need a ferrari to drive in ferrari track days, they have no interest in sharing track with mortal peasants .

I have seen couple interesting examples - one got lost in turn 9 in Watkins Glen right in front of me - he decided to go straight and then right instead of turning left, and had to come to a stop in front of the tire wall. Another occasion was on a smaller technical track, where I was pacing some new and shiny one in my hyundai on PS4S tires. I just bought the car and brought it full stock for initial shakeoff.

Sponsored