Going to track for first time.....
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 754
Likes: 79
From: Jacobstown, New Jersey
Going to track for first time.....
I have a 2013 GS, can anyone give me any tips for a 1st timer. Going to NJ Motorsport Park next week and would appreciate any help I can get on what (if any) I should do to the car before hand. I've changed the oil and I change the clutch fluid regularly. I keep the tires (GY) at 30 lbs, but don't know if I should put more in or less for this. Thanks in advance !!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 2,299
Likes: 387
From: Fort Worth TX
St. Jude Donor '14-'15
Fresh brake fluid is a must and make sure you have 50% brake lining (.200+) before hitting the track. Hopefully you will have an instructor in the right seat to get ya started.
Don't lock your eyes on the cones (apex and turn in and out). Look through the corners, eyes high.
Smoothness and accuracy through the corners before speed.....
Drink lots of water and have fun
Don't lock your eyes on the cones (apex and turn in and out). Look through the corners, eyes high.
Smoothness and accuracy through the corners before speed.....
Drink lots of water and have fun
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 754
Likes: 79
From: Jacobstown, New Jersey
Fresh brake fluid is a must and make sure you have 50% brake lining (.200+) before hitting the track. Hopefully you will have an instructor in the right seat to get ya started.
Don't lock your eyes on the cones (apex and turn in and out). Look through the corners, eyes high.
Smoothness and accuracy through the corners before speed.....
Drink lots of water and have fun
Don't lock your eyes on the cones (apex and turn in and out). Look through the corners, eyes high.
Smoothness and accuracy through the corners before speed.....
Drink lots of water and have fun
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,308
Likes: 123
From: Raleigh North Carolina
I have a 2013 GS, can anyone give me any tips for a 1st timer. Going to NJ Motorsport Park next week and would appreciate any help I can get on what (if any) I should do to the car before hand. I've changed the oil and I change the clutch fluid regularly. I keep the tires (GY) at 30 lbs, but don't know if I should put more in or less for this. Thanks in advance !!
If you have the space and time, I would recommend checking your brake paddlet thickness to make sure they are at least 5mm.
Locking your seatbelt at the beginning of a session helps with what I call "sore knee syndrome." I daily drive my GS so I use a product call Angel Wings instead of dedicated seats & harnesses.
Most of all start drinking PLENTY of water the day before and have fun.
I've also been running DOT 4 in my clutch fluid reservoir, for about a year and a half now without issues.
Racer
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 257
Likes: 1
From: Crownsville Maryland
I have a 2013 GS, can anyone give me any tips for a 1st timer. Going to NJ Motorsport Park next week and would appreciate any help I can get on what (if any) I should do to the car before hand. I've changed the oil and I change the clutch fluid regularly. I keep the tires (GY) at 30 lbs, but don't know if I should put more in or less for this. Thanks in advance !!
You'll have an instructor with you to help you learn about running on the track in a safe manner. Leave the nannies on. If you get to run at a high rate of speed for a long time you may get information overload.
After you get the HPDE bug. You'll want to start reading/searching the threads in the GENERAL: Autocross/road racing section. A most read sticky thread by Zenak is a very helpful.
A must is to try and get a ride along in one of the fast groups. You'll be surprised at what they can do with a car at speed.
Most of all have fun and be safe. It's a blast.
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Track Junky
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,074
Likes: 36
From: Orlando Area
Tech Contributor
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...e-learned.html
This thread is a literal gold mine for information. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, so just review the parts you want to know at that time when you are researching.
I would say that the most important thing to do is check your ego at the door - too many times a new guy drives into the pits thinking his abilities are much higher than real life. If you humble yourself and go there with the true intent to be a student of the sport, things will go much smoother and you will go home safe and sound.
Bleeding the brakes is also a must, but that's about all you need to worry about on the first day. Pay close attention to the track line and not so much attention about "how fast you can go"...
Things will be coming at you a million miles an hour on your first day, so try to focus on a couple things at a time. When you are comfortable with those things, then focus on one or two others. I would recommend braking point, turn-in point and track out to start. It may help to run the entre course in 4th gear until the line feels easy so you don't have to think about too many things at once.
Above all, have fun... Don't get frustrated if you're not an expert by the end of the day. Relax and give it time - things will fall into place with enough seat time.
Sean
This thread is a literal gold mine for information. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, so just review the parts you want to know at that time when you are researching.
I would say that the most important thing to do is check your ego at the door - too many times a new guy drives into the pits thinking his abilities are much higher than real life. If you humble yourself and go there with the true intent to be a student of the sport, things will go much smoother and you will go home safe and sound.
Bleeding the brakes is also a must, but that's about all you need to worry about on the first day. Pay close attention to the track line and not so much attention about "how fast you can go"...
Things will be coming at you a million miles an hour on your first day, so try to focus on a couple things at a time. When you are comfortable with those things, then focus on one or two others. I would recommend braking point, turn-in point and track out to start. It may help to run the entre course in 4th gear until the line feels easy so you don't have to think about too many things at once.
Above all, have fun... Don't get frustrated if you're not an expert by the end of the day. Relax and give it time - things will fall into place with enough seat time.
Sean
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 754
Likes: 79
From: Jacobstown, New Jersey
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...e-learned.html
This thread is a literal gold mine for information. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, so just review the parts you want to know at that time when you are researching.
I would say that the most important thing to do is check your ego at the door - too many times a new guy drives into the pits thinking his abilities are much higher than real life. If you humble yourself and go there with the true intent to be a student of the sport, things will go much smoother and you will go home safe and sound.
Bleeding the brakes is also a must, but that's about all you need to worry about on the first day. Pay close attention to the track line and not so much attention about "how fast you can go"...
Things will be coming at you a million miles an hour on your first day, so try to focus on a couple things at a time. When you are comfortable with those things, then focus on one or two others. I would recommend braking point, turn-in point and track out to start. It may help to run the entre course in 4th gear until the line feels easy so you don't have to think about too many things at once.
Above all, have fun... Don't get frustrated if you're not an expert by the end of the day. Relax and give it time - things will fall into place with enough seat time.
Sean
This thread is a literal gold mine for information. It can be a bit overwhelming at first, so just review the parts you want to know at that time when you are researching.
I would say that the most important thing to do is check your ego at the door - too many times a new guy drives into the pits thinking his abilities are much higher than real life. If you humble yourself and go there with the true intent to be a student of the sport, things will go much smoother and you will go home safe and sound.
Bleeding the brakes is also a must, but that's about all you need to worry about on the first day. Pay close attention to the track line and not so much attention about "how fast you can go"...
Things will be coming at you a million miles an hour on your first day, so try to focus on a couple things at a time. When you are comfortable with those things, then focus on one or two others. I would recommend braking point, turn-in point and track out to start. It may help to run the entre course in 4th gear until the line feels easy so you don't have to think about too many things at once.
Above all, have fun... Don't get frustrated if you're not an expert by the end of the day. Relax and give it time - things will fall into place with enough seat time.
Sean
. 
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 3,163
Likes: 686
From: SUFFIELD CONNECTICUT
I drive to the track so I try to start my day around ~32PSI which for me is usually ~29PSI cold; and during a 30min session on VIR's full course I try to keep my hot range around 34-36 PSI. Any thing over 36 my car gets really squirrelly and the back end feels greasy going through corners. I run Bridgestone Potenza RE050A, stock sizes.
If you have the space and time, I would recommend checking your brake paddlet thickness to make sure they are at least 5mm.
Locking your seatbelt at the beginning of a session helps with what I call "sore knee syndrome." I daily drive my GS so I use a product call Angel Wings instead of dedicated seats & harnesses.
Most of all start drinking PLENTY of water the day before and have fun.
I've also been running DOT 4 in my clutch fluid reservoir, for about a year and a half now without issues.
If you have the space and time, I would recommend checking your brake paddlet thickness to make sure they are at least 5mm.
Locking your seatbelt at the beginning of a session helps with what I call "sore knee syndrome." I daily drive my GS so I use a product call Angel Wings instead of dedicated seats & harnesses.
Most of all start drinking PLENTY of water the day before and have fun.
I've also been running DOT 4 in my clutch fluid reservoir, for about a year and a half now without issues.
Last edited by BJ67; Jul 30, 2014 at 09:18 PM. Reason: spelling error
Track Junky
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 4,074
Likes: 36
From: Orlando Area
Tech Contributor
I try to drink at least one water bottle between every session in S. Florida and still lose a few pounds of water weight over the day.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 1,308
Likes: 123
From: Raleigh North Carolina
I believe in starting the hydration process the day before because in high school I played football and we all would start drinking fluids the day before the game to flush out our systems. Every game I did this I noticed my stamina wouldn't begin to leave until late in the 4th quarter. I grew in Southern Mississippi on the Coast and played during some of the most humid months of the year. Now I'm in NC and my home track is Virginia International Raceway (VIR) so I apply the same logic because it has worked during the hot & humid summer months as well.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 754
Likes: 79
From: Jacobstown, New Jersey
One more question, if I only change the brake fluid in the master cylinder (not going to bleed the brake lines) can I use Dot 4 if the original fluid used is Dot 3. Only have 7000 miles on the car (2013).
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 3,726
Likes: 368
From: Montoursville Pa
it isn't a good feeling when your pedal goes to the floor aproching a curve at 100mph
please do the whole thing. if you can't then take two bottles of fluid along and ask for help at Tech. some one will show you how!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 754
Likes: 79
From: Jacobstown, New Jersey
Had a great day !!!!!!! The most fun you can have with your pants on !!!!!! Everyone at the track was great, the instructors were very good, explaining everything in class and showing us on the track. Thanks Pete, sorry that you only drive a Porsche though !!