I think beginners, like me, should not have R compounds. I like a car that can talk to me/yell at me. I think it is best that us beginners should start with a slow tire. I have T1Rs and 19s at that when I first participated on track days and they held up good, but that is because Im pretty slow.

I believe that I am gaining more confidence on track days now and have increased my pace, yet I am still a beginner and have a lot to learn. R Compound tires should not be for beginners because I think that if they lose grip on those tires, its gonna be a one crazy accident. Thats just my opinion though.. if they want to learn with R compounds then its up to them.

To the OP, I think your car is pretty ready for the track. However, if you plan on doing more track days, you definitely should invest in some race pads that you can use only for track days and then use your OEM pads for street driving. I think the R4S pads are just street/sport, but I think youll be fine though. They are pretty friendly to OEM rotors. BBK is just an option for you once you get ALOT faster and possibly if you add more power to your car. Then get a roll bar with a harness bar and harness or whatever once youre in the advanced groups and are a lot faster.

For me, I have a thread on how I prepared my car for my first track day. I also have a thread regarding my 2nd track day. On my 2nd track day, I didnt add any more mods in my car. I increased my pace on the 3rd/my last session. I then have noticed while tracking the car that my springs and shocks (Eibach pro and OEM shocks/struts) were not compatible on the turn exit accelerations. But it still handled good, mind you. It was just a weird feeling during the turn exits and my track instructor pointed that out. Now I am shopping for a new suspension (coilovers) because of this just so the spring rates and the stiffness of the dampers will be matched. I also invested on some 18" and a step up from the T1Rs that I have (not an R comp) just for track now.

Track your car then once you learn which one needs to be replaced then go add your mods. Honestly, itll be pretty sad if you have a roll bar/harness/hoosier R6/big brake kit and then youre getting passed by a Daewoo rental car. Start out slow and get an instructor, it will be very beneficial for you. It sure was/is for me

 

Oops, I posted the wrong picture. That was my old Azenis, they only had 4500 miles on it and they are more than 60% worn. This picture is the other Azenis. It's hard to see it in the picture, but there is a noticeable blue streak around the outside of the tire.

I don't recommend R compounds for first timers, but I highly recommend it for people who are comfortable about track driving. The R compounds might not give you noticeable squeel at their limit, but their limit is so much higher that you can overcook a corner and still have the grip to make the turn. Also Azenis are very sideways happy, it's very easy to get into a full drift with them. Race tires are not like that, I would much prefer to have a driver who is driving straight than have a drifter wannabe on course. Lastly, the Z is not very tire friendly. You can't run 100% for a full 20 minute session on the Azenis. With the race tires, you can go at least 90% of the session without giving up much.

Any tires can blow up, but I want to have a tire with grip running at their optimal temperature than a tire running over their operating temperature and risk a blow out.

Here is a little about tire safety. I drove 1100 miles on a set of used bald RA1s to and from the track, through the noreaster. I used a set of 50% worn Azenis through the same thing. I can tell you the RA1s are perfectly fine up until 60mph. Matter of fact, the RA1s slid a lot less than the Azenis below that speed. Even though the Azenis worked at 60mph, but they were no S-03 neither. It's all personal preference, but I stand by R compounds for track junkies.

Let's not even get into lap times, I have a complete analysis with the RE040, Rt-215, Rt-615, RA-1s and V710 at the same track with the same driver.

 

It had worked for me and other students who I have instructed, any reasons why I have to change? I haven't seen the reasons yet.

 

Wow I asked a question and you took it off topic, i used to race carts growing up, and hold two championships in 125. I race motocross, and i autocross everyweeked. I probly could have taken the z right to the track stock but i would have outdriven it. I would have melted thoes stock brakes, and destroyed my 225.245 Right now i have a sponsorship for pirrelli P-zero, Im switchin to a toyo t1r soon Or an RA-1 depends on the money. And i dont run slicks becouse i just cant afford them. I have to pay for my z and im 18 so im broke becouse of it. My dad lets me track his and mine FFR track spec cobra. I do fine in a 2000 pound 450 hp shelby.........Could you?

 

I would bet it wont, becouse mine is modded and i am a very fast driver. The first time i tracked a car not a cart. I was running with HPDE 2 no problem. Its been a gift as long as i remeber. I natrualy grew up with alot of car control. Ohh and also i work for farnbacher loles a porsche race team. so tracking GT3's and learning from wolf henzler was kindof a summer thing for me. Im at the track everyweek over the summer. And you never learn like you do from a 24 house le manns winner.

 

lol @ the disclaimer - the GT3 was one of the quickest cars (drivers?) at the SCDA event at NHIS monday, not to mention dead sexy looking car

 

Lol.

My first time driving a 350Z was during an open lapping day at Monza. I was pretty nervous since the Z was the highest HP car I had yet driven. So I'm blasting down the track toward the Parabolica and this 16 yo kid blows the doors off the Z, passing me in, you guessed it, a GT3 RS... *sigh*

 

yes it is. After driving it, and having the power to weight ratio of a rocket in the cobra i just got board right away with the stock z. I needed the sound, im not power crazy so i just went intake exhaust. big woop. then when i threw huge tires at it the stock susp was lacking. So stance was invited to join the party. Ill have you know the improvment was great. But i was being thrown from my seat I wanted to gain more control, lower my center of gravity, and get the feel i need out of the car. The seat was a great choice. I can now adress what i feel and make desisions on my driving style.

When i track im not racing anyone i use it to learn. my driving style is smooth. slow is smooth smooth is fast. All about finess. throtle position, and line are very important to me...

When i autocross. Its diffrent people make fun and amature instructers tell me to smooth up but for the thrill of autcrossing i prefer to drive it like a rally almost. Slide around. and use alot of WOT. for most people this is alot slower for me its not that much slower. I am somehow able to do it very quickly in this style. anyway pics are coming

 

Oh yes, definitely 18yo...

So it's from the top of your immense talent that you've started a topic in which you ask random people online if your setup if ok to lap.

A setup in which a serious brake solution is totally absent when it should, of your own accord, have been one of the first thing to address.

You know, part of being a good track driver is working with the car you have. Overdriving a car, any car, is not the mark of a good driver...

Oh and don't be offended when people treat you as a track newbie when you ask track newbie questions... It's is quite impossible for us to know the pedigree of every posters...

Disclaimer - Being a track newbie is okay. Newbie are encouraged to ask questions, any questions. Nobody, no matter how "natural" they are, where born with a steering wheel in hands.

 

thats sad if its his GT3 i allready hate the looks i get in the z. When your young people just think you dont know how to drive or they are superior to you becouse of age. The newst F1 driver is like 18-19.

Kolia-- good point i made the post in a rush. i was more looking for coments like yeah i have that set up. Or i would not use thoes pads. (not....forget about your question, learn to drive your car) It was more just that i hit a point where i liked the mods i picked and wanted to share. See if anyone disagreed with any of the parts for a track/street car.

your right..... driving what you got is important one guy i run with will spank me in a stock z on R-comps. Great driver. but i love the thrill of modding its a sickness we all have. i would have done a BBK right away i was thinking 14 inch willwood. but i ran out of money and wanted to do stance a bit more. becouse i also drift and autcross the car. So the bbk would not help me there. And when i got the new fluid i did a few 140-75 stops and had little fade...I know i have alot to learn. If i didnt it would not be fun. I love seeing improvment. i would not say i am full of "immense talent". If i did i would be racing. Im just good, and know what im doing. I know my flaws and i work on them. But a dirrect comment from wolf was (in heavy german accent) "your car control is very good. if you have this at your age (then 17) you have alot of potential to race".

enjoy the pics. little backround on the cobra is my dad and i built it senior year. best thing a father and son could do. Im very proud of it, looking at it you would not think, a pilot and his son did it in 1 year.

Everytime i post pics of this people bring up money please dont, both my parents work hard, and yes bought half the z. I know im spoiled becouse of it. No kid "deserves" to have a z unless they paid in full. But would you have turned it down? I love it. I respect it. i wash it every 3 days. After my parents and my fiance its the only other thing i truly would say i love
The cobra was something he wanted to. i just coaxed him in and he did not regret it. Id say the cobra is his, but he lets me drive it and i contributed alot building it.

 

Lewis Hamilton will be 22yo this summer...

edit: Maturity is what usually lacks in young drivers. They might be supah skilled, but if they act stupid, they'll be put in the same basket as other hot heads.

And be careful comparing yourself with F1 drivers. I don't think anybody here is making a living out of driving race cars. We're all amateurs.

 

i wasnt comparing myself to F1 hahahahahahahah.....Just saying young guys can drive....Yeah maturity is something that is dangerous in a car. I wont lie and say when i first got a car i didnt make stupid choices. I got over it quick. Im kinda a mature kid, Im the only freshman in college i know with a fiance. are you a lawer? whats with the disclaimers i love them they are funny

 

Sorry I highjacked the thread... I've moved the R-comp discussion to another thead: Marty... any chance you can move specific posts for me?

So... Drift_corners... Now that we know what your experience is... how much ACTUAL seat time do you have in cars on track. Autocross is great, and generally it makes for better track drivers, there's no denying that... but most of my comments regarding r-comps and other items still hold true. It sounds like you want the car to feel like your kart, and it won't, not ever.

Dropping names like Loles and Hensler is great and all, and I'm envious that you can absorb the information from hanging with a professional race team... but its two different worlds. If you reach and pass the limits, you're protected, you can take risks and chances... when you're talking about street cars, driving on track with other street cars and varying levels of experience... things need to happen gradually.

So... with all that said... sorry I assumed you were a complete track newb, but I still think with a new car as capable as a 350Z, you should have at least done one event on it to try to find its faults instead of assuming what its faults were.

 

LOL ... please don't take offense to this...

But being engaged at 18 does not maturity make

 

yeah i guess. But i just meant all my freinds are drinking partying, drugs, and i dont. I just want to grow up and get a house and kids. and of course I work on my car and my driving.

 

part of what i was worried about was my pad choice. i have not driven the R4-s and i did not know how much better they would be from stock. I do alot more autox than track. Also someone metioned they might add a brace. I dont think id feel an improvment.

 

Wow there is a legit responce. In the z i have not had seat time on anything more than a freind of mine lives on a road where his house is the only one on it and he owns the road so at night it becomes our track. or the day we just close it off so no one comes or goes, then go its about a 55 sec road driven at speed. Thats how i adressed what i have so far. i shoudl have waited but i would have done alot of the mods i did even if i did not track it. i love modding

In other cars idk probly 30 or so sessions half of which i was the driver. only at watkins glen. Im going out to drive a buddies supercharged r32 with him at leguna seca, that should be fun. Were splitting it he said i could drive his car

 

On this, I'll admit to a little red-mist from your original post. I hear Porterfield and R4 and I think race pads. The R4-S are combo pads, and using street tires, should be a good match in a DE setting. Be sure to upgrade the rear pads as well though... they tend to get over worked if using stock in the rear and upgraded pads in the front (I've seen backing plates welded to rear rotors after two days)

 

i did front and rear at the same time. its an 06 so the brakes are 12.6 i think

 

perhaps the man is prepping his car 4 the track so that he doesnt go in w/ weak links. better brakes 2 reduce fade, which happens often on the track. new suspension pieces so he doesnt break them (as he mightve done on a stock piece) and so forth. would u drive ur tt z on a stock clutch? dont think so.