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    Thread: Track Day Prep.

    1. #21
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      Jun 2001
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      As long as the cuts are not deep I doubt they will be an issue.

      VaporWorx. We Give You Gas http://www.vaporworx.com


    2. #22
      Join Date
      Mar 2005
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      westchester county new york
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      Carl Thank you , I am going to print a few of those, good to use even for an old street car.

    3. #23
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      Mar 2005
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      westchester county new york
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      A trick I learned years ago was that if you give your vehicle a good detailing you can spot things like frayed hoses, bolts backing out,etc. This applies more to bikes but if you really get under your car and scrub you can catch problems as they develop.

    4. #24
      Join Date
      Jul 2002
      Location
      Muskegon, MI
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      Lots of great advice in here. Especialy Matt's advice about drinking lots of water. As surprising as it sounds you will be severly dehydrated after one session in your car. It is more physically exhausting then you could ever imagine. And if you dont eat and drink properly you will never make it thru the day. Depending on the track size and amount of turns, most of you with no track experience will be tired after about 6 laps. If you cant eat properly just make sure to keep pounding down the water. On a hot day like that it isnt uncommon at all for the average person to consume close to a gallon of water.
      Good luck out there guys and have fun. GEt tons of video like I did. Inside and out of your car if possible.
      Adam_______Offical Car Name "ILLUSION"
      383 Stroker, Stock cast heads, T-56 tranny, 4.11 gears, 2002 T/A dash, 4th gen interior including seatbelts, power lumbar seats, 18" Budnik Wheels, Hydraboost, QA1 shocks, DC Controller, Power steering conversion, fuel cell, unique exhaust set up........
      ILLUSION Website-----------Old Website--------------My Car on Lateral-g.net----------- Need something designed?-AdFabDesign

    5. #25
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      Sep 2001
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      Accord, NY
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      Let's see:

      Bring a tire pressure gauge to check before/during.

      I like halon extinguishers myself

      Avoid caffeine the day before as it will dehydrate you.

      Bring some sports drinks for electolytes along with water.

      High quality helmet

      Check seat belts/harnesses for any fraying or cuts

      Spare fan/alt/ps belts
      69 Camaro convertible, 410, M22, 8-pt cage therapy program. SOLD.
      68 camaro - SOLD
      67 Bel Air - New street project with perfect floors, frame and trunk!

    6. #26
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      Apr 2001
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      Central CA USA
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      Get a terry hand towell and soak it in water, put it around your neck, bring a straw hat and stay out of the sun as much as possible. I do terrible in hot conditions mainly because I'm a life long coastal resident.

      Check here for open track how-to info:
      http://www.norcal-saac.org/

      Here is their tech sheet:
      http://www.saac-mcr.com/tracks/techform.htm

      If you don't have an oil cooler you need to change your oil after the event. Heat shortens the life of the oil.
      67 Camaro RS that will be faster than anything Mary owns.

    7. #27
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      If you guys have any issues please call Laura, she has been very helpfull. This is not a sanctioned event so it very lenient on the rules. When in doubt please call. I don't think passengers are allowed at this event. she is checking. If you guys get any info please post, it might save someone some time. thanks all!
      MrQuick ΜΟΛ'ΩΝ ΛΑΒ'Ε

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    8. #28
      Join Date
      Mar 2003
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      Chino Hills, CA
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      The cuts on the tires aren't very deep, the edge of the fender just kind of filleted the tire a bit.

      Me and my dad are lucky, we're from the desert, so we know what it's like to suffer through the extreme heat, but that doesn't mean the dehydration rules don't apply. I've been living in LA for four months too, so I might not deal as well either.

      Kris
      Custom Car Design, Hot Rod Art, and more...

    9. #29
      Join Date
      Feb 2005
      Location
      Metro Detroit
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      865
      Guys,

      This is great information. Being a rookie or as Bill Howell would say a poser, I'm getting more excited every thread I read about racing a car on a track.

      Good luck guys, it would be nice to hear from you on how things went, what your impressions were, etc.

      R.P.

    10. #30
      Join Date
      Apr 2001
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      Central CA USA
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      Tips for driving, sorry these are out of order, just thinking of things as I go:

      1 PAY ATTENTION to the instructor don't get distracted leering at all the neat machinery or BS'ing.
      2. Start out easy, learn the exact line the car must follow on the track, the racing "line" is all-important, learn the line before anything, and stay on the line going easy then work on picking up speed while still staying in full control of your car.

      3. Brake easy, nothing screws up a novice driver like running full bore up to a corner like a madman then jamming on the binders and getting the car all out of shape. You'll forget all about driving the line when you over-brake the car and do much slower laps.

      Work on braking smoothly and apply the brakes less than max at the inital applcation, then once the front suspension settles you can add more brake but STAY UNDER CONTROL and enter the corner on the line. Take all the corners with a late apex point, this leaves you with a safe corner exit, maybe a bit slower for some corners, but you won't get spit out onto the dirt like you would with an early apex. As you learn and get more confortable you can move the apexes up a bit. Consistant laps are what you want.

      3. LEARN THE LINE, LEARN THE LINE, LEARN THE LINE.
      DRIVE THE LINE, DRIVE THE LINE, DRIVE THE LINE.
      Use a slow (ish) corner entry with fast exit, drive smoothly.

      4. Watch the gages, mainly the oil pressure and temp. If you can take a passenger, ask them to slug you if your oil pressure drops below 30-40 psi in the hairpins.

      5. The cool-down lap comes after the checkered flag is thrown, it isn't another "Free" lap! you really need to cool the engine and brakes down before reaching the pits or you can melt the brake seals or warp the rotors. If you get out of the car and hear your brakes going "ting, ting, ting," your brakes are not cooled down enough and you should roll the car every 5 minutes to prevent the part of the rotor covered by the caliper from remaining hotter than the rest of the rotor.

      6. If you dont have an 8 qt oil pan, overfill by a quart. DON'T run with the oil at the "ADD" level. Overfill won't hurt a Chevy since several quarts will be up in the top of the engine anyway and Button Willow has at least one very tough corner on oil pressure.

      7. If your power steering starts to groan, ease off and cool it down or come in. You absolutely need a ps cooler or you are asking for trouble. A thin type transmission cooler in the return line can be quickly added and helps a bunch.

      8. Watch your mirrors, look ahead, as you drive harder you tend to focus close to the car, but you need to be looking up and ahead for cars in trouble or oil on the track, etc. Don't push yourself too hard when someones on your tail, you might spin out and they could hit you! When a good driver passes you there is an opportunity to follow his line and learn from him, but don't try too hard and lose it.

      If you see a cloud of dust or a car spin out, watch the track in that spot when you get there, the car may have hit oil on the track and spun, or may have spun off and thrown dirt on the track, either way there may be something to avoid, and it may not be a car. Craig Boone blew his engine and coasted off the track to have people hit his oil and slide off the track and almost into his car!!! Watch out for hazards and situations like this, there may be fiew to no flagmen at the corners to slow people down or warn them.

      9. Give yourself time to adapt and learn. If you goof up right away you could blow the whole day so pacing yourself and your car is the rule for the day.

      10. If you get in a big train of cars, pull in and motor slowly thru the pits and re-enter the track again.

      11. If you have a leak, pull off the racing line, there are plenty of intersecting roadways to pull onto if you can't limp back to the pits.
      Use your nose, if you smell coolant, gear oil, or something burning, pull in and take a quick look at the car.
      Last edited by David Pozzi; 07-13-2005 at 10:46 PM.
      67 Camaro RS that will be faster than anything Mary owns.

    11. #31
      Join Date
      Mar 2005
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      westchester county new york
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      heres a few.

      Dont laugh, but remember to breath.Some people hold there breath when they are in corners or near the limit.

      When you pull off the track or in the pits, slow down more than you feel is needed track speeds distort your perception and you need to readjust.

      The most important part of your setup is in your skull , so relax and enjoy. Sometimes a few minutes out of the car will help solve a problem in a corner.

      Dave was right ,look as far ahead as possible.Your car will follow your eyes so dont look off to your right or left.

      Dont watch someone spin, as fascinating as it is , or you will join them.

      "smooth" will turn into "fast" eventually

    12. #32
      Join Date
      Jul 2005
      Location
      Mountain View, CA
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      Here are some tips from the Nor-Cal Shelby Club in regard to dealing with Laguna Seca's strict sound rules. Applicable for any track with sound restrictions.

      http://www.norcal-saac.org/ot/soundadvice.htm
      True T.

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    13. #33
      Join Date
      Mar 2006
      Posts
      346
      We have talked about before but after you return from the track, or at the track after doing 4 or more 20 minute sessions at 6000+rpm. It is a good idea to check key fastners for tightness. You will not believe the things that will come loose after some track work, or better yet paint a witness line on drain and fill plugs for fluids and brake attachment points. I know now why racers use safety wire.

      Bring an infrared thermometer and check engine, transmission, power steering, and differential oil temperatures. If your running conventional oil consider 260F to be a maximum and Redline 300F. If they are higher than this a cooler is needed. Caliper temps should be 40F below the boiling point of the brake fluid too.

      Another thing to be concerned with is fuel pressure. You don't want to lean out under severe conditions and lose a piston, or lose a battle. Oil isn't the only thing that flows away from the pickup. This is something that will only show up at the track as the car is under full acceleration and hard cornering forces most of the time. Having a carb with large float bowls helps cover this problem up.


      Regards

      CurtiSS 69

    14. #34
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      Apr 2001
      Location
      Central CA USA
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      After running a track day, I'd also change the oil if you ran long sessions in hot weather and don't have an engine oil cooler. The oil can get very hot and shorten it's life.
      David
      67 Camaro RS that will be faster than anything Mary owns.

    15. #35
      Join Date
      Apr 2009
      Location
      san jose,ca
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      180
      Quote Originally Posted by CarlC View Post
      Here's a list of a few items that I spent the better part of two days doing to get ready for Saturday.

      Rebuild both front calipers (Previous track day event melted the dust boots.)
      Re-locate both front brake flex lines to better inner mounting point locations.
      Inspect brake linings and rotor quality.
      Inspect chassis and suspension components for wear and visible cracks.
      Flush brake fluid.
      Rotate tires.
      Cleaned and repacked front wheel bearings.
      Re-torque all critical fasteners.
      Check all fluid levels.
      Set front end alignment (-2, +6, 3/16" out)
      Repair exhaust hanger damage.
      Full chassis grease lubrication (28 points.)
      Inspect belts and hoses.
      Change coolant.

      There's a few more things I need to do but basically the car is ready from a safety standpoint. If you have not done a safety inspection on your car I highly suggest spending some quality time in the garage ASAP.

      Also, it's going to be very warm. Latest forecast is 105* on Saturday. Track and pit temps on the blacktop will be higher. Making sure that both the cars and ourselves do not get overheated will be important. Keeping an eye on each other and watching for signs of both mechanical and human problems will be something all of us will need to practice.

      Let's remember that Vince's party will only be a success if all of us come back in one piece.
      hey do the sell the caliper dust covers separate from the rebuild kit?
      Eli
      68 camaro more plans then funds! lol
      http://s34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...view=slideshow

    16. #36
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      I don't know, but the whole kit is something like $15.
      VaporWorx. We Give You Gas http://www.vaporworx.com

    17. #37
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      Apr 2009
      Location
      san jose,ca
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      really do u have a preference on where u buy them?
      Eli
      68 camaro more plans then funds! lol
      http://s34.photobucket.com/albums/d1...view=slideshow

    18. #38
      Join Date
      Jun 2001
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      Newbury Park, CA
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      rockauto.com The most expensive kit is $10, the least less than $4.

      NAPA will have them as well.
      VaporWorx. We Give You Gas http://www.vaporworx.com

    19. #39
      Join Date
      Mar 2006
      Posts
      346

      Easy check for oil starvation

      An easy check for oil stavation before heading to the track is to go down a highway cloverleaf getting on the freeway at a good clip and have a passenger see if the oil pressure goes to zero. If it does find a solution before heading to the track. You will be surprised how many road race pans fail this simple test.

      Regards

      CurtiSS 69

    20. #40
      Join Date
      Sep 2005
      Location
      Nor Cal
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      Good thread. Thanks for the revival.
      1968 Camaro widebody project
      2004 Mustang LS2
      1964 Continental
      2014 Keezer

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