Question for those thave have driven road courses
2/1/10, 01:21 PM
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Question for those thave have driven road courses
I am taking part in the Mustang Roundup in Washington State this summer which includes a track day at Pacific International Speedway (formally SIR). This is a 2.8 mile road course. I have gone on line and found videos of the course from in-car cameras to get an idea of the course. Doesn't look too hard on brakes except for a couple spots and one in particular with a big change in elevation (drop before a corner). Again, only going by the videos.
I have done autocross for years (I think 13 now) but never a road course. Question I have is what should I bring to prepare for this event? I am thinking more in the way of spare pads for the front.
This is what I have now on the car in the way of suspension and brakes:
-Eibach pro springs
-BMR LCAs
-BMR adjustable panhard rod
-Rotorpros drilled and slotted rotors
-Hawk pads
-600 F Dot 3 Brake fluid (Motul 600)
Keep in mind I have to travel from Canada down to this event and take part in the other days of cruising and car shows as well, it is a 4 day event in all. So space for tools is at a bit of a premium and keeping them secure could be a possible issue, I guess there is always the hotel. I don't have the luxury of returning home to maintain, repair, or clean.
Anyone else in the Northwest going to this or been to earlier events? Care to share your experience?
That is all for now.
I have done autocross for years (I think 13 now) but never a road course. Question I have is what should I bring to prepare for this event? I am thinking more in the way of spare pads for the front.
This is what I have now on the car in the way of suspension and brakes:
-Eibach pro springs
-BMR LCAs
-BMR adjustable panhard rod
-Rotorpros drilled and slotted rotors
-Hawk pads
-600 F Dot 3 Brake fluid (Motul 600)
Keep in mind I have to travel from Canada down to this event and take part in the other days of cruising and car shows as well, it is a 4 day event in all. So space for tools is at a bit of a premium and keeping them secure could be a possible issue, I guess there is always the hotel. I don't have the luxury of returning home to maintain, repair, or clean.
Anyone else in the Northwest going to this or been to earlier events? Care to share your experience?
That is all for now.
2/1/10, 06:40 PM
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If you're traveling to the event and racing in it without a tow vehicle at the very least you'll want to bring supplies and tools to completely rebuild your brake system.
Rotors, pads and fluid. Road course racing is HARD on the brake system. Even if it doesn't look too taxing, I can pretty much guarantee that it is. Cracked rotors, melted pads, boiled fluid. It happens! Especially if you've never done this sorta thing before and may be a bit harder on the brakes than you need to be. This of course all gets worse if you're using sticky compound tires.
Assuming that you don't have a cracked rotor and don't melt you pads, you'll want to do a series of brake bleeds. Even with that Motul 600, you'll likely get a little bit of softness in the pedal as your day/s wear on. I bleed my brakes 2-3 times per day during track days. Usually in the afternoon when ambient temps help to keep your brake system super hot.
So bring something to bleed the brakes with. I use a gatorade bottle with a vacuum hose stuck in the cap. That way I can bleed the brakes and not contaminate the ground, or get any fluid on the paint.
You of course want to bring a set of tools with you as well for any repairs you may or may not need to make.
Finally, bring some of every fluid the car takes. You'll want to add some oil to your engine to keep starvation on long sweeping turns at a minimum. The rear axle may also start purging fluid if it gets extremely hot. Then there's the power steering fluid and coolant which can both overflow due to excess heat.
Before heading out you also will need to check your battery tie-downs, suspension clearances and definitely your wheel bearings. You don't want to have an on-track failure of this stuff. AUto-x you're generally not going too quickly, but at certain points on the road course you WILL be over 100mph.
Last but probably most important is to bring water. You need to be consuming enough liquid (no caffeine) that you need to goto the restroom between heats. As the day wears on, if you're not staying hydrated, cool and rested, fatigue sets in and it makes driving that much more difficult. Apex's that before were easy to hit and focus on start coming quick. This is when mistakes happen.
My best advice though is to not out-drive the car. You're not in competition so you don't need that last 10th. Driving at 6/10's is probably where I'd leave it. It saves you, and saves your car!
Have fun!!
Rotors, pads and fluid. Road course racing is HARD on the brake system. Even if it doesn't look too taxing, I can pretty much guarantee that it is. Cracked rotors, melted pads, boiled fluid. It happens! Especially if you've never done this sorta thing before and may be a bit harder on the brakes than you need to be. This of course all gets worse if you're using sticky compound tires.
Assuming that you don't have a cracked rotor and don't melt you pads, you'll want to do a series of brake bleeds. Even with that Motul 600, you'll likely get a little bit of softness in the pedal as your day/s wear on. I bleed my brakes 2-3 times per day during track days. Usually in the afternoon when ambient temps help to keep your brake system super hot.
So bring something to bleed the brakes with. I use a gatorade bottle with a vacuum hose stuck in the cap. That way I can bleed the brakes and not contaminate the ground, or get any fluid on the paint.
You of course want to bring a set of tools with you as well for any repairs you may or may not need to make.
Finally, bring some of every fluid the car takes. You'll want to add some oil to your engine to keep starvation on long sweeping turns at a minimum. The rear axle may also start purging fluid if it gets extremely hot. Then there's the power steering fluid and coolant which can both overflow due to excess heat.
Before heading out you also will need to check your battery tie-downs, suspension clearances and definitely your wheel bearings. You don't want to have an on-track failure of this stuff. AUto-x you're generally not going too quickly, but at certain points on the road course you WILL be over 100mph.
Last but probably most important is to bring water. You need to be consuming enough liquid (no caffeine) that you need to goto the restroom between heats. As the day wears on, if you're not staying hydrated, cool and rested, fatigue sets in and it makes driving that much more difficult. Apex's that before were easy to hit and focus on start coming quick. This is when mistakes happen.
My best advice though is to not out-drive the car. You're not in competition so you don't need that last 10th. Driving at 6/10's is probably where I'd leave it. It saves you, and saves your car!
Have fun!!
2/2/10, 01:51 PM
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Some tracks prohibit the use of antifreeze. Find out whether you will need to drain the cooling system and use straight water or water wetter. (Probably not the case with this event, but better to be safe than sorry.)
I don't see a tuner on your mod list, but if you have one, get a race fuel tune! According to their web site, Sunoco race fuel is available in the paddock.
You could lighten the car some: leave the subs at home, take out the rear seats and spare tire (at least for the track day). If you autocross, though, you probably already thought of this.
I don't see a tuner on your mod list, but if you have one, get a race fuel tune! According to their web site, Sunoco race fuel is available in the paddock.
You could lighten the car some: leave the subs at home, take out the rear seats and spare tire (at least for the track day). If you autocross, though, you probably already thought of this.
2/2/10, 02:51 PM
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I'd pull the drilled rotors off and replace them with stock solid rotors for the track day, people have had drilled rotors crack on road courses. Bring the drilled/slotted rotors along in case you need spares for the drive home, a spare set of pads would be a good idea as well. Bring basic tools along to perform minor maintenance/repair (like changing brake pads and rotors). Flush/bleed your brakes before leaving with fresh fluid.
Since this is your first track day, take it easy. My first track day I boiled my fluid and overheated my rotors, they were a nice purple color with some small micro cracks in them, and I had just put new ones on before the event. This was all on a 2200 lb car on race tires with a full cage.
Since this is your first track day, take it easy. My first track day I boiled my fluid and overheated my rotors, they were a nice purple color with some small micro cracks in them, and I had just put new ones on before the event. This was all on a 2200 lb car on race tires with a full cage.
2/2/10, 07:24 PM
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I'd pull the drilled rotors off and replace them with stock solid rotors for the track day, people have had drilled rotors crack on road courses. Bring the drilled/slotted rotors along in case you need spares for the drive home, a spare set of pads would be a good idea as well. Bring basic tools along to perform minor maintenance/repair (like changing brake pads and rotors). Flush/bleed your brakes before leaving with fresh fluid.
Since this is your first track day, take it easy. My first track day I boiled my fluid and overheated my rotors, they were a nice purple color with some small micro cracks in them, and I had just put new ones on before the event. This was all on a 2200 lb car on race tires with a full cage.
Since this is your first track day, take it easy. My first track day I boiled my fluid and overheated my rotors, they were a nice purple color with some small micro cracks in them, and I had just put new ones on before the event. This was all on a 2200 lb car on race tires with a full cage.
Sounds like my car will be on the heavy side heading south of the boarder!
2/4/10, 01:30 PM
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I've done road courses on and off for the last 8.5 years. I've done a few AXes the last 3 years.
One thing that I will stress in addition to what others have said...Don't forget the MOST important liquid of them all. Water. Bring plenty of it. Drink it through-out the day. If you're not peeing every hour or so, and if your pee isn't coming out clear, you are getting dehydrated, and being dehydrated is your biggest enemy on the track, since instead of concentrating for a few minutes at a time, you're concentrating for 20-25 minutes at a time. And while you may not feel it, you will sweat quite a lot in the car while driving a road course. I've driven Laguna Seca several times in the dead of winter (january) and in the rain. At the end of the day, my tee-shirt that I wear as the base layer is still caked with dried-up sweat despite the near freezing weather and rain.
Not that road course is harder to do...It's the extended time you spend, having to do everything you do well on an auto-cross but do it for a lot longer...That's going to be the taxing part of the whole process.
One thing that I will stress in addition to what others have said...Don't forget the MOST important liquid of them all. Water. Bring plenty of it. Drink it through-out the day. If you're not peeing every hour or so, and if your pee isn't coming out clear, you are getting dehydrated, and being dehydrated is your biggest enemy on the track, since instead of concentrating for a few minutes at a time, you're concentrating for 20-25 minutes at a time. And while you may not feel it, you will sweat quite a lot in the car while driving a road course. I've driven Laguna Seca several times in the dead of winter (january) and in the rain. At the end of the day, my tee-shirt that I wear as the base layer is still caked with dried-up sweat despite the near freezing weather and rain.
Not that road course is harder to do...It's the extended time you spend, having to do everything you do well on an auto-cross but do it for a lot longer...That's going to be the taxing part of the whole process.
2/4/10, 01:34 PM
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http://www.newtakeoff.com/mustang-20.aspx
2/4/10, 08:07 PM
#8
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Some really good advice here.
Yes, you will crack those rotors, mine did! Lesson learned.
What Hawk pads are you running? And are they new?
I went to the event last time, fresh oil change, mobile 1, fresh drain and fill on the radiator, with water wetter added.(had rising temps before on hot days, and still had it a little as it was a real hot day)
Brake fluid flush, brand new front HP pads, 30-40% worn rear HPS pads, brand new rotorpors rotors, brand new tires.
Afterwards, tires were approx 40% worn, lol, especially on the edges of the fronts.
Front pads were 50% worn
front rotorpros cracked
I was exhausted.
Next day after a 35 mile trip home on my way to cruise night I hear a funny noise from the rear.
get to cruise night to find out I had loose lug nuts on the lr wheel! Crazy it took that long before they came loose, but I would advise checking the torque on the lug nuts after each run!
Heres a video, just FF to about 7 min and watch it for a min or so, my favorite part, lol
Make sure you select 480p in youtube just under the video or quality is crap.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyYjOCHtpZk
I have a bunch on youtube if you get bored. Even some rain track days, those are always fun!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjVhq...eature=channel
Oh, and be prepared for some black wheels when done!
Also my center caps were loose, not falling out, but you could spin them on the wheel, must have shrank from the hear or something, lol.
Yes, you will crack those rotors, mine did! Lesson learned.
What Hawk pads are you running? And are they new?
I went to the event last time, fresh oil change, mobile 1, fresh drain and fill on the radiator, with water wetter added.(had rising temps before on hot days, and still had it a little as it was a real hot day)
Brake fluid flush, brand new front HP pads, 30-40% worn rear HPS pads, brand new rotorpors rotors, brand new tires.
Afterwards, tires were approx 40% worn, lol, especially on the edges of the fronts.
Front pads were 50% worn
front rotorpros cracked
I was exhausted.
Next day after a 35 mile trip home on my way to cruise night I hear a funny noise from the rear.
get to cruise night to find out I had loose lug nuts on the lr wheel! Crazy it took that long before they came loose, but I would advise checking the torque on the lug nuts after each run!
Heres a video, just FF to about 7 min and watch it for a min or so, my favorite part, lol
Make sure you select 480p in youtube just under the video or quality is crap.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyYjOCHtpZk
I have a bunch on youtube if you get bored. Even some rain track days, those are always fun!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjVhq...eature=channel
Oh, and be prepared for some black wheels when done!
Also my center caps were loose, not falling out, but you could spin them on the wheel, must have shrank from the hear or something, lol.
Last edited by Stoenr; 2/4/10 at 08:10 PM.
2/6/10, 10:08 PM
#9
You've already got pads & fluid, you'll be fine.
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