Track Days
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2025
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
Track Days
Hello All- Bought a 2024 stingray with Z51 and LT2 package. I did track days at a number of places in the NE 20ish years ago and want to get back into which is why I bought the car. I'm going to Ron Fellows in March and hoping to get full potential of the car from that but had some questions.
Is it really worth getting track alignment if I'm a 50 year old not looking to kill myself or anyone else? I drive aggressively but nothing like a did 20 years ago.
I winged it with 2002 M3 and never got track insurance? Money is less of a concern now so track insurance seems like a smart idea. I looked at Haggerty for about $2k with a bunch of options. Which do most do?
Looking to do Lime Rock and Thompson in CT. Can my local mechanic do tech inspections or do I have to go to dealer or approved places?
Got all crazy reading forums on how to set up car. Just put it in track and go or mess with all the garbage?
Do most use paddles or auto? I've only used manual on the track... if a computer makes me safer and faster I'll use auto and honestly the paddles are still rather cumbersome at 2800 miles on the street
Thanks for any input!
Is it really worth getting track alignment if I'm a 50 year old not looking to kill myself or anyone else? I drive aggressively but nothing like a did 20 years ago.
I winged it with 2002 M3 and never got track insurance? Money is less of a concern now so track insurance seems like a smart idea. I looked at Haggerty for about $2k with a bunch of options. Which do most do?
Looking to do Lime Rock and Thompson in CT. Can my local mechanic do tech inspections or do I have to go to dealer or approved places?
Got all crazy reading forums on how to set up car. Just put it in track and go or mess with all the garbage?
Do most use paddles or auto? I've only used manual on the track... if a computer makes me safer and faster I'll use auto and honestly the paddles are still rather cumbersome at 2800 miles on the street
Thanks for any input!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 1,122
From: Western Mass
Hello and welcome. I run Thompson, Lime Rock and Palmer. I have a 23 Z51. I highly recommend you put in high temp brake fluid (I use Castrol SRF), get a track alignment (I did what GM recommends other than I have my toe set to 0 degrees front and back. All other specs per GM). You'll need to install the rear brake cooling ducts as well (they should be in a bag in the car). I drive my car in Z mode set to track with PTM set to Sport. I keep the car in auto when tracking. I don't get track insurance. Expensive in my opinion. I drive "aggressively" but not stupidly.... You don't need a tech inspection if attending a MassTuning or SCCA HPDE events. A helmet to the latest specs of course. And some tow hooks....
Welcome aboard.
Welcome aboard.
Last edited by Vetteman Jack; Feb 11, 2025 at 11:48 PM.
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2025
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
Thanks!! I have the bag stuffed in a garage cabinet as I had no idea what it was for. Stupid question but I need to go to GM for track alignment and you change it every time you leave track if you use it maybe 1K miles in between?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2022
Posts: 1,062
Likes: 1,122
From: Western Mass
My alignment guy did mine. Any competent shop should be able to do it. There are things that need to be removed (closeout panels) and moved (washers under the control arms) in order to get to the specs; although some are able to get to the specs without moving the washers. I keep my alignment and haven't noticed any abnormal wear. 8000 miles and 8 track days.
Thread Starter
3rd Gear
Joined: Feb 2025
Posts: 3
Likes: 1
I'll get the dealer to do it. My guy isn't your guy. I started doing track days in 2000 when I got the Honda S2000 when it first came out which was an awesome track car and better than the M3 which cost almost twice as much... Looked a Porsches and wasn't falling into the same trap. I've had more fun with this car in 2800 miles with no track days than I ever figured!
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,741
Likes: 5,605
From: AZ
Not your dealer, but my dealer refused to do either the GM recommended track alignment or the track brake fluid install (C8Z). A friend with the alignment gear did that and I did the SRF fluid install (disconnect the battery before any brake work). I do not realign street/trax/street nd that will generate more tire wear but my PS4S are at 8K miles much of it with track alignment and are about 1/2 worn.
Instructor
Joined: Nov 2023
Posts: 209
Likes: 150
The track alignment on the prep sheet GM provides is a baseline alignment. What the final alignment will be depends on where you are running. As an example a track like cota likes lots of camber. A track like Sebring doesn't need as much camber. However you can say objectively the track alignment will provide better feel vs a street alignment.
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Hope you have a great time at the track.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2006
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From: Oregon
The track alignment on the prep sheet GM provides is a baseline alignment. What the final alignment will be depends on where you are running. As an example a track like cota likes lots of camber. A track like Sebring doesn't need as much camber. However you can say objectively the track alignment will provide better feel vs a street alignment.
The GM recommended align has a lot of negative camber, on some tracks or street, it could wear out the inside of the tires before the outside.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 14,741
Likes: 5,605
From: AZ
The -2.0 camber recommendation is for casual up to intermediate drivers. More experienced drivers need more At -3.0 all round in a non-Z07 my track tire wear is just about even. They will wear out on the inside first due to ~2K street miles on my car. I have 2 track days on the Cup2Rs and may get through a 3rd track day.
I agree that different tracks are optimized with different cambers. At Lime Rock with only one left hand turn you want negative camber on the left side and 0* or positive camber on the right side. I doubt anyone day tracking a street car would do that kind of alignment. My NASCAR Taurus road race car had the solid rear axle set for -1.0* camber left and right.
I agree that different tracks are optimized with different cambers. At Lime Rock with only one left hand turn you want negative camber on the left side and 0* or positive camber on the right side. I doubt anyone day tracking a street car would do that kind of alignment. My NASCAR Taurus road race car had the solid rear axle set for -1.0* camber left and right.