CDN_Wolf_eh

I thought I would start this thread to compliment Steve's (GETTREAL) thread about the April 29th Apex Day.

Now, you may be thinking to yourself, hmmm ... I would really like to see what these track days are all about ... but I'm a bit nervous / scared about jumping in with both feet.

So this thread is for you!

It will help you determin what you should do prior to the track day, on track day, during track day, and the days after.

Now I only have a few track days under my belt, so I will defer to the more experienced track rats out there, but I think even the novice and intermediate guys and gals can add some valuable experience to the discussion.

CDN_Wolf_eh

1st Track Day ... My first track day ... I went up in my daily driver, and hauled up some tires for Steve.

I attended the first Drivers meeting, where the chief instructor lays down the law about passing zones, safe driving, flags, pit exit and entry, etc.

They then divide everyone into their groups, The most experienced group heads out first, and the second group move their cars into the pit lane area, preparing to stage.

I went through the White Group (Novice) in classroom session, where they teach you the basics of the track, and the most efficient line through the corners.

I then hung out along the pit lane wall and observed cars exiting the last turn onto the front straight, and down to the first turn at the end of the straight ... you can observe passing in this area, which can be fun to watch!

Later on I got to ride with Eshel in his Porsche Turbo, and then with Larry in his Z06 ... both cars have very similar performance numbers, but the handling, and what is translated through to the driver and passenger, are very different experiences! Lots of fun!


Important Note: If you are invited for a ride in a car, make sure you let the driver stay focused, so only talk if the driver is talking with you, and if they say "Shut Up Mark, I need to Focus!" Don't take it personally ... at least I tried not too!



Next: Stay on your side of the car! Brace yourself with your legs, and if you need to hang on to the door handle, do so.



Car Sickness: If you feel like you are getting car sick, let the driver know, rather than just surprising them by blowing chunks all over their dash.
If you are not sure if you will be getting car sick before the event ... minimize the amount of food you consume the night before, or for breakfast.

CDN_Wolf_eh

So you've been to the track, and had a few rides around the track, you enjoyed yourself, now you have enough confidence to get out there on the track yourself the next track day ... what do you do?

I made sure to take my car to my mechanic to have it checked over carefully ... I did not want my day ruined by bad brakes or rotars ... check for any little leaks in the transmission areas ... change the clutch and differential fluid ... change the brake fluids, and have them bleed.

Change the oil, and get a fresh filter in there ... buy a couple extra litres of oil ... one to be added at the begining of your track sessions, and the other for the ride home, just incase you need it!

While at the mechanics ... check steering and roll bars, be on the look out for any loose body work, air dams, etc.

Give the car a nice cleaning ... this is not for a show and shine, but to make sure that all of your windows are free of any grim ... and all duct work is free and clear so the car can breath, and cool properly.

This is also a good time to examine and clean your air intake filter.

Tires - check wear and tear on your tires ... torque your lug nuts to spec. (100 lbs.) ... and check tire pressure.

Junk in the trunk ... Take everything out of your car that you will not need while at the track, and for everything else that you feel you might need ... bring a plastic tote, or a duffle bag ... and once you get to the track, put everything into it, and place in pit lane by the wall. You do not want anything rolling around on the floor, it could become lodged under one of your peddels, or it might just serve as a distraction if you hear something thumping around in your trunk / glove box / centre consel / door storage areas ... and be sure to do a full check under your seats for any items that should not be there.

CDN_Wolf_eh

Tire Pressures ...

What should they be set to?

When should you measure your tire pressure?

When should you adjust the pressure?

Are all tire pressure gages created equal?

terry621

well done Mark

from memory remove all items you dont need from the car the night before and next morning at the track remove everything that is loose from the rear cargo area and back seat

after first series of laps park car and raise hood to let air circulate

DO NOT APPLY Parking brake (don't ask how I know that Thanks STEVE)

thats all I Got NEXT

CDN_Wolf_eh

What Items / tools / food & beverages ... should I bring with me too the track?



* One important item I have learned to bring is under the "beverages" section ... after driving all day long ... you will be happy, yet exhausted at the end ... an energy drink is a must, to make sure you can drive home safely after your track day!

You will be surprised how tired you are after each of the 20 - 25 minute sessions ... driving hard is a physical and mental work out ... drink lots of fluids during the day ... bring a cooler full of water and gatorade ... Apex is great at supplying bottled water, and cans of pop, and cups of coffee ... I find that during the day, you will visit the washroom a lot, and the cooler to replenish your liquids.

MotorHead

I'm going to come in DD to watch

OBSESHON Mark

Great Info Mark. I went last fall and rode along with GETTREAL Steve and Eshel. What a thrill.
At that event I had only owned my C5 for for a couple of days and did not have the Kahonaas to take it on the track. These Track Days are defiantly something I have on list to do this this year.
Unfortunately I will not be able to attend the April 29 session but will be at future events.
Have Fun .

1BDRSK

Good info Mark.
Also add that your lug nuts should be checked before going out, regardless of the last time they were checked. Lose the ceramic brake pads, they won't be much good after turn 3. Stock pads are more than adequate for the job when you're just starting out.
As for tire pressure, it will vary with the type and make of tires. But invest in a good gauge. Check the readings before going out and right after you come in.

Most important...and they'll stress this at the track. The last session of the day is usually when mistakes happen. You'll be tired so don't push it! No one's going to call you a wimp for coming off early or not taking that last session.

Snobike Mike

This is definately a key point. It's amazing how many guys we have crash at our bike days in the last session. Same goes for cars I'm sure.

As Mark noted earlier, track days are very tiring.

RAGGDOLL

Great info Mark, as you know, I came out last Oct with the intent to watch only and ended up on the track.

It was great, especially getting out there first with you and Mosport1, guys I know and trust, that gave me the extra incentive to get out there myself.

Once you get past the fear of being on a track, you become so focused on driving that you never worry about anything else.

I hope to get out soon, but can't commit, I spent soooo much money off season on sleds, plus looking at another property so expendable cash is tight right now. If things do work out though, I could be living 20 min away from Mosport

SilverSurferC6

Grat write up Mark.

CDN_Wolf_eh

Thanks for the comments so far guys! Very good info. starting to accumulate on here!

Greg raises a great point, check your bolts the day of the event, before you start out ... I have to pick up a proper torque wrench ... any recommendations?

CDN_Wolf_eh

As noted in Steve's original thread ... your first session(s) will be with an instructor ... I had four different instructors over the course of the day, and each one shared different information with me ... hopefully you will have a similar experience, and you will find very useful ... they also shared slightly different lines around the track ... one might be looking for maintaining the maximum amount of speed through the corner, another might be ensuring that you exit the corner with the best position for the next corner ... so keep your ears open, and drink up as much information as possible.

I remember Steve (MOSPORT1) and I listening to Stu (Porsche / NSX) guy go on and on about various lines, braking zones, shifting points, weight transfer and such ... Steve thought that I was being overwhelmed with information (since it was my first day) ... but I found that I was able to use a lot of that information in later sessions ... it's kinda like hearing a joke, not quite getting it at the time, and then all of a sudden it makes sense!

Steve has a lot of experience Karting ... so the jargon was familiar to him, and now has become familiar to me as well.

C52002

Okay I am going to be the person that ask the stupid question, I assume this is Mosport, and can u come out to just watch, not sure if am ready to run the track.
Also if I do want to sign up how much $$$??

CDN_Wolf_eh

Remember: Our Corvettes (C4's, C5's and C6's) are very potent track cars right out of the box ... so don't feel the need to go out and spend a ton of money on upgrades until you know that this is a hobby you want to invest a lot in.

You can have a great season on OEM parts, learning the line, and becoming a smooth driver ... I received a lot of comments from the guys at the end of the year about how much faster I had gotten over the sessions I attended ... I chalk it up to becoming smoother ... I didn't add any performance upgrades to my car, I added them to my driving!

Note: I don't mean to exclude the C1, C2 and C3 guys, but I have not seen any of those generation cars out at our track days ... so I can't speak from experience.

sami85L98

Nice write up, seems like i need to taste this track thingy as i never did, so who i can drive shotgun ?, i sure will try this atleast a couple times this year.

C6SUMMER

Great write-up Mark! I'm going to see if I can take the day of on the 29th.

What time does do you head out.

1BDRSK

Yes it's Mosport, the Grand Prix track. Cost is $399. Last year if you showed up the day of an event and paid cash it was a little cheaper. But then you run the risk that the event is full and there's no room.

Since you need to be at the track for 8am...it's usually around 6am to 6:30am we meet up around the 401/407. You have to come out Mr DSOM!

WYCKD 1

Haven't seen a word on helmets so here it goes....

Even though helmets are not mandatory at Apex days, most of us regular trackies (hehe), wear helmets and the rules are that if the driver is wearing a helmet, the passenger must also.

Not sure if you want to invest at this time just to ride shotgun as a properly rated helmet starts around 399USD, and should have a Snell SA-2005 rating.

I know personally, I will not run without one, but then again, y'all don't want to run with me..hehe, you want the big boys and can't speak for them.

Also, a word on street tires. When you first start learning to drive on the track, they are actually a good thing. Track tires can somewhat compensate for minor driver errors because of their stickiness. Street tires have very little forgiveness and that makes you learn the line as you need to.

I've run a season on my street tires and although come off the track shredded, I've learned (and still learning) what I needed to in terms of proper lines, braking and acceleration to keep my car balanced. I am graduating to track tires this year.

On the note about tiredness. You won't believe how draining it is. At WGI last year I only ran 3 laps of my last session because I was wiped. Got a wake-up call when the right side of my car decided it wanted to travel on the grass coming out of a turn and I decided I had have enough...I knew I would be back for another day, both me and my car intact.

Lots of fluid, and snacks are a good thing. All you have to remember is get rid of those fluid before your 20 minute session..cause when ya gotta pee, those 20 minutes are a lifetime...



lauri