SIR [PR] Thursday, July 26th HPDE track day
 

it's a HPDE (high performance driving event / lapping day) with the Alpha Romeo club at the Pacific raceways (formeraly seatle internation reacways)

drivesolo and I are already signed up...it'd be nice to get a solid group of 350Z/G35's out there. It's on a Thursday so this is perfect...take a day off of work (+1), drive the VQ35 (+2), drive on a track (+3), drive w/ fellow VQ owners (+4)


http://www.nwalfaclub.com/track/calendar.php
http://www.nwalfaclub.com/track/registration.php
I just emailed the contact w/ my info...

so, who's going?

PR HPDE on July 26th
1) Drivesolo
2) first 350


*if you have questions, post them here and someone will answer it.

AutoX is nice and all.... but you gotta live life outside of second gear every now and then to REALLY appreciate what the Z/G has got. It'd be great if we could get a lotta Z/G guys to join us.

NW Alfa Romeo usually requires you to take an HPDE school, but will make exceptions if you have other autoracing experience.

Might be a plan..

Any idea of how much track time you get?

Do they have lessons and stuff?

You get at least three(3) 20 minute sessions, usually there is an option for a 4th session.

I just sent an email and registered. :D

Kinda. If you run in group C, you will be assigned an instructor that will ride along w/ you. The assumption for the track days at PR is that you've already taken an HPDE class or have prior racing experience. I know of 2 guys that have been approved by NWARC because they've had years of autoX experience but never took a HPDE school.

If you're looking to do the school to get class room instruction time. Proformance is the racing school the operated out of Pacific Raceways, they should have one or two classes avalible between now and July 26th.

Been itchin' for a track day... I'm in!!!

Just hope they'll take my Japanese track day credentials...:rolleyes:

here's a good link to a corner-by-corner analysis of the track:
www.bmwpugetsound.com/pr_track_notes.pdf

the PR website also has a few videos and course layout...I've been studing up on the course - the straight looks like a lot of fun and a bit scary :o going through turn 1...can't wait to really open up the Z on the track. (AutoX is great but can sometimes be frustrating having to modulate the throttle...the Z just wants to be WOT!:D )

as we get closer, we can discuss some of the details...like who's bringing what, so that we all don't have to carry a full load of tools. (My tire trailer should be completed by then, so I'll be planning to bring the vast majority of my tools)

*if it's nice weather (which it shoud be), then maybe we can even do a BBQ (not sure if that's allowed or not...)

+1 on BBQ!!! :icon39:

So do you guys wanna have a get together before the track day and have a BBQ and discuss etc... I can host if you are up for it? Maybe like a pre-race tech session??:icon14: I'd like to know how you guys are changing your car setup before going out on the big track! I'm sure its gonna be way different than AutoX.

May stiffen the coilovers a few clicks, but other than that, just want to learn the proper line of the track.

NWARC provides lunch at the event. So dunno if BBQ would be necessary. I'll call Kathleen a little later to see if other people who aren't participating in the event can come to watch. My bro will be in town at the time and he'd like to come by and check it out.

Pacific Raceways is a lot like roads you'd find else where in the Pac NW. There's something llike a 115 ft elevation change between the lowest to the highest part of the track. Going into turn 4 there is a dip in the road that if you're running too low or too stiff could upset your car. Plus charging into Turn 1 at 130+ mph and jumping on the brakes to make Turn 2 you encounter rough pavement. Yeah it can get scary at times; but it's one heck'va a rush. I'm not quite sure what suspension settings would be best for a Z/G but I think you would run slightly softer and higher than other tracks that are as flat as a billards table and have a higher maintenance budget.

I'd suggest a meeting (or two) to work on our race-craft. Go karting FTW?

It's not like AutoX, but you'll find that the skills you developed in AutoX help you greatly along the back portion of the track.

I'll try and see if I can get that day off. Just started this new job, so haven't tried asking for any personal time off yet.

Obviously I've AutoX'ed quite a bit, but never tracked. So what would you guys suggest for settings on the sways?

+1 that's it's very different...but so many of the skills that you use in AutoX carry over for track; car control (knowing what your car is doing and how to pick up on the subtle signs of over/understeer), threshold braking (not as important w/ ABS), correct corner apex (finding the fastest line)...

lots of ppl say that you can take a great autoXer and theyll be a great track driver, but that it doesn't work in the other direction.

+1 This is very true. It's been proven over and over again and Ron Bauer in Setup is the latest evidenve of that. I know a lot of the road racers don't like hearing that, but it's a proven fact. Ofcourse there is weakness in the autoX-er's skill when it comes to the track; his race-craft. Since overtaking and dealing w/ cars fender-to-fender or bumper-to-bumper is something never done in autoX, those skills eludes most autocrossers. But for Time Attack or an event like a track day; a skilled autoX-er will be equally at home on the track after the initial sensation of the high speeds in the front straight are overcome.

I keep my sways the same...but alignment would be different from a dedicated autoX to track car. (when I had my alignment done, I decided not to go too AutoX extreme so that the car would still be safe for track days; for high speed stability, you want a bit of toe-in on the rear [to reduce likelihood of oversteer])

sounds like from Drivesolo's description of the track, a slightly less firm dampener setting would be best to deal w/ the bumps and rough areas.

Usually for autoX I would turn the front dampeners at 90% from full. For the street I ran full soft, for PR I ran at about 50-60%, I'll probably go a little higher this time since I have slightly stiffer springs now. I'll probably have my tire pressures 5-8 psi lower than autoX settings because they'll build up and hold more heat. But aside from that I will be running the same settings I use for autoX.

I'd recommend, if you haven't already done so, to go w/ Racing Brake Fluid. I boiled over the brake DOT 3 brake fluid in my S14 once and it sucked. Being the end of July things will be getting hot and the brakes will need to withstand the extra heat. Since I have the '03 OEM brakes, I'm going to try to do everything I can to improve my braking and heat capacity; slotted rotors, new race pads, stainless lines. I might even fab up some cooling ducts just for this outing.

Hey off topic but have you ever swapped your Z wheels onto your S14? are the spacings similar? I was thinking about using my other set of 19's for my S14 but I'm worried they might be too wide in the rear.

Let me know if you need help working on your brakes !:D