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Grissom is a national level venue. It is around 3 hours from me with a time change so I only hit those events once a year. Our local venue is pretty good as well. Route 66 raceway in Joliet IL. It's a drag strip and we use the paddock area which is pretty big. We almost lost it last year but luckily have it back.
I have a track day scheduled for next Friday. I just changed the oil to some Castrol Edge Synthetic 5W30. Man this thing uses a ton of oil. Also had a nice geyser of oil come down my arm when I removed the filter after all the oil was drained. Wasn't expecting that.
I also ordered some Hawk DTC60 brake pads for the fronts. I talked to my contact there when I ordered the pads, I do track days and have competed with him at the Gridlife events. I mentioned having to bleed the clutch system and how I had to get a vacuum bleeder to do it. He said they get a ton of them at the shop and they are always a *****. He stated they always add in extra labor because they are a pain to bleed. They also vacuum bleed them.
Just a heads up and glad it wasn't just me.
I should also do the diff and trans fluid considering I don't know the previous maintenance on the car.
DTC60s are pretty awesome. Interesting on the clutch fluid - I am sure mine needs that and the diff and trans. Have had my car just over a year now, so similar with the previous maintenance for a few things.
Last minute decision to hit up Milwaukee Region SCCA Solo Event #2 this Sunday at Miller Park. There are usually some heavy hitters up there. Maybe not in CS but on PAX for sure. $30 for preregistered SCCA members. I don't know how they do it so cheap. The site is pretty great and they are well run events.
Long weekend but a fun one. I was able to go to GridLife Spring Shakedown on Friday. It had it's ups and downs. It was at Gingerman Raceway in South Haven Michigan.
The Ups! I was able to get instructor training from Ross Bently himself. I don't know if you are familiar with him but he wrote several books including Speed Secrets and has been instructing and driver coaching since 1980. If you follow any major driver in any motorsport, the chances are, he has coached them.
The bads, I was able to cook the brakes on the 350z. My brembos are now brownbos. It looks like I had a bleeder fail. Hopefully that is the issue. I was able to get to an Autozone and find a replacement bleeder. I had top notch track fluid, torque RT700, and track pads Hawk DTC 60s. I'm stock so I can't believe the Brembos can't handle it with track fluid and pads.
Here are a couple of pics.
My car
My student
I was able to get it home despite being on NT01s and driving 2 hours and 15 minutes home in a torrential downpour. There was some white knuckle driving on the way home.
On Saturday, I was able to bleed the brakes and get the car ready for Chicago Region SCCA Event 2. There were some heavy hitters in CS. Here is a video of my best run and my friends that needed a co drive.
awesome on Ross (I've read one of his Speed Secrets books), not awesome on the brakes, that is crazy. Are you running SRF? that is what i am going to. I have LAPS on Monday at Autobahn, but now having some strange noise coming from the rear, not sure what it is
I know a few guys that went to your SCCA event as well.
awesome on Ross (I've read one of his Speed Secrets books), not awesome on the brakes, that is crazy. Are you running SRF? that is what i am going to. I have LAPS on Monday at Autobahn, but now having some strange noise coming from the rear, not sure what it is
I know a few guys that went to your SCCA event as well.
I'm hoping it was just the bleeder. There was fluid around it and in the cap, also some fluid on the inside of the wheel. When I took it out, the cone shape on the bottom had some scoring. I also missed out on my cool down lap due to the session getting black flagged. Someone ended up in the swamp around 10A and it got black flagged just as I was going down the back straight. No cool down lap isn't cool on your brakes. I did a couple laps around grid but it isn't the same.
I ran DTC-60s w/ Brembos on my STI and loved the combo! I'll probably pick up the same for the Z once I upgrade from standard brakes. Brownbos is a common thing on any STI that sees frequent track use. My STI Limited has black Brembos with white lettering, which is now fading to dirty white! :lol:
How do you like instructing? I'm seriously considering a NASA Instructor Clinic in the fall... But, being in the right seat is both interesting and terrifying at the same time!
I ran DTC-60s w/ Brembos on my STI and loved the combo! I'll probably pick up the same for the Z once I upgrade from standard brakes. Brownbos is a common thing on any STI that sees frequent track use. My STI Limited has black Brembos with white lettering, which is now fading to dirty white! :lol:
How do you like instructing? I'm seriously considering a NASA Instructor Clinic in the fall... But, being in the right seat is both interesting and terrifying at the same time!
I like instructing because you are making new connections and introducing new people to the sport/hobby. It reinforces the basics, which a lot of us forget over time, making me a better driver.
I don't like the lack of time to work on your own car between sessions. I also don't like the fact that your life could be in someone else's hands. However, if you are a good instructor, there are ways to make sure the student isn't putting you in danger. I.E. If they aren't listening to you, refuse to go back out with them until they do. If they don't show good car control skills, slow them down by having them brake earlier than necessary. Go over the basics like what "lifting" is and make them repeat the correct answer back to you.
Unfortunately, it was very busy with instructor training, jumping into my students car, back to mine, and finally troubleshooting my brake issue. I didn't have time to set up the go pro.
Here is a Gingerman video in my 240sx about a year ago.
I like instructing because you are making new connections and introducing new people to the sport/hobby. It reinforces the basics, which a lot of us forget over time, making me a better driver.
I don't like the lack of time to work on your own car between sessions. I also don't like the fact that your life could be in someone else's hands. However, if you are a good instructor, there are ways to make sure the student isn't putting you in danger. I.E. If they aren't listening to you, refuse to go back out with them until they do. If they don't show good car control skills, slow them down by having them brake earlier than necessary. Go over the basics like what "lifting" is and make them repeat the correct answer back to you.
Good overview! I'm going to attend NASA SE's next instructor clininc, which I think is Sept-Oct timeframe. I can at least give it a shot for an event and see how I like it!
I haven't been doing much Z stuff. My Z vs a Chicago street, the street won. It was under construction and freshly stripped for repaving. There was a manhole cover that looked to be only 2" taller than the surface. I couldn't avoid going over it due to cars parked on either side of the street and it being a narrow neighborhood street. I slowed down to 10mph and boom! The car practically did a stoppie. I didn't take into account the crest of the street I guess. The Z is soo low even at stock ride height like mine.
It bent the cross brace right where it meets the cross bar so both are bent where the two bolt together. It also messed up my motor mounts. the last of the parts came in today. Hopefully it will be repaired in the next two weeks.
I have gridlife this weekend so I put some work in on my 240sx. It appears to be working properly so wish me luck. I'll try to get some videos and photos.
I also attended SCCA Solo Spring Nationals in my friend's STR S2000. I am co driving with his dad in an AP1 or year 2000, S2000. The same one from the video in the last post. He competes in a 2008 Club Racer S2000, which is the faster of the two by quite a bit. Here is a video of that.
I did some course design on an autocross today. It turned out well. Here is a quick video. This run ultimately put me in 2nd place in CS by .077 seconds and 13th overall on index. I'm happy considering it was my first event on Koni yellows. I was chasing setup a little bit and got my fastest run in the morning.
The konis made the car feel like a new car. Nice and stiff. They did effect turn in. It seems like turn in is worse now but the car is faster overall. I think I may soften my front sway bar and see if that helps. It's currently on full stiff.
I instructed at Gridlife Autobahn 2016 this last weekend. I went in the 350z. I had some issues with brakes even after adding some brake ducts. I'm using motul 600 fluid and Hawk DTC60 pads so I was at a loss as to why the pedal was going to the floor after a couple of laps.
I think I got down to the bottom of the issue. It seems like I have a wheel bearing starting to fail. The vibrations from this are causing pad knock back. At the end of long straights, the pedal goes to the floor without the brakes working. I read an article from Randy Pobst once describing this on a race car after hitting ruble strips. He used his left foot to double tap the brake pedal as he was going down the straights to stiffen the brake pedal. I tried it and it totally worked.
Now to replace the front wheel bearings and hopefully this issue goes away.
Here is a video of the pedal hitting the floor at the wrong moment, 108 mph right behind an M3.
05-01-2016, 12:57 PM
