Alez
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| posted on 17/6/05 at 09:47 AM |
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First track day
Hi!
I have just paid the inscription for participating in my first track day on the 3rd of July. In order to minimize the number of dumb things I'll
be doing due to inexperience, I would very much appreciate advice of any kind, from "bring oil" to "adjust camber". My car is
a standard Locost Fireblade and my aim is to make a start and gradually learn what my car is and how to drive it on the track.
Cheers,
Alex
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shortie
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| posted on 17/6/05 at 10:48 AM |
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Mostly obvious things like check all fluid levels, check brake pads and tyres before and after (for the drive home!). Allow the car time to cool
between sessions and after a session on track try to allow the brakes time to cool before applying the handbrake.
If possible get some tuition (usually offered throughout the day).
Drive sensibly and courteously allowing faster cars to overtake where neccessary and use your mirrors alot.
Most of all enjoy yourself, it's great fun and addictive!!
Good luck, I'm sure you will be fine.
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ned
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| posted on 17/6/05 at 11:26 AM |
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Alex,
Is it worth checking about noise regs etc for the trackday? Would be a terrible shame to get there and not be allowed out for being too noisy!
remember to get some piccies and video if you can 
I've done one trackday (in a racecar) it was quite scary/nerving (especially as it wasn't my car) I took the first few laps/session very
slowly, keeping right out of everyone's way, just learning where the track goes, then gradually later in the day I picked up confidence and with
it a bit more speed til I was lapping quite a few cars near the end of the day (car was much quicker than other stuff there - not me!)
Ned.
beware, I've got yellow skin
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mangogrooveworkshop
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| posted on 17/6/05 at 12:04 PM |
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Have plenty fuel as you use more than you think...........spare gerry can is a must.
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OX
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| posted on 17/6/05 at 12:10 PM |
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i blued both front and rear discs on my last track day so do a cooling down lap for the brakes,other wise you could warp your discs and boil your
brake fluid,use your mirrors all the time ,there are some very quick people out there and even tho its not a race people hate being held back ,,only
over take on the left and wait for the car your going to over take to indicate so show you that he knows your there(this all depends on the people who
are running it and the track rules)
on every track day iv been on there has been 15 mins at the start of the day to familiarise your self with the track and a max speed of 50mph.
before you start messing with your camber and stuff you have to make sure its not driver error causing the problems.as shortie say ,if its available
get some tuition,you could spend all day learning the lines of the track and setting up your car only to find that your lines are way off and your car
now handles like a pig..find out your cars capabilities and your own and then,if you have to,start adjusting things one at a time and a little at a
time but if you dont know what your doing its very easy to mess things up.
have fun take care and let us know how you get on
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Alez
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| posted on 17/6/05 at 01:18 PM |
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Thank you very much for the advice and encouragement! I'm quite scared but I want to learn, so there I go 
> do a cooling down lap for the brakes
Is that driving for a while without using the brakes so they cool down? I didn't know that would help cooling (compared to just letting the car
rest), I mean they don't get much air inside the wheels do they? How does that lap help?
> only over take on the left
So can I assume that, during straights, the cars not overtaking will be using their right to allow for others to overtake? So if I was to overtake, I
would use the left, then move to the right just like in normal roads here? How about bends? Is it fine to overtake on the outside (left or right) or
you are never supposed to do this? I once was told that outside was the way to do it because normally, if the car being overtaken losed control it
would oversteer much more likely that understeer. (This is to know better the way I'll be overtaken!! lol)
The event is taking place on July the 3rd, I will be using this same thread to comment my experience and post pics Thanks a lot!
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OX
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| posted on 17/6/05 at 02:01 PM |
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sorry ,you can drive anywhere on the track i ment if a car has caught you up just pull over to the right (but only when you are ready and is safe to
do so)and indicate,once the car has passed go back to how you were,,,if youv set your self up for the corner no one expects you to dive out the
way.
theres no overtaking on the bends.
i think iv made it sound worse than it is,im sure everything will be explained on the day,there is nothing to worry about  .
the cooling down lap
on the cooling down lap you can still use the brakes but very gently ,hugg the right hand side of the track and go round and at a steady pace and
put the indicator on when you see some one coming up behind .the discs are still hot but not as hot as they would of been if youd just done 20 laps
full thrash and then parked up,,if you do this all the heat from the discs goes straight into the calipers and boils the fluid in them so the next
time you go out you could find your brakes very spongy
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Alez
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| posted on 17/6/05 at 02:26 PM |
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Fantastic explanation, clear in every aspect, thanks a lot!
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Alez
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| posted on 4/7/05 at 09:25 AM |
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Track day yesterday
Fantastic in every aspect and no surprises (driving or mechanical) at all.
The car reaches 110 mph nicely at 11000 rpm ('97 Fireblade engine).
I checked fluid levels a couple of times, had to add nothing. Then I traveled back home 210 miles away at steady 8000 rpm, 78 mph. Still no oil
needed.
This is the first time I upshift as high as 11000-11500 rpm and the engine has gone as smooth as one can ask for.
Slicks are fantastic, I took it easy during the whole day because I'd like to take my time to learn, but I found the tyres and car very
predictable and nice. Nothing to do with highways and their bumps and surprises, I always felt like I could have entered the bends twice as fast.
THANK YOU so much for the very useful advice, I followed all you suggestions and I'm happy I did.
Next one 1st of October @ Calafat
Cheers,
Alex
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ned
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| posted on 4/7/05 at 10:34 AM |
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nice one alex, any piccies?
Ned.
beware, I've got yellow skin
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Alez
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| posted on 4/7/05 at 12:22 PM |
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I have a few and a big video clip too (63 Mb, beware).
Clip here:
http://www.peoplemobiles.net/otros/cheste.wmv
The car overtaking mine in the pic is a Focus RS (I've been told is a FWD with LSD), it had a bleed off valve the size of a melon and stuff like
that. The guy driving is known as "the grandfather" (which he is!), he doubled us all in age ("us" includes his own girlfriend, he
he).
Cheers,
Alex
[Edited on 4/7/05 by Alez]
 
Rescued attachment locost_focus.jpg
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