Well its almost track time for me again (my 2nd track day!). I will use my current set up for the car. I seem to be less anxious now that I know what to expect for open track days which I think is a good sign. I got myself a track magnet decal for my number also hehehe

current set-up
255/35/19 T1R
275/35/19 T1R
OEM Brembos
Porterfield R4 pads (front and rear)
StopTech steel lines (front and rear)
Motul RBF600
Eibach prokit
SPC camber kits (front and rear)
Cusco Swaybars (front and rear)

whored out pic of my car @ calispeedway


Obviously, I dont daily drive the R4 race pads, I use my OEM pads. The R6 pads are great! The whole setup works out pretty good for me so far. Once I improve on my driving, and I start to get alot faster, I will get some more stuff done. sparco seats, some 3 way coilovers (Stance or Hipermax RS) corner balanced, and some 18s with 275/30/18 all around RA1s I will be participating in 8 track days this year. wooohooo!

For this track event, what I will only do to prepare for it is check fluid levels (possibly an oil change as well), tighten every bolt/nut in my suspension, check tire pressures, bleed the brakes and of course swap out my OEM brake pads and put in my R4 race pads.

Anyone else here going? I only see 3 350z including myself signed up for this day. Its dominated by AWD cars such as EVO and STi I signed up with an instructor and am looking forward to learn more about track driving.

Any tips on how to drive this track? It seems to be less (or not at all) stressful on the brakes compared to Calispeedway Roval course. I think there are only 2 areas that requires hard (yet not as hard as the Roval course) braking points. It also seems that top speed here will probably be about 115 tops, maybe 120 on some faster cars.

Honestly, what is making me sorta intimidated is the part after the straightaway past the bowl. Not really sure why. Pedal control seems to play an important role here.

Also, I have been watching in car videos of this track, but I kinda notice that each cars take a turn differently. It was videos from an STi, an EVO, an Integra, a Lotus Exige. Their lines are different yet they have times of 1:26 and lower. hmmmm I need a 350z in car vid of this track hehehe.

Hopefully I will get more track time here with Redline compared to the NASA event that I participated in. My next track day will be in June 2nd and 3rd with TCRA @ California Speedway short Infield course (not roval). I sure am addicted to track events!!!!

Thanks in advance for your tips guys. I appreciate it

 

edit* wow im dumb not even the right event i looked at

gl paulie

 

oh hey thanks mark

 

I'll be a pit monkey that weekend at Spring Mt Ranch if my bro runs his Vette. But i'll probably hit the next Streets of willow event.

 

If you signed up for the class and an instructor, you'll be just fine.
Redline has great instructor's and they will get you up to speed safely at the streets.

You'll be surprised that this track is pretty hard on breaks and tires. Even though you won't be hauling yourself down from 140mph like at the speedway, you'll be using the breaks very often at this track. Your R4's should be up to the task just fine.

This track is a true road course, so you'll get the elevation changes and not so perfect track conditions that will make this event a very different experience then CaliSpeedway. Although this track is not a high speed track, it will be more engaging and if will feel more like a mountain road then a race track at times. I think you'll like it because its different.
This is a great time for you trying out all the different tracks for the first time.

You'll get at least 2.5 hours of track time, maybe more.
See you out there.

 

Im thinking about running this event...I did one Redline event there before (the only one I've ever run), but I had a blast, and I want to run this one. If I remember correctly...you barely hit 100mph before you come down to the shacane (however you spell that). Its a nice easy track though, that is pretty easy on the brakes. However, its gets HOT up there at that track. It was like 115 degrees when I was there last year. I'd come down off of the track and my brake and PS fluid would be boiling. I might see you up there.

 

I am going to try and make this event for testing. I will try to do Big Willow with Speed Ventures on saturday, after this Redline event on Friday. Two completely different tracks will give me a good foundation on the cars overall set-up.

 

Ill start by saying ive never tracked a car but ive been to SOW many times on my bike. Its a more technical track than cali speedway with only two sections that you can get any speed in, the front straight and coming out of the bowl all the way through the chicane (although i dunno if you can fly through the chicane in a car like you can on a bike). Im sure youve been to a trackday before so ill spare you my dissertation on the track. One thing to remember is that the top of the bowl has a bunch of bumps in it Oh and dont let off through turn one!

 

Scott, you should give me a ride on that Z when you do go! Im sure that car will be a blast in the track!

 

cool I appreciate your advice. I am sure that a bike is a lot different to control than the Z. As I have mentioned I have been watching plenty of incar vids of this track: trying to learn the track and learn where the braking points are. Turn one seems like a fast one and can lead to a spin or off track if I let off suddenly. This is only my 2nd trackday, Im still a beginner so feel free to fire away though

 

hi, i'm also considering going to the redline track event at SOW coming up in less than 2 weeks. my only concern is that this is my 2nd track day at this course with the same stock tires that came with this car over a year ago (jan 06). I have 13,000 miles on my car, maybe even 14,000, and I am a bit worried about how my tires will perform while I go to this 2nd track day. do you think it's advisable to wait until I get a new set of tires? buying new tires before the event is not an option..

 

ya youre right, a bike is way different to control but everything else is the same as far as characteristics of the track. Turn 2 is where most people are gonna have OTE's goin in too hot. Turn 3 pavement is mangled and wavy on the outside egde. T5 (the really sharp turn) is pretty much a turn that my instructors told me to "Just get through". After 5 I dont let off till im about to enter the bowl. I usually try to hit the inside curbing and treat it kinda like a decreasing radius. Gas the heck outta it coming out of the bowl. Unfortunately i dont know what cars do for the chicane, but bikes roll straight through it If they roll through too then you come up on the second most crashed part of the track which is the left hander before the turns leading up to the skid pad.The rest is pretty much regular track stuff, brake turn gas rinse repeat haha.

All in all its probably one of my favorite tracks cus its got a little of everything, but do yourself a favor and get on the big track, cus honestly cars seem more at home there. My biggest piece of advice I could give people is to take it easy and get comfortable with the track before you try to flog it.

 

Just prepare for a sliperry date, I sold a set of almost new Falken Azenis for like $130, you should have gotten it

 

Check with Scott and if you get a chance, ride with him. He did a tuning lap in my car and pulled a 1:25 lap time, with the left front damper fritzed no less! Now anybody can tell you that a G35 is NOT the car for that track, as it is too heavy and too big. It really is Miata and spec racer heaven.

But you are not likely to kill yourself there. Big Willow is a different story, especially turn 9. Just a way way fast track, and the Z has the ponies to get you out on the outer edges of serious speed.

Take your time and work on the line and being smooth at SOW, and you will have a wonderful time. IT is not a good place to go off surface as it is rocky and not groomed, so you can tear up nice body work and undercarriage pieces in the wrong spots. Lots of fancy CF air dams and side skirts have been sacrificed at SOW.

It will be quite a change from the Cal Speedway.

Have fun and let us have another fun write up of your experience there.

 

^^^ Yes Paulie, I will be very busy that day, not only testing the "completely re-built" Time Attack Z, but also will be testing out a customers Time Attack FWD car that I will be competing with as well. I have a lot of things to test out on the Z in these two days and I will be trying to use my time as wisely as I can. Come say hi, and I will surely let you ride with me, no problem.

 

NICE!!!!!!!!!

I got a question, what FWD is this Scott?

To Eagle1, I think that is what is kind of intimidating to me, getting OTE in streets considering I got the Cwest and my blingin Work wheels

oh well.. Im not racing anyone anyway so Ill do my best to be smoooooth here and not drive all crazy and learn a lot from the instructor.

thanks for the tips guys

 

YOu will be fine Paulie. Just work on smooth, and technique, and you will be fine. Don't be thinking about fast at all. That comes later, seriously. Have your fun in working on the skills of managing your way around and listening and learning from the instructor. You will have a fabulous time. And a safe one.

 

I think its because the 20th is getting so close Im getting the same anxiety attacks from what I had on my first day Ill post a new thread after this event. Hopefully I get to have some better action pictures as well.

Honestly, I dont even drive that fast at all unless I am really comfortable with the surroundings and considering the fast cars @ redline that have signed up for the event (EVO, STi, GTi) as beginners... I think Ill be a pro at giving point bys again rather than a pro-HPDE'r Like I always say.. gotta start somewhere. The fun, safety, and driving education are the things I will be there for

EDIT: nevermind no exige. Elise's but theyre in the higher classes

 

It is a Scion Tc that we built, turboed, and did some suspension work on, for a customer who requests that I compete in it. I told him that I would test it for him and see how it all goes first.

 

I found a great instructional video by Colin Lucas, an instructor at Willow Springs....it breaks down all of the lines on the track, and all of the APEX's Its worth looking at.

>>>VIDEO<<< <----CLICK