CptMorgan

I’m taking part in a track days with my new-to-me Z51 C6. I’ve done a bit of autocross with the C4, but have no racing experience with a C6 or on a real open track.

I’ll be running new Hankook street tires (please, no comment on the poor-man tires). What should I run for tire pressure? Air temperature will be about 70-90F.

Does any use the “Competitive Driving” setting, or you just turn the whole thing off?

Any other hints other than keeping the shiny side up and don’t hit anything?

Cheers,
-Morgan

yakisoba

Yeah, about a thousand things... But mainly have fun. Try to learn as much as you can, and leave the ego at the track entrance. Stay as relaxed as you can, remember to breathe and drink plenty of water between sessions.

C5inWV

Check out the stickey thread at the top of the AX & RR page "new to Auto-x & RR." Lots of useful info there.
I like my tires @ 40 psi hot. Many people say that is too high, but it is what I generally use.
Leave the traction control and active handling nannies "on" at least for the first few sessions. When you're really smooth they seldom engage. It may be another way to judge your driving, seeing when AH intercedes.

blkz

Street tires are good to learn . Leave everything on . Keep your eyes up , learn the line and don't worry about speed , it will come it takes a lot of seat time .

PeOR

Make sure you have 600 brake fluid. These cars are pretty fast and it is not unusual to get to the point where you boil the brakes. If you have Castrol RF600 fluid or similar you will have a slower process going from brakes to no brakes.

If you have done that already, track pads would be the next thing, cooling ducts after that...

PeO.

bobmoore2

While you're at it, also replace the fluid in your clutch master cylinder. (It's the smaller container beside your brake master cylinder, and it actually uses brake fluid too.) That might prevent another pedal from going all the way to the floor with no result. Do this as soon as possible, to give the new fluid time to mix with the old fluid in the rest of the system.

It is possible that both master cylinders still contain the stuff they filled them with when the car was new, and that cheap old fluid won't last very long on the track.

You won't impress anyone with your lap times on your first day, so don't even try to go maximum speed. Your first track day should be about learning, learning, and more learning. Talk to the veterans and your instructors about the line, how their car reacts through the different corners, and stuff like that. Don't be afraid to just walk up to someone/anyone and ask them something or just start talking. HPDE folks are extremely friendly people.

Have fun.

MungoZ06

What track are you running and who's running the event?
Will you have in-car instructor? class-room sessions?

Find out as much about the track as you can before you get there.
If you don't know flags and protocols, study those before the event.
Know where flag stations are.
The more you are prepared before arrival, the more time you have before you reach information overload and mental fatigue!

Dr.Ron

In addition to the above, watch youtube tons of videos of the circuit & learn them, so when you get there & are running, things will be quite familiar...

Forget speed, let faster cars by, have fun & get ready to LOVE IT!!!!

Ron

Zenak

For a newbie this is the single best on the CF thread on Prepping for an HPDE, concerns, parts, etc and its a sticky in this section:

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...e-learned.html

Glennm27

Good Advice.........

Jason

Get your eyes off the hood. Look ahead.

CptMorgan

Thank you all for your words of wisdom. I feel like I'm going out on my first date. Stay cool, take it slow, don't rush it and have fun.

I'm not a super completive driver. I'll be okay with having my doors blown off by a kid in a Honda. I'm just looking forward to playing with my toy, the way it was design to be used. (It’s an engineering thing?)

There will be minimal instruction; however, I'll be allowed to take an experienced driver as a co-pilot. There will be three heats based on experience, so if I play stupid, I'm hoping to get put with the laid back types.

bobmoore2

Driving on a race track can be overwhelming for a first-timer. YOU NEED INSTRUCTION. There is just too much you don't know, to let you on the track without some supervision for the first session or two. The track-day organizer also needs to protect himself from the occasional person who will present an extreme danger to the other drivers.

Here is what you need to do. When you're at the registration desk first thing in the morning, tell them that it is your first time ever on any track. Those words are what they need to hear to tell them that you need an instructor. Even with minimal instruction, those words will get you an instructor or get you coupled with an experienced driver, at least for the first 2 or 3 sessions.

bearnest

If you do not have a instructor try to ride with one in his car. This will help with the line and finding all the flag stations. Take it nice and slow. Try not to get many bugs in your teeth from that silly grin you will have.

Independent1

^^ X2.

I am a newbie also to doing track days. I just got back from my second one a couple of days ago. You need an instructor. Don't go on the track without one. You need someone to guide you.

Before you ever get to the track get a track map for the course you will be running. Also, try to find videos of cars on you tube or elsewhere that show you the course. I can tell you from first-hand experience how important it is to know the track before you get on it. Many tracks have elevation changes and very challenging turns. You have to be able to anticipate what going to happen next so you have time to respond.

I found it to be an overwhelming experience at first. With time and instruction things got much better and I had a blast. I also got faster and was allowed to go out solo! My track car is a miata, which is a very nice car to learn how to drive fast with.

Try to bring some kind of canopy and chair to sit on and keep yourself and your car out of the blazing sun. It gets very hot in the sun!! Drink lots of fluids.

Also, bring a tire pressure gauge with you to measure air pressure.

Have fun and enjoy.

CptMorgan

What an excellent day. It might be the most fun I’ve ever had legally/ethically/morally in a corvette.

The instructors were excellent.
The other drivers in the novice group were a great group with wildly different cars and experience.

I’ve owned 4 different corvettes for over the last 10 years. I did a bunch of autocross with the first C4. I knew the Z51 C6 would be fun on the track, but I never imaged how great it would drive!

I did 3 x 20 minute sessions in the morning with the traction control on, slowly building up speed around the course. For the fourth session I turned the traction control off and for fifth and six sessions I had the stability off too. I was amazed on how far the stability program would allow you to push the car before it smoothly intervenes when you go crew up.

In all I burnt about ¾ tank in about 1-1/2 hours of track time. (does that sound right?)

Again, I was blow away by what that car would do. The car felt so balanced and responsive. My god it was quick too.