Base C8 on the Track
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 295
Likes: 151
From: Aliso Viejo CA
Base C8 on the Track
When I bought my C8 I never planned on taking it on the track like all my other Corvettes. I won a Vara Race University package in a charity auction which is a track driving school where you use your own car. The event is coming up this weekend so I don't have a lot of time to prepare.
Any concerns I should have using my base C8 for the track?
I heard some saying you need to add two extra quarts to the transmission for track use. Will that be needed for something like what I am doing? If so, should I just change my transmission oil at the same time and have them add 2 quarts (I am over half-way in oil life right now.
Any concerns I should have using my base C8 for the track?
I heard some saying you need to add two extra quarts to the transmission for track use. Will that be needed for something like what I am doing? If so, should I just change my transmission oil at the same time and have them add 2 quarts (I am over half-way in oil life right now.
Popular Reply
Jan 14, 2025, 07:32 PM
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 161
Likes: 14
From: Rockwall Texas
That’s a great question and those are silly responses. You need absolutely zero track prep for your first 10+ hpde track days. Your car is designed and built to be there. Go have a blast and if you get hooked you’ll have plenty of cool new ways to go spend money with track prep stuff. If you don’t you will still be a whole new level of driver. Get your car tech inspected at any performance shop (most do it free) and probably change the oil when you’re done.
Pro
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 739
Likes: 67
From: Wichita Kansas
FedEx Bowl 4 St. Jude '09
St. Jude Donor '09-'10-'11-'12-'13-'14
If it doesn't have Z51, then I believe your warranty would not be enforced should something happen, Can you do it? sure you can do whatever, I would not without prepping the car. Brakes, Brake fluid, trains fluid etc.
Have you considered renting a Miata for the school? If you are there to learn then all things will apply.
Have you considered renting a Miata for the school? If you are there to learn then all things will apply.
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 1,905
Likes: 791
From: Stamford, CT
I believe non-z51 means no competitive driving is recommended
If it doesn't have Z51, then I believe your warranty would not be enforced should something happen, Can you do it? sure you can do whatever, I would not without prepping the car. Brakes, Brake fluid, trains fluid etc.
Have you considered renting a Miata for the school? If you are there to learn then all things will apply.
Have you considered renting a Miata for the school? If you are there to learn then all things will apply.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,339
Likes: 2,613
From: Covington LA
If it's on any kind of track, the warranty will be no good if something happens. Will it survive a mild track day with a novice driver, probably but the brakes and cooling system aren't designed for it.
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 161
Likes: 14
From: Rockwall Texas
That’s a great question and those are silly responses. You need absolutely zero track prep for your first 10+ hpde track days. Your car is designed and built to be there. Go have a blast and if you get hooked you’ll have plenty of cool new ways to go spend money with track prep stuff. If you don’t you will still be a whole new level of driver. Get your car tech inspected at any performance shop (most do it free) and probably change the oil when you’re done.
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 178
Likes: 96
That’s a great question and those are silly responses. You need absolutely zero track prep for your first 10+ hpde track days. Your car is designed and built to be there. Go have a blast and if you get hooked you’ll have plenty of cool new ways to go spend money with track prep stuff. If you don’t you will still be a whole new level of driver. Get your car tech inspected at any performance shop (most do it free) and probably change the oil when you’re done.
Racer
Joined: Sep 2024
Posts: 287
Likes: 167
That’s a great question and those are silly responses. You need absolutely zero track prep for your first 10+ hpde track days. Your car is designed and built to be there. Go have a blast and if you get hooked you’ll have plenty of cool new ways to go spend money with track prep stuff. If you don’t you will still be a whole new level of driver. Get your car tech inspected at any performance shop (most do it free) and probably change the oil when you’re done.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Every 2027 Corvette Engine Explained
Joe Kucinski
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Verdad Gallardo
10 Ugly Corvettes That We Still Kinda Love
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Instructor
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 161
Likes: 14
From: Rockwall Texas
If he’s never been in a track his tires will last 5 full weekends and his brakes will not even notice that he went. Like I said no prep at all necessary for at least his first 10 trips. Probably none necessary till yellow / advanced intermediate/ level 3 or whatever his run group calls it.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2019
Posts: 51
Likes: 12
If he’s never been in a track his tires will last 5 full weekends and his brakes will not even notice that he went. Like I said no prep at all necessary for at least his first 10 trips. Probably none necessary till yellow / advanced intermediate/ level 3 or whatever his run group calls it.
High temp brake fluid is strongly recommended... at best your 200 (70 for SRF/Motul 600/660 and 130 for labor) out the door but that's one thing you don't have to worry about!
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2022
Posts: 1,905
Likes: 791
From: Stamford, CT
Because almost all cars can do it
And a base C8 is still better than most cars. Even a lowly corolla can do driving school.
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2016
Posts: 183
Likes: 29
Quit talking out of your ***. What you just said is a complete lie, ask me how I know.
CF Community Team
Joined: Apr 2016
Posts: 14,181
Likes: 7,456
From: Pittsburgh
2025 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2022 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
It would depend on what the driving school has you do with your car...your base brakes/brake fluid would be the weakest link
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 178
Likes: 96
It's not a pissing match. Let the OP get back with us. If he has ANY pace he will destroy his front tires and cook his brakes in 1 day. You simply don't know what you are talking about. And if he is on the all seasons maybe 1/2 day max on the fronts. There simply isn't enough camber for the tires to survive even a moderate session. DCT may survive but it's a huge risk. And if it's a warm day it will be worse. Why don't you tell us your base C8 track day results on stock setup?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 4,408
Likes: 3,485
From: Granada Hills CA
It's not a pissing match. Let the OP get back with us. If he has ANY pace he will destroy his front tires and cook his brakes in 1 day. You simply don't know what you are talking about. And if he is on the all seasons maybe 1/2 day max on the fronts. There simply isn't enough camber for the tires to survive even a moderate session. DCT may survive but it's a huge risk. And if it's a warm day it will be worse. Why don't you tell us your base C8 track day results on stock setup?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 961
Likes: 703
This is a very very bad answer to the op's question. Yes of course there is prep required for a C8 Stingray Z51 or a C8 Z06 (caution that a non-z51 is not designed for hard track work).
I track atleast 40 days in HPDE events a year and race an open cockpit race car in the SCCA. I put 13000 track miles on a 2021 C8 Stingray and I own three C8 Z06s that are exclusively for the track.
Attached see GM's track prep guides. I believe in the 24 Z51 one no longer needs to add the 2 qtrs to the tranny.
I track atleast 40 days in HPDE events a year and race an open cockpit race car in the SCCA. I put 13000 track miles on a 2021 C8 Stingray and I own three C8 Z06s that are exclusively for the track.
Attached see GM's track prep guides. I believe in the 24 Z51 one no longer needs to add the 2 qtrs to the tranny.
That’s a great question and those are silly responses. You need absolutely zero track prep for your first 10+ hpde track days. Your car is designed and built to be there. Go have a blast and if you get hooked you’ll have plenty of cool new ways to go spend money with track prep stuff. If you don’t you will still be a whole new level of driver. Get your car tech inspected at any performance shop (most do it free) and probably change the oil when you’re done.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,339
Likes: 2,613
From: Covington LA
I made one high speed panic stop with my non Z51 and it wasn't happy. I could tell that repeated stops like that were out of the question. The size of the brakes and pad material are just not up to the task of doing this over and over with a heavy car like this.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 961
Likes: 703
Wrong!
If he’s never been in a track his tires will last 5 full weekends and his brakes will not even notice that he went. Like I said no prep at all necessary for at least his first 10 trips. Probably none necessary till yellow / advanced intermediate/ level 3 or whatever his run group calls it.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2020
Posts: 961
Likes: 703
Correct! Even with Z51 pads I ate virtually all pad material in 2 HPDE days. In 13000 track miles on a Z51 I should have bought stock in Brembo for the amount of pads and rotors I went through. Also spent $35000 a year in tires.