Track day?

[Norm Peterson]

Drivers who are new to HPDE tend to focus too much on modifying their cars before they ever learn how to drive them. Don't get me wrong, I'm not "dissing modifications", I'm just saying that odds are, you don't need to consider any significant modifications before your first event. After a driver learns how to maximize what they currently have, then it's time to consider modifications. If quick lap times are your goal, then you should modify in this order; tires, brakes, suspension,......horsepower. If you don't agree with this logic, Google some lap times for Spec Miatas at your local track and see how they compare with lap times from noob drivers in much more powerful cars (Warning: It can be humbling).

My "two cents".

This ↑↑↑ . With the possible exception of anybody with some autocross experience. Even there the details of any given mod done for the cone courses may not work equally well out on the big track (and there may actually be some driver "un-learning" involved).

With the exceptions of brake fluid and pads (and maybe an intercooler in the EB's case), start fixing the driver first. If nothing else, with some track experience you might gain a better idea what it is about your car that needs fixing to better suit you, considering your dedication to doing track days and how much street driving you're going to do in this car. Consider any input you get from your instructors, especially from those who might also drive an S550.


FWIW, if this car is going to remain a true dual-purpose car and you aren't going to get into swapping pads twice for every time you have an event, I'm going to suggest choosing from the first couple levels of Carbotech or G-loc track pads (XP8/XP10 in CT, R8/R10 in G-loc). HP+'s, XP's, and R's all have strong bite and all are going to be dusty and at least occasionally squeaky, but the HP+ pads are far more abrasive on your rotors in street duty than either of the others. Those CT and G-loc pads are more like the street-duty-only HPS as far as rotor wear under the same street conditions is concerned.


Norm

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