how to prep for road racing?

[T2urtle]

I'm going out to a test and tune at a somewhat local road racing course. Gingerman raceway in Michigan.

My first time out and i'll be with a AWD G35. A lot of guys prep their cars before and after the event. I dont think i'll be pushing it hard because its only a test and tune. I know i need to pick up a helmet and pretty much general inspection of the car. I was told to always bleed brakes before and after the event.

I think thats about it. I've heard people heat up and crack rotors and pads. So i might pick up a spare set of pads, rotors and small set of tools to replace if needed. I cant think of anything else other then have fun out there.

I wanted to start off auto-x and then move up to road racing but a couple of friends are going up and i have the time.

my car is pretty much stock. Set of coilovers and running 18x8.5 forged wheels with Hankook V12 evo. Alignment is standard OEM specs ( i go have lifetime alignment at firestone), should i take it in and get a little toe-in for the event and get it back to 0 when i'm done?

 

[cbrsurfr]

Since it's your first time you don't really need to do anything. Just make sure you can pass a tech inspection (no fluid leaks, pad thickness, tread depth, hoses ok, etc...). Usually the track or club will provide you with a list of what they will check.

As long as everything is in good working order I would not change anything your first time out. I just started doing these myself. I upgraded my stock pads before Mid-Ohio, although it really wasn't necessary. For Road America I did replace my brake fluid with a racing spec fluid and switched to a lightweight wheel/tire setup as I plan to be doing these events regularly. Most novices should be fine stock until you really start to push the limits of the car.

 

[zerocool84]

Only people who use their brakes too much, which is something you shouldn't be doing anyways, would crack rotors/pads.

 

[punjabiplaya]

brake fluid i would check. car and driver or one of the other mags was testing a 370z and all of a sudden at one turn it failed to brake and crashed. turns out, they boiled the brake fluid. if you're only planning on running a few laps/a few laps at a time, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[thirdeye]

Since it's your first time you don't really need to do anything. Just make sure you can pass a tech inspection (no fluid leaks, pad thickness, tread depth, hoses ok, etc...). Usually the track or club will provide you with a list of what they will check.

This.

First time out just take it easy and learn the limits of the car (mainly the brakes) and work on driving smoothly/learning the lines. If you continue to do it, you'll probably want to upgrade to a dedicated set of track pads and higher temp brake fluid at minimum. With a heavy AWD car you'll work your brakes pretty good.

 

[Howard]

brake fluid i would check. car and driver or one of the other mags was testing a 370z and all of a sudden at one turn it failed to brake and crashed. turns out, they boiled the brake fluid. if you're only planning on running a few laps/a few laps at a time, I wouldn't worry about it.

They said it was probably because Nissan sacrificed brake cooling for gas efficiency.

 

[thirdeye]

They said it was probably because Nissan sacrificed brake cooling for gas efficiency.

..and while they were using the "upgraded" pads, they were still street pads. Street pads on a track = FAIL if you're actually pushing the car.

 

[Imported]

Read through this if you can as it has a lot of useful information: http://my350z.com/forum/autocross-road/448838-first-track-day-hpde-faq.html

 

[boomerang]

Only people who use their brakes too much, which is something you shouldn't be doing anyways, would crack rotors/pads.

I crewed on a racing team for a decade that at the end of my tenure was racing in the Speedvision World Challenge GT Series. A three car team of Corvettes.

As I understand it, I don't agree with your statement in the slightest. What's your definition of using the brakes too much? Will all tracks allow for adequate cooling of rotors and pads between usage? Are stock pads and rotors up to the demands of racing?

OP, your thoughts on brakes are wise. I agree on bleeding before you leave for the track and after every session. If the fluid in the car right now is dark even slightly, you need to flush all that old fluid out. You should have fresh clear fluid in the system. Do not leave that container of brake fluid uncovered and do not leave the master cylinder uncovered any longer than necessary. You do not want the brake fluid to absorb any moisture. By covered I mean the cap should be screwed on tightly and the master cylinder cover should be snapped or screwed on - whichever applies. Moisture in the fluid will greatly reduce its boiling point.

Do not sit in the car after coming off the track with your foot on the brake pedal. That's a good way to boil the fluid in the calipers. The heat from the rotors transfers to the pads which then transfers to the calipers. If the car is going to roll, turn it off and put it in gear.

Bring a torque wrench and torque the lugs before going out on the track. Don't listen to the goons here telling you it's not needed. They are wrong. That's as plain as I can say it.

Pay attention to your tires. The car should be up on stands, with the tires all off after every session. The tires and wheels should then be thoroughly inspected. After the car cools down, do your bleeding. You can check your rotors then too. You can inspect your suspension while it's up. Check your fluid levels after every run. Bring what you need to clean your windshield. The morning or afternoon sun can play hell with your vision on the track and a grimy windshield just compounds the problem.

Yes, bring pads. If the funds are available bring rotors too. But for your first time out, I think you'll be fine with the rotors on the car. It takes a lot of stopping at extreme levels to crack rotors. We'd run cracked rotors all the time because we knew what cracks were excessive. It was typical to have narrow cracks after even a short time on the track.

Leave the alignment alone. You don't have enough seat time to require those changes.

Most importantly, have fun and bring the car back in one piece. Keep the shiny side up.

 

[exdeath]

Just make sure you don't go into the grass at 100 mph. Apparently it's harder to avoid taking a flying leap into concrete bridges.

 

[SSSnail]

This is your first time so take it easy, don't push too hard; learn the techniques first before you apply speed.

Until you've learned how your car behaves with different suspension setups, don't change it. Since you're used to how your car drives daily, changing it before a race could be disastrous. Of course once you've mastered your techniques and you can't go any faster than your current car allows, that's when you need to focus on things that you can use to improve your time - power, braking, suspension, tires, etc...

Go on craigslist and buy a set of used wheels for your car, put the same tires you're using on them and change out before a track day.

Learn how to change your brake pads yourself, pronto. If you haven't done so, change the fluids in your car to performance stuffs (redline, etc...)

 

[exdeath]

^ all of the above. Don't change anything until you become painfully aware that a specific thing is limiting you and know why you need to change it.

What you should do though is have some money set aside for brake pads, tires, etc, and be prepared to be more diligent on standard maintenance, esp. if it's your sole source of transport.

With road racing one of your very first mods is probably going to be a differential cooler, if not already OEM.