HPDE newbie
08-03-2007, 11:12 AM
#1
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HPDE newbie
Like the title says I am a HPDE newbie, I was going to say virgin but that just has a tendency to take the thread in the wrong direction 
. Anyway, looking at doing a few of the semi-local (within 300 miles or so) HPDE events and wanted recommendations on what you would do to prepare a stock car to "survive" and benefit from such an event or string of such events ?
Any help and suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.
. Anyway, looking at doing a few of the semi-local (within 300 miles or so) HPDE events and wanted recommendations on what you would do to prepare a stock car to "survive" and benefit from such an event or string of such events ?Any help and suggestions are appreciated. Thanks in advance.
08-03-2007, 02:15 PM
#3
Upgrade your brakes, lines, fluids and pads. In addition, get new tires that are R-compounds if you can afford them and then get some Hotchkis adjustable sways.
If you want to improve hp cheaply, delete your cat sand get test pipes.
These will all help your times and overall performance noticeably from stock.
If you want to improve hp cheaply, delete your cat sand get test pipes.
These will all help your times and overall performance noticeably from stock.
08-03-2007, 03:40 PM
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Originally Posted by joeygill
The only thing you might want to change, and this is from a safety standpoint, is your brake pads and fluid.
*many ppl recomdend to learn how to drive on street tires before moving to R-comps...IMO it's good advice.
08-03-2007, 03:45 PM
#7
Yeah, all you need to do is put on a minimum of Hawk HP+ pads and fresh racing brake fluid. I recommend a decent street performance tire, but NOT R compounds. You will learn much more about how to drive fast by learning how to control your car rather than letting sticky tires cover up your bad driving habits.
My set up for my one/only track day was ATE Blue fluid, Hawk HP+ pads, and 225/50/17 Nexen N3000 tires. Equal width tires helps a lot from my experience. The car handles very neutrally. I had a tiny bit of understeer in slow corners, but at any real speed it felt great.
Just go out and have fun. You will be addicted by the time you go home and all you will want to do is spend money on brakes and tires and track days.
My set up for my one/only track day was ATE Blue fluid, Hawk HP+ pads, and 225/50/17 Nexen N3000 tires. Equal width tires helps a lot from my experience. The car handles very neutrally. I had a tiny bit of understeer in slow corners, but at any real speed it felt great.
Just go out and have fun. You will be addicted by the time you go home and all you will want to do is spend money on brakes and tires and track days.
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08-03-2007, 04:39 PM
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I will reiterate a minimum upgrade of pads and fluid. Safety first! I did my first event on stock tires as well, which to me was fine because it was simply a learning experience.
08-03-2007, 05:48 PM
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As a newbie and even as an intermediate you can have a lot of fun without jumping to r-comps, testpipes, and so on...
In fact you might have a lot more fun just driving the car as is, before getting into all the elaborate research that is needed for aftermarket upgrades IMHO and that may steer the balance of your car into beginner unfriendly territory. Don't forget, upgrading is a balancing act, and often one upgrade requires another...
Make sure your car is not due for an oil change soon, or get one done before the track day.
Depending on how skilled you think you are, switch off VDC if you have it, to save rear pads... and to have the car behave as it should at the limit...
If you drive aggressively on corner entry, don't get spooked at what seems like "your ABS going crazy". Thats your VDC or EBD or whatever the final consensus was, not being totally off, and normal.
As for brakes:
it really depends on how much of a newbie you are. there are newbies that drive on the track not much differently from legal driving on the public road... then you will be fine... But if you are aggressive and brake hard and there are many hard braking zones on your track, be prepared to run into troubles...
Also with non Brembo trim you can expect your tires to last longer than your brakes. (For reference: I started with fresh PS2s and fresh NISMO pads and motul fluid, and slotted stageII rotors, and while every other newbie was worried about how bad HPDEs are for tires, my tires were totally fine and in good shape after 3 track days but my rear pads were gone and I had to skip the last session of the day.)
If you start to go more often... I think the only upgrades necessary are:
- brakes (for the non-brembo guys)
- get a 2nd set of wheels with dedicated track tires that you keep away from the street and its nails&screws (I picked rt615s)
have fun...
BTW:
the boolean search has been available to non premier members for a while, so no more excuses that you cannot find what you are looking for among the search results...
In fact you might have a lot more fun just driving the car as is, before getting into all the elaborate research that is needed for aftermarket upgrades IMHO and that may steer the balance of your car into beginner unfriendly territory. Don't forget, upgrading is a balancing act, and often one upgrade requires another...
Make sure your car is not due for an oil change soon, or get one done before the track day.
Depending on how skilled you think you are, switch off VDC if you have it, to save rear pads... and to have the car behave as it should at the limit...
If you drive aggressively on corner entry, don't get spooked at what seems like "your ABS going crazy". Thats your VDC or EBD or whatever the final consensus was, not being totally off, and normal.
As for brakes:
it really depends on how much of a newbie you are. there are newbies that drive on the track not much differently from legal driving on the public road... then you will be fine... But if you are aggressive and brake hard and there are many hard braking zones on your track, be prepared to run into troubles...
Also with non Brembo trim you can expect your tires to last longer than your brakes. (For reference: I started with fresh PS2s and fresh NISMO pads and motul fluid, and slotted stageII rotors, and while every other newbie was worried about how bad HPDEs are for tires, my tires were totally fine and in good shape after 3 track days but my rear pads were gone and I had to skip the last session of the day.)
If you start to go more often... I think the only upgrades necessary are:
- brakes (for the non-brembo guys)
- get a 2nd set of wheels with dedicated track tires that you keep away from the street and its nails&screws (I picked rt615s)
have fun...
BTW:
the boolean search has been available to non premier members for a while, so no more excuses that you cannot find what you are looking for among the search results...
08-04-2007, 07:43 AM
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my first 3 driving events i was on completely stock setup other then fresh high temp brake fluid. quickly i learned stock brakes WILL NOT hold up. Get a good set of Hawk HP+ pads or equivalent as many have mentioned and some good high temp fluid. Eventually you will see how track days will wear the edges on your tires so yeah, put a few weekends under your belt and get a set of track tires and wheels. the RT615 as mentioned above are GREAT for weekend warriors. They are sticky but predictable. More grip then say a michilen pilot but definately not a R compound tire such as a V710 Kuhmo. spend money early on with safety items.
the more you drive, the more you realize what you really need/want for the track.
the more you drive, the more you realize what you really need/want for the track.
08-04-2007, 09:54 AM
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one more thing, I really started to prefer assymmetrical tires to directional ones...
On my ps2s I developed feathering on the outside after the first two track days..
and more so on the left side, because you went clockwise around the track and had more right turns than left turns.
The nice thing with assymmetricals you just swap left <-> right without having to separate tire from rim.
With this you can balance the wear on the tires (now the previously right tires will get worked harder at the track with more right turns)
AND more importantly it evened out my feathering again because a left<->right swap keeping the outside outside will change rotation direction and hence smooth out the feathering.
On my ps2s I developed feathering on the outside after the first two track days..
and more so on the left side, because you went clockwise around the track and had more right turns than left turns.
The nice thing with assymmetricals you just swap left <-> right without having to separate tire from rim.
With this you can balance the wear on the tires (now the previously right tires will get worked harder at the track with more right turns)
AND more importantly it evened out my feathering again because a left<->right swap keeping the outside outside will change rotation direction and hence smooth out the feathering.
08-04-2007, 09:56 AM
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Many things were covered, so I will just repeat: brake pads+fluid! Stock pads on my 06 350Z last only 4x30 minute sessions. Don't let worn pads ruin your day.
Other than that, the Z is fine as is for your first event. I would argue that you should keep adding to it gradually, so you will notice how it changes its behaviour. If you mod your car like crazy for your first event, you will ruin the gradual pleasure of improving your driving and the car.
Be safe, listen to your instructor, and have fun!
Other than that, the Z is fine as is for your first event. I would argue that you should keep adding to it gradually, so you will notice how it changes its behaviour. If you mod your car like crazy for your first event, you will ruin the gradual pleasure of improving your driving and the car.
Be safe, listen to your instructor, and have fun!
08-04-2007, 02:58 PM
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Good luck on your first day. You will have a blast! The Z is actually more than capable of being a great track car in pure stock form. However, since this is also your daily driver you should invest on some other stuff.
My advice:
Brake pads that are friendly to OEM rotors, and high temp brake fluid. You dont want to use OEM brakes because at the end of the day your brakes will be metal to metal.
You can use your stock tires but if you have the money then you can fork out for some cheap rims and cheap street tires. (no r-comps)
Get an instructor and listen, learn, and listen.
Stay on your comfort zone and focus on driving safely and not winning the JGTC championship.
Im no expert. In fact, I only started tracking the car March of this year. But I listened to the guys on this forum with lots of track experiences and to my instructors at the track and bam! I sure learned alot, and I still have a long way to go. It is a great learning experience.
I made threads regarding my track days. YOu can search on them and hopefully it will help you out on your first day. Have fun!
My advice:
Brake pads that are friendly to OEM rotors, and high temp brake fluid. You dont want to use OEM brakes because at the end of the day your brakes will be metal to metal.
You can use your stock tires but if you have the money then you can fork out for some cheap rims and cheap street tires. (no r-comps)
Get an instructor and listen, learn, and listen.
Stay on your comfort zone and focus on driving safely and not winning the JGTC championship.
Im no expert. In fact, I only started tracking the car March of this year. But I listened to the guys on this forum with lots of track experiences and to my instructors at the track and bam! I sure learned alot, and I still have a long way to go. It is a great learning experience.
I made threads regarding my track days. YOu can search on them and hopefully it will help you out on your first day. Have fun!
08-05-2007, 06:30 AM
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You live in the right place to drive a bunch of different tracks, CMP, VIR, Roebling, and Road Atlanta are all close to you. If I had to choose a track for your first time, go with Roebling as there is a very low risk of damage to your car if you go off track. Second I would pick CMP. VIR and RA are a lot more fun, but are technical and have some bigger risks if you go off track (especially turn 12 at RA).
As far as items you need to do before going to track, almost all organizations have a recommended check sheet of items, and you will need to tech your car.
As far as items you need to do before going to track, almost all organizations have a recommended check sheet of items, and you will need to tech your car.
08-09-2007, 02:35 PM
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Originally Posted by LifeIsRisky
Thanks for all the replies. I will definitely be changing the pads out and adding the high-temp break fluid. I appreciate it.
Also make sure not to run for more than 20 mins.
Good luck!
08-09-2007, 04:07 PM
#20
+1 on what everyone else said (brake pads and fluid)
but don't cheap out on the helmet.
if you got a $10 head. get a $10 helmet. i don't so.. yea. don't skimp. i'd get a full face too. most places will let you only do SA rated so try not to get a motorcycle helmet.
check out
RacerWholesale.com
for G-force safety equipment. when you decide you like the sport, upgrade to the nicer stuff if u can afford it (arai, sparco. etc. they tend to be more expensive, but lighter so its less fatigue)
but don't cheap out on the helmet.
if you got a $10 head. get a $10 helmet. i don't so.. yea. don't skimp. i'd get a full face too. most places will let you only do SA rated so try not to get a motorcycle helmet.
check out
RacerWholesale.com
for G-force safety equipment. when you decide you like the sport, upgrade to the nicer stuff if u can afford it (arai, sparco. etc. they tend to be more expensive, but lighter so its less fatigue)
