I've signed up for my first track day

"Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4" (flat6forlife)
08/11/2016 at 18:17 • Filed to: None

On September 2nd, I will be going to the New York Safety Track for a S.L.O.W.(Subaru Love Of Westchester) track day.

Definitely excited, but also a bit nervous, as you would expect. Now that I’m signed up, I need to buy a helmet. I’m choosing between the Bell Sport and the Simpson Voyager 2. Both similarly priced and from two well known companies. Right now Its looking like it’ll be the Voyager 2, seeing as the sport is out of stock even on Bell’s own website. I have my dads old shoes so I’m covered there, not that they’re needed, but I have them. The only thing I’m not sure about is gloves. Should I grab a pair or not? I plan on doing more track days and auto-crosses in the future, but I’m not really sure I need them. Other than that, I’m good to go. I’m hoping my sister will let me borrow her GoPro so I can record some laps, otherwise I’ll just have some pictures.

There are also a few parts I need to put in before I go up to school so that shes ready for the track day. She’ll be my only car while I’m up there so it may be a bit risky going, but its my last shot for the year and I needed to make it happen.

We’ll see how it goes.

DISCUSSION (26)

For Sweden > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 18:21

We can track if we want to
We can leave your friends behind

just-a-scratch > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 18:30

Get the helmet that meets the safety requirements and is comfortable. Don’t bother with a helmet that only kinda fits.

As for the car, it should be in generally good shape but, BRAKES and TIRES must be in good condition.
Stopping > going.
If it has been a long time since flushing the brake fluid, do that. Make sure you have lots of brake pad to use up.
Make sure there is some life left in the tires.

Tareim - V8 powered > For Sweden
08/11/2016 at 18:37

‘cause if friends don’t track and if they don’t track

well they’re... no friends of mine

Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4 > Tareim - V8 powered
08/11/2016 at 19:07

“Safety Track” -Men Without Helmets

Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4 > just-a-scratch
08/11/2016 at 19:13

All of that has been taken care of. Everything Ive done to the car has done to make it stop better. I put on a fresh set of Dunlop Direzzas last summer and I completely overhauled/upgraded the brakes about a month or so ago. Bigger calipers front and rear, bigger discs, Porterfield R4-S pads, Goodridge SS brake lines and a bigger master cylinder. It didn’t really have trouble stopping before I changed them, but now they’re much better. The fluid is whatever Porsche puts in their 911s, so I would imagine its up to the task.

DarkCreamyBeer > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 19:16

Thereis a joke about Subaru and Westchester here somewhere, but I can't find it.

notsomethingstructural > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 19:47

You know, I never realized the 2.5RS was a 2 door. Huh.

I’ve never been on the track either (hoping to, eventually dammit) but the good news is it looks like that has a shitload of runoff space.

Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4 > notsomethingstructural
08/11/2016 at 19:59

The 1998-2001 2.5RSs all came in coupe form. ‘98's and 99's were strictly coupes, while ‘00's and ‘01's came in coupe and sedan. Mine is a ‘98.

Yeah, that was one of the first things I noticed when I watched videos of the track. There is so much room. Very good for me, because being a first timer, I’ll probably runoff at some point.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 20:03

Some further food for thought:

Take every last thing out of your car when you get to the track. Few feelings are worse than a floor mat rolling up under a pedal, and few things are more annoying on-track than stuff rattling around in the glove box.

Take a torque wrench and check your lug nuts throughout the day. There is a reason we club racers re-torque lugs after every track session. On tire pressures, expect to end up running more than you think. Keep an eye io your sidewalls and note how far over the tire is rolling over. Street rubber on a car that isn’t running serious camber can take a lot of air pressure to keep from rolling over onto the sidewall and/or chunking away the outside shoulder of the tread.

Expect to bleed your brakes as soon as you get home. Speaking of brakes, some times a strategy of two laps on at speed followed by one or two laps at 75% (then rinse and repeat) just working on hitting your marks can be a good practice for lapping in street cars without completely toasting the brakes. If you can rig up some cooling ducts, you’ll be much happier (and so will your front brakes). As a general rule, if you can drive the car to the track on the brakes, they will not be able withstand continuous lapping. Any pad that works at temperatures attainable on the street is going to be unhappy at 600 or 700 degrees after a couple of laps at 10/10ths. I’ve run R4-S pads in front on my tow vehicles. They’re a great street pad, but they will not tolerate sustained track usage. If you get into the habit of running track days frequently (and driving them fast) in a street car, folks usually end up driving to the track on their regular street brakes, swapping in their track pads in rotors when they get to the track, and then swap back (and maybe bleed the brakes) in the pits before going home. The same goes for tires.

On the track, think slow in, fast out and listen your instructor. Throttle and brakes are not on/off switches. Fast in, fast out will come with experience (and brakes that were not capable of being driven to the track).

On gear, get a comfortable helmet that fits properly and meets the safety requirements. G-Force makes good brain buckets at reasonable prices. For track days and autocross, that usually means a helmets with a Snell M rating of not more than 5 or 10 years old. If you think club racing could be in your future, then you might consider ponying up for a current Snell SA rated helmet. The difference is that an SA helmet has passed an roll bar impact test, and the lining (and maybe paint, IIRC) is flame retardant.

Source: is an SCCA club racer that used to volunteer to die in some yahoo’s 300 or 400 hp street car with brakes they drove to the track on and nothing more than a seat belt and airbag for safety equipment as an instructor for lapping days in exchange for free track time to develop the race car when I was building it. It was also amusing to hear the noises people made in the passenger seat the first time they rode around a track at speed with a real driver.

yamahog > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 20:34

Nice! My dad’s been there a few times, on 2 and 4 wheels. You might want to check with the organizers to be sure, but I’ve not been to an autocross or open track day (for cars) that required gloves. Also check if they have any tether requirements for GoPros.

And if you haven’t already, you can get single-day HPDE insurance through Lockton: https://www.locktonmotorsports.com/

OH, haven’t seen anyone mention this yet - don’t apply the parking brake after your session!

Aaron Brown > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 21:14

Was there with Brian Silvestro last weekend! Good fun.

Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4 > Aaron Brown
08/11/2016 at 21:28

I saw that! I follow you both on instagram.

Brian Silvestro > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 21:46

I’ve done a lot more than just a track day on my daily driver/only car and it held up fine. 100% worth the experience, and afterwards you’ll be hooked.

Just make sure to monitor your brake pedal travel, as the fluid will get HOT after all that usage.

Also, watch onboards ! They’re the best way to learn the track’s layout besides driving them in video games.

Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4 > Brian Silvestro
08/11/2016 at 22:01

I can’t wait, and I have no doubt I’ll be hooked when I’m done. The best part about this whole thing is that the track is only an hour west of my school up at Albany.

I’ve been watching the onboards already as well. They’re definitely the best way to learn without actually being there. Should be a fun event, but I’m almost certain I’ll be going alone which makes me all the more nervous.

Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4 > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
08/11/2016 at 22:07

Wow, all of that was great stuff. Thank you! Some of the stuff I knew of already from my dad who was a racer in the PCA (Porsche Club of America) and was an insturctor for some of their DE’s, but the majority of that was all new to me. I guess I have a few more questions I should ask him haha. At this point I think I’m looking forward more to the time with the instructor than being alone.

Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4 > yamahog
08/11/2016 at 22:32

Good call with the gloves thing, I have no idea if they require them or not. Just sent an email asking if they do or not. The GoPro will most likely be on the inside of the car so I don’t think it’ll need a tether. I checked out the insurance too, they don’t cover my event unfortunately.

Aaron Brown > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 22:45

Haha! We may or may not go to this day as well, still contemplating. Either way, you’ll def have a great time. Love your car!

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 22:48

Try to ride with experienced folks as much as you can. Beyond being fun, you’ll be able to learn a ton from them.

Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4 > Aaron Brown
08/11/2016 at 22:51

Thank you! She’s my pride and joy. You know I’ll be there, so come say hi if you do.

Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4 > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
08/11/2016 at 22:52

That’s the plan. I’m hoping to follow one of them around for a few laps as well to get a feel for the line of the track.

Brian Silvestro > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 22:56

Where do you go to school in Albany??

Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4 > Brian Silvestro
08/11/2016 at 23:00

University at Albany. I’m going into my sophmore year.

Brian Silvestro > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 23:00

Cool see you in class in two weeks

Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4 > Brian Silvestro
08/11/2016 at 23:14

Sweet, see ya there. I’ll be over on colonial.

Brian Silvestro > Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4
08/11/2016 at 23:19

I’ll be commuting (only have class tues/thurs), should be fairly miserable.

Flat6ForLife, Drives a Flat4 > Brian Silvestro
08/11/2016 at 23:25

Mmm sounds like it. I’ll look out for the Ford.