wurk_truk

Ok.

First ever DE experience. Going to go to Track Attack next month.

Assembling odds and ends I might need.

Bought a rear tow hook.
Extended ramps for trailer
Tire Pressure gauge
good straps and new D Rings for trailer
taking tools, jumper cables, etc
New helmet
driving shoes


what else should I consider?

jrz1

Extra oil
Chair
Sunscreen (if applicable) & Chapstick
Water
Torque wrench/19mm socket
sunglasses
glass cleaner
rags/towell to lay on under car
numbers (duct tape or shoe polish)
air tank/compressor
T hooks to tie straps into frame rails (best way to secure)
jack/jack stands


the list goes on and on and grows longer each time you go....

sothpaw2

Make sure your pads are at least 1/2 the original thickness and flush all your brake fluid out. Drive the car and get into the abs a few times--then bleed the calipers again.

John Shiels

Feels like I'm moving not going to a track at times. I was packing the car once and told GF before I had a trailer I need to take some paper towels. She pulled 3 sheets off the blue shop towels and handed it to me That day the rear was leaking fluid from the vent on the garage floor at Pocono She goes now I see why you took two rolls.

Gray Ghost GS

Preparing Your Car for the Inspection - from the NASA website:

The technical requirements for the HPDE are just common sense checks to make sure your vehicle is in good, safe working order. It is important for you to check out your car before trying to get it inspected. You and the shop only want to do it once per event. Here I will go over the different categories of the technical form with some short explanations.

WHEELS & TIRES – The wheels should be round without any dents or damage to the mounting surface. The tires should be in good condition. The tread should be above the wear bars. No cords or belts should show. Flat tires repaired with plugs should not be used as these could fail under the high stress of track conditions. Hubcaps or beauty rings should be removed. They can come off causing a dangerous situation for you & other students.

STEERING & SUSPENSION – Check the wheel bearings by grabbing the tire & trying to move the wheel from side to side. There should not be any play or clunking sounds. The front wheels should move when you turn the steering wheel. There should not be any excess play.

ENGINE – The engine should not have any leaks that will allow liquids to fall onto the track. These fluids will cause slippery conditions on the track. This includes radiator fluid (antifreeze) which is very slippery. The battery should be secured with two (2) bolts. The battery terminals should be covered to prevent any arcs in case of accidental contact.

BRAKES – The brake system should be in good working order with no leaks in the system. The brake lines should not have any cracks. The brake fluid should be clear & at the maximum level. The pads should have plenty of life left in them, as the high speeds on the track will wear them out faster than the street. The brake lights should function properly.

SAFETY EQUIPMENT – Seatbelts must be in good condition. Factory seatbelts are OK. Cars without fixed roofs are required to have roll bars. Natural fibers are recommended for clothing. Minimum allowable clothing is jeans, a T-shirt & closed toe shoes. You will be required to wear a helmet when on the track. The minimum rating is SNELL 1990 (SA1990 or M1990). Newer helmets with a SA rating are recommended. Eye protection is required (face shield, goggles, safety glasses). The more and better the safety equipment you have & use, the safer you will be.

MISCELLANEOUS – There should be no exposed wires. The car should have a good gas cap that seals. The seats should be bolted in tightly.

At the Track

Now that you made it to the track there are still a few things to do. You will want to take out everything you can. Remove your spare tire & jack. Take out all the floor mats. Any more loose stuff in there? Take it out. Next apply some wax to a portion of your door or quarter panel. When it dries to a haze, leave it there. Take some racer’s tape (colored duct tape) & put your “numbers” on top of the waxed portion. Now wipe off the rest of the haze. When the end of the day comes, you will be able to remove your numbers without doing damage or leaving a residue on your paint. Clean your front & back windows with glass cleaner. There will be less glare & you will be able to see your reference points easier. Fasten any unused seatbelts. You don’t want the buckles flying around. Apply some white shoe polish from the most outward tread block to around the shoulder of your tires. By checking the shoe polish after a run, you can tell if your tires are rolling over onto the sidewall. Most people need to increase the tire pressure from what they normally use on the street. How much will depend on your tires. When you come off the track after a run, use a block of wood to keep our car from rolling. Don’t use the parking brake. That will trap the heat that could cause your rotors to warp. Keep the engine running for a couple of minutes with the hood up. This will allow your engine to cool down & help circulate the hot fluids.

Things to Bring

Here are a few things to bring that will help make your HPDE more enjoyable. The list can be changed to suit your region & climate/season. For the car: glass cleaner, wax, and a quart of oil, rags, white shoe polish (applicator bottle type), a battery operated air compressor, a tire gauge, a tarp to put all the stuff you took out on, and some basic tools. For you: a change of clothes, suntan lotion, drinks, a cooler, folding chairs, a shade canopy, a camera, and friends to enjoy the driving with.

PharmZ

The hardest things for me to find were the long sleeve, 100% cotton shirts that some tracks require. I know these items aren't checked quite as closely as some others for compliance, but I finally had to order some on-line. There were not a lot of options in south Georgia during the summer. Don't wait until the last minute on this, if required. I almost did!

Of course, if you have one of those fancy, $1200 racing suits; never mind!

MungoZ06

There are some tips in the sticky above ... "new to ..."
NCM HPDE site has some guidelines
Best to start your own checklist ... make sure you're all pre-teched and packed the day before you leave ... bring both sets of keys ...
Enjoy!

SouthernSon

All of the above plus: get you a good roadracing book such as 'Going Faster'. Of course, there are many good books on the subject. Learn about what YOU should be doing on the track as opposed to what the CAR should be doing for right now. As you learn the car and improve your track awareness you will feel so much satisfaction at your ability to come up to speed so to speak. Then, after you have gotten a really good feel for your car as is, you can pick up tips from others (with whom you are certain to become fast friends) with similar vehicles as yours and as you add to the vehicle, you will feel the improvements and learn how each modification has helped. This process is most important. One really needs to experience what each mod does in order to appreciate it and tweak it for your improving abilities. I, as you, wanted to have my car all sorted before I got to the track for the first session of my life. Fortunately, I had not the funds to make the vehicle what it is today and was relegated to learning the equipment I had and to experience first hand the few mods added along the way.

varkwso

important tip!

Gray Ghost GS

If you're going to a DE at Pocono - this video may provide some useful insights. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O37IObEyMM