Just signed up for my first track day (FATT) at summit point WV. So freaking excited!!!! Been telling myself for 15 years that I would get on a road course, and am finally doing it with the Z!! Thanks to those who put up the newbie threads for track days. they were super helpful, both for equipment and driver.

Riz

 

Enjoy. My first track was over 3 years ago... and now I instruct. Expensive habit (new tires this weekend in fact), but so much fun! Since that first event I'm 11 seconds fastest with the only mods being tires and brakes. There is plenty to learn behind the wheel.

Couple of general pointers: If you have VDC leave it on until you learn where the car wants to break lose. Then adjust your throttle application until you can drive the course without the slip light coming on. If you don't have VDC then just take is easy. The Z in stock form mostly understeers at turn in, but on exit the back end out wants to get out of shape. The thing that caught me out in the beginning was downshifting too aggressively. Better to be in a higher gear (going slightly slower) with no wheel spin then to drop the clutch and light up the tires between turns. I'm sure they will mention this in the driver's meeting but if not - the thing to remember is if the car starts to get away from you put "2 feet in" (clutch & brake). Do NOT try to save it by cutting the wheel hard and counter steering! My brother recently spun his Golf R (yes even with AWD) on the track and the snap back after he caught/corrected the original slide was so violent he cut a tire in the process. Thankfully he had scrubbed enough speed to slide off the track and into the grass without hitting anything but the pucker factor was pretty high.

 

Show up early, leave the ego at home, listen to your instructor, and have a blast.

Your signature shows a BBK (edit, I was looking at JMII's signature). You should be fine on brakes as long as you have good fluid and decent pads. If you have a brake bleed kit and some extra fluid, I'd bring it along just in case. For track I use a hand vacuum pump kit.

Don't forget to torque your wheels throughout the day, not while they are hot though. Also don't forget to check your fluid levels once in a while. Particularly oil and coolant.

Bring something to use as a wheel chalk, you don't want to use your parking brake at a track day. The rotors get to hot and you can weld the pads to the rotors.

 

Almost forgot. Bring Sunscreen and water! A folding chair is nice too.

 

Thanks for the early insight. Base model Z so no worries with VDC. Ya I understand the theory of under steer, but don't know about it in reality, so its going to be interesting. And what isn't expensive these days!!

 

Only ego I carry is when im in uniform. But still im a nobody so I could care less about anything. I just bought the Z and not looking to pay to fix it from dumb shiz. The brake fluid is the last fluid ive yet to change. I was gunna get a el cheapo hand vac to do it.
With all ive read it almost sounds like I need to borrow a trailer and trailer the care with my truck just to bring all this stuff

 

Big Summit circuit or the smaller Jefferson?

 

Your first day don't bother with a trailer. In fact, I'm sick of the trailer so that is one of the reasons I got my Z. It is pretty capable and if fairly stock, you shouldn't have many problems.

Brake fluid is important though. Maybe not at your first event but if you get the bug, it is the first upgrade I would do. Some high temp fluid and track brake pads make track life soo much better. You can cook old fluid and then your brake pedal goes all the way to the floor with not a lot of stopping. Not fun.

 

Funny. I learned that it's generally a bad idea to track the car you have to drive home.

 

Not to get too far off topic, but I'd say it depends. I have a highly modified 240sx that I pretty much have to trailer to events. I used to drive it to events with a small tire trailer behind it. I got towed home by my friend 1 too many times so I bought an open trailer and am able to use a work truck to tow with. It is nice but also adds about 3 to 4 extra hours to a track weekend for me. I missed the simplicity of just driving to an event, competing and driving home.

That is why my 350Z is pretty much stock outside of a front sway bar and good brake pads. I can simply drive it to the event, unpack a little stuff from it and drive. At the end of the day or weekend, I simply put the stuff back in and drive it home. No muss no fuss. All in comfort and even have AC for the commute.

If you have room for a trailer where you live and have a truck that can tow, it's a no brainer, just trailer the car. For me, I missed the simplicity of just driving the car to the event.

I also started my track life in an Acura RSX Type S. It was super reliable, I could track it all day and simply drive it home with no worries. It was nice.

 

+1; this is something i had to learn the hard way at my first track event when my wheels started to come off while out on track. Nobody had EVER mentioned it to me before and something i hadn't even considered.

 

I never touch mine, once the wheel is installed and torqued , a wrench doesn't touch them again till they come off

 

I tq mine right before each session so long as the car has enough time to cool. Tq right after a session is a good way to stretch the studs.

FATT is a decent group, definitely geared towards novices, which is good. I always tell people the first time out the worst thing you can do is start tracking your lap times. Pushing to hit a number your first time out typically leads to bad things.

Track advice, since you'll be on main...

Don't play games with turn 1, give yourself space to get the car whoa'd up and so you can meander a bit to track left on entry. If it is wet, stay the f u c k off the crubs through 3, you will go smash if you track out on the inside curb under power. If you go up on the curb through 4 you'll likely go two wheels up. The car will naturally push to the inside of turn 5, which is good since all the rubber and grip is there. 6-7-8 is is mostly part throttle car control that needs to lead to a good build up out of nine. If you miss the apex in 9 it gets super bumpy out there. Again if it raining stay off the outside curbing out of 9. 9-10 (under the bridge) can be a little tricky depending on the car. A lot of big power cars have to go towards the middle of the road and lift as they go under the bridge. My car has aero, is reasonable fast, yada yada and I stay to the outside just fine and brake way after the bridge, but it is a bit bumpy. Turn 10 you want to get as close to the drivers side wheels to the dirt as you can for a late apex. Getting this turn at 80-90% is easy....getting it at 100% takes some stones but rewards you with 3-4mph more down the long straight.

 

I forgot to mention the fluid because I assume (I know dangerous) that everyone is fully aware that the stock fluid is going to cook (boil) very quickly and leave you with massive brake fade. Pretty much the only mod you need on Day 1 is a fluid change. I run Motul 660 RBF. Using the Motive Bleeder a fluid flush is not too bad, sure beats the old 2 person pedal pump method. I've heard mixed results with the vacuum method.

I always remind my students of the parking brake thing.

Same here. What on earth would require re-torquing them other then not being correctly torqued to start with? However with that said my brother had studs (Golf R) that were coming lose from vibrations caused by wrapped rotors... so maybe that happened?

I do it all the time. My home track (Homestead) is a good 60 miles from my house. I'm most stock but I tracked all day at Sebring then drove 2 HOURS (150 miles) home with no issues. After the last session I just do extended cool down and hang out in the paddock for awhile to ensure all the temps go down.

Granted having a trailer is helpful in case something breaks which can happen when pushing hard at the track. The worst I had (so far... knock on wood) was a rear brake that blew out a seal causing a massive fluid leak. Luckily I was able to drive to friends house nearby where we got in another car to make a run to NAPA for parts. If not I would have left my car in some random parking lot and had someone drive me home to get my truck. If your track car is your ONLY car then you'll need a backup plan for sure.

Also I use Harry's Lap Timer app on my iPhone plus a GoPro to review my laps. I generally don't push very hard but its nice to see consistent lap times and watch them slowly fall over several months.

 

Nice! Cant wait to take my Z to a track day.

I remember I took my 600rr to a track day. About pooped my self lol

My Z should be a lot more fun... I hope haha

 

I want to go this summer, was also looking at Summit Point or Old Dominion. I need new brakes and change the fluids first though.

 

I have been instructing for 10 years. You'd be surprised how often my students cars wheels need to be torqued. I always torque my wheels and have had a couple of occasions at track days where I check them midway through the day and they needed a couple of turns. I don't know if it is the massive heat fluctuations, excessive vibrations or the amount of Gs they are seeing.

Of course never torque while hot. That will stretch the studs, but it isn't a bad idea to check them right after lunch.

 

Been looking since I commented, think I'm going to sign up for the 8/20 FATT day.

 

No idea

 

Im pretty sure Im going to get the bug! I already did new hawk pads last year but everyone seems to hit the "new fluid and SS brake lines" message pretty hard, so Ill prob do that in the next few weeks before my first day (on wait list for June 3, but scheduled and paid for July 1).


The only thing I worry about is I put good tires on aftermarket rims, not thinking Id be getting to the track this soon So I don't have an issue checking nuts


Ill take all that into consideration (knowing I have generally no idea what you're talking about )


That's all you're waiting on?? lets go!!


Interesting stuff